Can Retinol Make Wrinkles Worse? Myths, Mistakes, And Truths
- Habiba Tidjani
- Jul 15
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 15
Retinol has been established as one of the gold standards for treating acne and addressing anti-ageing concerns, such as fine lines and wrinkles. However, it is also known to have strong side effects, including dryness, purging, dehydration, and redness.
Starting my skincare journey, these side effects seemed very scary and put me off retinol (and retinoids in general) for a long while, particularly because hearing it caused the skin to be drier made me fear it would worsen my dynamic wrinkles (which I have due to my dry skin type). It wasn’t until I did my research to separate myth from truth that I jumped on the retinol train, and I haven’t looked back. So today I will be debunking the myth around wrinkles and retinols, so you can know the truth and what mistakes to avoid.
Key takeaways
Retinol may make wrinkles appear worse at first due to dryness and flakiness during the purging phase, but this is temporary and part of the skin's adjustment process.
Retinol does not deepen or thin the skin; instead, it boosts collagen and elastin production, improving skin texture and firmness over time.
Misusing retinol—like using too high a concentration too soon or applying it on damp skin—can damage your skin barrier and cause irritation, redness, or burns.
Visible improvements in wrinkles typically appear after 12 weeks, with more dramatic changes around the 6–9 month mark, requiring consistency and patience.
Beginner-friendly practices like using low concentrations, moisturizing, and applying retinol every other night can help minimise irritation and make the treatment more effective.
Can Retinol Make Wrinkles Worse?
The idea that retinol can worsen wrinkles finds roots in the fact that applying it to the skin causes what is called retinization or purging. Retinization or the retinization period refers to the 4-6 week period of time your skin takes to adjust to retinol once layered on. During this purging phase, you are most likely to experience strong side effects like dry/dehydrated skin, redness, irritation, flakiness, etc. As a result, the top layer of the skin becomes more sensitive and is prone to flakiness and peeling. This also means your skin will feel tighter and will appear more wrinkled and textured before looking brighter and smoother.
Why? Simply because of how retinol interacts with the skin to deliver results. Because retinol speeds up the skin cell renewal process, once it's absorbed, it causes dead skin cells to shed faster, which explains why it may seem like your wrinkles are getting worse. No need to panic, all it takes is for your skin to adjust to this potent active, and eventually, over time, it will begin to look plumper, brighter, and smoother. This is true whether you are applying retinol to your face, under eye, or body.
Scientific Context On Retinol For Wrinkles
Studies show that retinol not only treats acne and hyperpigmentation but is one of the most effective topical solutions for treating wrinkles. Retinol can boost the synthesis of collagen in the skin, especially when used to reverse the signs of photo-aging (premature aging caused by UV exposure).
Does Retinol Make Wrinkles Worse At First?
Using retinol for the first time will make your wrinkles seem worse - emphasis on “seem”. In reality, retinol does not deepen wrinkles in the skin. Because it speeds up skin cell growth, older skin dries out faster, crinkles then sheds, which is why this process is called the purging phase. This will give the impression that your wrinkles look worse, but over time, your skin will look more plump and smooth.
The good news is that there are a few things you can do to mitigate skin purging, like using very hydrating, soothing, and barrier-strengthening products in your routine. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, panthenol, glycerin, etc. will help replenish the moisture in your skin, reducing dryness. Others like ceramides, peptides, cica, or fatty acids reinforce your skin barrier and reduce irritation and redness.
Remember that retinol is a very potent ingredient and will most likely irritate your skin if used incorrectly.
Why Does My Skin Look Older With Retinol?
What characterizes young skin is its plumpness, smoothness, and brightness, and this is the result you will eventually get using retinol over time. But before getting there, your skin may look older for 2–6 weeks. Dryness, dullness, and flakiness are to be expected, especially if you are a newbie. Depending on the strength of the product, the formulation or delivery system used in your treatment, the intensity of these side effects may vary. Also, depending on how resilient your skin naturally is, you may or may not experience purging at all.
It is therefore very important to keep your skin properly moisturized and wear sunscreen regularly to mitigate these effects and improve your skin’s appearance while it acclimates to retinol.
Retinol Usage Mistakes That Can Make Skin Worse
At this point, it should be clear to you that retinol is a very potent skin active and its usage requires a lot of care. The most common mistakes I see people make when getting on retinol are applying too much retinol at once on the skin, using retinol products too often or paired with other potent actives, or starting off with a very high concentration, hoping for quicker results.
While this active comes with so many benefits, always remember that you are one application away from destroying your skin if you misuse your retinol treatment. Retinol literally exfoliates the skin at a very fast rate. If used too much or too often, it could disrupt your skin barrier, causing irritation, inflammation, and in some severe cases, burns.
What Happens If You Use Retinol Wrong? (H3)
If you want to avoid destroying your skin with retinol, here is a list of mistakes you should avoid :
Starting with a high concentration of retinol. Remember, your skin needs to acclimate to its potency. Your starting point as a beginner should be 0.25–0.5%.
Do not apply your treatment daily; this will dry and irritate your skin even more. Start with 2–3 x a week every other day.
Never apply retinol on wet/damp skin. This accelerates absorption, leading to even more irritation.
Do not apply too much at once, as your skin will feel over-saturated and irritated. The rule of thumb is a pea-sized amount for creams or 2–3 drops for liquid treatments.
It is preferable to use retinol at night and never skip your sunscreen in the morning, as the younger skin revealed by the skin cell turnover will be more likely to darken when exposed to sunlight.
Do not mix retinol treatment with other potent actives like exfoliants, as this may overwhelm your skin.
Does Too Much Retinol Cause Skin Thinning?
Because one of the side effects of retinol is skin peeling or shedding, there’s a misconception that retinol erodes or thins the skin. It is factually impossible for this to occur, as retinol boosts collagen and elastin in the skin. Two proteins that promote skin elasticity, plumpness, and skin thickening.
Also, the claim that retinol “exfoliates” the skin is false. Retinol is a cell-communicating active that binds with specific receptors in the dermis to quicken processes like collagen synthesis and fibroblast growth. This causes new skin cells to be generated faster, pushing off older, dead skin cells. Retinol does not break the bonds between dead cells like exfoliants, although both categories of actives give similar results, like a smooth skin texture and brighter skin tone.
How To Know If Retinol Is Not Working
The most frequently asked question about retinol is “How do you know it's working or not?”. So here’s what to expect.
First, the purging phase can take anywhere between 2–6 weeks to clear up. This is when all the peeling, dryness, redness, or breakouts will occur. The length of this phase will vary per individual, based on your skin type and the formulation of the product. Note that the effects of purging will decrease over time. If 8 weeks in, your skin is still showing signs of purging, discontinue use. If your skin stings or burns badly (it should just be tingling here and there) or you experience severe pain, immediately discontinue use.
You should start noticing significant improvement in your fine lines and wrinkles after about 12 weeks of usage, but note that drastic changes will appear after about 6–9 months of use. This means you really need to commit to your retinol treatment for at least that amount of time to assess if it's working for you.
Here are a few tips to guide you as you start using retinol ;
Always start with low concentrations before working up to reduce the risk of irritation.
Always apply your treatment on dry skin. If you use water-based toners or serums before your treatment, allow them to soak into your skin completely before applying retinol.
Use the sandwich method to mitigate dryness and inflammation. This method requires you to apply your retinol treatment between two layers of moisturizer. This is to provide a cushion that allows retinol to penetrate your skin without being too irritating.
As a beginner, apply retinol to your skin every other night to allow your skin to get used to its potency.
Does Retinol Damage Skin Over Time?
Unless you have an allergic reaction or are using a strength too high for your skin to tolerate, long-term use of retinol will not destroy your skin. On the contrary, over time, retinol will not only improve your fine lines and wrinkles but also even out your skin texture, improve discoloration, and manage oily or acne-prone skin.
Any worries about your skin thinning or your wrinkles worsening are just myths. Retinol is one of the most well-researched active ingredients used for skin care, with results that speak for themselves.
Retinol Benefits For Wrinkles And Aging Skin
Stimulates collagen and elastin for plumper and smoother skin.
Speeds up skin cell growth, resulting in smoother and brighter skin.
Improves skin thickness over time, filling up wrinkle crevices.
Best Retinol Product For Wrinkles
This post will not be complete without me recommending some of my favorite retinol treatments.
This retinol-based cream is the perfect choice for beginners. It was my first retinol product ever, and I loved how gentle it was on my skin. It's easy to apply with little to no risk of irritation or purging. Furthermore, it’s equally one of the most affordable retinol options on the market at 11$.
This serum is more suitable for intermediate to advanced users. It combines retinol and retinyl palmitate ( a gentler type of retinoid), niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid to improve skin texture. It is such a cult favorite product that it won the Cosmopolitan 2024 Reader’s Choice Beauty Award.
I consider this a powerhouse serum as it combines retinol and vitamin C to target wrinkles and skin brightness. RoC has been making very effective anti-aging products for ages. If you are looking for a tried-and-true formula at a drug store price, look no further.
If you love Korean skincare, I suggest you try the Cosrx Retinol 0.1% cream, a gentle yet effective option to target early signs of fine lines. This cream is perfect for people with dry skin, with additions like panthenol and Vitamin E that hydrate and soothe the skin. It also comes in 0.3% concentration for more advanced users.
Frequently Asked Questions About Whether Retinol Can Make Wrinkles Worse
Why Does Retinol Make Wrinkles Look Worse At First?
Retinol makes the skin appear more wrinkled because it speeds up skin cell renewal, causing the top layer of the skin to shed faster.
Can Retinol Deepen Wrinkles Over Time?
No retinol will not deepen your wrinkles over time. On the contrary, prolonged use will have your skin looking more plump and smooth.