BEAUTY
RECOMMENDED
Margaret B. Boyse, MD
Southern Dermatology
Raleigh, NC
Myth
My skin can’t tolerate
retinoids (Retin-A,
Renova, Tretinoin)
if I use them every
day, so I just spot
treat areas or use
it less often.
Myth
I use warm water to
open up my pores,
and cold water to
close them.
The Obagi
Nu-Derm System
People use retinoids for improving acne and
for anti-aging benefits. To achieve the healthy
glow that retinoids enable, use your product
every day to keep pores unclogged, prevent
breakouts and stimulate skin. If you are concerned about peeling, use a tiny amount of
retinoid mixed with a moisturizer, and over
time, gradually increase the retinoid, and
decrease the moisturizer to the recommended
dose of a pea-sized amount. You can also drop
to a lower percentage product. Prescription
retinoids come i n different strengths.
This isn’t true. The skin’s pores and hair follicles don’t have a sphincter muscle to open and
close. The erector pili muscle gives a “goose
bump” when you’re cold, but that does not
change the size of the follicle or pore opening.
FEBRUARY MARCH 2015
83