One of the treatments commonly prescribed for acne at the Harley Street Dermatology Clinic one of London skin clinic is retinoid cream. You may be more familiar with retinoid as vitamin A, which is an important part of a balanced diet. Vitamin A plays a role in your vision and immune system when you eat it, but when it is applied to your skin it can help to treat acne.

Using Retinoid Creams for Acne

Vitamin A or retinoid treatment is usually given as a gel or cream that needs to be applied to your skin every day before you go to bed. You will usually need to wait about 20 minutes after washing before you use the cream and you will probably need to use it for about six weeks for the treatment to work. Your doctor at the Harley Street Dermatology Clinic will tell you exactly how to use the cream and when you can stop using it.

How Retinoid Acne Treatment Works

Retinoid creams for acne work by unblocking your pores, exfoliating away dead skin, and reducing the production of sebum. This can prevent oil and dead skin from building up in your hair follicles, eliminating some of the common causes of spots. Retinoid creams are usually effective for treating whiteheads, blackheads and smaller spots.

Using Retinoid Creams Safely

If your dermatologist at HSDC our London’s skin clinic prescribes retinoid treatment for your spots, you will need to be aware of the potential risks involved. One potential risk of retinoid treatment is that it does make your skin more sensitive to UV light. You will need to be particularly careful about protecting your skin from the sun while you are using the cream. Another risk to consider if you are a woman is that you should not use vitamin A cream if you are pregnant as it could cause serious birth defects. You must make sure that you are using contraception to avoid this risk.