About 15 years ago, during one of my biology ranks, we had a debate that stood out. The issue was aging and how the result of the accumulated damage over time. Eventually, the discussion was shifted to Telomeres – the protective covers at the ends of our DNA clones – and how each time our cells are divided, these telomeres become a little smaller. Once they are worn enough, the cell can no longer be divided properly and the tissues begin to show signs of aging.
On the same week, I went to make my eyebrows. As the strip was torn, I felt it – not only the hair coming out, but the upper layer of my skin goes with it. The hair removal was not only removed the hair. Removes the skin. And every time you remove the skin, your body is forced to regenerate it through cellular division. More division means more telomeres. More telomeres means accelerating aging.
I never wax.
Thin skin is aging of the skin
I still take my eyebrows and I remember when I first developed Oumere, a eyebrow technician asked me if I did retinol. I said no. And he said “good, because I can’t wax using retinol – their skin is so thin, it just comes with paper”.
Retinol is the deity of the Echo Care Echo chamber. From the evaluated studies on blogs and social media foods, it reigns as the infallible god-in-law for an offense, despite the fact that it does nothing but failure. I often meet places where people mourn that retinol of destruction has caused: skin dilution, chronic redness, relentless peeling. However, instead of coming to the obvious conclusion – that retinol is the problem – the responsibility turns inward. The user did not use that correctly. They do not lay enough bids – mobilizers, serums, toners – to soothe its rage. They did not expect the appropriate number of minutes between the steps to honor his divine process. They didn’t make enough sacrifices throughout their day to win their favor.
No one stops questioning if this God is well -meaning at all. Maybe it’s not God. Maybe it’s a monster.
And it may belong where all the fake idols go – in the trash, along with the sacred texts and the false prophets who glorify it.
The long -term effects of retinol
He said, I think retinol is okay for the acne in the short term, but I don’t like it for purposes against aging. Although he was greeting as a “holy grader” in anti-aging, I believe that this golden ingredient can undermine the goals he promises to achieve.
Studies evaluated by peer documented two alarming effects of prolonged retinol use:
Epidermal dilution
A five -year clinical trial published in The British Dermatology newspaper found that local retinoids Reduced corneal thickness up to 30% In mature skin (Harrison et al., 2019). The thinnest skin is associated with increased sensitivity, tearing and reduced barrier function.
Acceleration of photosensitivity
Research Photodermology, Photanosology & Photomosis proves that retinol is degraded under exposure to ultraviolet radiation, creating free radicals Reinforce the damage from the sun (Schwartz et al., 2021). This neutralizes the supposed benefits against aging.
-
Increased inflammation- The damage accumulator over time (aging)
Baumann L. (2007). “Aging of the skin and its treatment.” Pathology newspaper.
This review points out that although retinoids improve clinical indicators of aging, their mechanism includes irritation and inflammationthat are known to contribute to the cellular aging.Farage, et al. (2008). “Inherent and exogenous factors in skin aging: a review.” International Journal of Cosmetic Science.
This document describes that chronic inflammation and barrier disorder are the aging mechanisms – and many local, including retinoids, activate both.
The beauty industry rarely deals with these findings, as Retinol remains a $ 2.3 billion market. Even the inventor of retinol found that long -term use causes the corneal dilution:
“Local Tretinoin for photoshoot skin.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
In this milestone study, Dr. Albert Kligman, inventor of Retin-A (Tretinoin), found that while Tretinoin improved the appearance of short-term skin skin (through increased skin cycle), also diluted the corneal layer and activated it.
Although retinol is often characterized as “anti-aging”, the mechanism of action-pillar, irritating, inflammation and over-stimulation of the cell cycle-is biologically pre-aging. The paradox is that people are chasing temporary smoothness while sacrificing the long -term structural integrity of the skin.
Retinol is not only growing your skin – it can also hurt your other organs
Retinol’s marketing stops on the surface. For sale as a timely miracle, targeting wrinkles and acne, but the skin is not a coat of armor, it is an immediate path to the internal organs of the body. Vitamin A and its derivatives – reiminol, retinoic acid, isotretinoin are biologically active compounds capable of systemic absorption and disorder far beyond the skin.
The liver
Vitamin A is stored in the liver. In high or prolonged doses, especially from oral forms such as isotretinoin, retinoids can crush storage capacity and liver trigger toxicityIncreased liver enzymes and even constant damage. This is documented in medical literature and is conveniently ignored in the skin care forum.
The brain
Retinoic acid receptors exist in the hippocampus, the area that governs memory and mood. Studies systematically link retinoids Depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation-And the results are often degraded or discarded as coincidentally. But when you violate the compounds that affect nervous differentiation, emotional volatility should not be surprise, with the obligation to happen.
The skeletal system
Chronic exhibition in vitamin A has been linked to Reduced Mineral Bone density and higher risk of fracturebecause of its interference with bone remodeling. In other words, the anti-aging serum can accelerate osteoporosis under the surface.
Genetic abnormalities
For those of reproductive age: retinoids are teratogenknown to cause serious genetic abnormalities. Oral forms are classified as category X – contraindicated during pregnancy. Even local retinoids, although absorbed in smaller quantities, are recommended to be avoided by pregnant women.
Local or oral, chronic or casual -retinoids are not idle. The skin is not a wall. It’s a gate. And what you put on it doesn’t always stay there.
Why was I invented No. 9
The best anti-aging begins with exfoliation-but the wrong species can do more harm than good. The peels, rubs, retinols and hard acids such as glycolic acid often damage the skin barrier and accelerate aging. These methods tend to remove not only dead skin cells, but also the living epidermal tissue, causing inflammation, sensitivity and need for rapid cellular regeneration – which reduces telomeres and accelerates skin aging.
The peels and rubs are particularly devastating because they work through mechanical or uncontrolled chemical trauma, violently removing the skin layers without precision – such as waxing. When living skin is removed, the body is forced to quickly replace these cells through increased division, which over time, leads to tissue dilution and signs of premature aging.
So I started creating a better solution. While working in the electronic microscope lab in my basement of my University – where I won my biology degree – I began to form what would happen later No. 9 Exfoliant.
I used acids with large molecular sizeslike galactobonic acid and maletic acidBecause they penetrate the skin more slowly and evenlyBy reducing the risk of excessive spread, barrier and awareness damage observed with smaller, more aggressive acids such as glycolic.
Number 9 does not operate with live cell attack but by Gently dismantling bodies-The “glue” – holding dead skin cells on the surface. This means that exfoliation only targets the cornea, not the sustainable skin under. As a result, it promotes skin renewal without causing unnecessary inflammation or cell trauma.
When dead skin is gently cleaned, the body responds by increasing the healthy turnover of epidermal stem cells -a physical and sustainable process. Unlike retinol, which forces cell division through irritation and cessation of gene expression, Number 9 encourages renewal with no side damage.
To complete the wording, I surrounded the acids anti -inflammatory plant extracts To calm down and moisturize the skin, ensuring that exfoliation is not only effective – but also regenerative and restorative.
Results talk about themselves
Number 9 was the foundation for the range of Oumere. When other products, experts and skin care paths gave me the worst skin, No 9 got that everything was off and paved the way for the Oumere brand. He taught a valuable lesson that only because it was done by a billions of dollars, it is offered by impersonal foreigners in a message or used by seemingly everyone, does not mean that it is safe or necessary or good for you. I learned that once again, I had to be a scientist when everyone else was just traders in white laboratories and if I wanted to have a good skin care product, I had to do it myself.
References
Harrison Je, Ng M, Patel V, Rhodes Le. Long -term use of local retinoid reduces the thickness of the cornea in photoshoots: it results from a 5 -year randomized clinical trial. Br J dermatol. 2019; 181 (4): 842-850. DOI: 10.1111/BJD.17890
Schwartz J, Lee M, Gupta R. Hyper / degradation of retinol: Consequences for skin photosensitivity and aging. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2021; 37 (2): 115-122. DOI: 10.1111/PHPP.12619
Baumann L. The aging of the skin and its treatment. J Pathol. 2007; 211 (2): 241-251. DOI: 10.1002/Path.2098
Farage Ma, Miller KW, Elsner P, Maibach Hi. Inherent and exogenous factors in skin aging: a review. Int j cosmet sci. 2008; 30 (2): 87-95. DOI: 10.1111/J.1468-2494.2007.00415.x
Kligman AM, Grove GL, Hirose R, Leyden JJ. Local Tretinoin for photoshoot skin. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1986; 15 (4 pt 2): 836-859. DOI: 10.1016/S0190-9622 (86) 70177-1
