Anyone know an effective skin firming lotion? I use pure retinol over night in heavy amounts and also pure collagen cream and powder I ingest. I know most people here are probably too young to think about it, but these products tend to be expensive and ineffective.
Topical retinoids are the medical gold standard for anti-aging (tretinoin in 0.05% concentration up to 0.1% is ideal). Corrects photodamage, can smooth out or soften wrinkles. It does have a firming effect longterm— not so much by making the external skin taut, but by strengthening &plumping the dermis over a long period of time. Sometimes it can take a year+ to see any difference, but it is occurring, on a deep level. Sunscreen is super important, though. If not used daily, you risk getting more damage to your skin through increased UV sensitivity.
Niacinamide has also had similar benefit in studies, though less so than prescription retinoids.
Some degree of skin sagging/laxity can only be corrected with surgery (facelift, or lifts to targeted areas), or lifted with filler injections. Some of the laxity that can’t be corrected with topical treatmentsis due to changes in volume of fat pads in the face that can change shape/shrink & migrate with age, & no amount of dermis plumping can get that back.
I’ll also echo Zbuck’s recommendation of CeraVe’s PM Lotion. It’s great to use with retinol treatments (and other retinoids-based products). Has Niacinamide, & is really soothing if your skin gets irritated by retinoids.
If you use retinoids (over the counter retinol or stronger Rx retinoids) on delicate skin like the neck, I HIGHLY recommend applying a layer of
Gold Bond Eczema Relief Lotion on top of it (not on the face, though). Neck & upper chest skin is more sensitive, & the 2% colloidal oatmeal & dimethicone sealant in that lotion really help with the retinoid irritation/burning in that area, during the adjustment phase. Colloidal oatmeal has anti-inflammatory & antihistamine properties to really calm things down.
With strong retinoids, there’s a peeling/burning phase that most people hate. Your skin will look older, drier, & angrier & you’ll hate it/think you’ve wrecked your skin. It can cause some folks to stop using it, but, since we’re all shut-ins, a temporarily peely face shouldn’t matter so much at the moment. The CeraVe tends to help with that irritation on the face, too. The adjustment phase can last anywhere from a few weeks to a month or so, depending on skin type & topical strength.
I also recommend using something like Aquaphor or Vaseline on the lips at bedtime, if you use retinoids near the mouth, unless cracked sandpaper lips are something you enjoy.
It’s a pain in the ass, but worth it.