Any number of ingredients can trigger inflammation—at times, a desired result, and at others, an unexpected occurrence, according to Karen Asquith, director of education at G.M. Collin Skincare. “Alpha hydroxy acids and retinols can cause inflammation, but when they’re used correctly, the controlled inflammation provides excellent results,” she says. Indeed, inflammation is the name of the retinoidal game. While numerous treatment modalities rely on inflammation to minimize the signs of aging, one size definitely doesn’t fit all. “Active anti-aging ingredients need to be used in the correct dose, the correct delivery system, and the correct formulation to enhance results and not cause inflammation,” says DermAware’s founder and CEO Gül Ç. Zone. Control is the key word here, per Rhonda Allison’s CEO and Director of Education Shannon Esau. Overuse of high-percentage AHAs and other acids can bring on chronic inflammation and cause damage to skin, she says. Microdermabrasion and chemical peels both create inflammation, but it must be controlled.
Photography: Getty Images
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