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← BACK TO VEDA
SKINCARE
• BACKED
Retinol for Dark Spots
RESEARCH
- Reduces hyperpigmentation
- Works for photoaging
- Tretinoin stronger but irritating
- Retinol gentler alternative
COMMUNITY
- Retinol works steadily
- Tretinoin too harsh
- Results vary by person
- Patience pays off
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SAFETYRetinoids should not be used during pregnancy; tretinoin requires medical supervision and increases sun sensitivity.
WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS
ALL 14 ON PUBMED ↗BASED ON 14 PUBMED STUDIES
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META-ANALYSIS⚠ RESULTS POOLED ACROSS DIFFERENT STUDY DESIGNS AND POPULATIONS; INDIVIDUAL RESPONSE VARIES.
Tretinoin and retinol both ranked top for treating dark spots.
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WHAT PEOPLE SAY
READ THREADS ON REDDIT ↗COMMUNITY SENTIMENT
68% positive
“Tretinoin requires a prescription and is way more irritating than retinol. Retinol has the same results but most people are impatient and go for the tretinoin. I’d rather go slow and steady than ruin my moisture barrier 😂”
U/KNUZZLY ↗“Louder for the people in the back! I too am anti retinol (for my skin). I was prescribed Tazarotene gel 0.05% and tried my darndest to make it work. I was on it for 11 months, and finally threw in the towel a few months back. Skin is better than ever now, the less I do to my skin the better.”
U/EYELINERFORDAYS ↗“100% this! Tret destroyed my skin after 6 months of only being able to use it once a week at most, it was just too much for my ginger skin lol. Retinol has been amazing for me though! All depends on the person :)”
U/[DELETED] ↗COMMENTS
Add context that might help others — skin type, conditions like PCOS, what you'd tried before. The more specific, the more useful.
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