Does Your Skin Get Used to Retinol? The Truth About Skincare “Resistance”

Does your skin really get “used to” skincare ingredients? In this video, dermatologist Dr. Dray explains the difference between skin tolerance and true resistance, with a focus on topical retinoids like tretinoin, adapalene, tazarotene, and trifarotene. Many people wonder why a skincare ingredient that once worked so well seems less effective over time, especially when acne starts coming back after years of successful retinoid use. Dr. Dray explains why this does not necessarily mean the skin has become resistant to the ingredient, and why topical retinoids can continue to be effective as long-term acne maintenance treatments. The video covers why acne can return while using tretinoin, how changes in hormones, treatment consistency, irritation, skincare routines, and acne patterns can affect results, and why a plateau in visible improvement is not necessarily the same as treatment failure. Dr. Dray also discusses whether people need to switch retinoids, how to recognize when irritation is being mistaken for worsening acne, and why “my skin got used to it” is often an overly simplistic explanation for changes in skincare results. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Does your skin get used to skincare ingredients? 0:41 Your skin can become more tolerant 2:10 What topical retinoids actually do 3:41 Why acne can come back 5:16 Are you getting the same exposure to your retinoid? 6:38 When irritation complicates acne 9:30 Can your skin get used to other skincare ingredients? 9:56 Do you ever need