Why NIACINAMIDE BURNS & CAUSES REDNESS| Dr Dray
Summary
TLDRIn this video, dermatologist Andrea discusses common skin reactions to niacinamide, a popular skincare ingredient. Despite its numerous benefits like reducing oiliness and hyperpigmentation, some people experience redness and irritation. She explores potential causes, including allergies, product sensitivity, and high concentrations. Andrea advises sticking to lower concentrations supported by studies and suggests alternatives like green tea and licorice root for similar benefits.
Takeaways
- 🧪 Niacinamide is a popular antioxidant in skincare due to its numerous benefits such as fighting free radicals, aiding skin barrier repair, reducing oiliness, minimizing pore size, and improving hyperpigmentation.
- 🔍 Despite its benefits, some people experience redness, irritation, stinging, and burning when using niacinamide, which can be puzzling given its anti-inflammatory properties.
- 🤔 The exact reason for these adverse reactions is not fully understood, but possible causes include an allergy to niacinamide, sensitivity to other ingredients in the product, or overuse of the ingredient.
- 🏥 Allergic reactions to topical niacinamide are rare, as most skin allergies require previous exposure and sensitization to the allergen.
- 🌐 It's more likely that individuals are sensitive to other components in the skincare product, with preservatives like Binoxi and Ethanol being common irritants for some.
- 💧 Overuse of niacinamide can lead to irritation, as can using multiple products containing the ingredient, which can add up to a concentration higher than what is recommended by studies.
- 📊 Research suggests that beneficial percentages of niacinamide for skin improvement range from 2% to 5%, with no significant advantage to using higher concentrations.
- 🛑 Manufacturers often do not disclose the exact percentage of niacinamide in their products, and higher percentages may be marketed as more effective, which is not necessarily true.
- 🍵 If niacinamide causes irritation, alternative ingredients like green tea, licorice root, and soy can provide similar benefits without the adverse effects.
- 🧬 Sensitivity to skincare products can be influenced by genetics, skin type, and environmental factors, and may vary throughout a person's life.
- 💊 Niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B3, distinct from Niacin (Nicotinic Acid), which can cause flushing and irritation when applied topically or taken orally.
Q & A
What is niacinamide and why is it commonly found in skincare products?
-Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 and an antioxidant found in various skincare products such as creams, serums, toners, and more due to its numerous skin benefits like fighting free radicals, aiding skin barrier repair, reducing oiliness, minimizing pore size, and helping with hyperpigmentation.
Why might niacinamide cause redness, irritation, stinging, or burning for some people despite its benefits?
-While the exact reason is not fully understood, it could be due to an allergy to topical niacinamide (which is rare), sensitivity to another ingredient in the product, or overuse of niacinamide-containing products leading to irritation.
Is it possible to be allergic to niacinamide?
-Allergic reactions to topical niacinamide are very unlikely and rare. Most skin allergies require previous exposure to sensitize the individual to the allergen.
What is a more common reason for experiencing discomfort from niacinamide products other than an allergy?
-A more common reason for discomfort is sensitivity to another ingredient in the product, such as a preservative or inactive ingredient, rather than the niacinamide itself.
What does the term 'overdoing it' refer to in the context of using niacinamide?
-Overdoing it refers to using products with high concentrations of niacinamide or using multiple products containing niacinamide simultaneously, which can lead to skin irritation due to excessive amounts.
What are the typical percentages of niacinamide used in studies that have demonstrated skin benefits?
-The percentages of niacinamide used in studies that have shown skin benefits range from 2% to a maximum of 5%.
Why might some products on the market contain higher percentages of niacinamide than what is supported by research?
-Some manufacturers may use higher percentages of niacinamide to attract consumers under the misconception that higher concentrations are more effective, even though studies do not support concentrations above 5% for skin benefits.
What are some alternative ingredients that can provide similar benefits to niacinamide?
-Alternative ingredients that can provide similar benefits to niacinamide include green tea, licorice root, and soy, which can help with inflammation, skin barrier repair, and oiliness.
How might the use of niacinamide in combination with other skincare products affect the skin?
-Using niacinamide with other products, especially those with acidic pH like vitamin C serums, could theoretically cause niacinamide to convert to niacin, potentially leading to flushing and irritation, although this is considered unlikely.
What advice does the dermatologist give for individuals who find niacinamide products irritating?
-The dermatologist advises to avoid products causing irritation and to consider trying alternative ingredients like green tea, licorice root, or soy if niacinamide is problematic.
What is the role of sunscreen as mentioned by the dermatologist at the end of the video?
-Sunscreen is emphasized as an essential part of skincare routine to protect the skin from harmful UV radiation, which is not directly related to niacinamide but is a general skincare recommendation.
Outlines
🧪 Niacinamide's Benefits and Common Irritations
In this paragraph, dermatologist Andrea discusses the widespread use of niacinamide in skincare products due to its antioxidant properties and numerous skin benefits, such as combating free radicals, aiding skin barrier repair, reducing oiliness, pore size, and redness, and addressing hyperpigmentation. However, she also addresses the common issue of niacinamide causing redness, irritation, stinging, and burning for some individuals. The reasons for these adverse reactions are not entirely clear but could include an allergy to niacinamide, sensitivity to other ingredients in the product, or overuse of the ingredient. Andrea emphasizes that while allergies to niacinamide are rare, sensitivity to other product components or using excessively high concentrations are more likely culprits.
🔍 Understanding Niacinamide Concentrations and Sensitivities
Andrea continues by cautioning against the use of high concentrations of niacinamide, which can be more irritating. She points out that while some products boast high percentages of niacinamide, studies demonstrating its benefits typically used concentrations between 2% and 5%. Overusing niacinamide or using multiple products containing it can lead to irritation, and individual tolerance levels may vary based on genetics and skin type. The dermatologist also notes that manufacturers often do not disclose the exact percentage of niacinamide in their products, which can mislead consumers into thinking higher concentrations are better. She suggests sticking to concentrations supported by research to avoid unnecessary irritation and highlights alternative ingredients like green tea, licorice root, and soy that can offer similar benefits.
🌡️ Niacinamide's Stability and Interaction with Other Ingredients
In the final paragraph, the discussion turns to the chemical stability of niacinamide and its potential to convert into niacin, which can cause flushing and irritation when applied to the skin. Andrea explains that while niacinamide is very stable and such conversion is highly unlikely, certain factors like product viscosity and pH levels could theoretically influence this process. She addresses concerns about the use of niacinamide with acidic products like vitamin C serums, suggesting that the acidic pH might cause a minimal conversion to niacin. However, she reassures viewers that the likelihood of this conversion causing problems is low. Andrea concludes by advising viewers to avoid niacinamide if it causes issues and to consider alternative ingredients for similar skin benefits.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Niacinamide
💡Redness
💡Irritation
💡Stinging
💡Dermatologist
💡Anti-inflammatory
💡Allergic Reaction
💡Preservative
💡Skin Barrier
💡Hyperpigmentation
💡Concentration
💡Formulation
💡Niacin
💡Sensitivity
💡Rosacea
💡Alternative Ingredients
Highlights
Niacinamide is prevalent in skincare products due to its antioxidant properties and numerous skin benefits.
Niacinamide aids in fighting free radicals and improving the skin's ability to handle UV radiation.
It helps repair the skin barrier, maintaining hydration and reducing irritation.
Niacinamide is known to reduce oiliness, minimize pore size, and decrease redness.
Hyperpigmentation can be addressed with niacinamide, adding to its list of benefits.
Despite benefits, some people experience redness, stinging, and irritation from niacinamide.
Allergic reactions to topical niacinamide are rare, making it an unlikely cause of adverse reactions.
Sensitivity to other ingredients in products, not niacinamide itself, may be the actual irritant.
Overuse of niacinamide can lead to skin irritation, even though it's beneficial in moderate amounts.
High percentages of niacinamide in products can be more irritating than beneficial.
The optimal percentage of niacinamide for skin improvement is between 2% to 5%, as per studies.
Manufacturers often do not disclose the exact percentage of niacinamide in their products.
Cerave products contain niacinamide, but the percentage is not specified and may cause irritation for some.
There's no need to use niacinamide products with percentages higher than 5% based on research.
Alternative ingredients like green tea, licorice root, and soy can provide similar benefits to niacinamide.
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3, closely related to niacin which can cause skin flushing.
The conversion of niacinamide to niacin in products is considered unlikely but not impossible.
The nature of a niacin-induced flush is specific and differs from irritant contact dermatitis.
If a product with niacinamide causes irritation, it's recommended to avoid it and try alternative ingredients.
Transcripts
well hey guys in today's video i'm going
to be
talking all about why it is that
niacinamide causes redness
irritation stinging burning for so many
people
if you're new here welcome my name is
andrea i'm a board certified
dermatologist and i would love it if you
would subscribe to my youtube channel
and if you like this content
give this video a thumbs up it really
helps my channel out a lot
niacinamide is everywhere in skincare
creams
serums toners essences sprays lotions
potions
masks can we get a niacinamide tank that
we just dunk our heads in
seriously why is it in so many things
well it's an antioxidant
and it's actually been shown to benefit
the skin in so many ways it can help
fight off free radicals it actually
has been shown to help your skin deal
with ultraviolet radiation a little bit
better
it helps your skin barrier repair itself
so that your skin stays hydrated and
healthy
and resists irritation better and it
also
helps reduce oiliness and it helps
reduce
pore size and it helps minimize redness
and it can help with hyperpigmentation
so why in the heck with something with
so many
scientific backed benefits cause
discomfort redness stinging and
irritation for people i mean it's
supposed to be an anti-inflammatory
ingredient
that helps redness so why does it cause
redness for some people
the short answer is we really don't know
but there are a few possibilities as to
why you may experience these
different symptoms the first possibility
is that
you are allergic to topical niacinamide
this is actually very unlikely and
we don't see this very often so it's
unlikely that you're actually allergic
to it
keep in mind with most skin allergies
meaning
allergies to things that come in contact
with the skin
it requires you to have been exposed to
that
ingredient or substance in the past
and then you become sensitized to it so
it would be very unusual for you to have
a problem with niacinamide
using it for the first time it's very
rare and
for the most part allergic contact
dermatitis to niacinamide is incredibly
incredibly rare
the second possibility i think is far
more common and that is
that you are actually sensitive to
something else in the
product whether it be a preservative or
an inactive ingredient that is helpful
for
formulation overall that for whatever
reason you
are particularly sensitive to in my
experience as a dermatologist many
people will
self-report that certain preservatives
are irritating to their skin
for example the preservative binoxi
ethanol totally a fine ingredient it's
great it keeps
products safe but for some people they
have identified that that ingredient
causes redness and irritation
so it might actually be something else
and niacinamide is just guilty by
association
the third possibility and what i think
is far more likely
is that you are overdoing it niacinamide
while it's beneficial for the skin
you certainly can have too much of a
good thing and if you
scan the labels or really just the front
of the label of most niacinamide
products a lot of them are touting
pretty high levels of niacinamide
if you actually go to the literature
percentages of niacinamide used in the
studies that demonstrated
skin benefit range anywhere from two
percent upwards to five percent
max but you'll find ten percent
niacinamide serum
fifteen percent twelve percent twenty
percent
uh and at higher percentages it's
obvious that niacinamide is a lot more
irritating
and you know that's the case for many
skin care ingredients you can have too
much of a good thing
not only that if you are using a
moisturizer with niacinamide a serum
with niacinamide and a face wash with
niacinamide
that's a lot of niacinamide and it's
likely causing irritation for you
so how much niacinamide is too much
truthfully it probably boils down to
something maybe to do with your genetics
your background skin type as far as how
much you actually can tolerate
so i think it varies a lot from
individual to individual
speaking back to the studies studies
using two percent niacinamide applied to
the skin daily
demonstrated an improvement in oiliness
so if you're seeking that
outcome then don't chase after serums
and whatnot that are advertising higher
percentages you know
it really doesn't get you any better
results and if anything it's just more
irritating
likewise many of the studies looking at
improvement in hyperpigmentation
and redness looked at percentages of
four percent and five percent
so there's absolutely no reason to go
much higher than that
a lot of manufacturers simply don't
disclose the percentage of niacinamide
in a product
i find that people who want to disclose
the percentage are people who put a lot
of niacinamide in their product because
they're trying to
seduce you into buying the product
perhaps making you think that higher is
better but obviously it's not it can be
more irritating and the studies are not
looking at these higher percentages
you know i'm very fond of the cerave
products and
they have niacinamide in them i imagine
at a lower percentage but i don't know
that i don't work for cerave i don't
know what the percentage of sera of
niacinamide in
their moisturizers is but even those
products which
i assume the niacinamide is at a lower
percentage even in those products
a lot of people do report burning and
stinging with their products
and they attribute it perhaps to the
niacinamide but i think it's really more
something to do with the formulation
overall that causes the burning and
stinging
so manufacturers don't make it super
easy for us to figure this out
not to mention the fact that it's going
to boil down to you as an individual and
what your skin can tolerate
and so in my opinion there's really no
need to be using these niacinamide
serums and products that have
niacinamide at
a percentage higher than five percent
let's just stick with what
the studies used uh because we do know
that higher percentages are more
irritating so rather than putting
yourself at risk for irritation
just stick to what what we know works
and if you do find that
niacinamide in any product causes
irritation it's not
it's not an essential ingredient to the
health of your skin
yes niacinamide has benefits for the
skin but it's not an essential
you know there are similar ingredients
that also reduce
inflammation help with skin barrier
repair and help with oiliness
that you know you might elect to try
instead
green tea licorice root
soy these all have similar benefits
so those are the three reasons why you
might have a problem with niacinamide
some people self-report having sensitive
skin and we don't entirely know
why they have sensitive skin and by
sensitive skin i mean they report
symptoms of like burning stinging and
irritation with things that come in
contact
with the skin this may be due to
something in their genetics that just
makes them more sensitive to things
but it also is possible that your skin
becomes sensitive at different periods
of time in your life
due to life changes changes in your
background medical history or changes in
your environment like
for example the humidity in the winter
time
the ambient humidity drops your skin
becomes drier it can become more
sensitive to skin care products
other skin care products that you're
using may be exfoliating they're going
to make your skin more sensitive overall
um hormonal changes pregnancy birth
control these things all can influence
whether or not you have sensitive skin
but some people
you know from cradle to grave go their
whole life with very sensitive hyper
what's called hyper irritable skin like
they just get red really easily
and irritated some of these people may
have a skin condition called rosacea
but others you know they're just very
sensitive so those are the most
kind of obvious reasons why you might
have sensitivity with niacinamide
but let's dive a little bit deeper into
a vitamin b3
niacinamide is a form of vitamin b3 but
another form of vitamin b3 is niacin
or nicotinic acid and niacinamide
is what is obviously in skin care
products but niacin
if it's applied to the skin it will
cause it can
cause flushing and redness and
irritation niacin is also something that
people can take by mouth and pill form
and it too can cause very profound
flushing
niacinamide however it's you know
kissing cousin they're virtually
identical with the exception of one tiny
little change
um niacinamide does not cause that
flushing
when applied topically to the skin now
niacinamide
and niacin they can convert
back and forth niacinamide there's the
possibility that it can convert to
niacin
so you may be wondering well is it
possible that
the niacinamide in my product is being
converted to the niacin form
that causes flushing well it seems
very very very unlikely i'm not a
cosmetic chemist
but i will tell you this niacinamide is
very very very stable
and the rate of it converting over to
niacinamide
in a product has got to be incredibly
low to non-existent
there are a few things that are going to
influence the
extent to which that might occur things
like the viscosity of the product if a
product is a liquid
it's going to be more likely than if
it's
a cream but most products that you apply
to your skin they have some type of
thickener in them
making that very unlikely the other
thing is
the ph at a more acidic ph you might
expect to get
some conversion of niacinamide to
nicotinic acid and this becomes relevant
and of a concern to people who are using
niacinamide
with vitamin c like topical vitamin c
serums
now as you guys know from my videos
topical vitamin c
products they need to be in an acidic ph
in order for the vitamin c to actually
get into the skin
so there is some theoretical worry that
the acidic ph of the vitamin c serum
could cause the niacinamide to convert
to
niacin and cause flushing but even that
has not really it's not likely that
that's happening
but it is possible that it's happening
at some low low low level
um it's just you know i don't i can't
say for sure
i can't say it's not happening it seems
unlikely
but it you know it's something that i
suppose on some low level
is happening and it may be at a level
that's just enough
to cause problems for you
the other thing to keep in mind though
is the nature of a niacin induced flush
is pretty specific
a niacin induced flush which is
basically facial redness with
application of niacin
it should occur diffusely to the area
within the area that the niacin is
applied and
it's accompanied by kind of a tingling
and a tingling sensation and a warmth
and then goes away
as opposed to an irritant contact
dermatitis
result that's due to maybe the acidic ph
of like your vitamin c serum that's
going to persist
that's what i can tell you guys about
niacinamide and your skin care products
and why it may be causing problems for
you the most likely culprit
is either you're using too much or
there's something else in the product
that is causing issue for you
it's very unlikely that you have a true
allergy to it and it's unlikely that
it's being converted to
niacin the form that definitely causes
flush
but pay attention you know if if you
have noticed that any product with
niacinamide no matter whether or not the
concentration is disclosed or not if it
causes problems for you
then avoid it and there are other
ingredients that yield similar benefits
uh soy and licorice root
green tea these can all help oiliness
skin barrier function
hyperpigmentation redness so if you're
having issue with niacinamide you know
stop spinning your wheels and just
abandon it it's not an essential
i hope this video was helpful to you
guys if you liked it give it a thumbs up
share it with your friends and as always
don't forget sunscreen and subscribe
i'll talk to you guys tomorrow
bye
[Music]
you
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