I started Retin-A in July at the lowest .25 and had no reaction. I shower and wash my face after dinner and then apply the Retin-A before bed. My dermatologist suggested waiting an hour after washing my face before applying it. Since I had no reaction on my face or neck, I started using it on my décolleté area as well. I upped it to .5 after 3 weeks and have been using that since. Some minor flaking, specifically around the nose, but no where else. My skin looks fantastic. I'm turning 42 next month, and have fair skin and stay out of the sun, but the fine lines had started, specifically under my eyes and the nasal folds. The lines around my eyes are shallower and my skin feels tighter every where. I'm planning on going to the full 1.0 strength next month. I don't need foundation anymore. I put sunscreen on, let it soak in and use pressed powder and my skin looks even, without the splotchy redness I had before beginning Retin-A. I'm shocked at how well it's worked. My pores are smaller, and there's a general glow that even my husband noticed. I don't put anything over or under the Retin-A and haven't had dry issues at all, oiliness or breakouts. Prior to using it my skin had redness issues, enlarged pores, and severe dryness. It's a wonder product, IMO. I wish I'd started it 10 years ago. (My prescription is for the Obagi Tretinoin)
Retin A is craaaaazy...Peeling, redness solutions
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Glad the redness is down. Tightness in morning sounds like dry skin. Maybe look into a heavier lotion at night? Yes, I would continue to use the extra sunscreen protection until the redness improves more.
Have you tried cetaphil lotion? It was a lifesaver for me when I started Retin-A. Also waiting for a full 15 minutes after washing my face before applying retina helped calm down the redness. For what it's worth I was never able to get past the 3 days a week mark. Any more and I get irritated. I've been using RetinA for 10 years now.
So, I seem to have moved past the redness and irritation phase. But am still getting the dry skin. When I wake in the morning my face is still tight, and after washing my face, I see a lot of dry (flaky) skin. I use a gentle scrub face wash to exfoliate the dry skin, but it doesn't get rid of everything. My question is, do I cut down my retin a use (I currently use it every night)? Do I use a heavier moisturizer (currently using CeraVe Moisturizing cream in addition to argan oil)? Do I do both, or neither? As the day progresses, if I reapply moisturizer, my face doesn't tighten up until the evening. If I don't reapply moisturizer, my face starts feeling a little tight again by mid day.
I should also mention that my evening face routine is: wash face, apply argan oil and CeraVe cream, wait at least 30 min, apply retin a. If I'm not too tired I'll wait another 30 minutes and apply another couple drops of argan oil, but more often than not, I got to bed after retin a application.
Eventually, my skin will normalize and I'll be over all of this, right? I'm so anxious for that! I'm on the verge of just calling it quits and leaving retin a behind for good... BUT aside from the extremely dry skin, I do see the positive changes in my complexion.
I should also mention that my evening face routine is: wash face, apply argan oil and CeraVe cream, wait at least 30 min, apply retin a. If I'm not too tired I'll wait another 30 minutes and apply another couple drops of argan oil, but more often than not, I got to bed after retin a application.
Eventually, my skin will normalize and I'll be over all of this, right? I'm so anxious for that! I'm on the verge of just calling it quits and leaving retin a behind for good... BUT aside from the extremely dry skin, I do see the positive changes in my complexion.
My dermatologist told me oils and Retin-A together are a no-no. She said Retin-A should either be applied with a moisturizer (Cerave PM), or straight onto the skin, making sure the skin is absolutely dry before application. I wait over an hour after washing to put on the Retin-A and I'm at full strength, every night, with no issues. Maybe save your Argan oil for the morning?
I just started using Paula's Choice 1% retinol. Is this as strong as prescription retin a? It has made my face a burning peeling mess. I used it 3 days in a row and didn't feel anything until the 4th day. I was using Roc retinol night cream prior so I thought my skin would be somewhat tolerant of it, but nope. So now I'm cutting down to applying every 3 days but two SAs at Nordstrom told me to just keep applying it nightly or my skin would never get used to it.
roc is nothing near as strong as Even the lowest % of Ret A. 1% ( actually 0.01%) is the strongest there is and only for use after building up to it. Some may never tolerate that strong. Start with the lowest strength. If you have to use up what you have you will have to cut it with some other face cream. And for heavens sake, never get it close to the eyes, lips, or deep folds wrinkles. Stop using it until your skin recovers. Baby diaper cream with zinc oxide will help ease the redness.
I used it near my eyes and lips and my wrinkles look horrible there now. Especially my eyes. My dryness peeling is the worse on my chin though, slight flakes near eyes. Never had an issue with my eye wrinkles before but this stuff definitely brought them out. Guess because the skin is so dried up there.
I see my doctor Tuesday so I will ask for a lower strength retinol to get started on.
i find the method of Treat and Heal really helpful while using retin A.
Depending on how your skin responds and strength of retina, you may need more than 1 Heal day in between Treat.
Some people can tolerate alternate days but if that's too drying then have 1 Treat day and 2 consecutive Heal days.
Sometimes I spot treat if i don't think my skin is up to full face retin.
Hope this helps!
Depending on how your skin responds and strength of retina, you may need more than 1 Heal day in between Treat.
Some people can tolerate alternate days but if that's too drying then have 1 Treat day and 2 consecutive Heal days.
Sometimes I spot treat if i don't think my skin is up to full face retin.
Hope this helps!
+1 for the treat and heal method. I've been using retin a for the better part of 12 years and have found that application every other night works best for me. On Retin A nights, I wash my face and apply a pea size amount of Retin A mixed with a pea size amount of cerave lotion. After I let that soak in (15-30 min later) I apply a thin layer of cerave moisturizing cream. On off nights I use Nude Skincare pro genius omega rescue Oil and cerave cream.
I live where winters are very cold and dry so sometimes I will to 2 heal days in winter. It also gets very humid in the summer so usually I only need 1 heal day and don't use the cerave cream, just cerave lotion.
I live where winters are very cold and dry so sometimes I will to 2 heal days in winter. It also gets very humid in the summer so usually I only need 1 heal day and don't use the cerave cream, just cerave lotion.
I am on my 2nd round of using Retin-A. The 1st go around (pre tryn to conceive) I experienced a lot of these negative side effects.
I finaly decided its better to be able to use it more often, then here and there due to my skin always needing healing. So i started mixing it w/ a good lotion and boom, waaay less peeling and almost no redness. And I know its not too diluted bcuz Im getting preling and the "glow."
In fact, if you can switch to a pre-mixed one like Raffessa, then you dont even have to worry about mixing/diluting. I hear you get very little side effects from that formulation of Retin-A.
This time I used on more bit of advice that has made ALL the difference. After washing my face I wait a good 10-15 min to make sure that my face is completely dry. I guess if u hv any dampness still on ur face the Retin-A reacts and causes the red burning areas. Ive had no burning since being very diligent about this!!!
HTH.
I didnt read the other replys so sorry if this is repeated info!!
I finaly decided its better to be able to use it more often, then here and there due to my skin always needing healing. So i started mixing it w/ a good lotion and boom, waaay less peeling and almost no redness. And I know its not too diluted bcuz Im getting preling and the "glow."
In fact, if you can switch to a pre-mixed one like Raffessa, then you dont even have to worry about mixing/diluting. I hear you get very little side effects from that formulation of Retin-A.
This time I used on more bit of advice that has made ALL the difference. After washing my face I wait a good 10-15 min to make sure that my face is completely dry. I guess if u hv any dampness still on ur face the Retin-A reacts and causes the red burning areas. Ive had no burning since being very diligent about this!!!
HTH.
I didnt read the other replys so sorry if this is repeated info!!
PS: i think the flaking will eventually stop. Its really a good thing. Its sloughing off the old skin to reveal the baby new skin underneath. Sounds like u are thru the worst!!!
But I know it sucks to try to put makeup over all that. You could add glycolic acid in the mornings to really break down the glue holding those cells together and speed up the process. Might get worse b4 it gets better but the exfoliation youre doing is prob the only real solution at this point!!
But I know it sucks to try to put makeup over all that. You could add glycolic acid in the mornings to really break down the glue holding those cells together and speed up the process. Might get worse b4 it gets better but the exfoliation youre doing is prob the only real solution at this point!!
I have been using retin a for 14 months now and I finally feel like I have a routine that works for my skin. I use the .5 and I use it on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays . My skin is softer, smoother and dark spots on my cheeks have lightened quite a bit. I am very happy with the results and will continue to use it. I am so glad I didn't give up and powered through the red, irritated, flaky skin stages to unveil the healthier and happier skin I have today. I look forward to seeing further improvement the longer I use it.