Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 22:15     Subject: Starting tretinoin
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP, prepare for some peeling. I highly recommend "slugging." This means:

Apply tret and let soak in completely (15 mins)
Apply moisturizer (with NO actives! Straight up moisturizer. Ponds works great for me)
Then slather Eucerin or similar over your face. Like, lots of it.

This will really reduce peeling and dryness.

Other tips-
No actives other than tret for now. Like none. Other than SPF.
If you use masks, only moisturizing masks with no actives.
It's ok to go slow. If you start to peel, wait a couple days. It's okay if it takes over a year to tolerate it. Normal.


What are actives? My daily moisturizer is a plain Neutrogena, not ani aging or anything. I do use glycolic acid, but I'm assuming I should stop that.

Why moisturizer and eucerin? (Isn't eucerin moisturizer?)


PP means no active ingredients. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 21:08     Subject: Starting tretinoin
For those who used tretinoin as a teenager for acne, did you still have the side effects and purging as an adult? I am using .05% and haven’t had any irritation yet and it’s been a couple of weeks. I used tretinoin for years as a teen and grew to tolerate it, so maybe I still can?
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 20:25     Subject: Re:Starting tretinoin
Meant to say purge
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 20:25     Subject: Re:Starting tretinoin
I’m the PP that got acne after a month. Would you recommend to keep going and the luge gets better at 3 months?
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 20:01     Subject: Starting tretinoin
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP, prepare for some peeling. I highly recommend "slugging." This means:

Apply tret and let soak in completely (15 mins)
Apply moisturizer (with NO actives! Straight up moisturizer. Ponds works great for me)
Then slather Eucerin or similar over your face. Like, lots of it.

This will really reduce peeling and dryness.

Other tips-
No actives other than tret for now. Like none. Other than SPF.
If you use masks, only moisturizing masks with no actives.
It's ok to go slow. If you start to peel, wait a couple days. It's okay if it takes over a year to tolerate it. Normal.


What are actives? My daily moisturizer is a plain Neutrogena, not ani aging or anything. I do use glycolic acid, but I'm assuming I should stop that.

Why moisturizer and eucerin? (Isn't eucerin moisturizer?)


Glycolic acid is an active.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 16:10     Subject: Starting tretinoin
Anonymous wrote:OP, prepare for some peeling. I highly recommend "slugging." This means:

Apply tret and let soak in completely (15 mins)
Apply moisturizer (with NO actives! Straight up moisturizer. Ponds works great for me)
Then slather Eucerin or similar over your face. Like, lots of it.

This will really reduce peeling and dryness.

Other tips-
No actives other than tret for now. Like none. Other than SPF.
If you use masks, only moisturizing masks with no actives.
It's ok to go slow. If you start to peel, wait a couple days. It's okay if it takes over a year to tolerate it. Normal.


What are actives? My daily moisturizer is a plain Neutrogena, not ani aging or anything. I do use glycolic acid, but I'm assuming I should stop that.

Why moisturizer and eucerin? (Isn't eucerin moisturizer?)
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 15:45     Subject: Starting tretinoin
OP, prepare for some peeling. I highly recommend "slugging." This means:

Apply tret and let soak in completely (15 mins)
Apply moisturizer (with NO actives! Straight up moisturizer. Ponds works great for me)
Then slather Eucerin or similar over your face. Like, lots of it.

This will really reduce peeling and dryness.

Other tips-
No actives other than tret for now. Like none. Other than SPF.
If you use masks, only moisturizing masks with no actives.
It's ok to go slow. If you start to peel, wait a couple days. It's okay if it takes over a year to tolerate it. Normal.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 15:32     Subject: Starting tretinoin
If you've been using differin or another retinol do you think the purge is less intense?
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 13:40     Subject: Re:Starting tretinoin
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I want to like tretinon and started very slowly and it did work but them around a month after using got some horrible zits. Why? Will this ever work for me?


It's called a purge. The Tret is pushing out everything. It takes about 3 months for most people.


Thank you, that's what I needed to know - 3 months. I have a big event coming up late fall and afraid to mess with my skin before then. I'll start after!
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 13:03     Subject: Re:Starting tretinoin
Anonymous wrote:I want to like tretinon and started very slowly and it did work but them around a month after using got some horrible zits. Why? Will this ever work for me?


It's called a purge. The Tret is pushing out everything. It takes about 3 months for most people.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 12:44     Subject: Re:Starting tretinoin
I want to like tretinon and started very slowly and it did work but them around a month after using got some horrible zits. Why? Will this ever work for me?
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 12:39     Subject: Starting tretinoin
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Starting with .05, I’d go once the first week, and then twice the next two weeks. You can try every second night for another week or to.

If you have irritation, try moisturizing on top of it. If you get significant irritation (redness, sensitivity), I’d go back to less often.

You don’t want to f up your skin, so I would go slow. Is there a reason you’re not starting at .025?


Well no one is going to like my answer but...YOLO... I bought it on my own in Mexico, so I bought what my friend uses, which was the .05.


Is this OP? You bought the tretinoin in Mexico and not an American pharmacy? OOOOK.

You can go every other day. Sandwich your moisturizer. I didn't have as many issues as others, so YMMV. Wait 20 minutes after washing face for the skin to dry before applying. Use a sunscreen in the AM. For peeling, get a wet towel or washcloth and just rub the skin off.


Idk what brand OP bought but I've bought "retin-a" made by janssen in Mexico before from a reputable pharmacy and never had a problem.

Op, you should have started with 0.025. It took my skin months to acclimate before moving to 0.05%, but my chin is special and still can't tolerate that strength after 1.5 years. I use 0.025% just in that area.


OK but we don't all have your skin. I started with .05 and now I'm at .1% and had no problem. My derm said unless you have sensitive skin, it's fine to start at .05 and use it less often.


That poster is being helpful. Tret can really screw up your skin. Maybe her skin is like yours. .025 wouldn’t hurt. But if her skin is like a lot of people’s, starting at .05 can be challenging.

OP, start slow. You’ll know soon enough how quickly you can proceed and whether it will be helpful to moisturize after, or even sandwich.

Also, I buy my tret (and other skin scrips) from India. US prices are crazy, even with insurance.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2023 12:37     Subject: Starting tretinoin
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Starting with .05, I’d go once the first week, and then twice the next two weeks. You can try every second night for another week or to.

If you have irritation, try moisturizing on top of it. If you get significant irritation (redness, sensitivity), I’d go back to less often.

You don’t want to f up your skin, so I would go slow. Is there a reason you’re not starting at .025?


Well no one is going to like my answer but...YOLO... I bought it on my own in Mexico, so I bought what my friend uses, which was the .05.


Uh, what an unusual thing to use YOLO for. You only live once so let's buy some questionable stuff from Mexico and put it on my face?