Be cautious about mixing tretinoin with skin products that contain vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. You can use these ingredients as part of your Retin A skin care routine if you apply them in the morning (having applied tretinoin the night before), but only after you've thoroughly washed off tretinoin.
Tretinoin should always be paired with a moisturizer and sunscreen with a SPF 50. In addition to these two items, you can also pair it up with Vitamin C (applied before your sunscreen in the morning) and hyaluronic acid or niacinamide 10 minutes after applying your tretinoin cream.
Avoid other topical retinoids, and skin care products containing retinol, with tretinoin. You may also want to avoid salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and erythromycin gel (Erthygel), as these ingredients and products can cause dryness.
The next most important tip is to use a moisturizer with your application. There are many ways to do this — you can apply your moisturizer before tretinoin; after tretinoin; before AND after tretinoin (the “sandwich method”); or you can mix the tretinoin into your moisturizer.
Once you've massaged the Tretinoin onto your skin, you can apply your serums and/or moisturiser if you use these at night. There isn't a golden rule about how long to wait before applying these as different formulations of Tretinoin take different times to absorb. If in doubt, wait for 15-20 minutes.
Niacinamide. Vitamin B3 or Niacinamide is a common choice for compounding with Tretinoin due to its skin brightening and pore tightening properties.
Option one: The sandwich technique
After washing your face, apply a layer of moisturiser. Allow it to dry down for 5-10 minutes. Then, apply a pea-sized amount of tretinoin to your entire face. Allow this to dry down for 5-10 minutes.
When you first start using tretinoin, you may start with a lower percentage that you apply just two or three times a week. After two weeks, if your skin is adjusting well to the tretinoin, you can consider increasing use to every night as tolerated.
Which skin products are compatible with tretinoin? Hyaluronic acid is the standout topical compatible with virtually everything, followed by niacinamide. Some prescription formulations combine retinoids with other ingredients such as hydroquinone.
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, it is especially important to avoid using the following skin products on the same area as tretinoin: Any other topical acne product or skin product containing a peeling agent (eg, benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, or sulfur).
Tretinoin can cause dryness, peeling, and redness, and vitamin C can help to reduce these side effects. Finally, some studies have shown that applying vitamin C before tretinoin can enhance the effectiveness of tretinoin. This is because vitamin C can help to increase the absorption of tretinoin into the skin.
Retinoids have been implicated in causing mild-to-moderate elevations in routine liver tests, but these elevations are usually asymptomatic and transient, resolving spontaneously even with continued therapy.
Skin purging typically lasts anywhere between four to six weeks which is roughly in line with how long it takes for your skin cells to naturally turnover. During this phase, it might seem like your skin is getting worse but it should settle down and improve after you've passed this period.
You can use hyaluronic acid alongside tretinoin, and it may be used before or after. Whether you use it before or after tretinoin may depend on the specific hyaluronic acid products you're using, personal preference, and instructions from your licensed dermatology provider.
So, when you're gently rubbing in the treatment, keep that fingernail-width buffer in mind, and you'll be good to go. Tretinoin is safe to use in the T-Zone. The T-Zone includes your forehead, nose and chin. Tretinoin is often used to treat a range of skin concerns in this area, which includes your forehead and chin.
Retinaldehyde is considered the closest over-the-counter alternative to tretinoin and is suitable for all skin types. It provides comparable skin renewing benefits while being less irritating, making it a suitable choice for those looking for effective yet gentle retinoid options.
Dr Malvina Cunningham: Retinoids like tretinoin and vitamin C work well together as they both promote collagen production and enhance each other's effect. Vitamin C is generally less of an irritant so these can often be applied in combination. Retinoids like tretinoin and niacinamide work well too.
Do you have to wash tretinoin off in the morning? Yes, it's advisable to cleanse your face in the morning to remove the tretinoin before applying your morning skincare products and sunscreen.
Some people may notice that this side effect goes away within a few weeks of use, while others may have flaky skin for up to two months. Regardless of how long it takes to subside, tretinoin peeling is temporary and will go away once your skin gets used to the product.
Moisturizer first, wait, then tretinoin: Apply your moisturizer, wait at least 15 minutes to allow it to absorb, and then proceed with tretinoin to avoid irritation. Then it's 'lights out'. Follow the tretinoin skincare routine steps below in this guide to build a regimen that will work for your complexion.
After 4-6 weeks, your skin will get used to Tretinoin and will begin to be noticeably smoother and more even. Depending on how often you use Tretinoin, you may begin to see full benefits by this point. A lot of the initial irritation will settle down and true “retinization” of your skin is in full force.
Although there has been no reported experience with acute tretinoin overdose in humans, our patient took a dose approximately 3 times the recommended maximum tolerated daily dose in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome or solid tumors (195 mg/m2 per day).
Yes you can apply tretinoin on your face, neck, chest and hands if you want to combat signs of anti-aging in those areas. However, you should only apply a very thin layer of the product to clean, dry skin to avoid irritation. If your neck becomes more sensitive, skip the application for one or two days.
Yes, tretinoin can be used to treat dark circles under the eyes. It has been found to effectively reduce darkness related to pigment and improve overall skin texture. However, it's important to consult a dermatology provider before starting tretinoin treatment for dark circles.
While tretinoin and niacinamide can be used together, it's important to introduce each ingredient gradually and use caution to avoid any adverse reactions. It's generally recommended to use tretinoin at night and niacinamide in the morning to avoid any potential conflicts between the two ingredients.