In the morning, wash your face with a mild facial scrub or rough washcloth. This will help reduce the noticeable flaking. After washing, apply a good water-based moisturizer. The moisturizer will make the drying effect of the medicine more tolerable.
Check with your doctor if skin irritation becomes severe or if your acne does not improve within 8 to 12 weeks. You should avoid washing the skin treated with tretinoin for at least 1 hour after applying it.
Rouleau says the best time to use a scrub is in the morning. Overnight you've loosened up dead skin cells with your glycolic acid or retinol products, making the morning a perfect time to brush them off.
After washing, gently dry your face using a towel. Gently blot your face to dry the skin without causing irritation from rubbing. Allow enough time to ensure your face is completely dry, usually 20 to 30 minutes.
Generally, it is fine to use tretinoin every night, but you may not want to because of the initial side effects, especially when you first start. You should only use tretinoin as prescribed to avoid significant skin irritation, redness, and other side effects.
Retinol is best applied at night since it can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun. When you do go outside, be sure to use sunscreen to protect your face. It's worth noting that you don't need to use retinol on a daily basis for it to effectively treat your acne. Even two to three times per week might be enough.
Cleansing is the first step of any skin care routine, and that holds true if you have a cleanser formulated with retinol. Wet your face and hands, then massage the cleanser over your skin.
Use Exfoliants Sparingly After the Adjustment Period
After two to six weeks of using tretinoin, it's usually okay to start using an exfoliant. However, it's best to use exfoliating products as sparingly as possible while using tretinoin to avoid potentially irritating your skin.
It protects your skin's natural barrier
Your skin works hard all night building its own natural barrier against the world (a layer of helpful oils keeps skin soft), so why strip it all away as soon as you wake up with a face wash? “Washing your face in the morning can strip your natural defense barrier,” says Carlen.
Adapalene may make your skin more sensitive to sunlight than usual. Therefore, it is best to apply it at night and wash it off in the morning.
You may notice tretinoin starting to work within 2 to 3 weeks, but it can take 6 weeks or more to experience the full benefit. If you don't see improvement within 12 weeks, or if you have significant improvement and wonder if you should start using it less frequently, talk to your doctor.
Generally speaking, dermatologists say purging should be over within four to six weeks of starting a new skin care regimen. If your purge lasts longer than six weeks, consult your dermatologist. It could be that you need to adjust the dosage and/or frequency of application.
Recap. Acne is caused by factors like bacteria and hormones—not a dirty face. Still, you should remove dirt and oil by washing your face morning and night with a gentle cleanser.
"Most dermatologists recommend face-washing twice daily, once in the morning and once before bed," says Zeichner. "In reality, this doesn't always happen. If you're going to skip [a wash], then it's better to skip the morning one than the evening one.
Generally, dermatologists and estheticians recommend washing your face both morning and night, but it's also important to take your skin type into consideration as well as lifestyle factors.
By preventing clogged pores, tretinoin stops whiteheads and blackheads from developing in the first place. It also helps to unclog pores and get rid of existing acne breakouts.
Wash face thoroughly with a mild soap or a gentle alcohol-free non-soap cleanser such as Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Wash, Cetaphil cleanser, or CeraVe cleanser. Pat skin dry and wait for skin to thoroughly dry, about 5-15 minutes.
After 4-6 weeks, your skin will get used to tretinoin and will begin to be noticeably smoother and more even. A lot of the initial irritation will settle down and true “retinization” of your skin is in full force.
To prevent skin dryness, people using tretinoin should use a moisturizer. Additionally, as it can make their skin photosensitive, it is advisable to apply tretinoin once a day, in the evening. Individuals who use tretinoin for acne will likely notice their acne worsening right after they begin treatment.
Retinol (leave to absorb for 10-20 minutes)
Retinol is also an ingredient that should be left to absorb sufficiently into the skin before following up with another product. “It is important to leave a 10-20 minute wait time before applying the next product.
Wait for at least 20 minutes for your skin to fully absorb the tretinoin gel or cream before applying moisturizer or any other skincare products.
Absolutely. The skin should always be protected during the day and restored at night. Since retinol is reparative, you should apply at night.
"Retinol makes your skin more sensitive to UV rays and sunlight decreases the efficacy of the product," explains Bowe, who instructs patients to only use retinoids at night and be diligent about applying a daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher during the day.
Tretinoin for acne. Apply tretinoin exactly as your doctor tells you to. You will be asked to apply it either once or twice a day. Your skin may become more sensitive to sunlight than usual.
Skin purging typically looks like tiny red bumps on the skin that are painful to touch. They are often accompanied by whiteheads or blackheads. It can also cause your skin to become flaky. The flare ups caused by purging have a shorter lifespan than a breakout.