Side effects of tretinoin include skin irritation such as stinging, burning, warmth, dryness, redness, scaling, swelling, crusting, peeling, flaking, and blistering. Other reported side effects from tretinoin are skin discoloration with darkening or lightening of the treated area and an initial increase in acne sores.
Skin color changes
That's because tretinoin is sometimes prescribed off-label to treat dark spots or melasma. In these cases, lightening the skin spots is the goal. But other times, tretinoin may cause too much lightening (hypopigmentation) or darkening (hyperpigmentation) of your skin.
Once they're treated, do dark spots get darker before going away? One of the most common questions our Cerologists get when it comes to dark marks is, “Does hyperpigmentation get darker before it fades?” The answer is sometimes, yes — and that's actually good news!
The skin darkening is likely a result of temporary inflammation, but it's important to address any concerns and find the best approach for your skin. It is recommended to monitor your skin for any negative side effects and adjust the frequency and usage of retinol if needed.
During the first 3 weeks you are using tretinoin, your skin may become irritated. Also, your acne may seem to get worse before it gets better. It may take longer than 12 weeks before you notice full improvement of your acne, even if you use the medicine every day.
Many tretinoin users experience a “purge” during the first several weeks of treatment. During this period, acne — the very problem tretinoin is supposed to treat — often gets worse, resulting in everything from the occasional whitehead to severe breakouts.
Dr. Mohta says that the so-called tretinoin purge is a common skin reaction that occurs when a patient uses tretinoin for the first time. The symptoms often associated with this process include intensified acne breakouts (for a short period of 2 to 6 weeks), severe skin dryness and peeling, redness and irritation.
Usually the pigmentation production begins in the deeper layers of the skin, and then these pigments come to the surface of the skin and later show up as dark spots or hyperpigmentation. As the skin constantly regenerates these dark spots tend to darker with time in most people.
“Skin purging,” or the “retinol uglies” as it's also known, are terms used to describe an initial flare of sensitive skin and acne breakouts at the start of a retinoid treatment. Skin purging is common, but doesn't necessarily happen to everyone. In fact some people don't experience it at all.
In some cases, unproven treatments may aggravate the skin. For example, the American Society for Dermatological Surgery does not recommend lemon juice or abrasive scrubs, as these methods could make dark spots worse.
If you want to get rid of dark spots fast, a procedure that removes layers of discolored skin may work better than a lightening cream. These techniques include laser treatments, freezing (cryotherapy), dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, microneedling, and chemical peels.
Triggers include sun exposure, hormonal changes, and trauma to the skin, for example, due to acne or an injury. Picking at scabs and spots may make it worse. Some face creams can irritate the skin, leading to further hyperpigmentation.
However, most people will see noticeable results after at least 6-12 weeks of consistent use. In terms of anti-aging benefits, such as reducing fine lines and improving skin texture or smoothing pores, the results usually take longer.
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.
Applying excessive amounts of tretinoin onto the skin to make acne go away faster will not work. This can make the skin worse by causing extreme dryness, peeling, or redness. It may take up to six weeks of tretinoin treatment to see results. Make sure to use sunscreen, especially in the summertime.
Overuse or Improper Application
Using too much retinol or applying it too frequently can overwhelm the skin, causing irritation and making it more prone to dark spots. Solution: Use only a pea-sized amount for the entire face and apply it to dry skin to minimise irritation.
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.
Three inexpensive moisturizers that our physicians love are Vanicream Daily Facial Lotion with Hyaluronic Acid, Neutrogena Hydroboost Gel, and The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum. All three of these are affordable, non-comedogenic,and blend well with tretinoin.
For dark circles and dark spots: Use a peach color corrector if you have fair skin, or a deeper orange shade if you have medium to dark skin. For sallowness: Balance out unwanted warmth with a lavender color corrector.
These spots can develop due to a variety of factors, including sun exposure, hormonal changes, inflammation, or underlying medical conditions.
Some people may experience side effects when using tretinoin, especially as their skin adjusts. Also, it's possible for irritation from tretinoin to make skin darker, especially if you have more melanated skin.
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.
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.