During the first few weeks of using tretinoin, your acne might appear worse because the medication is working on pimples forming inside the skin. It may take up to 8-12 weeks to notice results from this medication. Use it regularly in order to get the most benefit from it.
It might take two or three weeks of using Retin-A (treitinoin) to see any benefits. However, in some cases, it may take six weeks or more.
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.
People use Retin-A too much, use it too often, experience negative side effects and then give up on it too soon, doctors say. The problem with Retin-A is that it may actually make skin look worse — with redness, flakiness and peeling — for up to eight weeks.
You'll use Retin-A Micro at first every other night before bed, on average three times per week, then slowly work your way up to applying Retin-A Micro every night as your skin gets used to it.
Retin-A Micro is available in four strengths: 0.1%, 0.08%, 0.06% and 0.04%.
Yes. It's perfectly safe to use a moisturizer with tretinoin.
As a result of its effects on your skin's cellular turnover speed, tretinoin reduces the appearance of wrinkles, evens out your skin's pigmentation and also treats skin issues such as acne. The end result is smoother, younger looking skin that's much less affected by fine lines, wrinkles or other common signs of aging.
Retin-A Micro (tretinoin gel) microsphere, 0.1% and 0.04%, should be applied once a day, in the evening, to the skin where acne lesions appear, using enough to cover the entire affected area lightly. Application of excessive amounts of gel may result in “caking” of the gel, and will not provide incremental efficacy.
Peeling, flaky skin is common with any topical retinoid like Retin-A. This side effect tends to be worst during the first few weeks of use. But don't ditch your treatment.
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.
Retin-A Micro is a costlier, time-released version that is available only as a gel. It is less likely to cause irritation and dryness and can be applied immediately after cleansing. However, it may not be as effective as Retin-A cream for anti-aging treatments and may be better suited than creams for oilier skin types.
This medication is used to treat acne. It may decrease the number and severity of acne pimples and promote quick healing of pimples that do develop. Tretinoin belongs to a class of medications called retinoids.
Tretinoin Works Best as a Long-Term Treatment
Long-term studies of tretinoin tend to show the most dramatic results, with people experiencing significant reductions in the appearance of fine wrinkling, coarse wrinkling, skin laxity and other signs of photoaging.
Tretinoin can help dark spots fade, allowing you to have a more even skin tone. It decreases the amount of melanin in your skin cells (Zasada, 2019). When used for discoloration, tretinoin is usually combined with other skin-lightening products, sometimes in the form of a chemical peel (Lawrence, 2021).
First, the answer is yes, retinol can make wrinkles worse, especially when you first start using it. What is happening is a drying effect, and one can get epidermal sliding from separation from the dermis.
It can take one to two minutes for the tretinoin cream or gel to begin to absorb into your skin, at which point it should no longer be visible. Set a timer for 20 minutes and avoid touching your skin or applying any other skincare products until the tretinoin has been fully absorbed.
Uses for Retin-A
One of the tretinoin creams is used to treat fine wrinkles, dark spots, or rough skin on the face caused by the damaging rays of the sun. It works by lightening the skin, replacing older skin with newer skin, and slowing down the way the body removes skin cells that may have been harmed by the sun.
Do not use this medicine in or around the eyes or lips, or inside of the nose. Spread the medicine away from these areas when applying. If it accidentally gets on these areas, wash with water at once. Before applying tretinoin, wash the skin with a mild soap or cleanser and warm water by using the tips of your fingers.
On the whole, it's best to think of botox as a treatment for wrinkles that are apparent with moving facial muscles (smiling, furrowing your brow, frowning) while tretinoin can help treat the fine lines and sun spots resulting from UV exposure.
Use just a pea-sized portion.
This is enough for your face. Dab a bit from this portion onto your forehead, cheeks, and chin, then smooth it around. Use another pea-sized portion for your neck or chest if you need to apply in those areas, too.
If you use tretinoin daily as directed, a single 20g tube of tretinoin cream should last for between two and three months, resulting in an approximate cost of about $15 to $25 per month.
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.
Dr. Mariwalla says coating your skin with Vaseline after applying retinoids or AHA acids would increase penetration of these ingredients, potentially leading to irritation.
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.