What not to do when using tretinoin? You should NOT: Apply tretinoin to damp skin since this may increase skin irritation. Apply during the daytime, since the sunlight makes the medication less effective.
What cancels out tretinoin? The effectiveness of tretinoin can be reduced by sun exposure as tretinoin is photosensitive, which means it degrades in daylight.
Inconsistent use will not produce results. Period. Retinoids are inactivated by UV light, so must be applied at night. Additionally, retinoids can be inactivated by other topical skin care ingredients, most commonly salicylic acid.
Any other topical acne product or skin product containing a peeling agent (eg, benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, or sulfur). Hair products that are irritating, such as permanents or hair removal products. Skin products that cause sensitivity to the sun, including those containing spices or limes.
🥪 The Sandwich
What this means is that tretinoin can layer really well with your more moisturizing and rich skincare products without hurting it's efficacy.
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.
If your skin is irritated, buffer with moisturizer
This generally doesn't reduce the effectiveness of the medication, but can help to soothe and moisturize the skin.
Hyaluronic Acid
It helps to counteract the dryness and flaking effects of Tretinoin by drawing moisture into the skin, keeping it plump and hydrated. It can also help calm irritation which makes it a good ingredient especially for thsoe with more sensitive or dry skin.
As tretinoin has been shown to degrade rapidly when exposed to light, its use in the clinical setting has essentially been limited to evening application, thus reducing the flexibility of the treatment regimen.
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.
That's normal! Tretinoin speeds up cell death and renewal, and your skin needs time to adjust. These breakouts are temporary. If you experience severe irritation, talk to your medical provider, as other medications can help lessen the likelihood of your skin becoming irritated while you're using tretinoin.
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.
UVA breaks down tretinoin the most but the peak wavelength that does this is 420nm, which is just into the visible light spectrum right outside of the UVA wavelength spectrum. This means that visible light from light bulbs can break down your tretinoin. So can sunlight with its visible light rays, UVA and UVB rays.
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.
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.
Using Tretinoin Correctly
The best time to use Tretinoin is at night. This is because light can degrade Tretinoin and make it less effective. Even more importantly, your skin regenerates the most at night and so your skills will get the maximum benefits from Tretinoin when it is applied during this period.
When you open an OTC or prescription retinol product like Tretinoin or Retin-A, its effectiveness begins to diminish as time passes. Generally, the retinol expiration date will fall between 6 to 12 months after opening, although this can vary depending on the formulation, packaging, and storage conditions.
Any medication designed to combat acne by accelerating skin cell turnover, such as topical retinoids like tretinoin, can cause skin purging. ⁷ It's a temporary phase typically lasting a few weeks. Importantly, this is often considered a positive sign that your acne medication is working to clear dead skin cells.
There's conflicting information on how to use vitamin C with topical vitamin A derivatives like retinol or dermatology-grade retinoids, including online Tretinoin prescriptions. The truth: You can use vitamin C with retinol and retinoids.
Exfoliate to Amp It Up
You can further boost the efficacy of both retinol and tretinoin by exfoliating for better penetration. Treatments featuring the alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), glycolic acid, can be great for unblocking the skin's surface by removing dead cells.
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.
Conclusion: After 48 weeks of once-daily treatment, the continued use of tretinoin emollient cream 0.05% at a dose of three times per week maintains and, in some cases, may further enhance improvement in photodamage.
The 15+ minute wait allows the skin barrier to recover and minimizes irritation. This helps reduce the risk of tretinoin induced retinoid dermatitis, a common issue for many tretinoin users.
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.