As a chemical exfoliant, tretinoin speeds up this process. It rapidly pushes new skin cells to the surface, causing the old ones to slough off. This is why you may notice that your skin seems dry and flaky within a couple of weeks of using tretinoin.
Tretinoin purging: Tretinoin commonly causes a skin purge, characterized by acne breakouts, dryness, and irritation, especially when first used or when the dosage is increased.
Myers believes that “gentle exfoliation is your best friend” and can help to remove some of the dry, flaky skin that may be irritating you. Try to use a natural exfoliant such as a product that contains coffee, sugar, or oatmeal. Just don't scrub at your skin too hard!
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.
For some users, acne will flare up within the first few weeks of using tretinoin before it starts to reduce acne. Tretinoin purge is also referred to as “acne flaring.” In addition to increased acne, a tretinoin purge can also include dryness, peeling or flaking skin.
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.
Topical tretinoin can cause your skin to become dry, red, swollen, blistered, or flaky. It may also cause your skin to itch, be painful, or feel like it is burning. Stop using topical tretinoin and call your healthcare provider if these symptoms become worse or do not go away.
How do you maximize tretinoin results? To maximize the results of tretinoin, start slowly, apply tretinoin at night on perfectly dry skin and between two layers of moisturizer, wear sunscreen with SPF 50 every morning, and combine with niacinamide or hyaluronic acid to minimize irritation.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Signs you should stop using tretinoin
“If your face is red, tender, or very parched and peeling, these are signs you're overusing your retinoid,” Dr. Ansell says—either you're applying too much, or too frequently.
In fact, the skin isn't getting worse but the initial period of adjustment may include skin dryness, flaking or irritation makes it look rougher. This then makes the skin look more aged or tired. Potential for Long-term Damage: If you don't use Tretinoin properly then you can damage the skin under your eyes.
You'll get more effective results from tretinoin than any other over-the-counter exfoliants like BHAs and AHAs. This is why there's usually no need to use other exfoliants when you're on tretinoin – it's best to avoid doubling up, which can damage the skin barrier and cause irritation.
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.
Another randomized vehicle controlled parallel comparison trial of tazarotene cream at various strengths compared to tretinoin 0.05% cream and found tazarotene at higher concentrations (0.1%) was associated with improved mottled hyperpigmentation and fine wrinkles compared to the tretinoin 0.05% group.
Tretinoin works best when it's applied to your skin consistently. If you forget to use your medication or skip certain days, you may need to wait for longer to see improvements. How sensitive your skin is to the effects of tretinoin. Some people experience faster results from tretinoin than others.
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.
Schwartz suggests easing into it by using tretinoin every other night at first so that your skin can adapt to it and develop a tolerance. Then, if you and your doctor decide that you might need to use it more frequently, you can apply tretinoin daily.
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.
Both adapalene and tretinoin will effectively cure your acne and dark spots, although tretinoin is likely to produce results more quickly, but adapalene gel is less irritating for patients.
In conclusion, tretinoin has shown promise in promoting hair growth due to its ability to stimulate cell growth and enhance blood supply to hair follicles. While many have reported positive outcomes, it's essential to consult with a dermatologist to determine if it's the right option for you.