The only way to completely prevent a tretinoin purge is to avoid using tretinoin products. You can minimize tretinoin purge by starting your regimen slowly. Start using the products once or twice a week and gradually increase until your skin adapts to daily use.
First 2 weeks: Apply low concentration (0.01% or 0.025%) two nights per week. Following 2/4 weeks: Apply tretinoin 3 times per week or every other night.
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.
During the first few months of using tretinoin, some people experience an increase in their level of facial acne. This may be linked to tretinoin's effects on epidermal turnover. Research has found that up to 20 percent of people who use tretinoin experience the “purge” or “acne flaring” effects.
For retinol, it is generally recommended to start with a low concentration and gradually increase frequency of use as your skin adapts. Initially, it is recommended to use retinol once or twice a week and then increase the frequency gradually over time as your skin becomes more accustomed to it.
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.
For those of us who do suffer from purging, it can look like: breaking out in pustules (pimples), the appearance of flaky, peeling skin, irritation and dry patches. Getting these symptoms can be demotivating, especially if you're already feeling unconfident about your skin.
The only way to completely prevent a tretinoin purge is to avoid using tretinoin products. You can minimize tretinoin purge by starting your regimen slowly. Start using the products once or twice a week and gradually increase until your skin adapts to daily use.
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.
Retinoids have been implicated in causing mild-to-moderate elevations in routine liver tests, but these elevations are usually asymptomatic and transient, resolving spontaneously even with continued therapy.
It can be tempting to pop pimples as they form or pick away at dry skin, especially during a breakout. During the purge phase, it's best to leave your skin alone and allow it to heal naturally. Stay hydrated. In addition to the acne purge, the first few weeks of using tretinoin can involve dry and irritated skin.
Some people may notice that this side effect goes away within a few weeks of use, while others may have flaky skin for up to two months. Regardless of how long it takes to subside, tretinoin peeling is temporary and will go away once your skin gets used to the product.
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.
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.
Once you've massaged the Tretinoin onto your skin, you can apply your serums and/or moisturiser if you use these at night. There isn't a golden rule about how long to wait before applying these as different formulations of Tretinoin take different times to absorb. If in doubt, wait for 15-20 minutes.
Common tretinoin side effects include skin irritation, sun sensitivity, and skin discoloration. These are typically mild effects, and you can manage several of them by applying tretinoin properly and protecting your skin from the sun.
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.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: fever; weight gain; swelling of the arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs; shortness of breath; labored breathing; wheezing; chest pain; or cough.
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.
Purge & Progress (Weeks 2-8): This period can see an uptick in breakouts as Tretinoin accelerates cell turnover. While disheartening, this is temporary and normal. Your doctor can help you get through this by adjusting your protocol.
Tretinoin cream works by promoting rapid cell turnover, which helps unclog pores, smooth the skin's surface, and fade discolorations.
Also known as 'retinol burn', retinol uglies refer to side effects generally caused by more highly concentrated forms of retinol or by use on more sensitive skin [4]. Indications that you're experiencing retinol burn include: Dry skin. Redness contributing to uneven skin tone.
If the skin purging stage is really troublesome, it can be helpful to decrease the frequency of your actives by alternating days of use. Stick with it - in time, things will likely improve. When the frequency of new spots starts to reduce, increase the frequency of your actives again.