12 replies to this topic

[DakinemonCU]

I have been reading this board for a while and always see retin-A-micro getting trashed, so I thought it would be good to post a positive experience about it for once. I initially posted this as a reply to something, so if you read that then this isn't any different. I have also started a poll because I have not ever read anything good about retin-a-micro on here and wonder if I might possibly be the only person on this board who is using it sucessfully... Here goes:

I am currently on Retin-A micro .1 and probably around 3rd-4th month. This has been the most consistantly good treatment next to accutane that I have ever had. I still get a few pimples here and there sometimes but overall my skin has a much smoother feel to it. Lots of the underlying clogged pores are now clear. The cheekbone / jaw area of my face are 97%+ acne free. I have noticed that with me, this medication works in cycles. What is mean is that for 3 days it may bring out lots junk under your skin and you may get some pimples, but after that for a few days it will work perfectly. Usually once it hits an area like that, it doesn't come back.

The way that I understand this medication works is that it brings out dead skin cells and stuff underneath your skin causing acne, and speeds up the production of new skin cells. At the same time the trentonin helps to make pores smaller and decrease oil production. So far I am happy with this medication, my face continues to look better and better over time. There was a period during the first 1-3 weeks that I considered dropping this medicaiton and going back on accutane, but I am glad I stuck it out. This initial breakout period is necessary as I understand it, because needs to get all the stuff out from under your skin that is causing the acne. The more it pulls out, the less acne you have. The Retin-A-Micro continues to keep my skin looking young. Even though I am only 21, and a male, the cream has helped my skin to be smoother as well as firmer overall. It is a lot easier to shave now compared to before.

Here is what I use currently:
- Retin A Micro (1x a night)
- Minocycline (2x a day, but I am doing well so I am decreased this to 1 a day and hopefully 0/day soon)
- Glytone face wash and body wash. Face wash 2x a day (mild) and Body Wash 1x a day
- Shave using a shaving brush and lathering foam. This has helped tremendously. The hair is cut evenly and the skin is much more firm and easy to shave with. It also moisturizes the skin so it is not overly dry and that does not cause the skin to overproduce oil, which causes acne. I use a Mach 3, as well as the Armani Aqua de Gio aftershave balm. This brand of aftershave is very good to my skin, and does not irritate it at all; plus, every girl I know likes the scent / It is important to use the balm, because it does not irritate your skin and acne, and keeps it moisturized. For me at least, shaving with a brush and razor is far superior to an electric, it is a closer more even shave and my skin stays moisturized through the enitre process.
- Apply toner daily (this helps shrink pores and take out the dead skin cells and blackheads that the retin-a-micro helps has expelled)

Please feel free to post comments on this treatment. I have also tried to improve my diet, even though there is disputed evidence on wheather this makes a difference. It seems to have helped, but I am not sure if this is the diet improvement or retin-a improvement. Either way I am feeling better by eating healthier. Currently I have stopeed the antibiotics for about 2 weeks and I seem to be doing well, there hasn't been much difference than when i was on them, although the few pimples I got seem to dissapear faster with the Mino.[/i]

It has taken roughly 3-4 weeks for me to see my first great improvement. The company says between weeks 8-12 you will see full results, but is took me probably week 13 until I saw a very significant improvment. In weeks 15 and 16 I saw a HUGE improvment, so I quit the minocin. I had no initial redness, itching or peeling when I started, in which I seem to be in the minority. Most people posting here seem to have negative things to say about retin-a-micro, but it has worked for me. I am glad that I waited it out. My skin is continuing to improve and hopefully I can soon be off the antibiotic for good.

[Rach]

Well i used retinamicro for about 4 weeks, im not patient enough with acne treatments, i wasnt seeing results so i stopped using it. but i just yesterday i decided to use what remains in the tube. It is about half full. One thing i like about retina micro is that it speeds up the skin shedding process for example- it dries out a pimple and then literally peels the scab off causing the pimple to clear faster. I have a massive jacker (thats what i call zits) on my cheek. It started out really small but then being the gaywad that i am i tried popping it and the bacteria got everywhere turning the zit into a gigantic pimple!! ahh, so thats why i decided to use retina micro hoping it would cause the massive pimple to shed more!!! I will let you know my progress!!! just keep up my hopes!!! /

[stillhoping]

dak...how severe was your acne before starting retin a micro and how would you rate it now???

[DakinemonCU]

On a level of 1 to 10, I would rate it like a 2.5 or 3, so it wasn't that bad. The doctor had me on some thing called finevin and an antibiotic which was pretty much doing nothing, as well as irritating my skin. I would now rate it a 0 or 1. I might get like 1 pimple a week but it goes away in like a day.

[otma]

I had moderate acne and after about 2 months it had cleared up nearly all the smaller zits but it did nothing for cysts and a few large pimples still managed to pop up. Even though Retin-A is a prescription drug that leaves your skin burnt feeling and red those are about the same results I got from over the counter creams. ({|=

[graciegirl]

DakinemonCU:

I'm going on my 10th week of Retin A Micro and have been really frustrated w/ the flaking, peeling, redness and random breakouts, but your post is encouraging. One of my coworkers who has relatively clear skin, told me that she was on RA Micro for almost 4 months before it started to make a difference in her complexion. Ugh, I hope it doesn't take me that long...

[DakinemonCU]

I an currently on month 5 or so, and it has definately made an improvment on my skin. There are still occasional small breakouts, but nothing bad at all. My biggest problem with the breakouts I notice is when I put too much of the medicine on. This is strong stuff, and I seem to have less small breakouts when I only put the pea-sized amount on. If I accidentally put too much on (which I seem to catch myself doing a lot), it seems to just irritate the skin and cause dryness instead of just helping and exfoliating dirt. So, just make sure you only put the amount on that the doc. said. For me, I thought putting more on would make it work better, but it doesn't. Overall, on this 5th month, my skin is A LOT smoother. Here is a breakdown of my use of this med so far:

Month 1 - Breakouts at worst point, wherever acne bumps were
Month 2 - Breakout around cheek area
Month 3 - Small breakout around nose/mouth area
Month 4 - No breakouts
Month 5 - Small breakouts on forehead area

Like I should have said above, it seems that once retin-a-Mic. causes an area to breakout, there are no more breakouts in that area. Good luck, luckily my acne was not bad enough that I can use this medication without many problems. I would say on a 1-10 scale, my clarity is about an 8 or so out of 10, maybe 8.5. Also, aside from the shaving (I found once every 2 days is the perfect amount, otherwise my skin will get too dry and irritated from razor), it seems taking my multivitamin and a 1000IU vitamin E helps, and I probably drink about 3-4 16oz bottles of water per day. I do this mainly for general health and lifting, but it seems to help my skin/hair out even more. Also, even though people say there has been to proven link between diet and acne, I am eating more fruits & vegetables per day now and that also seems to be helping, also less simple/processed carbs (sugar, white bread, etc). If nothing else it makes me feel better just because I am eating more nutritional food.

[DakinemonCU]

Also, I read above that in my first post I said I was on month 3-4. This is somewhat true, since I have been on retin-a-m since june. However, about 1-2 months in I switched from the weaker version to the .1 (derm had to refil me, and for some reason wrote me a RX for the higher one). So I have been on the .1 for about 5 months

[shiny]

I've been using retin a 0.05% (not micro) for about 4 months. I also had some N lite treatments during this time. The n lite helped but the retin a has helped the most.I've also been performing some internal cleanses.
I don't get any spots at all anymore .I usually eat very healthily but last week I ate everything that would normally cause acne.I didn't get a single spot.
People compliment me on my nice glowy skin eventhough I still have some red scars and pits. For the last 5 weeks I've also been using mandelic acid 3 times a week .I think a combination of retin a and mandelic has cleared me 100%.
At last I'm acne free regardless of diet/travel/pollution/hormones/lack of sleep. It's liberating.I can now live life to the max for the first time in 14 years.

[alina]

Hey I just would like to ask shiny-- what is mandelic acid and how does it work? Is it irritating? I am in the redness and peeling stage and my skin is very dry cause this is only my second week on retin-a micro. Where can i get the product and how do u use it? Sorry for all the questions! thanx in advance!

[shiny]

Take a look at the mandelic acid thread in the scar treatment section.

[amrendugan]

hello DakinemonCU,

I am happy to hear about your success story with retin-a, Ive been using it for almost 5 weeks though somehow it dried out my pimples but at the same it is unvealing all horrors in my face...I have lots of clogged pores in my jawline which ocassionally turns to acne but not all of them and now when i used retin-a, it all uprooted them..very annoying but still I will stick to it based on this testimonial...if I rate my acne from 1 to 10, I would say 5..most of them are concetrated in my jawline and chin....

[acowles]

I had like no acne when i started using it (i shouldn't have used it and my mom tried to convince me but i was naive) and the pimples went away but were never fully clear. i stopped using it and im now dealing with the worst acne of my life.

february 2011 - start using retin-a (light, mild acne)

february 2012- stop using retin-a (still light mild acne, tiny tiny breakout)

february 2012- current: worst ever (25+ bumps on my forehead, temples, cheeks are bad, chin is breaking out, upper lip has a few)