6 replies to this topic

[cdior003]

I've been on retin-a micro .1% since Oct. 17 2007 and I realized I was using it incorrectly after my derm visit. I was wondering why my skin was still oily and my blackheads were still visible and breaking out, I found out I was using it wrong. I put it on after I washed my face. Now I am aware that its vital to wait at least 20 minutes before putting on the retin a.

Its been several weeks now and I'm still breaking out. Not cystic or anythng just whiteheads. I think my skin becomes very irritated when I shave. I tried electric shaving but that doesnt help. Here is my regimen.

AM: Dove Cucumber Soap, gillete moisturizer with spf 15 for men,

Afternoon: take fish oil with meal

PM: Neutrogena Oil free Acne Wash with Salcylic Acid, wait 10-15 minutes and then retin a.

Weekly: DDF Sulfur Mask recommended by my derm. use 2-3 times a week. I think I should lessened because of the dryness.

Lately I've noticed that my skin has gotton very dry. So I started to use much less. I am not sure if I'm still suppose to be breaking out. It has been over 10 weeks I believe and there are some good days and some bad. I just don't know what to do at this point. Acne has really damaged my life in so many ways. Its driving me insane. It controls my life and I just want to beat it.

Please let me know if I am doing anything incorrect with my regimen or ways to enchance it.

thanks

[tooshort]

I've been on retin-a micro .1% since Oct. 17 2007 and I realized I was using it incorrectly after my derm visit. I was wondering why my skin was still oily and my blackheads were still visible and breaking out, I found out I was using it wrong. I put it on after I washed my face. Now I am aware that its vital to wait at least 20 minutes before putting on the retin a.

Its been several weeks now and I'm still breaking out. Not cystic or anythng just whiteheads. I think my skin becomes very irritated when I shave. I tried electric shaving but that doesnt help. Here is my regimen.

AM: Dove Cucumber Soap, gillete moisturizer with spf 15 for men,

Afternoon: take fish oil with meal

PM: Neutrogena Oil free Acne Wash with Salcylic Acid, wait 10-15 minutes and then retin a.

Weekly: DDF Sulfur Mask recommended by my derm. use 2-3 times a week. I think I should lessened because of the dryness.

Lately I've noticed that my skin has gotton very dry. So I started to use much less. I am not sure if I'm still suppose to be breaking out. It has been over 10 weeks I believe and there are some good days and some bad. I just don't know what to do at this point. Acne has really damaged my life in so many ways. Its driving me insane. It controls my life and I just want to beat it.

Please let me know if I am doing anything incorrect with my regimen or ways to enchance it.

thanks

whoa.... half of your problem is not with the retin-a but with some of your other products. You want you cleanser to be as mild as possible.... I would cut the Sal Acid cleanser and go with a mild cleanser like Cetaphyl or Dan's cleanser. I personally use Dove Sensitive Skin Cleanser. Aslo, your moisturizer. You want that mild as possible too. There are alot of irritants in the Gillete one you are using. I also recommend Dan's moisturizer... I have yet to find a better one.

[stressedoutVThokie]

huhh? wait 20 minutes after you wash ur face to put on the topical? i hope thats not with differin too cuz i've been using that wrong if so.. but it still works..

[willow569]

huhh? wait 20 minutes after you wash ur face to put on the topical? i hope thats not with differin too cuz i've been using that wrong if so.. but it still works..

Its recommended for most topical treatments - primarily to reduce possible irritation of the skin. If you aren't getting irritation from putting the differin on sooner after washing, I wouldn't worry about it!

[Agent]

The 20 minute rule really only applys if you are using harsh cleansers, like you are.

I would suggest Clean&Clear Deep-Action Cream Cleanser which contains no bp/sa, so you don't have to worry about anything like that, including irritation.

Hope this helped.

[hsbc]

The Neutrogena cleanser is simply too harsh with the 2% Salycylic. I personally am not irritated by SA in my cleansers with retin, but I am on .04% and not .1%. However, if my skin feels dry I always go for my Cetaphil. Never lets me down!

[Siouxsie]

I agree - switch to a more gentle cleanser & moisturizer. Any of the DKR recommended products are a great place to start if you need some suggestions.

Also, it takes awhile for retin-a to kick in. It took more than 3 months for me to see good results with it (see my sig for my regimen). I don't know which you are using, but I got much better results with a gel than a cream. The cream gave me more small pimples, only helping to clear larger ones. I complained to my derm that I wasn't seeing much difference and they told me it can take 6 months or more for retin-a to clear comedal acne. Not what i wanted to hear, but what can you do.... My skin is looking better now, but it's been slow. I use a lower dose than you too, but I also use it with clindamycin and I use BP in the morning.

I also don't wait up to 20 min before applying it; rather, I wash my face, pat it dry, brush my teeth, apply eye cream, and then by then it has been about 5 min and I go ahead & apply it at the same time as my clindamycin. Then I let it dry for about 10 min and apply my moisturizer.

I hope some of that helps. Maybe give it another month with gentler products and then consider trying something new.