5 replies to this topic

[babowc]

So,
I've been lurking around here for awhile now and decided to post.

I have ordered Mario badescu products + 100mg Doxy pills already, but I just had questions about the RA/RAM.

I read up that Retin-A is a form of Tretinoin.
However, What are the differences between Retin-a-Micro and Retin-a?

Also, I did read the FAQ and such and what tretinoin does to the skin and also read about the tretinoin online and it was advised not to use SA or BP products with it.

Now.. MB Drying lotion contains SA.. I was thinking of using it for the IB whiteheads and the Buffering lotion for cystic acne.

Here are the ingredients of the MB products I will use.

Drying Lotion (to dry out formed whiteheads):
Isopropyl Alcohol, Deionized Water (Aqua), Calamine, Camphor, Colloidal Sulfur, Salicylic Acid, Glycerine, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Talc.

Buffering Lotion (for controlling Cysts):
Deionized Water, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Hydrolyzed Serum Protein, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Pyridoxine, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Allantoin, Biotin.

Healing cream (for reducing red and irritated acne):
Balsam Peru Polyglycerylmethacrylate (and) Propylene Glycol, Herbal Extract, Bismuth Subgallate.

Drying cream (similar to drying lotion..spot treatment):
Deionized Water, Zinc Oxide, Aloe, Beeswax, Cetyl Alcohol, Lemon Extract, Colloidal Sulfur, Ervol, Octyl Palmitate, Ichthammol, Polysorbate 80, Titanium Dioxide, Polyglycerylmethacrylate (and) Propylene Glycol.

I've done some research on this and bought the two products, but I wasn't sure if adding RA/RAM would overload my skin/system.

I know this is alot of questions.. but help a brother out!
Thanks!

[Siouxsie]

I think RAM is time released, and that is the main difference between it and retin-a.
Someone else might be able to tell you for sure.

The reason you don't want to use retin-a and BP together is that they "cancel" each other out.
You can alternate them though. I use BP in the morning and tretinoin at night.

As for SA, it might be too drying to use with retin-a, but I don't think they interfere with each other besides that (?). If it's a low percent, then it may be okay to use with retin-a. Ask your derm to be sure.

Are you using all those lotions at once, or just some to spot treat? If you're layering all of them, that does seem like a lot of products...

[babowc]

the drying lotion is just like BP.. its just for spot treatments.
same with all the above minus the healing cream.

other than that, I dont use BP as an entire face application since it reddens my skin.
i use it as spot treatments as well.

So, other than the cetaphil daily moisturizer w/ spf15 and the healing cream, i wouldn't be apply anything everyday.

I also heard retin a should be "built up" to. i.e: applying every other day for the "loading phase"

[Siouxsie]

the drying lotion is just like BP.. its just for spot treatments.

You still don't want to layer the spot treatment of BP over the retin-a. Do it at different times of the day (one morning, one night). Your other spot treatments should be okay to use with retin-a, I imagine. Ask your derm to be safe.
My derm did not tell me to build up with retin-a, and I had no issue using it once a day everyday from the beginning. Follow your derm's directions and monitor your skin. If it seems too harsh at first, then back off & try building up again slowly.

[babowc]

Ya, i compared it to BP on spot treatment, but its doesnt contain any BP..
the ingredients are listed above, but SA is one of them, however it shouldn't matter since SA and the RA doesnt neutralize each other, right?

Main reason for me posting this was to see if it'd be too irritable for the skin..

btw.. I dont go to the derm anymore. :]

[babowc]

not much response,
but my MB should be here tomorrow with doxy arriving in a week or so.

still havent purchased RA.. I'll see how the IB on doxy is.