3 replies to this topic

[jasonbrown]

Hi,

I've been using Retin A tretinoin 0.01 since 1st May (3.5 months) and almost immediately saw a HUGE improvement, weeks 1-3 my skin was super dry and flakey, but weeks 3-12 my skin was spotless, perfect, not a single blemish. On week 12 my skin was the best it's ever been.

Then about 9 days ago my skin went on the rampage and it's now worse than it's ever been - I've only ever had mild/moderate acne, but I'd rate it severe at the moment - huge white heads on very unusual places for me. Before I used to have trouble with my chin, but now I've got big red bumps all up my cheeks. I haven't changed anything recently - facewash, diet, excercise, stress level - all the same as previous 3 months.

Is this a common cycle? I've done lots of reading about Retin and from what I've seen the initial break out seems to happen immediately then stop after 3 months...

Has anyone else expereienced this? How long am I stuck like this for?

Thanks,

Jason

[Bayleebutton]

I just now saw your post and it sounds really similar to mine! Although, I have been using it for only 10 weeks.

[Green Gables]

Here's the problem. Your acne is either

1) Caused by internal causes. Hormonal imbalance, deficient minerals, bad diet, leaky gut, etc. Retin A will not stop your body from creating that acne. It will just keep pushing the new acne to the surface.
2) Caused by something you are putting on your face. Clogging cosmetics, clogging cleansers, etc. As long as you keep using those products you will continue clogging your pores.

Retin A is best used after you have stopped triggering your acne. It will not "cure" it.

[jasonbrown]

Just in case anyone is reading this in the same situation I was in and is curious as to how my skin panned out...

from week 12 to 16/17 my skin was truely awful - 3 or 4 new breakouts per day - absolutely terrible. Then around week 17 it started to repeat the extreme dryness that happened weeks 1-3, with strange scaley areas and skin being so dry that no amount of cream can keep it from peeling.

Then around week 19 - last week it started to clear up and stop peeling... now I'm spot free with just a few red marks that are clearing very quickly.

Just hope this isn't going to be a cycle of recuring months of clear skin then breakout etc etc.

basically the moral of the story is as EVERYONE ELSE says... Stick with Retin, no matter how bad things are, give it at least 6 months.

J