Retin A in general and including Retin A Micro, is applied to the face in a pea sized amount (for the entire face) after cleansing and really well drying your face at night. You do NOT wash it off until the next morning. In order to be effective, Retin A Micro needs to be left on the skin. Do not apply the Retin A during the day because it makes your skin more sensitive to the sun's rays and you could damage your delicate facial skin. If you're starting the Retin A for the first time, be prepared for a bit of irritation and to use a decent amount of noncomedogenic moisturizer the day after using the Retin A. It'll take your skin a little bit to get used to the product. If you find that you have skin irritation, dryness, and flaking that is unbearable, of course talk to your dermatologist. It's also possible to mix the Retin A with some moisturizer to make it less irritating, but I believe this also dilutes the effectiveness slightly (but I could be wrong). The most important thing about any Retin A product is to always make sure you wear sunscreen during the day. What's the use of clearing acne only to damage your newly photosensitive skin with sunlight (and prematurely age your face)?