Is retin-a good for oily skin? Ive seen some miracles and horrors with it. Some people show their skin became flawless and others show their face became bright red. Is it worth the risk? Also, it makes you very sensitive to UV rays like sunlight and i hate having to use spf moisturizer or sunscreen, it is always oily, thick, and leaves white areas. Would it really help and work, or is it just a small success percentage kind of thing?
So have you used R-A? Did it work? Pros and cons of retin-a? Just need some feedback please, thanks!
I wish that I could be more of a pro person, but unfortunately Retin A was super tough for me to use. HOWEVER I had horrific, severe, active acne all over my face and when I applied a small amount (pea sized as everyone tells you) with moisturizer my face went from bad to holy shit what happened! That was after only two uses that were spaced two weeks apart per my doctor. But I know that if I had given it time it would have helped. I now use it for scars and it's like a miracle and helps fade them fast. It also doesn't cause irritation and redness now that my skin isn't as horribly broke out. I would recommend trying very small spots at a time and giving it time, like months to work. It always gets worse before it gets better with Retin A so if you can be patient and hold out I truly think it will be worth it. It is a really great medication for acne, I think it just isn't great for really irritated, inflammed acne like mine was. Best of Luck to you!
I'm on week 14 of tretinoin 0.025 and I'm not clear yet, I still have 3 or 4 active pimples. That being said, I have definitely seen improvement since beginning 14 weeks ago. The worst part of the initial breakout lasted me 3 months and I may still be going through a lesser version of the IB, as I've heard it can take 3-6 months of it getting worse before it gets better. That being said, I do recommend retin a. The pimples I have go away within 1 or 2 days, which is great. The only cons I can think of, other than the IB, is the red marks left behind, which do fade over time, and the dry/sensitive skin. I find that since I have sensitive skin, the retin a sometimes leaves behind scabs (not from a pimple) from the thinned/dry skin. Also, the peeling that comes along with retin A is tough at first but I found that if I waited 1 hour after washing my face before applying it, then another 30 mins - an hour before my moisturizer (I use Tarte's maracuja oil), it greatly helped with the dryness.
Also, don't pick on retin a. We're probably all guilty of doing this but it really does do more harm to the skin since it's so thin. (Side note: I still struggle with picking/touching my face which may contribute to why I still have some breakouts).
If you go to a family doctor, they may be able to order in a mixture for you that contains retin-A and steroid. I got a custom mixture made with retin-A, steroid and hydroquinone (to help with hyperpigmentation). Before ordering in this mixture, I had used retin-A alone for over a year and half - working my way up from 0.01% to 0.025% to 0.05% to 0.1%. I was tolerating it well until I got to 0.1% where my skin got super flaky and red. My doctor suggested I mix it with a very minuscule amount of steroid to help sooth any red inflammation. WOW. The difference it made! I definitely recommend asking your doctor about the mixture!
My initial breakout only lasted a month. This IB was only with the 0.025% dosage, I didn't receive an IB with 0.01%. Less is definitely more with retin-A. If you use more than a pea-sized amount, you're just going to irritate the skin and spawn more pimples. If you can practice restraint, then I highly recommend retin-A. It improved my acne and evened out my skin tone. My dermatologist calls it a "laser in a tube"! 
If you go to a family doctor, they may be able to order in a mixture for you that contains retin-A and steroid. I got a custom mixture made with retin-A, steroid and hydroquinone (to help with hyperpigmentation). Before ordering in this mixture, I had used retin-A alone for over a year and half - working my way up from 0.01% to 0.025% to 0.05% to 0.1%. I was tolerating it well until I got to 0.1% where my skin got super flaky and red. My doctor suggested I mix it with a very minuscule amount of steroid to help sooth any red inflammation. WOW. The difference it made! I definitely recommend asking your doctor about the mixture!
My initial breakout only lasted a month. This IB was only with the 0.025% dosage, I didn't receive an IB with 0.01%. Less is definitely more with retin-A. If you use more than a pea-sized amount, you're just going to irritate the skin and spawn more pimples. If you can practice restraint, then I highly recommend retin-A. It improved my acne and evened out my skin tone. My dermatologist calls it a "laser in a tube"!
How is your skin now? How long has it been since you started? Still using it?
If you go to a family doctor, they may be able to order in a mixture for you that contains retin-A and steroid. I got a custom mixture made with retin-A, steroid and hydroquinone (to help with hyperpigmentation). Before ordering in this mixture, I had used retin-A alone for over a year and half - working my way up from 0.01% to 0.025% to 0.05% to 0.1%. I was tolerating it well until I got to 0.1% where my skin got super flaky and red. My doctor suggested I mix it with a very minuscule amount of steroid to help sooth any red inflammation. WOW. The difference it made! I definitely recommend asking your doctor about the mixture!
My initial breakout only lasted a month. This IB was only with the 0.025% dosage, I didn't receive an IB with 0.01%. Less is definitely more with retin-A. If you use more than a pea-sized amount, you're just going to irritate the skin and spawn more pimples. If you can practice restraint, then I highly recommend retin-A. It improved my acne and evened out my skin tone. My dermatologist calls it a "laser in a tube"!
How is your skin now? How long has it been since you started? Still using it?
I started over a year and half ago. I had moderate acne with a lot of dark hyperpigmentation from previous breakouts. I had no pitted scarring (i'm not sure how well retin-A works for reducing indented scars). After 1.5 years of consistent use, my acne would now be considered "mild", my complexion has brightened, and my skin texture is far more smoother. This is probably due to concurrent use of both hydroquinone and retin-A.
My face is much less oily now than it was a year ago. My pores are much smaller too. Retin-A didn't cure my acne but it controlled it considerably compared to oral antibiotics and other topicals.
I'm not going to lie and say that the purging period (for the 0.025%) didn't suck. It did. A LOT. I had worse acne during the IB than I ever had in my life. My skin was super dry, flaky, and my lips were literally peeling. The medication kept sloughing my skin layers to allow for new acne to surface. My skin felt more sensitive and it took longer for existing/new acne to heal since my skin was so dry. There were days when I didn't want to leave my house.
But in my experience, I feel it was worth it considering the state of my skin today. It seriously feels like I got laser resurfacing done on my face. My skin feels more tauter and my pigmentation has faded to the point where it's hardly noticeable. I wholeheartedly think this medication is worth a try if you can remain resilient during the purging period!
If you go to a family doctor, they may be able to order in a mixture for you that contains retin-A and steroid. I got a custom mixture made with retin-A, steroid and hydroquinone (to help with hyperpigmentation). Before ordering in this mixture, I had used retin-A alone for over a year and half - working my way up from 0.01% to 0.025% to 0.05% to 0.1%. I was tolerating it well until I got to 0.1% where my skin got super flaky and red. My doctor suggested I mix it with a very minuscule amount of steroid to help sooth any red inflammation. WOW. The difference it made! I definitely recommend asking your doctor about the mixture!
My initial breakout only lasted a month. This IB was only with the 0.025% dosage, I didn't receive an IB with 0.01%. Less is definitely more with retin-A. If you use more than a pea-sized amount, you're just going to irritate the skin and spawn more pimples. If you can practice restraint, then I highly recommend retin-A. It improved my acne and evened out my skin tone. My dermatologist calls it a "laser in a tube"!
How is your skin now? How long has it been since you started? Still using it?
I started over a year and half ago. I had moderate acne with a lot of dark hyperpigmentation from previous breakouts. I had no pitted scarring (i'm not sure how well retin-A works for reducing indented scars). After 1.5 years of consistent use, my acne would now be considered "mild", my complexion has brightened, and my skin texture is far more smoother. This is probably due to concurrent use of both hydroquinone and retin-A.
My face is much less oily now than it was a year ago. My pores are much smaller too. Retin-A didn't cure my acne but it controlled it considerably compared to oral antibiotics and other topicals.
I'm not going to lie and say that the purging period (for the 0.025%) didn't suck. It did. A LOT. I had worse acne during the IB than I ever had in my life. My skin was super dry, flaky, and my lips were literally peeling. The medication kept sloughing my skin layers to allow for new acne to surface. My skin felt more sensitive and it took longer for existing/new acne to heal since my skin was so dry. There were days when I didn't want to leave my house.
But in my experience, I feel it was worth it considering the state of my skin today. It seriously feels like I got laser resurfacing done on my face. My skin feels more tauter and my pigmentation has faded to the point where it's hardly noticeable. I wholeheartedly think this medication is worth a try if you can remain resilient during the purging period!
IMO doesnt sound worth it to me to put in 1.5 years and not get like flawless skin lol, maybe just my impossible mentality? Does your face still get oily and do you still get pimples if you dont use it? Do you actually still use it? I hear people who used Retin A get cured or really have much less acne and they dont have to use anymore medication or follow anymore acne treatments. True?
How long was the "purging period?" That sounds horrendous, i honestly think i would not be able to go thru that unless i locked myself in my house 24/7 until those side effects went away, sounds like hell on my face lol. Did the Retin A causing your skin to peel and stuff have a purpose, like does it purposely peel the skin to help against acne or is it just a bad side effect?
I still think i would not use Retin A at all just because of that "purging period" and i know that it actually makes a lot of people's faces much worse whether it be to treat acne or scars, etc. But i also hear many stories of people who used it and its like a miracle, but the question is how long did it take for them to be healed, years? Im sure there have to be many other medications and treatments to get rid of or minimize acne and scars without having to go thru such harsh times.
1. "Doesn't sound worth it to me to put in 1.5 years and not get like flawless skin."
I've used accutane (6 months @ age 15), minocycline (6 months @ age 14), benzaclin (over 1.5 years), and birth control pills (over 2 years) and nothing has produced the same level of effectiveness as retin-A. I still get 1-3 pimples a month so no, I do not have flawless skin. But is it better than the 8-12 pimples I'd get at a time before retin-A? Hell yes!
2. "Does your face still get oily and do you still get pimples if you dont use it? Do you actually still use it? I hear people who used Retin A get cured or really have much less acne and they dont have to use anymore medication or follow anymore acne treatments. True?"
The oiliness has decreased by half I think. I wasn't super oily to begin with, to be honest. That's probably due to my initial use of accutane. I still use it but only once in 3 days. I don't use any other acne treatments anymore because i'm okay with the 1-3 spots I get a month and retin-A makes them subside really quickly.
3. How long was the "purging period?"
It was about a month for me. Other people have experience longer. I didn't use it every day at first because I wanted to slowly introduce it. Eventually I could tolerate it once a day. Eventually 0.025% didn't do anything for me! I built up enough tolerance to go to 0.05% and even 0.1%. I think the majority of my skin clearing up occurred on 0.05% which I used daily for year. I just started 0.1% over the summer but it was excessively aggressive on my skin. That's when my doctor recommended the steroid mixture.
4. Did the Retin A causing your skin to peel and stuff have a purpose, like does it purposely peel the skin to help against acne or is it just a bad side effect?
That's the whole magic to retin-A! Here's some quotes from actual MDs since I find their explanation to be better than mine.
"Retin-a (Tretinoin) works by increasing (stimulating) cell turnover and collagen production in the skin. If you think about it, retin-a works similar to a very light chemical peel: when applied topically, the retin-A increases the rate of cell turnover, thus increasing the skin™s own exfoliation process to remove dead cells while stimulating new skin cells faster, resulting in better skin texture and appearance. So yes, retin-a should work as a treatment for acne and can help minimize the appearance of acne scars."
"Retin A does not work overnight at decreasing and improving acne but usually takes around 2 months before the beneficial effects become noticeable. Early on in treatment with Retin A, patients may experience worsening of their acne as well as significant peeling and dryness. I counsel my patients to begin their Retin A nightly, but to decrease the application to every other night or every third night if they experience significant irritation. In most patients, the skin develops tolerance to Retin A and they can then transition into a nightly regimen."
http://www.realself.com/question/retin-a-skin-worse-before
http://www.realself.com/question/does-retin-a-really-work-acne-scars
http://www.realself.com/question/pimples-after-retin-05-cream
I don't know what else to say about this medication. I think it's side effects are much preferable to accutane. It's literally just a cream you apply overnight. You can control how often you apply the cream. If skin is flaking - it's working! So I don't think that should be considered a hugely negative side effect. If skin is flaking excessively, you can just decrease your dosage or apply it once in a few days. There's flexibility to this medication but there's also proven effectiveness. It's up to you really.
Are we talking about a cyst or a plain zit (black head, white head, sober head, drunken head, and whatnot)? If former, Retin-A is probably your best bet, next to that horrible Acculame. It's especially beneficial for those with naturally greasy skin (you know who you are) since it completely denudes your skin of anything moisture. If you're dry to begin with, well, you'll need to apply extra moisturizer to compensate for the loss of moisture.
Be that as it may, have you heard of DMSO? I've only been using this very recently and, man, this thing rocks! I would dab this product on affected areas overnight and those damn zits are practically gone by the morning. I can't believe there's not enough debate on this magic potion.
Thanks to both of you guys, i really have more of an understanding on Retin-A, its potential, risks, etc. and i feel i will be able to make decisions with it in the future if i use it. I will never use Accutane, partly because my parents tell me of how horrible it is and i always see those law suit commercials where its like "If you took Accutane in (this year to this year) and suffered medical problems like birth defects, skin cancers, deformed skin appearance, etc. call now to settle a law dispute and win up to $(insert tens of thousands here)." And i always hear horror stories of how it destroyed some peoples skin from just trying to treat some mild acne and acne scars.
Has anyone experienced a second purge? I thought I was clear at 10 weeks and then I got another purge, only worse than before with whiteheads coming to the surface. Is this normal? Could it be (I hope) that my skin is having one last purge before a clearer complexion?? I so hope so! Any reassurance out there? Thanks