Yes I grew up with acne, not severe bu constant. Always very oily and my pores would gradually get bigger. I used to use tretinoin/retin-A for acne and it never really solved anything. I just started again, but now I am second guessing this cream. I went to the dermatologist to talk about chemical peals to just smooth out the texture of my skin, but she felt confident about retin-A. Almost 2 months in and my pores are a bit cleaner but more apparent... still have blackheads, and I am more reddening. People complain about pores but I have not seen a case like mine. Different shapes and sizes... I uploaded some pics, which do show the extent yet don't really do justice.
The derm did mention the possibility of a pill later on, maybe she has accutane in mind. Now i'm doubting how much good it would do. I can't help but think the cream is what caused the pores to enlarge in the first place all those years ago. I am already in my early 30s (male) and am losing it... Its like a minefield. This is not genetic, that's a cop-out answer to whatever is going on here.
I could give the retin-a a long term go, but I don't want to make it worse. I would appreciate any direction/insight.
Pores appearing large can have something to do with a loss of collagen in the skin. Now, Tretinoin actually boosts collagen production, but it doesn't do it over night, so it could be that you need to continue on with the cream, just make sure that you aren't over using it because that can have adverse effects, remember pea size amount for the entire face. If you prefer to skip your nose and try some different treatments there for the pore size, it's completely understandable. I would talk to your doctor and see what he/she thinks. in the mean time you can try at home clay masks, they will help to tighten that skin back up some.
Good luck!
I have a similar problem. I got mine through accutane. Though I also have scars and damage in addition to larger than ever pores all over my face including the sides.
I understand your problem that the tretinoin is not meant to do this. For me accutane was not meant to make pores bigger and bigger. I hope you can find your answer. Technically the tretinoin is not meant to cause this.