Retin a

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(@brooksieking)

Posted : 09/24/2002 3:22 pm

Ive been prescribed retin a from my dr. what is it like ? what does it do?

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(@barbqlover)

Posted : 09/24/2002 3:50 pm

Hey brooksieking, I have used Retin-A for over 6 years now and never mind helping out and enlightening a fellow user. Ok, here we go:

 

THE FACTS

 

Retin-A is a Vitamin A derivative originally used to treat wrinkles and smooth damaged and aged skin. Dermatologists must have noticed that acne was being treated, as well, with the medication and decided to start prescribing it. Actual mechanism of how it works still is sketchy, but believed that it works deep in the skin to unclog follicles where oil builds, leading to future acne. This action also helps shed dead skin cells, no good cells whose life has expired and now sit on your face and help cause breakouts and make it look sluggish. In effect, Retin-A constantly sheds superficial skin cells, leading to smoother, healthier-looking skin.

 

THE GOOD

 

Retin-A CAN very likely help control your acne, as it did with me. However, I think Retin-A alone will do a lot of good, but an antibiotic in addition never hurts. Skin should look better after several months. Popular acne treatment for a reason.

 

THE BAD

 

There are numerous side effects, mostly involving red, flaking, peeling, itchy skin. Your skin may feel raw with the first complete weeks of Retin-A use since those superficial dead skin ceels are being shedded constantly, revealing fresh skin. Trust me, this is minimized and of little concern once you get in the habit of using Retin-A (several months, IMO), especially when you stick to a solid regimen of washing with a mild soap and moisturizing. However, and I stress WEAR A SUNSCREEN AND AVOID SUN EXPOSURE. Again, your face is going to be prone since you effectively exfoliate the surface skin every time you apply Retin-A. If you wear a sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, and especially live in a cold climate (notice my hometown), you'll be fine. It may be a pain, but believe me, you'll get burned if careless. Also, if you don't have a good insurance plan, Retin-A can ride your wallet to the tune of $20 a tube, maybe more. Look into getting its generic counterpart, named Tretinoin.

 

Phew. That should do it. Hopefully, this can get published as the official Retin-A Doctrine.

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(@brooksieking)

Posted : 09/24/2002 3:58 pm

Hey brooksieking, I have used Retin-A for over 6 years now and never mind helping out and enlightening a fellow user. Ok, here we go:

THE FACTS

Retin-A is a Vitamin A derivative originally used to treat wrinkles and smooth damaged and aged skin. Dermatologists must have noticed that acne was being treated, as well, with the medication and decided to start prescribing it. Actual mechanism of how it works still is sketchy, but believed that it works deep in the skin to unclog follicles where oil builds, leading to future acne. This action also helps shed dead skin cells, no good cells whose life has expired and now sit on your face and help cause breakouts and make it look sluggish. In effect, Retin-A constantly sheds superficial skin cells, leading to smoother, healthier-looking skin.

THE GOOD

Retin-A CAN very likely help control your acne, as it did with me. However, I think Retin-A alone will do a lot of good, but an antibiotic in addition never hurts. Skin should look better after several months. Popular acne treatment for a reason.

THE BAD

There are numerous side effects, mostly involving red, flaking, peeling, itchy skin. Your skin may feel raw with the first complete weeks of Retin-A use since those superficial dead skin ceels are being shedded constantly, revealing fresh skin. Trust me, this is minimized and of little concern once you get in the habit of using Retin-A (several months, IMO), especially when you stick to a solid regimen of washing with a mild soap and moisturizing. However, and I stress WEAR A SUNSCREEN AND AVOID SUN EXPOSURE. Again, your face is going to be prone since you effectively exfoliate the surface skin every time you apply Retin-A. If you wear a sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, and especially live in a cold climate (notice my hometown), you'll be fine. It may be a pain, but believe me, you'll get burned if careless. Also, if you don't have a good insurance plan, Retin-A can ride your wallet to the tune of $20 a tube, maybe more. Look into getting its generic counterpart, named Tretinoin.

Phew. That should do it. Hopefully, this can get published as the official Retin-A Doctrine.

its a good job i live in england and have the pleasure of an NHS that doesnt need insurance :D cheers for the info mate

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(@barbqlover)

Posted : 09/24/2002 11:56 pm

Anything to help. Really, I've had to learn a lot of this stuff myself, and I definitely could have used someone to give me some pointers when I was younger. Kind of a personal crusade to help people, especially with acne, I guess......

 

Well, considering you live in England, I don't think that sunscreen might be quite that necessary, but on those 5 sunny days, you might need it 😉

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(@justlisten2me)

Posted : 09/25/2002 8:52 am

Retin A just different help me at all.I used it as directed :D

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(@barbqlover)

Posted : 09/25/2002 4:36 pm

Yeah, the one bad thing about acne treatments is that they aren't applicable to all. Sucks, doesn't it?

 

Retin-A is pretty strong, so the next step on the acne hierarchy is Accutane, but I'm sure I don't have to preach to you about that. All of these medications have these unfortunate side effects, so it's a real bummer when you deal with flaking/red skin and acne. And Accutane may be the "nuke" of acne treatments, but jeez, I've seen some scary stories of people experiencing some life-altering side effects.

 

Well, good luck, justlisten. If you haven't found your acne controller yet, it's bound to be out there.

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(@madiha)

Posted : 09/29/2002 5:45 pm

Well.... this is my 5th week on REtin-A Micro and i have been using it every other day... in the 2nd week i started getting lots of blackheads but eventually they dried up and went away i am still left with few blackheads but not as much and now i am worried about these red marks.. how long does this take to work on them......nyone who has experienced this flare plz tell me

is it normal.. i hope it doesnt come back

thanks all of you

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(@361)

Posted : 09/30/2002 10:29 pm

Hey,i have used Retin-A before and it hasnt helped me, but thats just me it could work for u, i have been a hard case for all of my doctors i have had acne since i was 11 and im now 14, i got a new doctor because my old one didnt except tricare anymore, but i was on Accutane and it worked really well but now my new doctor once again put me on Retin-A but the first time i used it, it made my face peel and all this nasty stuff. So im not to keen on the idea of trying it again. Im also on Tetracycline for the second time in my life and that didnt help either.

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(@newcastlegirl)

Posted : 10/10/2002 9:47 am

I just started using Retin-A Micro (gel, not lotion) 1%, which from reading other posts, is the strongest of them all. After two nights, I have no peeling or redness, but my skin needed help, so anything looks better than it was. I tried Retin-A years ago, it did not work, but the gal at the pharmacy on Monday when I filled this prescription said Retin-A of former years (not the Micro version of today) is much improved over the old.

 

My question is this - somebody said to wait 20 minutes to put on the Retin-A after you wash your face at night - why? I don't understand the reason for this and seems rather a pain to have to remember to wait that long.

 

Any help would be appreciated - I also have a new post on the use of antibiotics with Retin-A, so if you are interested, please go to the one if you know anything about antibiotics (oral) and dosages.

 

Thanks, Newcastlegirl

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(@newcastlegirl)

Posted : 10/10/2002 9:47 am

I just started using Retin-A Micro (gel, not lotion) 1%, which from reading other posts, is the strongest of them all. After two nights, I have no peeling or redness, but my skin needed help, so anything looks better than it was. I tried Retin-A years ago, it did not work, but the gal at the pharmacy on Monday when I filled this prescription said Retin-A of former years (not the Micro version of today) is much improved over the old.

 

My question is this - somebody said to wait 20 minutes to put on the Retin-A after you wash your face at night - why? I don't understand the reason for this and seems rather a pain to have to remember to wait that long.

 

Any help would be appreciated - I also have a new post on the use of antibiotics with Retin-A, so if you are interested, please go to the one if you know anything about antibiotics (oral) and dosages.

 

Thanks, Newcastlegirl

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(@barbqlover)

Posted : 10/10/2002 2:29 pm

newcastlegirl,

 

Waiting 20 minutes after washing your face allows your face to dry, which I imagine allows the cream to absorb better and not to irritate your face as opposed to waiting just 5 minutes, when your skin is still sensitive. It's just a matter of finding your own regimen, and before you know it, 20 minutes is no problem. I know it's sometimes hard when you're dead tired and don't want to wait 20 minutes, but your face will appreciate your patience.

 

I'm using tetracycline as the oral antibiotic along with Retin-A. Tough thing about this pill is you have to wait 2-3 hours after a meal, or 1 hour before a meal to take it, but again, once you get into a habit, it's not that big of a deal.....I take it just as I get up in the morning, so that by the time I shower, shave, dress, it's about an hour. I take another pill at about 4:00, a pretty good post-lunch, pre-dinner time.

 

Cheers!

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(@barbqlover)

Posted : 10/10/2002 2:30 pm

newcastlegirl,

 

Waiting 20 minutes after washing your face allows your face to dry, which I imagine allows the cream to absorb better and not to irritate your face as opposed to waiting just 5 minutes, when your skin is still sensitive. It's just a matter of finding your own regimen, and before you know it, 20 minutes is no problem. I know it's sometimes hard when you're dead tired and don't want to wait 20 minutes, but your face will appreciate your patience.

 

I'm using tetracycline as the oral antibiotic along with Retin-A. Tough thing about this pill is you have to wait 2-3 hours after a meal, or 1 hour before a meal to take it, but again, once you get into a habit, it's not that big of a deal.....I take it just as I get up in the morning, so that by the time I shower, shave, dress, it's about an hour. I take another pill at about 4:00, a pretty good post-lunch, pre-dinner time.

 

Cheers!

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(@newcastlegirl)

Posted : 10/26/2002 9:32 am

Hey, I called the makers of Retin-A Micro and asked about the 20 mins from washing face and applying. They said that with the advent of Retin-A Micro now, you did not have to wait the 20 minutes anymore. It used to be that way with the old plain Retin-A. Hope that helps everyone, but that is one of the reasons why they developed this Micro kind, so people did not have to wait between washing and applying.

 

I have stopped my Retin-A Micro - way too much cystic acne after 1 week and with my fair skin, the scarring may be awful. I also think the g.p. was wrong in not prescribing the lower percentage instead of the 1% that she did.

 

Karen

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(@justlisten2me)

Posted : 10/29/2002 9:19 am

If you read the package insert it clearly states one can apply Retin-A Micro right after washing. The old Retin-A cream you had to wait 20-30 minutes. The two are different formulations.

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(@justlisten2me)

Posted : 10/29/2002 9:21 am

If you read the package insert it clearly states one can apply Retin-A Micro right after washing. The old Retin-A cream you had to wait 20-30 minutes. The two are different formulations.

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(@gingergirl22)

Posted : 10/01/2012 9:44 pm

Deleted and moved to Retin-A subforum.

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