Thank you! RetinA micro?

[AF1girl 1]

Hello everyone!

I finally registered!!! This site has been an incredible resource for me. Every time my derm put me on a new medication for my acne, I would come here to read peoples' experiences. Thank you!

I just started RetinA micro 0.1%...I'm really hoping it will reduce my breakouts and pore size. I'm so tired of having bad skin! Has anyone noticed an improvement in pore size with this medication?

Thank you,

K

[LionQueen 40]

Welcome to the board, and good luck with Retin A!

I'm going to move this thread to the Topical Retinoids forum, where I think you'll find the best advice and information.

I found Retin A to be excellent at clearing out my pores, though I had a lot of trouble with irritation. Here are some of my standard tips for working with topical retinoids:

-- Use a very gentle, mild cleanser. DO NOT SCRUB OR PICK AT YOUR SKIN. It is going to be much more fragile than usual.

-- Apply Retin A to clean, dry skin at night. Use the smallest amount possible to cover your face. Be aware that the skin in certain areas (nose, chin, under eyes) is going to be more sensitive and likely to peel.

-- Ease into using it so that your skin becomes accustomed to it. Here's a suggested schedule:

First week: Once every 3 days.

Second week: Once every 2 days.

Third week: 2 out of 3 days.

Fourth week: Daily.

-- If at ANY time your face becomes red, sore, or "sunburned" feeling -- stop using Retin A until your skin has gone back to normal. Then pick up where you left off.

-- Peeling is not due to dryness but to dead skin cells shedding rapidly, and to the fact that Retin A loosens up the connectors (desmosomes) that hold the cells together. Gentle manual exfoliation with a soft brush or silica bead scrub will help get rid of the flakiness.

-- Sunscreen is critical. Use it daily.

-- Supplementing your diet with fish oil capsules will help reinforce your skin's natural defenses (retinoids weaken the lipid barrier).

-- Be prepared for an initial breakout, as the retinoid pushes old comedones to the surface. If spots become inflamed, ice them for a few minutes several times a day and take a reasonable, safe dose of ibuprofen if needed. Once again, DO NOT PICK at your skin -- your fingernails can wreak havoc in a very short time.

Good luck!

[AF1girl 1]

Thanks LionQueen, I'm dreading the underground cysts coming to the surface, but once my face is purged I'm hoping breakouts will be few and far between.

i'm peeling quite a bit right now, but I don't mind it. Just I sign that things are working right? I use Philosophy Microdelivery face wash to exfoliate in the morning. Then Oil of Olay complete moisturizer w/sunscreen.

i'm considering taking cod liver oil capsules - for the vitamin A. Some one else mentioned it on another post as a natural way to treat acne from the inside.

-k

[jrhodes870 0]

Hey i saw you mentioned Retin A micro in your post topic, I had a bad bad flare up a couple months ago, and I got on a antibiotic and used retin A micro every night before bed, and a little in the morning. The stuff works wonders, It will dry your face out at first, give you red spots and what not. But it will literally get rid of a white head or pimple over night.

I hope it works wonders for you, dont over use it though

[Siava 55]

LQ is wise in her assessment of this topical retinoid. I love it. LOVE. IT! After 2 or 3 months of continued use you should notice improvement. This stuff does wonders if you stick with it. Skin tone evens out. Pores don't clog as much. Blackheads diminish. Fine lines (crows feet especially) diminish or disappear completely. The only thing to take special care of is to use a moisturizer with spf because retin-a does make your skin photosensitive. It's worth it though IMO. It's a wonderful addition to the every day beauty regimen which gals and guys alike can take advantage of. I hope you do well enough to stick with it.

[AF1girl 1]

thanks for the responses!!! §iava - I'm excited about fine lines going way! Do you use it around your eyes? I have dark circles - i'm afraid to thin the skin even more...

still using RAM .1% every night since Nov. 26th...so for about 2 months.

i'm getting impatient...i still have breakouts that take weeks to heal and very large pores on my forehead. When I was on RAM last year I was also taking Yaz...and I had no breakouts. I went off the YAZ b/c I got a painful spider vein . It went away when I stopped taking it...anyone else have that experience???

So i really don't want to try another BCP for my skin - even tho I always get 2-3 bad breakouts the week before...

I've been on this AM regimen for the last 2 months: DDF non-drying cleanser and Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic acid 10% moisturizer prior to Oil of Olay complete moisturizer. I'm considering switching to this regimen in the hopes that it will tighten my pores :

AM

1. Neurtogena Pore Refining Cleanser (because I read good things about it here).

2. Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner (worried about the alcohol content drying me out tho)

3. PTR Glycolic acid (wait a bit)

4. Neutrogena Visibly Even spf15 moisterizer

PM

1. Neurtogena PR cleanser (wait 30 min)

2. RAM .1%

This seems to be a ridiculous amount of time/product/energy for my face!

I've always been a low maintenance type of girl...not anymore i guess.

[LionQueen 40]

I don't recommend the Neutrogena cleanser or toner, especially in combination with Retin A. Your current cleanser sounds better.

To refine your pores you could replace the glycolic acid with either salicylic or mandelic acid. Both penetrate the skin (salicylic penetrates the most deeply) and exfoliate the pores. I would recommend the Paula's Choice 2% BHA liquid or gel.

I wouldn't think you really need glycolic in tandem with Retin A .... you should be shedding those surface skin cells pretty well already. How's it working for you and why did you decide to use it?

[AF1girl 1]

Hi LionQueen,

Do you think the cleanser/toner combo would be to harsh? the skin on my forehead seems pretty tough, so I'm really looking to shed some skin there!

I was reading this thread --> Anyone interested in Retin A Micro Daily Updates???, and they mentioned that using an AHA product along with RAM decreased pore size. Then I read up on AHA, and I thought that glycolic acid was the best choice - but so far it hasn't done anything to reduce pore size, but it does get rid of any flakiness I have in the morning after washing.

I read your thread regarding Mandelic acid - sounds promising! I wish could find it locally rather than online tho. I'm going to look up Paula's Choice now...so many options it gets a tad overwhelming.

Thanks for the advice!

[LionQueen 40]

I have a very low opinion of Neutrogena's acne products. There's no point putting salicylic acid in a cleanser, it doesn't stay on your skin long enough to do any good -- all it does is contribute to irritation and dryness.

Instead of switching to their crappy cleanser/toner duo, I think you would be better off sticking with your current cleanser followed by the Paula's Choice BHAs. It's an excellent product and very reasonably priced.

Glycolic acid exfoliates the surface of the skin; salicylic acid exfoliates the pores. Your call on which one your skin needs more. Come to think of it, you could probably keep using your GA moisturizer even if you added in the PC BHAs ... just add them in gradually and it should be fine.

Mandelic is nice because it has a tightening effect on the skin; it actually does make your pores look smaller, while also penetrating and exfoliating.

[AF1girl 1]

Lion Queen ~ Thanks for the wisdom! I really want both the PC and Mandelic Acid products now. The PC is affordable, and I'll probably get the PC BHA liquid. If i'm still unhappy with my pores in 4 months (6 months of RAM), I'll get the mandelic acid for my pores.

I posted some pics of my skin - if anyone can tell me what's going on with my forehead (is it sun-damage, acne scars, damage from Retin-A when i was a teenager, or just large pores?) i would really appreciate it!

58 days of RAM and counting...

[Siava 55]

Sorry to reply so late. Yes, I do use retin-a around my eyes. Not on the lids, but underneath the eyes and on the sides. Have you noticed fine lines deminishing yet? It's so cool!

[ctbo 2]

i been using the same thing never made my pores smaller and it dryed my skin to much way to much.use only a pea size of it on your face trust me or it may burn your skin off or peel it to much.it will help alot with the zits to its reallt good stuff just keep an eye on the peeling and stay out of the sun.