Considering Dermatica - can anyone on cost?

[Esbm2015]

I'm thinking about signing up to Dermatica to get my pigmentation on the top of my cheeks sorted.

Has anyone else used them for this and if so has it proved effective and helped to get rid of the pigmentation?

Also can someone advise me of the cost - I've read that they typically prescribe Tretinoin and hydroquinine to treat, but i wondered how much per month people are paying in total for the subscription and products? Just so my bank balance knows what to expect in the coming months!!

[NotExactlyHappyToHelp]

I don’t use it for pigmentation my prescription is for acne but it’s a flat fee whatever you’re prescribed. It’s £22.99 a month but I don’t use a whole tube a month so I set mine to come ever other month.

[Esbm2015]

Ah great thanks - that seems v reasonable. How long have you been using them and what have results and service being like for your acne? Silly question but if you pause for a month do you still pay £22.99 that month?

I got a quote for a dermatologist before lockdown and it was £450 for consultation and nearly £300 for any follow up appointments.

Just really stuck as to whether to give Dermatica a go or bite the bullet and go to the derm. Just fed up of muddling around in the dark and gathering products that are doing no good and could even be doing more harm that good long term on my face and spending money on these products.

[Sunshineboo]

Ooohhh I have horrid facial pigmentations and had not heard of this. If anyone has used it for pigmentation I would be really interested to know whether it worked as well.

Mine is on my top lip. It looks like a moustache. And foundation has to be thick and heavy to cover

[thisenglishlife]

You don't get charged if you pause and you can pause for many months.

The products come in a 15ml tube, so they are smaller than usual. However, tret isn't a product that you slather on.

[Esbm2015]

Great thanks thisenglishlife and i agree Sunshine Boo it would be great to hear If anyone has used it for pigmentation and the results they've seen.

[cinammonbuns]

I have used the one for hyperpigmentation. It’s 0.025% tretinoin and 4% hydroquinone and then they move it to 0.05% tretinoin and 4% hydroquinone after a month.

It has been amazing for my hyperpigmentation. I had moderate melasma on my cheeks and it’s basically gone after 2.5 months of using the treatment. I had post inflammatory hyperpigmentation on my cheeks and chin because of period spots which were almost black (I have a dark skin tone) and they are about 70% faded.

I really couldn’t recommend them more. Also the treatment bottle of 15ml lasts ages for me. I still have some of my first months prescription even though I’m now in my 3rd month of use. I schedule it to about every 50 days.

[cinammonbuns]

However they say even after 3 months they will continue to give you the hydroquinone but i have old them to pause it after 3 months because especially with a darker skin tone long term use of Hydroquinone (I’m talking years of use with no break) can cause ochronosis in some people (darkening if the skintone) so I’m only doing 3 months at a time with the hydroquinone. The tret by itself fades pigmentation though too, just takes longer than hydroquinone.

I hope you try it out and have good results too. I almost sound like a paid shill I promise I’m not I’ve just never seen such good results before.

[Barkingfuckingdogs]

I can't rave about them enough. I've always recommended Obagi on here but having recently switched to dermatica, I'm a total convert. It's a 10th of the price of Obagi and just as effective. I've been blown away by the results I've had from using it. There was a deal to try it for P&P only last month via Sali Hughes or Caroline hirons (can't remember which). Worth looking whether it's still on offer.

[TakeTwoTwice]

I signed up early April and still waiting for my consultation, I think there's a big backlog.

[Jedstre]

It might be worth contacting them via email @TakeTwoTwice. I only waited around a week. CAROLINE-HELP offered one month free (don’t know if that still works)

[TakeTwoTwice]

Thanks @Jedstre I did and they just referred me back to the email from 7th April saying there were delays.
I'm actually tempted to cancel now, I haven't had a good first impression.

[Esbm2015]

Thanks so much for the replies. Think first month free offer is still on so going to take the plunge i think.

[thisenglishlife]

My one took a while to come as they're super busy at the moment (lots of new people have signed up due to their extended offer and their dermatologist/chemist team isn't big). I signed up on April 5th and it wasn't shipped until April 15th.

[BlackLabRules]

My consultation has come up, I've uploaded pictures today.
I'm using another brand low dose Retinol, will I need to stop before starting my Dermatica prescription?

[Imtoooldforallthis]

Hi can I ask if anyone has used them for cystic acne?

[cinammonbuns]

@BlackLabRules yes. It’s redundant to use retinol with tretinoin if that’s what you are prescribed because they retinol turns into retinoid acid on your skin which is what tretinoin already is.

If you get given something else like adapelene then retinol is too strong to be used with it.
So the retinol has to be shelved whatever you get prescribed.

[Monstermissy36]

I've been using it about two weeks now for malasma and acne, my skin already feels better!

I noticed on their insta they are offering 3 months free to NHS staff 🙌

[BlackLabRules]

@cinammonbuns that makes sense. I’ll probably only do it for a few months anyway due to the cost but as @Monstermissy36 reports it’s almost free for 3 months as I’m NHS.
Thank you all.

[TattiePants]

@blacklabrules I disagree with the previous poster. If you are using over the counter retinol with no problems then continue using that while you introduce tret as you need to introduce tret slowly. I was using LRP Redermic 4-5 times a week so in my first week using tret I used tret once and LRP 3 times. Depending on how your skin reacts, you can then add one more tret treatment and one less of your other tret per week until you have built up your tolerance.

[cinammonbuns]

@tattiepants retinol is literally a weaker version of tretinoin so yes it is completely redundant to use both of them. Of course you can if you want to but it is a complete waste of time.

[cinammonbuns]

And any dermatologist would say using retinol and adapelene (the other vitamin a derivative dermatica prescribe) is a terrible idea and will just cause excess irritation.

[Chesneyhawkes1]

I used them for pigmentation from sun damage and it worked a treat

[TattiePants]

@cinammonbuns I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. My advice is what the very knowledgeable Bo has recommended on the skincare threads (which came from her dermatologist) and seems to be working for me.