Retinol

[Yumchips]

I've just alumier MD 0.25 retinol for ages and I've never had an issue or an adverse reaction. Just started with 0.5 from ZO Skin health (obagi) and it keeps breaking me out, no matter how slow I go or how much moisturiser I sandwich between the retinol. Is it possible that the zo skin health retinol just doesn't agree with me? Took a break for a month, then tried the tiniest amount last night and have tiny pimples all over my face! Help!

Bump!

I'm not an expert or anything but when I started using retin A I did a lot of reading. I'm sure I read that it's called purging. The retinol encourages faster turnover and so it brings all the grotty stuff like oil and sebum to the surface. Hence the spots. Because you have gone up in strength, it's turning over the skin faster than at the lower strength. It's supposed to be a good sign (dermatologists are funny!) and you shouldn't give up. Although you can reduce the amount of times a week you apply it if it's making your skin very sore, obviously the faster you can get your skin to turn over, the sooner the spots will go.

Alternatively, you could just be allergic to the new retinol and that's why you've got spots. I think a rule of thumb is: if it's caused by retinol increasing skin turnover, the spots will come and go quickly.
If it's an allergy to retinol: spots with take about 10 days to develop and heal.

Going up a strength in retinol is hard. Put a dab behind your ears and see if you show sensitivity to it maybe?

Thanks for answering, that's a really helpful response. Good shout with regards to checking behind the ear, I'll give that a go and see if that is more conclusive. When i use the 0.5 I break out in tiny whiteheads overnight and it feels like I get millions of them and my skin looks very textured and sore. I don't remember my skin reacting this way to the 0.25 but you're right in that its a higher strength so perhaps I'm having a stronger reaction and just need to push through.