Anyone just not able to tolerate tret?

[LefttoherownDevizes]

I'm into my third go of trying skin and me. This is month 3 and I'm on 0.021% plus azelaic acid and niacinamide. Both times before I've stopped due to the symptoms below (at about the 4 month mark).

My skin does look better, but is just pink all the time, and sort of dead/waxy. It's quite odd.And is sore, stingy and v sensitive.

Worst thing is my eyes though, even though I do moisturiser goggles the skin underneath is crepey and my eyes are puffy and gritty all the time.

Is this to be expected or do I just accept that perhaps it's not for me and instead use milder OTC that render me more comfy?

Thanks

I would try stopping everything other than the skin and me and moisturiser and spf. So really gentle cleanser (cerave hydrating maybe) and moisturiser should be really simple and soothing too (cosrx ceramide comfort perhaps). That way you can see if you can tolerate it properly without other actives. maybe use the buffering methods of applying moisturiser before the tret? Maybe apply fewer times per week too?

Thanks, sorry I should have been clear the others are part of the skin and me, so it's tret, niacinamide and as.

I use a gentle cleanser (cerave hydrating or Dr Sam bunting), avene hydrating serum or holika ceramide then either avene or LRP mosturiser (hydrating or for sensitive skin). My skin is too dry/flaky to not use both, I'm allergic to cerave creams yet using too rich a cream resumes in spots. Skin def dehydrated not dry.

I'll knock it on the head and try buffering first (again).

Thanks

How frequently are you using it? Every third night is enough.

I'm using it nightly as per the skin and me instructions (more like 6 out of 7 and then I have to take day off).

I had thought that using it regularly is nightly was key

I think every night is too often OP.

I’ve not used skin and me so wasn’t aware they put actives in with the tret. What is the customer service like? can you go back to them and say it’s not working for your skin and get a different product or refund? I’d speak to them about changing your product to take the other actives out and lower your usage to every other day in the meantime.

Yes, I think I'll have to but they'll just take me down a level or take the tret out entirely.

I was just wondering if anyone has gotten through this or if I'm doomed? If this is likely to keep happening I can probably buy OTC products for cheaper, if I'm being a wimp happy to keep persevering.

Appreciate your help, thank you

I can’t use it either, my skin hates it. I use the ordinary 1% retinol instead. My skin also says a hard no to gritty exfoliations, hyaluronic acid and frequent acids.

It’s all terribly inconvenient.

They have a good aftercare service, message them? They will change the formulation for you.

they will, and they have been good to be fair bit it's just that I seen to be able to tolerate 0.018%, I can't progress. They raise, pause, lower and repeat. I've done 10/11 months now and still no further, so it's more asking if anyone else did finally crack it

3 times a week is fine.

I use tret every other night or get sore and peely. I alternate with Sunday Riley’s good genes. Maybe slow down the pace before you give up?

Thanks, good to know you think less frequently would still be worth it

Some people never acclimatise to it unfortunately. I remember reading that Jennifer Garner said in an interview that she couldn't tolerate it.

Anyway, there are over the counter alternatives that give good results. Maybe try scaling back to once a week and see how that gets you.

The thing with tret is is not a quick fix, you need to play the long game, so if you only use it once or twice a week (and can tolerate that) then over time you should still get some good results. But don't damage your skin by trying to speed it up.

I've used tret for years and did have a few months of red, dry patches on and off before it settled and I use it on alternate nights. I have used niacinamide separately and reacted to it - could it be one of the added actives that's the problem?

I started skin and me 2 months ago and definitely cannot tolerate nightly use. I still buffer with serums and Cerave, and even vaseline. My skin is reactive and dehydrated. Every other night, or 3 times a week is my limit and I'm still seeing results.
It sounds as if you have compromised your skin barrier and I would scale it back and see how it responds.
I have tretinoin, azalic acid and an antibiotic for spots. Like you also, I don't get on with niacinamide.

Thanks. I'm at the gym and in their (clearer and brighter) mirror can see loads of fine surface lines and red patches so definitely going to pause until it's healed and then do every other night.

Thank you so much

@LefttoherownDevizes I think pausing it for a week or so and going back when your skin is a bit more healed is a good idea.
You don’t have to use it every other day when you restart it - whenever I start tretinoin I start by using it every 3rd night and sometimes keep using it only every 3rd night for a few months, and still see the (short term) benefits.

Other things to think about:

• Wait 30 min after cleansing your skin before applying tretinoin, to allow your skin to produce some of its natural oils which will protect against irritation
• you don’t need a lot of it. Only a tiny amount, about 1-2 grains of (cooked!) rice for your face, plus the same amount for your neck. Using more will not give more benefits.

• some dermatologists recommend not using it on the under eye area as the skin there is extremely thin and fragile. I do manage to use it under my eyes (from about 1 cm under the lash line) but can’t use it around my nostrils or near the corners of my lips, as the skin gets very flaky and irritated when I use it there.

• if you use products after the tretinoin/on top of it, you may be removing some of the tret. I suggest using something before (a serum or a light lotion/cream) rather than after.

• it’s not recommended to use any products containing exfoliating acids (salicylic, glycolic, lactic, mandelic) while using tretinoin, at least not until your skin has gotten used to tret. Your skin will be more fragile due to the tret and the other acids will irritate it. I can use a low concentration of salicylic now but it was only after using tret for months, and my skin peels a lot when I use salicylic while on tretinoin.

I think if you really want to use retinoids I’d stop the skin and me and try a decent over the counter retinol like paulas choice or something and see if you react to just the retinol. The strength you are on is similar anyway and you might find it’s the acid or the niacinimide that you are actually reacting to. But agree with other posters to give it a break and heal before you do any actives or acids at all.

Are you using it only at night and wearing SPF30 (or higher) every day?

I've been using Skin and me for about 9 months and I'm on 0.027% tret. I have found when I start a new month I get a little bit of flakiness but only for about a week. I also noticed that if I used any face wash/ cleanser my skin became really sensitive. I now only use water and a flannel to clean my face at night. I use and SPF and eye cream in the morning and that's it. I completely avoid the eye bag area where the skin is thinner.

It took my skin about 5 years to get used to Tretinion I use 0.05 from Obagi and can use it every night
I sometimes take a night off during the week to use glycolic acid or another night just a moisturiser, I just use the green Aveeno.
Perseverance and build up slowly is my advice.

Hello OP. I have no idea what tret is and not RTFT but I do have skin which is not sensitive exactly but also complains a lot.

If anything makes your skin red like that and esp all the time then it's not for you.

When young in 80s I followed the prevailing wisdom that red/ stings etc means 'doing something'. Scrubbed with aapri pads etc!

Over the years I have learnt-
Follow what your skin likes.

I use a mix of things from cheap to expensive that makes skin look and feel happy.

Red all time = definitely not happy.

I also find the routines suggested are too much for it. Skipping steps is fine. Or even using things meant for something else eg night cream in day, rich body moisturiser for night etc.

Prob not a useful post but there you go!

Sorry, yes to only at night and yes to spf in the day. And absolutely only plain skincare, I now can't wear much make up as anything with perfume in stings. Feels like I've got sunburn.

Skin and Me came back and said they can drop the tret back down to the level I can tolerate (0.018%) but I've said for now I'll try with OTC products, cheaper and don't have to keep remembering to pause the order.

I've got some LRP retinol so I'll try with that once this has calmed down, but I think I'm one of those who just can't tolerate higher doses.

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it

Niacinamide makes my skin red. Can you do just the tret? I certainly wouldn't be doing it 6 nights a week, if I had sensitive skin. Maybe every other night with cream to buffer.