Starting on tretinoin - please send me your tips!

[DreamingOfSoftWhiteSand]

While on holiday in continental Europe I bought some tretinoin (0.05%) and I'd like to start using it. I've been using Retinol 0.5% in Squalane by The Ordinary every other night for over a year now with no side effects. I am planning to stop using any acid once I start on tret. In the morning I'll continue with hyluronic acid and other stuff, but no exfoliants of course, and plenty of SPF 50 as usual.

I will start using tret once a week for a month and then go up to twice a week, and gradually increase from there. Could any MNters who regularly use tret like to share their tips and tricks for a newbie, please? I am resorting to tret to address fine lines and hyperpigmentation and generally a bit of dullness now I'm 48 and perimenopausal. Thank you.

I’m 50 and live under the harsh Aussie sun. I have been using Tret for years. (Apart from pregnancies and when living overseas where they didn’t prescribe it.) Getting back into it was a bit rough until I found the routine below. I now work for a dermatologist and can tell you that using this and sunscreen has definitely paid off. My skin is definitely better than most women my age.

Firstly, tret is for PM routine only. I always tell my patients to oil cleanse to break up your makeup, then use a gentle foaming cleanser to wash the oil off. That will ensure that your skin is thoroughly clean and there is nothing to interact with the tret. Dry your face thoroughly and use a small, pea-sized amount dotted around face (don’t forget upper lip and beside eye area before rubbing it in.). *Don’t apply to neck, it’s too irritating. Leave to settle for a couple of mins then apply a niacinamide serum and a gentle cream with ceramides for soothing and healingApply once a week for two weeks. Then twice a week for two weeks, etc. Three times, then every other day, then every day. Make sure you use a really good, broad-spectrum SPF every single day and reapply before going outside.

Thank you! A couple of questions if you don't mind: when you say 'don’t forget upper lip and beside eye area before rubbing it in' do you mean that I SHOULD apply it there? I thought the area around the eyes was a no-no for tret. Is that incorrect?

Re niacinamide serum, what about theordinary.com/en-gb/niacinamide-10-zinc-1-serum-100436.html ? And is it essential? I was thinking of using The Ordinary - Amino Acids + B5, The Ordinary - "Buffet" + Copper Peptides 1%, and The Ordinary Ethylated Ascorbic Acid 15% Solution, plus a moisturiser and SPF 50 which is what I use now.

Thank you so much for your help :-)

Also bump to see if anyone else can share their tips :-)

Tret is magic in a tube. I use the same concentration as you. But be prepared for peeling and possibly purging ( more breakouts) in the first few weeks. I began with once a week and now use a pea sized amount every other day. I just use an ordinary moisturiser afterwards. Oil of Olay or Nivea. Works ok.

I would say avoid the eye area at first, because the skin around there is thinner than the rest of your face.
I also read somewhere that the skin around our nostrils, mouth and under the eyes have mucus membranes (to deal with the constant moisture produced by our eyes, nose and mouth) so those areas may absorb the tretinoin more than the rest of your face. I still peel occasionally around my mouth/ chin and a bit around my nose even after 3 years of using tretinoin.
I also still can't use it on my neck, as it never acclimatised. Just got crazy red, itchy and peeling and never seemed to go away. So I use over the counter stuff on my neck.

That Ordinary niacinamide serum is good, but it's quite strong. When I use it, I mix it with a bit of moisturiser to dilute, as the first time I put it on my skin it stung after about 30 seconds and I had to wash it off. But I have sensitive skin so that may not happen. Basically, you need to do a bit of trial and error with a lot of this stuff as everyones skin is different.

Also, I would have advised starting at the lowest strength (0.025%) but since you already have it just use what you have. You may find you get a lot of irritation, but just go slowly and build up your use, try not to go gung ho at first.
I know everyone wants quick results but tretinoin is a long game, and you have to be a bit patient. It took me 6 - 9 months to see really good results.

I use Tret 0.025% only as could never acclimatise to higher strengths, but I have pretty sensitive skin and I know others who use 0.1% with no probs.. I would echo what other have said: avoid the eyes and the delicate parts around the nostrils and lips. Stick to the forehead, cheeks and jaw for the first while and only use a pea-sized amount . Also be careful of it in harsh weather eg wind/cold/sun as it makes me much more sensitive . I usually buffer it with moisturiser in colder weather to avoid peeling.. It is great though and has made a massive difference to my skin. Good luck!

There was a study done which demonstrated that people who used 0.025% have very similar results to those who used 0.1% after one year of use, but with much less reported irritation so you're probably better off.

I am on 0.05% but I won't bother increasing to 0.1% because my skin has acclimatised and I don't want to risk it.

I’d like to try Tretinoin - can anyone recommend where to buy it in the UK? I’ve previously used Retinols from Drunk Elephant, Medik8 etc

Don’t put it on your neck and definitely don’t get any on your lips, be super careful around your lip line and suncream every day.

I started 0.1 a month ago (twice a week) and have been fine but I don't have sensitive skin. I buffer (I think it's called) with aveeno first which makes a pea size amount easier to spread too. Actually probably use only a very tiny pea... guess the aveeno might be effectively diluting it a bit? Also, I'll probably used it over winter but stop over the late spring/summer, I use spf50 of course but am pale and wouldn't want to risk damage.

You can either go to a dermatologist and get a prescription (expensive option), or use a subscription service like Dermatica or Skin & Me, they send you a formula monthly (but I think you can stretch it out to 6 or 8 weeks) which has tretinoin and some other ingredients based on your skin's needs.

Or you can do what I do and buy from Farmacia Andorra, the brand name is Retirides (or if you're lucky enough to know someone in Spain they can buy it over the counter in pharmacies).

I would advise starting with the lowest strength (0.025%), and using only once a week or so to start with as it's pretty strong stuff.

Brilliant, thanks @Farmageddon I think I’ll try your website

Just to say, there's always horror stories about purging on Tret. I've used Dermatica for two years, now on 0.1% which is strong and I've never had any bad side effects and I use on my neck. Prior to Tret I use Medik8 Crystal Retinol and worked my way up the strengths.

I have dry tenancy skin so I just really double down on moisture. It's not for everyone but I do:

Single cleanse with balm (I don't wear makeup)
Snail muchin by cosrx
Tretinoin
Beauty pie ceramide capsule
Moisturiser either La Roche Posay or liking Naturium that just came into space nk
Thin layer of vaseline (this is the best for my skin!)

If you're going stright in with 0.5 then you might want to start with putting it on after a moisturiser at night. You could then put an occulsive over the top for extra moisturiser (something like LRP Citaplast, a good Korean moisturiser like Illiyoon or even just vaseline) or some people use a face oil like rosehip oil over the top.
I would look seriously at adding some hydrating products like a good hydrating serum or toner in the am.
You can still use acids but I'd give them a break for a couple of months to let your face get used to the tret.

@DreamingOfSoftWhiteSand by outside of eye I meant outside the orbital bone - towards the ear. Upper lip, below nose. These areas get forgotten and are very mobile parts of the face and get slammed by sun damage.
Niacinamide serums like the ordinary or la Roche posay (expensive) or in key list or glow recipe or L’Oréal or neutrogena are all fine. There are so many out there all good.

@DreamingOfSoftWhiteSand The ordinary niacinamide + zinc can be pretty drying though… I would only use that as a spot treatment

From what I have read on here, I do think Retirides (which is what I think the OP has bought) may be a bit stronger than the subscription services, or at least more irritating, whatever way it has been formulated.
There has been quite a few posts about people using Skin &Me or Dermatica saying they are on a the highest strength but never had much irritation - I had severe irritation on Retirides at the lowest strength and had been using Obagi 1% retinol for quite a while before that.

@Farmageddon
Oh thanks for that, I didn't know!

You can also buy Tret from (iirc) Tretinoin World (sth like that) The woman who runs it is a regular on Nadine Baggott's FB page and is UK based. You get Retirides so I guess she stocks up from Farmacia Andorra. I got my last lot from her because FA were out of stock.

I've been using it for a year now, and my routine is:
1 night Tret, 1 night glycolic toner, 1 night nothing other than non active serum and moisturizer. Rinse and repeat.

Takes a good 5-6 months I'd say before you look at yourself and think "gosh my skin looks good"

I use tret 0.1% a month ago every night including neck. I dont have any purging or drying or anything. But before tret i used retinol for 2 years so i think my skin already used to it.

so here is my routine for PM i wash my face double cleanse it with micellar water in cotton ball first then wash it with la roche posay cleaser. Then i used pea size tret in my face and half pea size to my neck. Leave it for an hour then i put la roche posay cicaplast balm. This cicaplast really healpful for dry face.

in the morning i wash my face with water only and use cicaplast balm again as moisturiser and la roche posay sunscreen. Thats it.

my face never been better

Thank you very much!

I've been using Tret for a year. My advice would be keep your routine simple

So for me I do;

Morning:
Either just splash my face with tepid water or Elemis Cleansing Balm
Moisturiser
Spf

Night:
Wash with Elemis Cleansing Balm
Tret
LRP B5 balm

That's it. If I'm having extra peeling, then I sometimes put some almond oil on top

The LRP balm is on offer at boots atm for £12. But I find it lasts ages as I only need a tiny bit as it's so thick. But it really moisturises well

www.boots.com/la-roche-posay-cicaplast-baume-b5-soothing-repairing-balm-100ml-10149155

I've been using tret (and hydroquinone) on my face, neck and decollatage every night for 2 months now, it's from Dermatica. Month 1 was 0.25 and month 2 is 0.5.

I've had very little in the way of issues, just some redness and itching now and then which lasted a couple of days, no purging and no flaking.

My skin is already looking incredible. I'm 51 and my face has no deep wrinkles - just some fine lines on my forehead that don't bother me at all, my neck is improving, and the biggest difference is my chest, the age spots - which were really bothering me - have almost gone and the vertical lines are much improved.

The main struggle I have now is the SHINE! It's intense.

My routine is:

A.M.

Wash with water
Superdrug 10% Vitamin C (I will switch to a stronger one, probably Skinceuticals, once I've used this up)
Nivea Q10 moisturiser SPF30 (may switch though my skin seems to like it)
Extra Sun block

P.M.
Oil cleanse x2 with almond oil
(Wait)
Tret
Vaseline in strategic places

I believe in the next month some more actives will be added to the tret to replace the hydroquinone.

It's one of the best things I've ever done beauty-wise and wish I'd begun a decade ago!

Just checked and the hydroquinone is continuing for the next couple of months (I'm guessing because of the age spots though they've almost gone so I might suggest switching sooner) then my prescription will be:

	Tretinoin 0.05%
	Niacinamide 4%
	Azelaic Acid 4%

Thanks for all the answers. Another question: can I still dermaplane while using tret? I usually dermaplane every fortnight or so. Thanks.