My skin is awful since starting Tretinoin - what should I do?

[StLevanBlackcaps]

I knew it would break out and it has although that's mainly cleared but it's so flaky and if I wear make-up it just sits on the surface or cakes really badly. Is there anything I can use until I get past this stage?

I've cut down how often I apply the Tret and am using a sunscreen as advised.

All sounds normal, but I agree it's frustrating. I'm 7 months in and the flaking has really settled down in the last month or so. I increased the tret to every other night at around 4 months but had to dial it back to every 3 nights, and that's still where I'm at.

Make sure you're using a good moisturizer both under and over the tret, with at least 10 mins before applying each layer. And obvs spf 50 every day. It really is a long game

Just wait it out. I found I had to tweak my cleansing and moisturising routine as my usual products became too harsh. I like Inky List Oat Cleanser as a make up remover / first cleanse now. I also found I had to swap to a gentle moisturiser for dry skin.

All was perfect and then they upped my retinol and I’ve had to tweak it again!

How often are you using it and do you use a buffer (light moisturiser) before? Using tret nightly has no more effect than using it 3 x a week.

I'd use it every other night in the in between nights no other actives just good moisturiser with ceramides and peptides. A soothing oil would also help. It's import to keep the skins barrier from being damaged.

You need to up your moisturising. Fragrance free occlusive products. LRP cicaplast is a good one. I'm experimenting with jojoba oil when I need an extra boost. My skin still peels a bit after about four years sometimes (but I do use it every night).

Leaving it on for a shorter amount of time then washing it off is nearly as effective, with less side effects. If you wash it off 30-60 minutes after putting it on you might find you tolerate it better.

Agree with everyone else that this is normal for tret. I find I need to make sure my face is bone dry before application and then I use LRP cicaplast followed by ren evercalm balm and this seems to stop the dryness/ flaking. I also only use tret every other night.

I wish I knew. I've been on Tret several months now and the prescriber on skin&me had to reduce me back down to just 0.009%.
I've tried all the usual. LRP cicaplast is good.
I'm nearly getting to the point of giving up as getting frustrated and tired of my face looking dry and awful with make up on, especially as we move into summer.

What's the rest of your routine?

Agree with everyone who says it's very frustrating! I think my dark spots have faded a bit but the rest of my skin looks awful 🤦🏻

My routine is pretty basic:

Morning
Nivea Micellar water
Serum - No7 Lift and Luminate or The Ordinary Niacinamide (which seems to have helped with the breakouts)
No7 Lift and Luminate Day Cream
Nivea Factor 50 face SPF

Night
Nivea Micellar water
Tret
No7 Lift and Luminate Night Cream

Sometimes I use Clarins Beauty Flash Balm or the Revolution Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream dupe for a bit of extra moisture.

The key is slow consistency.
You need to make sure your skin is completely dry before you put it on. Some people get very irritated if the skin is slightly damp. You often see it recommended that you should wait 20mins after washing your face before applying.
You can buffer with a very light layer of moisturiser directly under the tret. And you can then put another layer in top if it's still flaking or sore.
Or you could go down a strength.
I started applying 0.025 once a week. Then upped it to twice a week. I can now do 0.05 three times a week but I back off when it peels for a couple of days.

The unfortunate truth is some people just never get on with it. And their choice is being stuck with either flaky skin or stopping using it.

I started Tret in January had to give up after a few months, my skin was terrible and my eyes really irritated, just didn’t seem to be worth the bother.

Don’t know how people can persevere for longer, my skin was terrible no matter what way I used it, spent a fortune on barrier creams to buffer it but still no use .

I am currently using Dermalogica repair to try and get it back to normal then I will probably go back to my Olay Retinol which I had no bother with.

Disappointing that I had to give up as read so many good reports but for me it just wasn’t working.

Some people never get on with it but just to say this wouldn't be enough hydration or moisturiser for me I would be flaky.

I use a hydrating toner sometimes but always moisturiser and always vaseline or a rich oil. I also use an oily balm as a Cleanser.

In the morning I wash with water only then layer on hydrating products like the laniege toner or the rice milk one - k beauty skincare brands are great.

There’s a group on Facebook for Tretinoin users which has many different options and approaches to use Tret. It would appear dry skin application works for some, other use “Tret on wet”. I started sandwiching but now don’t - others use slugging with Vaseline, some leave ages between toner/Tret/moisturiser and others whack it on in one go; it’s all very individual. However hydration does seem to be the key message if you are peeling. I use The Ordinary Squalane after my moisturiser and, although it looks a bit much, it doesn’t take long to absorb into my skin. I used to have a typical oily t-zone which seems to have disappeared

Op if you aren't getting on with Tret why not try a Retinal which only needs to covert once in the skin making it more likely your skin will tolerate it. Trinnys overnight sensation is more stable formula making you much less likely to peel but still gives good results.

Op if you aren't getting on with Tret why not try a Retinal which only needs to covert once in the skin making it more likely your skin will tolerate it. Trinnys overnight sensation is more stable formula making you much less likely to peel but still gives good results.

I think this is a good idea. In my 40s, before I started on tretinoin, I used Roc Correxion night cream. I had really good results with it. Then I tried Paula's Choice. A lovely cream that was good (but expensive).
But as I got older I really had to up my game and go on tretinoin.

My skin isn’t bad overall but I’ve got 2 really bad dark patches. Would retinol help with those? I assumed I’d need something stronger hence the Tret.

I jumped in using tret and ended up sore and flakey.. slow, slow and steady is the way to go

Bakuchiol is another less reactive option with similar effects. I have had some luck with using Flawless Nightly - far less reactive.

What kind of dark patches, scars or hyperpigmentation? You might be better off with something like hydroquinone for that

@Lellochip i think they’re sun damage

i just can’t wear any kind of foundation or even tinted moisturiser now that I’m using tret - dry patches I didn’t even know I had come out and look awful.

However, my skin is now looking so much better I’m happy to stop wearing foundation. it was always a continuous story of looking for the right one/the new holy grail just out/bad colour matches/too orange/too pink/oxidising throughout the day/ looking powdery, etc.

this is quite a step for me as I was really unhappy with my complexion for many years and wedded to foundation.

It’s an adjustment to not have the “perfection” that foundation provides but I’m now realising I look fresher without it, flaws and all.

Top tip though from the Facebook tret group: add a couple of drops of jojoba oil to the foundation in your hand before you apply. It does really help.

Ok well there are definitely other things that might help sun damage, azelaic acid is meant to be pretty good, will be less harsh than tret. Hydroquinone is prescription only and you can only use for a few months at a time but I think that's the best lightening product.

If the tret has been working I'd maybe try to stick with it a bit longer. I was super flaky and dry when I used it so stopped, I've just restarted and am doing just a short amount each day, 30 mins so far, and not flaking yet 🤞🏻

Oh, and I have azelaic acid with my tret prescription from Dermatica for sun damage. It has definitely helped.

Thank you all, this is really helpful - lots to try. Currently in bed with a layer or moisturiser then a tiny layer of Tret then more moisturiser!

I would get rid of the micellar water - it's ok as a first cleanse but it really should be washed off and the soap in it can be drying

Make sure your skin is totally dry before the tret, you can moisturise before it as well, do every third day and build up

I've been using skin and me since they first started and my skin has changed drastically with it, the before and after pics I have are crazy!

My routine now is

Am
Lotion cleanser
Vitamin C or a hydrating serum
Moisturise
SPF

Pm
Eye makeup remover
Cleaning balm
Skin and me
Moisturise

On my days off skin and me I use a hydrating serum then moisturise or sometimes exfoliating acids