Dermatica peeling dramas

[LovelyGirlsCompetition]

Fellow tretinoin users, I’m after your opinions as to whether it’s worth sticking with it and if not, why you stopped.

4 months down the line and I’m still peeling horribly all round my chin, nose and mouth. My makeup looks horrendous. I moisturise copiously and only use it two or three nights a week max. Think the strength is 0.0025%

I know it’s still early days but I’m just not seeing the results I was expecting - no glow, little change in skin texture/pores which is my main concern rather than wrinkles or acne.

I adore Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6. It gives me instant results and is a beautiful formulation, just perfect. Shame it costs an arm and a leg but in terms of results it works.

Do I put up with shredded-wheat skin for the promise of long-term gain, or should I cut and run? I’m torn.

Peeling skin won't give you any long term effects. It is damaging your skin. You need to get moisture into it.
You need to use moisturising toners and serums and maybe a night oil.
Try moisturising before using your tret and then more moisturiser or an oil after.
Make sure you use a good sunscreen every day.
Make sure your cleanser isn't drying at all.
Join the tret facebook groups. There are some great recommendations or products, especially korean ones.

What is your moisturising routine?

I'm following with interest as I still peel and I've been using tret for about 8 years. I think the key is moisture and to get as many layers in as possible through toners, moisture spray, serums then a final nose thick layer of moisturiser overnight.
My peeling vastly improved by lowering to the weakest strength of tret, not applying anywhere near my mouth, chin or sides of nose and using the Eucerin urea cream at night. I also can't use tret every night-I can only apply perhaps 4x week.

Don't know where the random 'nose' came from 😂

I'm having similar issues... following

@LovelyGirlsCompetition I think I would go back to them and ask their advice. I’ve just started using them and my prescription is 0.015% tret (I think, it increases over next couple of months)and 4% Hydroquinone and although I’m only a few days in I’ve had absolutely no adverse affect at all.

I've been using it for a bout 4 years and still randomly peel also.

I use it about 3-4 times a week and mostly it's fine, but every now and then I'll peel around my chin and nose.

It's annoying but it doesn't last, at least it's not as bad as the lizard face I had for the first few months 😱

Bloody hell it just sounds like a lot of extra work to layer multiple moisturising products and serums ect - one of my reasons for trying Dermatica was to simplify my routine, as t aware I’d need to buy three or four extra things to try and remedy the tret side effects! I use rosehip oil and a thick heavy moisturiser on top such as eucerin or Nivea natural which I thought was enough but obviously not.

My skin isn’t even that dry, more combination.

Also I’ve used loads of different otc retinols (Medik8, LRP, The Ordinary, Retinol Reface) and never had any sensitivity, redness, or peeling with any of them and have seen relatively decent results. I’m just wondering what I’m actually waiting for with tret and why?

I am sensitive to certain preservatives/ fragrances, so the less is more approach is usually best and I need to be careful re layering multiple products as that often causes stinging. Suspect I’ve jumped into this with far too little research but….. the thought of still peeling months or years down the line just sounds crap.

I had to give up on Dermatica for the sane reason. The results were great but the peeling got me down and my makeup looked awful. I think I'll try The Ordinary next.

@DumpedByText how long did you last before jacking it in? Think to be honest I’ve already convinced myself I’m going to go back to Medik8, not sure what I’m asking for here really probably just validation that it’s ok to stop 😂

4 months, I now use Tropic products which I swear by. I know some MN's don't like Tropic as its MLM but the products are good.

I think its just trial and error really, eventually you should settle into a routine that works, but it isn't necessarily super simple. There are whole Facebook groups devoted to this topic showing it can get quite complicated.

I actually find things a lot worse in winter so that doesn't bode too well for you (obviously its not exactly summer weather but its relatively mild). It kind of depends how determined you are to incorporate tret.

I use Dermatica tret (with niacinamide) 0.1 every night. I put it on bare skin and normally moisturise over it but sometimes in summer I don't. I've been using tret about five years (Dermatica for three) and have very oily skin. I get some mild flakiness on my chin, usually only visible under a magnifying mirror, and it doesn't affect my make up application although I don't really need a lot of foundation/BB/CC. It really does hold back time in terms of ageing but its maybe not for the faint hearted.

Try buffering for a bit - apply moisturiser before the tret