Feeling really bummed I can't use tretinoin or retinols

[pukkapud]

I have finally realised that I just can't use retinol and I absolutely can't use tretinoin after years of trying on and off. I am mid 40's and know a lot of women my age either friends or through work and I feel like if you can tolerate and use tret especially then you have such an advantage when it comes to keeping your skin nice.

My good friend and I started with retinol in 2017 and then switched to tretinoin in 2019. When we started we were both kind of in the same position, late 30's and seeing more lines and signs of aging on our faces. My friend tolerated tretinoin and retinols so well and now uses it pretty much every night and has aged in reverse and now has the soft smooth, line free skin of a much younger woman while my aging process seems to have gone into turbo drive after 40.

Other women I know who use it also seem to have the best skin. I also know women like myself who cannot tolerate it and end up with raw skin while trying to use it.

I feel like I can no longer even tolerate low amounts of retinol in products either and other actives seem to irritate my skin as well like glycolic and vitamin c.

I am now either considering the "well moisturised wrinkle" approach or looking at injectables which I am really nervous about. I just feel bummed I'm not one of those women who can use tret or retinol without any issues and get all those great benefits by doing something as simple as rubbing a bit of cream in!

where do you buy tret from? brands? anyone got a photo?

@ObliviousCoalmine I have heard that it can cause headaches but that didn't affect me, its a rotter when you can't use it for whatever reason!

Where did you get such a low dose? I suppose that might have helped me way back a few years ago, at this point I do feel done with it!

@Alohapotato Yep, I did all of that! Tried every way imaginable including short contact therapy which is where you apply it for a period of time before removing it and was recommended to me by a dermatologist. None of it worked 😭

@hangingonfordearlife1 Try googling Dermatica and Skin & Me for UK options. Otherwise you can see a private dermatologist.

I'm sorry maybe check if there are any alternatives, my mum uses an olay cream with renitoids not sure of the name. Or maybe just try to eat more collagen on your diet, bone broth etc, that helps the skin too..

@pukkapud if you aren't drinking, good weight and drink lots of water, and HRT too, then you are ahead of the game, skin-wise.

I don't think that any of my friends, in their fifties, look over a decade younger. Sorry! I do think in forties, some looked early thirties, some mid-forties, and then it evened out hugely as we all hit peri and then menopause.

If you spent a painful year on it irritating your skin, I'd listen to that. My dd is very into all the Korean skin brands but occasionally just finds a product that doesn't suit her (I use them usually!) I am of the less is more school of skin-care though, but that may be my own skin, as it doesn't enjoy serums and moisturisers and spfs and primer and foundation- it's too many products.

I do take collagen though and have fab nails and hair.

@hangingonfordearlife1 I get it from Skin+Me. I’ve noticed a difference but not huge- I had Botox once and they made a huge difference. @pukkapud id do your research and try Botox honestly it will make far more difference than tret.

I've been getting mine from Skin & Me online. I have noticed that the last months' supply has been a bit short and I've run out 4 or 5 days before the next delivery.

I have no intention of ever going near the stuff as even basic over the counter products can lead to flare ups if I'm not careful.

I'm happy with my skin and I think avoiding smoking and sunbathing for most of my life (more down to luck than good judgement I have to add) has had far more impact than any product.

I was using it from skin & me and was struggling with it increasing as my skin would end up so dry and sometimes burnt. I tried all the methods and recommendations! I had to stick to a lower dose which seemed OK.

I've had to stop using it now I'm TTC so looking for alternatives, as coming off the pill had also brought back my adult acne skin.

Commiserations OP, if I couldn't use tret my main picks for getting a similar quality of tret skin (under optimal conditions) would be Biologique Recherche P50 (provided you can tolerate it, you need to build up from a lower strength, the W version), Bioeffect EGF (non irritating, gives very healthful looking skin but it is ridiculously expensive for what it does, there are other EFG products out there now though).

If you'd be willing to dip back into retinoids, Medik8 R-Retinoate is very effective with zero irritation (provided your irritation with retinoids isn't an intolerance/allergy), again annoyingly expensive but I did see Theramid recently brought out a similar Retinoate product for much less money, no idea if it's any good though. Copper peptides is something I'd potentially consider but it really seems to be a you get what you pay for thing, the NIOD one is meant to be good. Bakuchiol is the one I'm least convinced about as it seems to be more of a 'clean' skincare alternative with not much science behind it.

Bummer. I agree with tret making a HUGE difference, but I see it doesn't work for everyone. You seem to have done everything. I have skin like a rhino, though.

Have you tried HPR? I haven't personally, but Sali Hughes did an article in October about retinol alternatives or formulations for sensitive skin.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/fashion/2023/oct/13/at-last-gentler-anti-ageing-serums-that-really-work

I am of the less is more school of skin-care though, but that may be my own skin, as it doesn't enjoy serums and moisturisers and spfs and primer and foundation- it's too many products.

The very reason I use Tret is because I don't do use anything else. I don't use any serums or foundation or primers. Just Tret and Nivea.

If you look up buchanol from moogoo, it’s the equivalent of a light concentration of retinol, but for really sensitive skin.

Look for products with encapsulated retinol, start low concentration very infrequently, and slowly build up. Beauty Pie is a great source of info on this, look at the blog posts on the website. Don't bother with their SM, it's all hype about the latest new thing. Their skincare range is good.

Skin and me daily doser. Sent pics of my skin and you can write comments about what you want and past experiences.
i use e45 every 3rd day to moisturise and cleanser every night. my skin used to become so dry, but i hardly notice it now. im on 0.024% now.
dermatica is meant to be good too!

I’m 30 and started using tretinoin a couple of years ago (off an on due to pregnancies) and at first I couldn’t tolerate it either due to v sensitive skin. I used Azaleic (sp?) acid (prescription strength Finacea from boots online pharmacy) for a while that almost completely healed my sensitive skin. After using that for a while my skin could finally tolerate vitamin c and tretinoin. But with tretinoin I started with just 1 time a week for a few months and I still saw good results. Now I only use it every 3rd night, any more irritates my skin/makes it dry etc. maybe try Finacea first? Alternatively, biologique recherche (also sp??) p50 lotion and skinceuticals ce Ferulic (they also have a sensitive skin version) really helped my skin to look plumper and younger as well - probably not as much as tretinoin but still very good

Skin + Me also started me at 0.006 for my sensitive skin. I'm up to 0.024 after about 9 months. I cleanse my face early evening, moisturise then let everything settle for at least 2 hours. Then tret, wait 10 minutes, more moisturiser.

Have you tried A313, OP? I'm really sensitive to most retinols - this is the only one I can use without flaking etc.

I tried Dermatica first but have found Skin + Me better for sensitive skin. They start lower, build up more slowly and the consistency is more spreadable (so less 'draggy' if your skin reacts to that).

Have you thought of ProfHilo?

@WeRateSquirrels I rate skin and me more too. Dermatica just didn't like the marketing and packaging. Skin and me is great. I stopped for 2 years whilst TTC but back on it now. They're quick and good at replying with problems. And my skin improvement has been incredible. I don't think I can ever stop using it now!

Have you tried hyaluronic acid or glycolic acid (don't use vitamin c ) they're supposed to be good for wrinkles, but don't use both.

I think we need to be more accepting of ageing although I'm a bit of a hypocrite as I use tret and have definitely noticed a difference, although in my case it was to erase wrinkles in by stress