Skin+Me Tretinoin

[OooScotland]

I’m 53, and have done my research but am relatively new to skincare in general.

After a few months of using Pai cleanser, niacinamide and 0.16% retinal, ceramide moisturiser and spf30 I got a bit bored and decided to sign up to Skin+Me just out of curiosity and because they had a £3.50 intro offer on.

The assessment has come back and they’ve prescribed a daily 0.009% tretinoin and 4% Niacinamide / Azaleic acid (which goes up to 0.015% after three months) and I’ll admit I’m a bit scared.

Isn’t tretinoin some very serious stuff? As I said I do use sunscreen every day now I’m using serums but I’m sure not perfect about it.

I don’t know if I’m up to this. I think I should nix the idea and just cancel before my second delivery! Any advice?

Tret is serious stuff but that’s an appropriately low dose they’ve put you on. Think I started with similar and still managed to basically burn my skin with it though. My advice would be use less than the dispenser gives you, wait at least an hour after washing your face before putting it on, maybe start with every other day (which is fine when you’re paying £3.99, less so when it’s £30 and you end up binning half the tube coz it’s ‘expired’). Definitely worth a go, I’d say - I had some great results, if only I hadn’t been so keen!

Thank you so much. I’ll be sure to take it really slow and IF its working out maybe try pausing the second delivery so I’m not overloaded with expensive product.

I still think maybe I’d rather continue with gentle otc products that give me pleasure but no real results going forward than be scared of my skincare!

I’m 53, unhappily overweight and have never been pretty so pigmentation and some warts round my eyes probably don’t matter anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️

I found tret way too harsh for my skin unfortunately. By all means give it a go but make sure you buffer it by applying so.e moisturiser before and after for the first few weeks. Also don't apply around your mouth (basically between your nose and chin), or apply.very cautiously with plenty of moisturiser layered in.

Thank you. I really don’t think I’m gonna do it. I’m not going to be capable of only putting it on my cheeks and forehead and I’ve nobody to impress with online treatments.

I am considering visiting a ‘proper’ dermatologist for the warts round my eyes though, they’re small but there are a lot of them and they’re getting quite distressing.

I use this.
i started on a lower dose than that but now I’m up to 0.015%. I don’t have azeliec acid in mine.

They do suggest reducing to alternate days or sandwiching between layers of moisturiser if necessary. I’ve never had to but my skin does get warm and red if I use it too soon after a shower or if I add the moisturiser too soon after.
But generally, no problems.

Make sure you always use spf in the daytime. I use theirs which I’m happy with.

Ignore their expiry dates, they’re not important. The stuff will still work the next month too

@ApplesAndPearsTheFruits yeah I do generally but when I contacted them to ask about it they said gets less effective after 1 month. Maybe bs. Trying Uncouth skincare now as I don’t love the skin and me carrier cream - too claggy!

I’m on the stronger dose now and I love it! It’s definitely made a massive difference although I’m a bit younger than you. I never found it made my skin sore or red or anything.

They would say that though wouldn’t they? By telling you it gets less effective and you have to open new one every 4 weeks they keep the money rolling in. (Says the woman who will eat an M&S meal a week after its use by date as long as it smells alright 🤫)

If I do go ahead with this subscription I have every intention of pausing my membership when I need to to go at my own speed. ‘Internet tret’ seems like something that’s not really a good idea though.

Having had this assessment and read more tret threads here I really am leaning more and more towards nixing the whole thing and visiting a private dermatologist ‘in real life’.

My problems are pigmentation, weird texture and flat warts, mostly around my eyes. I have no spots but I have two quite sensitive scars from mole removal 15 years ago. Not a common lot of issues, I don’t think.

NHS doctor said I had to just put up with it all (as he saw that it might be quite distressing for me but not dangerous and they ‘obviously’ can’t offer treatment for cosmetic reasons), I know I can’t put Skin&Me round my eyes (or mouth, I’ve just been advised), so what’s the point? Does anyone else agree that Private Derm seems the way to go?

If you’re looking for treatment for the flat warts I’d say yeah just go and see a private derm. I don’t see why they shouldn’t have removed them nhs, they give out boob jobs ffs!

If you don’t want to go for tret you can get other formulations that help with pigmentation too. I’ve found Skin & Me really good, I didn’t have a tret prescription, but one for acne, texture and pigmentation (clindamycin, azaleic acid & niacinimide).

Agree completely about the expiry dates! A year or two, sure there might be a difference. An extra month? Pah!

For what it's worth I would say don't be scared of Tretinoin. There are other creams out there that are more fun but if you want something that will improve your skin over time then use it.
You have a low dose there so just follow the instructions they give you. I've built up to only 0.024 and still don't use it every day but I get it monthly still as like to use the spares as hand cream in the evening 🤪
And I do put it around my eyes.. not saying you should but I've had no ill effects and I figure that's where the wrinkles are so...
I also have bumps I want to get rid of too. Bloody annoying.

When I did the Skin and me questionnaire I only said I wanted to address the patches of pigmentation on my cheeks, which look a bit like mud splashes, as I knew the flat warts would be outside their remit and ageing is something I’m just trying to accept.

I thought I might just get niacinamide and possibly azelaic acid as I’ve had a bit of success fading them with Pai vitC cream+booster and La Roche Posay niacinamide serum and thought maybe I could just up the ante a bit for £30 a month with skin&me rather than the £100 I’ve been paying for good brands of otc stuff.

On seeing the photos of my face they prescribed the tretinoin, which is a bit of a surprise (what’s it for? at 53 I’m assuming its signs of ageing but they didn’t explain what they think they’re treating). It was interesting to find out what these internet services do but having had good advice here its definitely a private derm for me as soon as I can find one in Scotland and get an appointment. Thank you everyone.

I don’t see why they shouldn’t have removed them nhs, they give out boob jobs ffs!

The nhs hasn’t done cosmetic procedures for years including boob jobs. Your breasts need to be having a demonstrable negative impact on your health for the nhs to even consider it.

OP you can get topical wart treatments that might be worth a try. A private derm consultation would be a worthwhile expense if you want to get rid of them.

I always found it weird when they did to he honest.

But warts round your eyes I’d really have expected them to offer treatment for.

I bought Tretinoin from the farm farmacacia Andorra and it was amazing. I got 6 tubes and they lasted me 4 years. Rubbish about it going off. I need more now and they don’t seem be selling it with out prescription. I saw great pharma but I can’t see where they are based. Are they legit? Any other suggestions where I can get it please

@ApplesAndPearsTheFruits if they were affecting vision potentially but for aesthetics the nhs does virtually nothing now. Money is so tight it needs to be saved for management of medical issues really.

If you’re not happy with your prescription, go back to S+M and asked for it to be reviewed.

Retinoids are very unstable, keep in the fridge, buy products that incorporate airless pumps. In this case it’s true, Vitamin A which is what retinoids are degrade easily. Hope this helps. Go slowwwww it can take 5 years to work up to full strength but the results are incredible. Any advice just ask.

Sorry, I’ve just realised this is a fairly old thread but wondered what people pay for Skin + me tretinoin? I’ve only ever been with Dermatics and their website is a bit more upfront about pricing.