Broken skin barrier/Tret/photo

[twiddlingthumbs69]

Be warned. This is me with a broken skin barrier after using Tret.

Started on 0.5% then moved up to 1% after five months.

At first I thought it was just skin sensitivity and as I was seeing good results I continued.

Two weeks ago I woke up like this.

It's sore, weeping and scabby. I can't tolerate anything on it apart from Epaderm.

Tried using Vaseline but that seemed to make it more crusty.

Obviously I stopped using Tret for 2 weeks and gradually it calmed down. The redness was still there but the skin was dry.

Started using 0.5% last night but literally just round my eyes and it's totally flared up again.

So, the moral of the story is, if you're getting excessive stinging or acne like spots after 5 months, stop using Tret for a while. I didn't get any initial purging when I first started so thought I was tolerating it well. Lesson learned.

I won't use tret now until my skin is fully healed. Which is a bummer as I was seeing really good results.

Just thought I'd put this out there

I use 0.5 Tret but only once or twice a week and the second it stings I stop using it. The main reason my face has stung is due to using a strong AHA on an in-between day so I use that less often.

I do have a couple of 1% tubes I'll be moving onto soon but I'll only be using it once a week

I've never bought into the need for daily use and building up my tolerance to do so

My tolerance is good enough on once or twice a week and no wrinkles and nice smooth skin

I've been using retinol for about 10 years now and currently use retirides 0.5

I use AHA and other serums in-between because I like using different skin care products

If my face reacts or stings I tend to leave it alone but like to use a face mist like Mario Badescu to soften it a bit and a face oil to replenish

A face oil might not work for everyone but it does for me

I'm currently using an Emma Hardie one but I've used Clarins and all sorts in the past

I have been on tret for years and love it but can tolerate any more than 0.025% or I get symptoms like you OP.. so I have stuck to 0.025 and it's great. There is a scientific study which found the benefits of 0.025% are the same as higher concentrations over long term use anyway, but with fewer side effects . pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7544967/ So that's good enough for me! Hope you get some relief soon

0.1%!

Are you sure it's the treat then? Could it be something else?

@goingdownfighting I wasn't sure to begin with but stopped using it for 2 weeks and the inflammation went down. Went back to using it, just round my eyes, and it flared back up again overnight. I hadn't changed anything else

Ouch. Are you on any medication?

@goingdownfighting no, nothing but I have just started putting antibiotic cream on it and that's working. Wasn't sure if it was infected but it obviously was

Avene Cicalfate skin barrier repair cream is the go-to for any skin issues for me. Works like a dream.