Tretinoin Help.

[FuckOffCleanShirt]

I'm late-30s and finally starting to take skincare seriously.

I want to give Tretinoin a try. But I have some questions. Sorry if these are dumb.

1. How do I get hold of it given its only available on prescription in the UK? Do I need to find and see a dermatologist?#
2. But if I do see a dermatologist, would they even prescribe it given there's nothing 'wrong' with my skin?
3. What dosage form does Tretinoin come?
4. Do you have a recommended routine to begin with? For example, using every other day to start with?
5. How do you use Tretinoin? As a night cream, a day cream, twice a day? As a moisturiser replacement?
6. Can you use it alongside other products such as toner, face oil etc.?

Thanks for your help.

There are different online pharmacists you can buy it from however they seem to be clamping down on those and sites are being shut down.

You can get a prescription on skin&me dematologica or similar sites. You fill in a form online, send some photos and it's reviewed by a dermatologist who creates your own personalised cream.

I've been using it for a year. I started on 0.025 for about 4 months then increased to 0.05 then 0.1%. Start off a few times a week using plenty of moisturiser and remember to wear SPF every day. The first few weeks of using it you will likely experience redness, flakey skin and your skin will be very sensitive. Just cut back on the tret for a few days and continue slathering on moisturizer. Your skin will eventually get used to it and you'll be able to apply every night.

Tret generally comes in the standard strength of 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1. It's better to start with the lowest strength. You may get it online. Here is my routine that I follow:
Morning:
Using water to wash your face,
Sebamed clear face gel,
Garnier spf
Evening:
Cerave moisturizer,
Started with Tretinoin (0.025) from skinorac
Sebamed clear facial gel

Tret is available for free from the NHS if you can prove it's for a legit skin condition, from a private dermatologist for £250-300 one-off or from private pharmacies like Monderma and Dermatica for £20-25 per month.

Most people use it for anti-ageing and wrinkles but you'll have to explain it's for rosacea or something if you try through the NHS.

It's available in the UK at 0.025% (low), 0.05% (medium) and 0.1% (high) strengths. Pharmacies do custom strengths. 0.025% is ideal to begin with but a lot of people add another ingredient or two and lower it down to 0.015%.

Tret is the best skincare cream for creases and texture but you might want to try it with hydroquinone or tranexamic acid for sun spots, or azelaic acid or niacinamide for redness. You can combine these and your nightly routine into one product.

Use tret every second night to start with. It's fairly versatile and can be used with almost anything, except retinol. If it isn't working well enough, increase the strength instead of using other nighttime cosmetics. It typically outperforms retinol, vitamin C and other skincare.

You won’t regret using tret, it’s the best thing you can use for your skin to avoid lines, ageing and improve your skin, the difference in mine has been massive since using it. You can get it without seeing anybody just fill in a questionnaire online from Dermatica or Skin and Me. I prefer Dermatica because Skin and Me irritated me.

You use it only at night time and build up slowly in strength and frequency, so start using it maybe 3 nights a week then increase if you don’t have any irritation.

Keep your routine simple to begin with so at night cleanse, treat then moisturise, or you can use the sandwich method until your skin gets used to it, so cleanse, moisturise, treat then moisturise again.

For strength start off low on 0.25 or 0.5%, Dermatica or Skin and Me will look at your questionnaire and photos you send in and determine what’s best for you. If you do find it too strong to begin with, or find after a while you are not reacting to it and want to increase then you can email and they will decrease or increase it for you.

If you do decide to go for it and use Dermatica I have a code which gives it you for a massively reduced cost for the first month so feel free to use it. Just for total transparency though I also get a referral discount for a month if you use this.

https://www.dermatica.co.uk/referrer/5EW47R

Use the link above or the code is 5EDW47R

I'd highly recommend starting 0.025 every third night. After a couple of weeks increase to every second night and so on until you are using nightly. It's incredible!

How much does it work out a month?

For me, in a month I finish almost a tube which is around 4-5ish.

Dermatica, Skin+Me and Monderma cost between £20 and £25 per month for tretinoin. You can also combine it with hydroquinone and other active ingredients and adjust strengths. If you buy from an overseas pharmacy you may have to pay for multiple products.

I've just signed up to Skin+Me for 3.50 I think it was. I only submitted a consultation to see if they'd prescribe Tret - they have, but at an extremely low dose, as they advise you build up over the months. Anyway, my doser box hasn't arrived yet so I can't tell you much at this point, except to say consultation was straightforward and quick. I've just submitted one for Dermatica too, just to see if they give me the same prescription. Out of intrigue more than anything. As you can cancel either at any time, and first month for each is less than a fiver, my plan is to continue with the one that seems best of the two. So far Skin+Me seem good as I queried the low dose of Tret and got a fairly quick response and explanation which was very reassuring.
Discount code if you're not automatically offered the £3.50 starter month: https://www.skinandme.com/?promocode=CATHYM5Y49

Can you buy this in France OTC? I’m going to Paris tomorrow.

I think you cannot

I just ordered tret from Nutriplex.co.uk and it came within a couple of days.

Let me know if you manage to.

Would be interested to know as well

I will let you know for sure! Update will be tomorrow 👍

Don't use tret if there's any chance you are, or may become pregnant as its a vitamin A derivative.

Not a hope 🤣🤣

This thread, overtime is useful information. It includes a referral code too.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5160597-has-anyone-tried-dermatica?reply=142297309

Please make sure you use proper SPF every morning.

I want it too but don't want them to just send me a standard moisturiser.

I’ve just filled out the consultation form on Dermatica. How do I know that they will send me tretonin I’m my prescription?

Usually you will receive an email to confirm your prescription.

I've just gone through this myself. They'll email you telling you what they're sending. I've done a consultation with them and with Skin + Me - both do a very inexpensive first order - to see if I get same or similar prescription from them, with the intention of cancelling the one I like least. But, unexpectedly, I've had two entirely different prescriptions. Skin+Me have started me off on very low strength Tret combined with other ingredients and a plan for Tret to increase gradually. Dermatica have gone in with just Tret at 0.05! That hasn't arrived yet but I've used Skin + Me two nights on the trot and no irritation. I will see what happens when the 0.05 arrives. Apparently it's on its way. I thought I'd be really happy to be prescribed the higher strength but now I'm not so sure. I contacted Skin + Me when I first had their prescription to ask why the Tret strength was so low, because I was disappointed when I saw it. Likewise, I contacted Dermatica yesterday asking how come it was so high. Both gave reasonable explanations, both say you can ask them to change it if you're not happy with results. Both were really good customer service. Hard to know which one to ditch!!

Yes their consultant will call

If you are not white, do not use anything with hydroquinone. It starts good then the Hyperpigmentation gets worse.
I have tried skin + me, dermatica and want to try monderma next. They've all be ok but not amazing. I have tret with azaleic or with trexanemic acid.