Skin + Me - no tret?

[roshi42]

I just signed up to Skin + Me again… I did it years ago and didn’t see much difference but tbh I don’t think I actually needed it then! And I wasn’t very consistent. Now I’m 40 and mother to a toddler and I’m looking increasingly haggard.

But they haven’t prescribed tret for the first 2 months? Just niacinamide and azelaic. Has anyone else had that and has it helped? Just wondering if I ought to go back and request tret sooner as it was kind of why I ordered. Or should I trust the experts!

I tried it and it ruined my skin, they gave me retinol. Took 3 months to get back to normal again (I’m 44)

Thanks for sharing your experience. I have used tretinoin from them in the past and been okay, so I’m thinking I should be good.

I’m a fan. I’d say stick with the process, I’m about 2 years in and my skin has never been better. I’m 46.

I've been with Skin + Me and now Renew and Me for a few years and have never had a tret free formulation. However the formation they prescribe reflects the skin issues you are reporting. Tret is recommended for fine lines and wrinkles so if you weren't highlighting that as an issue it may explain why your formula is different. If that's not the answer then I would call customer service frankly

Did you send photos? I’m with Skin & Me and have had tretinoin from the start as they said I’d only get the niacinamide & azelaic cream without photos. My issue was, according to them (and I agree) just slight sun damage. I don’t have fine lines to speak of as I’m early fifties but on the oily side so my skin is still quite ‘plump’.

I don’t think there’s enough tret in it to really do anything even though I’ve been at their full strength for two years. I keep it going as my skin tolerates it well and honestly, I can’t really be bothered cancelling and looking for something else. There’s been no improvement in the pigmentation though, even though it was not serious. Their new daily doser sunscreen is very nice and I would continue to buy that even if I did cancel my subscription.

I wouldn’t take the tret free formula. That’s not what you go to skin&me for is it! I’d get in touch with your prescriber and ask why they haven’t included tret and ask them to reconsider if you know that’s what you want. I’ve found them good at communication.

I think the main point of Skin and Me is to get tret, since you can buy azelaic acid and niacinamide quite easily over the counter. Not sure why you’d bother.

As PP said it will be based on what you said your skin concerns were and I’m sure they would be open to changing it to keep you as a customer.

I’m with Dermatica and ironically they want to increase my tret dose to the highest level to try and treat my stubborn acne. I’ve found their service completely transformational for my skin.

I'm with Skin&Me and I did get tret from the start but at, what seems to me, quite a low dose given I was using Medic8 Crystal Retinal 24 with no issue.

They prescribed 0.006% for the first month, then going up each month to 0.009%, 0.012% and I'm now on 0.015%.
I've had no side effects but also not yet noticed any actual effects either.
It looks as though they plan to keep me on 0.015% for the next 2 months as well after which I think there'll be a 6 monthly review.

I'm inclined to get in touch before then to see if they'll increase a bit more rapidly.
I think that if I'd researched a bit more thoroughly before signing up, I'd have gone for Dermatica as they seem to increase more rapidly.

Certainly agree with PPs that tretinoin is what you're actually looking to get from them as it's the one thing you can't get without a prescription.

@ChelseaDetective

I don’t think there’s enough tret in it to really do anything even though I’ve been at their full strength for two years

Do you mind me asking what strength that is?
I'm wondering if they never go up to the strength that Dermatica might do and whether I should cut my losses and swap over.
Just a nuisance starting low again.

(Apologies @roshi42 for using your thread to ask my question 💐)

Thanks all! I think you’re right - I will contact them. It was what I was after, after all!

I can’t remember what I said my main concern was, but lines and wrinkles was definitely one. And I did send photos. I was prescribed tret from the start last time, years ago.

They should increase, i just asked
I’m sure mine is 0.1

No, please - I’m interested too!

@LaMarschallinI’m on 0.1% tret with Skin +me, they told me this was the highest strength they do.

Yes, I’m quite liking their SPF - and am trying the vitamin C morning serum too. Throwing everything at my skin this winter to see if I can make a difference and feel any less ancient!

Tret, SPF and vit C on the face. Collagen with hyaluronic acid, vitamin D and omega 3 cod liver oil supplements. Just topped up my Botox. Drinking more water. Sadly more sleep is probably the thing that would make the most difference and it’s the one I can’t control!

@roshi42
Thank you 😊

Also thanks @buffytheslayer and @Ponks .
It's good to know they do go up to 0.1%, albeit very slowly it seems. I understand it has to be titrated up in case of SEs but they do seem very cautious indeed.
I'll definitely email them and see if they will accelerate the increases a bit.

Thanks for the advice everyone! I got in touch and they’re adding tret. They said it’s because I had redness in the photos and reported sensitive skin, which is absolutely true, but they were happy once they knew I’d used it before, which I don’t think there was space to say in the initial consultation.

I've been with Skin & Me for over 6 months and asked to increase the strength.. I've been on 0.015 for 4 months and could see they hadn't planned to increase it.

My skin has been mostly fine, even with having rosacea but initially it really burned my lips and I still use a thick coat of vaseline before applying my tret.

I agree with others about the lack of tret OP -it must be something to do with photos or the questionnaire?

I changed to renew & me who prescribed tret at 0.025 for 12 weeks as the first dose. Skin & me were just too slow.

Skin & me were just too slow.

Indeed!
I emailed them explaining I've never had sensitive skin, was on Medic8 Crystal Retinal 24 (the strongest non-prescription treatment, I think) with no problems and, therefore, was surprised they planned to leave me on 0.015% for the next 4 months. So 5 months altogether, including this one.
They've said they'll gradually increase it to 0.027% so next month's will be 0.018%.
I've been looking at other sources and found a link to Pharmasonline on another S&B thread: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5196994-where-are-we-all-buying-tretinoin-now?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share
Now plucking up my courage to try the 0.025% from there.
Has anyone here used them?

Just out of interest are you breast feeding or ttc?
tret isn’t recommended if ttc or pregnant do that might by why no tret was prescribed?

I’ve just signed up to skin + me and I’m on the same formula (azaleaic acid & niacinamide) I’m on week 1 - my skin is having a huge acne flare up. I wonder if I’m in a “purging” phase. I’m gonna stick it out for 3 months to really assess. I am ttc.

used to be with dermatica and it was fantastic - my skin hugely improved. But that was a low dose of tret at the time.

I decided to stop Skin + Me due to the cost and got some 0.1% tret online which i have been usong x 3 a week fine. Since + Me then offered me a disclibt so I emailed them with a photo and asked them to increase it to 0.1% which they have done. I was able to put off my next delivery too until I've finished my current tube of tret.