Beauty

[TuesdayTaylor]

I'm totally interested in retin but I keep reading that it causes redness and flaking.  Does the flaking that happens with retinol eventually stop as your skin gets used to it?  And do you guys use retinol daily?  Or is it a once or twice a week product?  I'm sure it's different for everyone but I'm just trying to get a general idea.  Thanks!   

[JeanLouiseFinch]

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@TuesdayTaylor wrote:

I'm totally interested in retinol but I keep reading that it causes redness and flaking.  Does the flaking that happens with retinol eventually stop as your skin gets used to it?  And do you guys use retinol daily?  Or is it a once or twice a week product?  I'm sure it's different for everyone but I'm just trying to get a general idea.  Thanks!   

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Hi @TuesdayTaylor  Do you really mean Retinol or are you thinking of prescription Retin-A?  Retinol is far weaker than Retin-a and is usually an ingredient mixed in other preparations.  There really isn't much of a risk in using it, but because it's so weak it's not as effective as Retin-A either.   Retin-A (also called by the generic name, Tretinoin) is the one that usually causes redness and flaking in the beginning.  It's always advised to ease into using it and to increase slowly until you find a routine that you like.  I've been using the strongest strength Retin-A for a couple of years now.  Currently I use it 5 nights a week without any problem.  

[vac]

I use Retin-A and for me, the flaking pretty much stopped after a couple of weeks.  However, my skin will only tolerate using it every other night, and the flaking still comes back at times.  Everyone's skin is different, of course, so it's trial and error as far what frequency will work best.  I do think starting with an over-the-counter retinoid is a good way to ease in if you're planning to use Retin-A.  It will help your skin get used to the retinol before going to a stronger product.

[TuesdayTaylor]

Thanks, JL, you've always got my back!    I changed it to "Retin A" because that is indeed what I meant!  Sounds like it's working great for you.  Sometimes I feel like why even bother with all of this expensive skin care, just get the Retin A!

[TuesdayTaylor]

Thanks, vac! 

[JeanLouiseFinch]

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@TuesdayTaylor wrote:

Thanks, JL, you've always got my back!    I changed it to "Retin A" because that is indeed what I meant!  Sounds like it's working great for you.  Sometimes I feel like why even bother with all of this expensive skin care, just get the Retin A!

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@TuesdayTaylor  You're welcome.  As an FYI, you should see a dermatologist to get the right strength prescribed.  Depending on your age and your insurance coverage, the Retin-A/Tretinoin may not be a covered expense.  It is very expensive out of pocket.  BUT...go check the GoodRx site.  There are free coupons there that will seriously discount the cost.  The places that sell the prescription Retin-A without a prescription don't carry what I use, but it turned out that with the GoodRx coupon, my purchase at CVS ended up being cheaper than the secondary market sites.  

[LTT1]

@TuesdayTaylor

I have used RetinA for over 30 years. It has built collagen and kept the wrinkles at bay quite nicely.

For me ( and I think you will read this in medical literature) cream forms in .025% are the most effective for anti-aging. My skin has never tolerated even a pea-sized amount all over. I use less right on tops of cheeks and on nose.

For a "keratosis" under my eye, the higher strength gel was rxd. By dabbing just a bit on it, the skin dries up (not a good look cosmetically) but the skin will peel and be smooth again.

The lesson of this is to start with dry skin and be sparing!  I have had good luck this way. When I first started using it, my skin went through "phases" about monthly. It would flake, but not very much. Always wear a very high number sunscreen.

My Derm told me that even the film left over on my fingertips would be effective. So smooth this on over the rest of the face. HTH

[MrsSweetieBear]

I use Retin-A (tretinoin) in the weakest form, 0.025 cream. I use it every night with an occasional lapse or miss. I don't  use any other products containing retinol.  When I started using it about 8 years ago, I started at twice a week and slowly worked up to nightly.  

I never experienced any flaking or peeling with Retin-A alone.  It was only when I was still using Pro Activ benzoyl peroxide for acne that I got flaky peeling. I no longer use any benzoyl peroxide products as I found something else that works much better for me, (Buzz on Acne).  But I don't plan to ever give up Retin-A or go to a higher strength.  A derm told me a the start that the 0.025 cream, weakest strength, works best for anti-aging use.

[chrissj]

I finally figured out the same as another poster: why spend money on expensive skin treatments when you can get a prescription from your doctor for the one thing that's proven to improve wrinkles, Retin A.  I use a generic since it's true it is quite expensive.  A tube lasts a long time.  The one thing I learned is that you should never use it on wet or damp skin...has to be totally dry after cleansing.  The damp skin causes major flaking.  That being said, I am like others in that sometimes I just get flaking.  If your skin feels dry after application, you can pat an oil serum on top (I use Aura Cacia Argan oil) or use it every other night. 

[tends2dogs]

@JeanLouiseFinch  Is it ever too late to start using Retin A?  I am 62 and would be willing to try if I thought it might help.  I realize it isn't going to lift anything, just resurface, right?