Anyone Using Rx Retinoids? (Retin-A, Differin, Tazorac, etc.)

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I just went to my dermatologist and she wrote me a prescription for Trentin-X, a generic for Retin-A. I was wondering if anyone else here uses prescription retinoids like this, and how they transitioned, and how their skin needs changed.

My skin used to be super oily, and I started using over the counter retinols maybe 2 years ago. Since then, my skin has been less oil. Also, I am now using a 2% BHA liquid on my face in addition to the retinol for about a year, and it's definitely keeping my face dry.

I'm about to start the retinoid this Fall and am just really worried about the transition. I'm going to go really slow and build up to it, but I just wanted to know what products you felt you had to add or delete from your skincare when you started your retinoid.

Let's chat about it!

 
I just went to my dermatologist and she wrote me a prescription for Trentin-X, a generic for Retin-A. I was wondering if anyone else here uses prescription retinoids like this, and how they transitioned, and how their skin needs changed.

My skin used to be super oily, and I started using over the counter retinols maybe 2 years ago. Since then, my skin has been less oil. Also, I am now using a 2% BHA liquid on my face in addition to the retinol for about a year, and it's definitely keeping my face dry.

I'm about to start the retinoid this Fall and am just really worried about the transition. I'm going to go really slow and build up to it, but I just wanted to know what products you felt you had to add or delete from your skincare when you started your retinoid.

Let's chat about it!

Hi there!

So glad you are seeing a derm. They can do wonders for your skin. I've been using retin-a for the past 10 yrs & it really has transformed my skin. First I wanted to address your oily skin. I had that problem in the past & found a solution for it & then I'll go into detail about Retin-A.

I used to have oily skin, I would try every cleanser & toner for oily skin & then skip moisturizer because I thought it would make my face even more oily. 

The truth of the matter is, is if you keep stripping your skin of its natural oil with harsh cleansers & toners, the more oil your skin will produce. Mind you, I was the girl that would keep blotting papers in her purse at all times. It somehow dawned on me that I can't keep doing the same thing with my skin & expect different results.

I stopped with the harsh cleansers & ditched the toner. I initially switched to Oil of Olay's Foaming Facial Cleanser for sensitive skin (the one that cleanses the face & removes eye makeup in one step) and would also purchase store brand generic versions from CVS, Walgreens, & Walmart. They all work the same. I added a moisturizer, not one for oily skin. After a couple of weeks, I noticed my skin finally balanced out. My skin wasn't producing excess oil, nor did I need the blotting papers. Oily skin was gone. Since then, I switched to Philosophy's Purity Made Simple & Bare Minerals Facial Cleanser. Both of them also effectively remove eye makeup without irritation & you can even open your eyes during cleansing without it stinging. As far as the moisturizer I was using at that time, I chose Oil of Olay's Daily SPF Moisturizer. Nothing fancy at the time. Now I've graduated to Perricone MD's products.

Please always remember, the more you strip your skin of its natural oil, the more oil your skin will produce. It will take a little bit of time for your skin to balance itself out, but it is well worth the wait. Hang it there :) Companies that make products such as Clean & Clear, at least in my opinion, are fully aware of the vicious cycle they are causing. They want you to strip your skin's oil, so you make more oil & keep buying their products. BTW-My acne went away, too, after balancing my skin out.

In regards to BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid), I'm not sure if it is safe to use in conjunction with Retin-A. Both products effectively exfoliate the skin. If you add Retin-A to the mix, you will most likely increase your chances for whats called a "flash burn". Flash burns are when you apply retin-A & get red, flaky skin. Though the flash burn will pass within a couple of weeks & new, smooth, fresh, glowing skin will appear, the use of BHA will only irritate your skin. In fact, when you apply retin-A to your skin while using BHA, your skin will get a burning sensation. Mighty painful :-(

BHA is essentially used to reduce acne break outs & black heads. In my opinion, and since it is rather harsh on the skin, I would ditch the product, maybe use it once a month (but not in conjunction wit Retin-A) and buy a Clarisonic. I just wrote a response in this particular section on Makeuptalk responding to someone's question regarding whether the Clarisonic is worth it or not. Please try to locate that topic & read my response. Since you may not have the opportunity to read it in its entirety, I will provide a short description of how it changed my skin...

I've been using the Clarison for many yrs ~ since the day it came out. It truly has changed my skin for the better. I used to get those pesky back heads that were stuck under my skin. I also have rosacea. My skin was dull & no longer had that "glow". My pore size was also huge. I thought pore size was hereditary since my mother had large pores, as well. I discovered that my pores was getting larger from all the makeup, skin care products, & gunk that was stuck in my pores. Manual cleansing, no matter what cleanser you use, can not remove all of the many years of build up. The Clarisonic, which cleans skin & pores 6 times better than manual cleansing alone, was able to remove all that gunk & impurities that were stuck in my pores. Though I saw an immediate difference in my skin after the 1st use, it took a couple of months for my pore size to shrink. My pores on my face have resorted back to the size they were when I was a child. They are non-existent. The Clarisonic also gently exfoliates the skin (I use mine twice a day) so I no longer have those pesky black heads. My skin is so clear & radiant!

Please read the response I wrote regarding the Clarisonic. There is much more info about the product & results I wrote including info about acne prone skin.

Getting back to Retin-A... Please apply it to freshly cleansed skin at night. The product loses its effectiveness when exposed to light so I wouldn't recommend using it during the day. Follow with a moisturizer. I use the Perricone MD line. Whatever moisturizer you use (I may be able to recommend one based on your age) make sure it doesn't contain a retinoid. Too much Retin-A may cause irritation. 

Your derm my have instructed you to start off with the product every other day or every two days for the 1st week so your skin adjusts to the product. Once your skin gets comfortable with the Retin-A, you can increase it to everyday. Once you increase to once a day, please don't be surprised if your skin gets a little red & flaky. My skin didn't really get red, but it did get dry & flaky. Though you may have the urge to exfoliate the flakes off with an exfoliator (I admit to using Kate Somerville's EfoliKate), please don't. It will only irritate your skin. After your skin flakes for a bit (usually 2 weeks), the flakes fall off & reveal brand new, radiant skin, similar to baby skin. If using the Clarisonic, the flakes will come off faster without irritation because it is a gentle form of exfoliation. 

During the day, please use an SPF that protects against both, UVA & UVB rays. Josie Maran makes an awesome non-chemical SPF moisturizer available at Josiemaran dot com. (Not sure if I can post a web address). Plus it's your moisturizer & SPF in one.

I did mention that I was using Retinn-A for 10+ yrs, which was before the Clarisonic came out. I noticed after using the retin-A, that my black heads around my nose disappeared. It is one of the best, if not the best, product for acne & anti-aging. 

In my opinion, even though the flaking is annoying, it is totally worth it. I'm not sure how old you are, but if you're in your 20's, that is the age when collagen production drops. 30's it even lessens. Starting on Retin-A is the best anti-aging thing you can do for your skin because it increases collagen production. While your other friends will be out getting botox, you'll be sitting pretty, have gotten a jump start on skin care & anti-aging. It is totally worth it.

I did have an event which I needed to attend while I was in the flaking phase. I found that Tarte's Maracuja oil helped remove the flakes w/o irritation. I applied it to my eye area, very liberally ~ I totally piled it on ~ and let it sit for a couple of hours. When I went to remove the oil, I noticed the flakes came right off. 

I did read an article in New Beauty Magazine which stated if you follow Retin-A with an oil, such as Argan Oil or Maracuja Oil, you won't get the flash burn. Please ask your derm about it because I'm not sure if the oil decreases the Retin-A's effectiveness. 

If you have any questions or want me to go into further detail about anything, please feel invited to PM me. I'll be more than happy to answer any questions.  

Thanks for your time & attention :)

Janice

P.S. Please don't forget to read my post regarding the Clarisonic...
 
I started using retin-a about 2 months ago. It's fabulous!I struggle with acne and oily skin that nothing has gotten under control until now. I apply every other night after cleansing and follow up with argan oil and I've never had and redness or peeling. I have had to stop using some of the other strong acne meds that I had previously used (benzoyl peroxide and a 4% salicylic acid), but that's ok because the retin-a works far better than those did anyways. I can't use any kind of scrub or exfoliator anymore, but again, I don't seem to need them now. I haven't changed anything else about my skin care routine. I had tried Tazorac previously and I didn't see results and it irritated my skin. I haven't had that with retin-a. My dermatologist told me that every woman over 35 that is done having children should be on it as it is the single most effective anti aging medicine available. I am a believer.

 
I started using retin-a about 2 months ago. It's fabulous!I struggle with acne and oily skin that nothing has gotten under control until now. I apply every other night after cleansing and follow up with argan oil and I've never had and redness or peeling. I have had to stop using some of the other strong acne meds that I had previously used (benzoyl peroxide and a 4% salicylic acid), but that's ok because the retin-a works far better than those did anyways. I can't use any kind of scrub or exfoliator anymore, but again, I don't seem to need them now. I haven't changed anything else about my skin care routine. I had tried Tazorac previously and I didn't see results and it irritated my skin. I haven't had that with retin-a. My dermatologist told me that every woman over 35 that is done having children should be on it as it is the single most effective anti aging medicine available. I am a believer.
Hi there!

I've been a Retin-A user for 10+ yrs. I read an article advising using Retin-A in conjunction with an oil, such as Argan Oil, to avoid the "flash burn". I keep forgetting to ask my derm about whether or not the oil makes the retin-A less effective. I appreciate your post since it is proof that the Retin-A works just as well when using the oil.

Keep up the good work ~ taking care of your skin. As I mentioned in my other post to this topic, later on in life, our friends will be lining up for Botox, while our skin will look fab since we are on the best anti-aging product. LOL.

Thanks for the info & for your time :)

 
I wanted to thank you both for your very in-depth answers. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to come back here and reply, but the first week I posted, no one responded so I forgot to come back, haha!

I'm about to start my journey of using my trentin-x... maybe even tonight! I have taken your advice into consideration and I think I'm making a really good, informed decision. I'm so excited for the times when the red flaking initial phase is over so I have baby skin. Hehehe.

I'll post more info later about what products I plan to use in conjunction with it.

By the way, I'm 29 and I feel like this is a great time to start it!

 

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