Retin-A Advice
Using Retin-A (Tretinoin) or any other prescription-strength acne medicine can be a painful process. Here I’ve compiled all the tips that I’ve been given by the dermatologist and previous users of the treatment for my own reference, but I hope it can help other first time users as well.
Wait 40 minutes after washing before application.
This treatment is hydrophilic, application on wet skin can cause painful reactions.
Use a mild face wash and pat dry very gently to avoid irritation.
Protect yourself from the weather.
Skin treated with tretinoin is extra susceptible to sunlight. Wear a sunscreen even if it’s cloudy out, and ask your dermatologist about the SPF they recommend.
Windy and cold weather is harmful as well to skin made dry and sensitive by tretinoin. Use a moisturizer cleared by your dermatologist before going out in order to prevent further dryness and burning.
Start slow.
Of course, you want this medication to work as well as possible, but starting out with a higher strength can make the side effects even worse.
The dryness and peeling happens as your skin adjusts to being treated. Higher strengths are harder to adjust to. After using a weaker treatment, such as 0.025%, talk to your dermatologist about increasing the dosage.
Don’t exfoliate.
Peeling skin can be annoying, but exfoliating super sensitive treated skin will only make things worse. Don’t use any physical or chemical exfoliants (nothing called a “scrub” or “peel”).
Stop yourself from scratching or rubbing at your skin as well. (I know it’s super hard not to, but knowing that I’m doing myself a favour by holding back helps me stop.)
Use a moisturizer to protect skin and prevent further dryness.
Use as little as possible.
When you apply to the affected area, the treatment should become transparent as you rub it in. If not, you may be using too much.
Be sure to read the directions written on the packaging!
You’ll get better at knowing just how much to apply as you go.
Wait before applying moisturizer afterwards.
Give the treatment some time to “sink in” to your skin before putting anything else on the area. (I usually wait 40 minutes to an hour.)
Applying to moisturized skin can block the treatment from doing it’s job. Of course, if your dermatologist gives you different instructions for application, follow those.
Take a break if tretinoin is causing painful reactions.
If you notice significantly worse pain or redness from application, skip a day and see how your skin is doing. Applying to damaged skin will only worsen the effects.
If you think you may be having an allergic reaction to tretinoin, stop using it. Do not rinse it off, it will react to the water. Talk with your dermatologist to plan further action.
Don’t let side effects hurt your self image.
Redness, dryness, and flaking are to be expected. It’s just part of the route to clearer skin.
You’re still the same lovely person, no matter how you may react to treatment.
Everyone reacts differently.
I’m no medical professional, I’m just a teenaged kid putting all the advice I’ve been given into one big list.
Be sure to ask your dermatologist about any questions you have!
