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Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:06 am  |
| SandraG wrote: |
It's not a drug! You dont take it orally.
It's topical, so why call it a drug.
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I could go to the FDA website and take the time to quote the official definition of a drug but I don't feel like taking the time to do that. RetinA is a drug. In fact, I can think of quite a few topicals that are classified as drugs. 
BTW your experience with your lines improving in a matter of weeks is very unusual. Everything that I have read about RetinA states that it takes months to show improvements and not weeks. I am not saying that you didn't experience these dramatic results but I don't want anyone to get their hopes up and think that RetinA is a quick cure for their wrinkles!  |
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Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:20 am |
The fact that RetinA worked for you is not unusual but the fact that it worked so quickly is unusual. I just don't want others to get the impression that they will see such amazing results so quickly. Yes I think RetinA does work but it usually takes time to see real results with this.
I am thrilled that you are actually going to do some research on tretinoin. I think everyone should research such things before using them.
You can think of RetinA however you want Sandra! I will stick with what the FDA says and consider this a drug. I really couldn't care less what it is called and don't mind using a "drug" on my skin if it has a benefit and the risks are acceptable. BTW RetinA is used to treat a disease-acne. In fact if you read the indications for the use of RetinA, it is indicated for the treatment of acne. |
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Sun Apr 08, 2007 11:26 am |
| Molly wrote: |
| Sorry Theresa I can't elaborate. You reminded me of UV causing thickening, which I've read about and experienced before but I'm just wondering if there's a parallel here because it works so quickly it doesn't seem to be just development of collagen/elastin so is it irritation?. No info to add. |
I think that we need to be careful with RetinA or other retinoids because there are cases where it seems to be that the cause of the improvement is not only collagen/elastin development but also irritation. I don't want to jump to conclusions but from what I know RetinA takes time to increase collagen. I suppose it is possible that since the skin is thinner around the eyes the effect of increased collagen can be seen quicker but there is also the possibliity that since this skin is thinner it is more prone to irritation. So I guess it is hard to say.
SandraG my only advice is to be careful here. I would think that having the wrinkles around your eyes disappear after just 3 uses would imply that you may be experiencing irritation especially since you are using a large amount of the RetinA around your eyes. (If we were talking about a few weeks or a month-I think that we would really need to debate whether it is irriation or collagen production but after only 2 or 3 uses I would be inclined to say irriation). Personally I don't think that you need to experience peeling to be experiencing irritation from RetinA. Irritation can be as subtle as a minor swelling and nothing more, which could explain the disappearance of your wrinkles. But I am not insisting that irritation is the cause of your improvement just that it is a more likely explanation. Maybe you can raise this point with your nurse and see what she thinks. |
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Sun Apr 08, 2007 7:05 pm |
Hi,
I used to have the 'rhino hide' (MermaidGirl I like that term!) skin that could take anything. I had sun damage and acne scarring that had survived several IPLs so I thought Obagi and Retin-A would be the way to go.
I used the whole Obagi Nu-Derm system with Retin-A at night. I followed the instructions exactly. I immediately started peeling which I thought was a good sign, so I continued. The peeling got worse and worse, my skin was peeling down to raw patches. It actually cracked and bled as well. You would think anyone sane would have stopped when her face was raw and bleeding but nope, I thought it was the 'uglies' and it was just something I had to go through. I thought if I stopped I would have to start all over again - surely my lovely smooth skin was just around the corner.
To make a long story short I was miserable with a raw and bleeding face for a little over three months before I finally gave up. It took my face about 3-4 weeks to heal and where it healed over the texture and skin tone is different. It did not heal smoothly at all, it is scarred. It has been almost 2 years and you can still see on my face where the worst spots were. And my stupid acne scars, sun damage, and giant pores are still there 
Also, when I stopped I discovered that I could no longer use any of the products I had been using before as they caused me to develop these big pink rough patches. Right afterwards I went through many different products to attempt to find something I could at least clean my face with, everything that I tried irritated it. Finally Eve Lom cleanser (no other products) worked, my skin started to calm down after about 2-3 weeks of Eve Lom only. To this day I still cannot use anything strong, AHA/BHAs, any of the actives like Vitamin C, etc will bring me out in the rough pink patches. My skin has come a long way since I started being gentle with it (I use mostly Jurlique now) but it will never be the same - it's gone from 'rhino hide' to 'sensitive'.
I know a lot of ladies have gotten great results with Obagi and Retin-A, that is why I tried it myself because of all the wonderful success stories. I will also be the first to admit I was irresponsible with the products, I should have stopped much earlier. I think if you want to use Obagi and Retin-A that is fine, but keep your 'rhino hide' intact by being careful with strong products like this. A doctor or nurse can tell you when the peeling is good and when it is too much. I did not have medical supervision at all and I tore up my face.
Wow I wrote a book here! Anyway, I'm not bashing Obagi or Retin-A, just saying that they are powerful products that should be treated as such. |
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Sun Apr 08, 2007 10:22 pm |
Hi all, I think Stellamaris' story brings us almost full circle in the Retin A discussion; that it is a drug and it works differently on everyone so it's important to begin slowly and to see how your skin reacts to it.
Retin A is an acid and I have seen it work miracles on acne, but as we age, I think our skin has been exposed to so many actives that we have to be more considered in our approaches.
My personal fear with Retin A is hyperpigmentation. I know it is one of its side effects (although it is also prescribed for this same condition, go figure!). I know people who have hyperpigmetation for Retin A while using it on their backs, an area that doesn't get much sun, which makes me believe that the drug itself causes the hyperpigmentation and the sun just makes facial skin that much more photosensitive. Retin A does also cause swelling. For acne it takes (for most users) a month to work. As I probably have mentioned I have used Retin A on and off for 30 years (in all of its forms) and have had great success with it as an acne drug. I'm not sure about it as a wrinkle reducer, since I've used it so long. I don't have many wrinkles, but I also have Mediterranean skin, thick and oily so it's hard to say what has kept the wrinkles away-Retin A or heredity.
I do know that now that I live in Florida, I'm much more careful about exfoliation, acids and any harsh or aggressive treatments.
We just have to be careful! |
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oily/dehydrated/acne prone/few wrinkles/olive coloring/older than you! |
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Sun Apr 08, 2007 10:50 pm |
I'll just reiterate as it seems some think my early thrill from Retin A means I'm a fan - I'm most certainly not.
My first reason for dropping it was *hyperpigmentation* despite diligent sunscreening efforts.
I used it for over a year and it partially reduced my lines, but never totally so for me, on balance, the increased sun-damage wasn't worth the improvements there.
Plus the texture and colour of my skin was weird and unnatural looking so even cosmetically it's not a wonder-drug for me. |
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