How to get rid of brown spots on chest - retin A?
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Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:48 am

I have brown spots on my chest, hands and arms. I started using Retin A about a month ago.

it got red and itchy on my chest but not too bad, however it seems there are more tiny brown spots and freckles now as well as skin tags.

is this temporary? I hear with retin A it gets worse before it gets better. or is this a sign it is not working?

on my arms and hands no redness or itchiness but not seeing results yet.

does retin A work to get rid of brown spots on chest? hands? arms? if so, how long does it take? what dosage?

much appreciate your feedback!

free skin care · Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:48 am

What has your dermatologist, family doctor or pharmacist advised? Presumably you are using a high SPF zinc oxide sunblock daily? And adhering to the recommended wait times/ skin pH adjustment after cleansing? A month is a very short period of time to expect results, be patient this is a long term treatment! Some people say Retin-A brings damage to the surface before eliminating it. Dosage depends on what your skin can tolerate, thicker or oilier skin tends to need or tolerate higher percentages.

Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:11 am

will visit derm in 2 weeks. my chest does not see the sun. it is winter where I live. so no sun issue. but I have also used it on my hands and had no problems and was wondering if the problem with the chest is that it gets so little exposure to the air - as compared to the hands. wondering if it works on the chest area. worried about damage. or is it just - as you say - bringing old damage to the surface and then will slough that off? very concerned though about the new brown areas.

free skin care · Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:05 pm

I meant what did your derm already advise about which areas to use Retin-A on, dosage, when you should expect to see results? Why do you think air has anything to do with it, presumably your clothing is not occlusive?

Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:47 pm

have you used Retin A?
I say how much air skin gets is a factor because the skin on the face and hands exfoliate the most naturally because they are most exposed to the air - so treatments like Retin A that work through bringing forward layers that are then sloughed off, work best on areas that are exposed the most. my hands are doing fine with the Retin A - I see a bit of fading of the spots and no redness or itching at all. totally different from my chest which seems to have more brown spots and redness and itching when I use the RA

Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:49 pm

haven't seen derm yet. was given first perscription by my GP who didn't know too much about it.

free skin care · Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:09 pm

The chest area is a lot more sensitive to Retin A than other areas. With itching and redness, I would tell you to stop using until you talk to your derm. If you don't want to stop, then just use a very small pea size and only a few nights a week starting out.

Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:16 pm

the redness and itching isn't that bad. when it gets to be too much I just skip a day. my main concern is that it seems like there are more brown spots than before. is this damaged skin coming to the surface to be sloughed off? or is this a sign I should stop it? (I use .05 and sometimes alternate with .025)

free skin care · Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:52 pm

cheysuli wrote:

I say how much air skin gets is a factor because the skin on the face and hands exfoliate the most naturally because they are most exposed to the air - so treatments like Retin A that work through bringing forward layers that are then sloughed off, work best on areas that are exposed the most.

AFAIK hands exfoliate partly because of how much we use them and wash them, not because of exposure to the air. Hands and face are more exposed to UV light and the elements generally, not air. Question

free skin care · Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:03 pm

cheysuli wrote:

the redness and itching isn't that bad. when it gets to be too much I just skip a day. my main concern is that it seems like there are more brown spots than before. is this damaged skin coming to the surface to be sloughed off? or is this a sign I should stop it? (I use .05 and sometimes alternate with .025)

I am sorry, but I honestly do not know about the more brown spots. I have never had that happen to me! Maybe you should hold off and check with your derm, just to be on the safe side?

Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:28 pm

Rileygirl, have you used Retin A on the chest? do you know of others who have? is it effective on the chest. I have seen conflicting info on the web about using it on the chest.

free skin care · Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:08 pm

cheysuli, skin is skin. And everyone is different. If you're experiencing irritation, you should stop.

And it sounds like you think sun protection isn't important. It is. Its crucial when using retin A, especially if you're getting spots.

Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:18 pm

its winter where I live, my chest never ever sees the sun.

have you used Retin A on your chest?

free skin care · Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:24 pm

cheysuli wrote:

Rileygirl, have you used Retin A on the chest? do you know of others who have? is it effective on the chest. I have seen conflicting info on the web about using it on the chest.

Yes, I have and do but I only use a pea size amount for my neck/chest area, and only apply 2 nights a week. I don't have any problems, but everyone is different. (I do agree with LoriA. Even though it is winter, the sun is still out and clothes only offer a minimal amount of protection. I would definitely check out some physical sunscreens that have zinc or titanium dioxide in them!)

Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:33 pm

rileygirl wrote:

cheysuli wrote:

Rileygirl, have you used Retin A on the chest? do you know of others who have? is it effective on the chest. I have seen conflicting info on the web about using it on the chest.

Yes, I have and do but I only use a pea size amount for my neck/chest area, and only apply 2 nights a week. I don't have any problems, but everyone is different.

has the Retin A been effective in getting rid of brown spots on your chest? what dosage do you use? how long did it take for the spots to fade?

Mon Feb 06, 2012 3:13 pm

cheysuli wrote:

I started using Retin A (first .025 then .050) about a 5 weeks ago on my hands and chest to get rid of brown spots. I used sunblock. The hands are fine - I even see a bit of fading of the spots. But on my chest there are more brown spots now than before I started - well, not so much typical "age spots" rather small spots of brown pigmentation - a lot of it. It looks awful!

I have read in some places that RA can first expose spots under the surface of the skin before it sloughs off and has the desired effect. Is this true? do others have experience with this?? or is this a sign it is not working and to stop?

why would Retin A work well on my hands but make my chest worse?

For now I have stopped using it til I can see my dermatologist next week. All I want to do now is get rid of these horrid spots!

Does anyone have experience getting rid of brown spots caused by Retin A? does Vitamin C serum work? how about Avacado oil? any feedback greatly appreciated!

Mon Feb 06, 2012 3:18 pm

havana8 wrote:

cheysuli wrote:

Does anyone have experience getting rid of brown spots caused by Retin A? does Vitamin C serum work? how about Avacado oil? any feedback greatly appreciated!

cheysuli, not sure if this will help you, but here is the Avocado oil thread:

Avocado oil getting rid of keratoses (brown spots)
http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=25158

I'm sure others will pop in with more suggestions. Good luck with your skin journey! Smile

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