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codyb
New Member
 
Joined: 14 Mar 2012
Posts: 3
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Sun Mar 25, 2012 4:55 pm  |
Hello,
I'm a frequent lurker but new post posting so thanks to all for your past & present help!! I've tried searching around a bit but couldn't find a firm answer to this. I was recently prescribed the Obagi-C system along with Retin A (.025 generic tretinoin).
I started the Retin A on Thurs night. I'm experiencing a lot of flaking/peeling, but my skin doesn't *feel* irritated. Is it okay to keep using it nightly over the peeling? Will this get me over the acclimation period faster? The area where the flaking is worst (my chin) has actually been flaky for about 2 weeks prior to using, just not as badly and it's now spreading out onto my face.
My skin type: Very dry after 2 heavy rounds of acutane as a teenager. Mild breakouts but heavily congested (almost every pore is a blackhead). |
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Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:19 pm |
From what I have read in regards to Retin A you should start quite slowly and build up your 'tolerance'. I've also started on 0.025% which is the lowest amount but only use it every 2nd night now...and that's after staring with twice a week only. I've had some peeling and no irritation, as yourself, but I think if I had use it nightly the peeling would have eventually led to some type of irritation..... and my skin can take alot.
Since you are using other acids, Like C, I would cut back and not use Retin A nightly. But thats just MHO  |
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Mon Mar 26, 2012 5:21 am |
| It is better to start off slow using 2-3x a week for the first couple of weeks. It will help your skin adjust to hopefully make the initial irritation more tolerable. Some times irritation from retin-a has a way of getting worse after a couple of weeks of usage. |
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liz_chin
New Member
Joined: 18 Jan 2012
Posts: 3
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Mon Mar 26, 2012 7:02 am |
Hi, codyb.
Yes, .025% of Retin-A or Tretinoin is a good start. I have been a regular user of Tretinoin (been using it for over 10 years), and up to now, i also get the flaking/peeling at times when i use an "excessive" amount of tretinoin on my face. My dermatologist's advice is that basically, only a pea-size amount of Tretinoin is good for skin care treatment and regular skin care, and that's therefore a very thin application for the entire face every night. Putting on more of it every night CAN result to a brighter complexion in 2 to 3 days, but in less than a week, the adverse effects start to manifest, i.e., my skin becomes looking dark, dull, and flaky. In effect, i stop tretinoin application for several days until the flaking subsides or until my skin looks back to normal, then continue with the pea-size nighttime application. Hope this helps. |
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Mon Mar 26, 2012 7:45 am |
I started on .025% 2 or 3 times a week, for about 2 months, then progressed to .05%, still find I can only use this about 3 times a week, or else I get very dry skin.
I think using every night would be too drying, so maybe try every second night and see if things improve? |
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I'm 49, fair skin, green eyes, blonde hair, dry slightly sensitive skin, I have very few wrinkles, slight pigmentation, main worry is sagging..yuck!! Currently using CP |
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Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:53 am |
If you apply too high a concentration every day your skin can become ‘overloaded’. Fortunately this can be avoided and I’ll explain how below.
Prevent irritation
Naturally it is very alluring knowing that an ingredient can rejuvenate your skin. But (unfortunately) this is not going to happen in a day and is a gradual process. Because active substances can cause serious irritation it is important to slowly build up their use. If you don’t do this and don’t listen to your skin then it can cause irritation. This can appear in different forms, such as redness, dryness, flaky skin, and burning. If you don’t take care with its use it can lead to the opposite effect being achieved; the vitamin A acid causes direct damage to the skin and consequently the skin prematurely ages!
The correct percentage of tretinoin
Begin with a low percentage of tretinoin and apply it to the skin two or three times per week. Is this all going well? Then you can increase the use. If you can use 0.02% every evening without any adverse reaction to your skin you can then increase the percentage to, for example, 0.05%. Does your skin react to this? Then you can either decrease the percentage or apply the same percentage less frequently. Tretinoin is obtainable in concentrations between 0.02% and 1.0%. The required concentration is different for each skin.
Use
It is best not to use it in the morning! Tretinoin reacts to sunlight so apply it in the evening on a cleansed dry skin. When you first begin using vitamin A acid your skin will have difficulty retaining moisture. So be aware that your skin can become dried out. Apply a moisturiser alongside the tretinoin and use when necessary to make sure your skin remains hydrated. The skin becomes thinner and is more sensitive to the sun so make sure it is well protected. Use a minimum of sun protection factor 15 daily.
Results
The best results, when using tretinoin, can be seen between eight and twelve months. From then on you can choose to reduce the use to two to three evenings per week. It is possible that your skin won’t respond at all . If after four months you still don’t see any change then the chances that your skin will respond to it are very small and you’ll be better off finding an alternative treatment.
When not to use?
Vitamin A acid can dehydrate skin in people who have allergic reactions to skincare products, very dry skin or rosacea. People with skin type I and II (sensitive to the sun) can also have more of an adverse reaction. By keeping a close eye on your skin you can use this without a problem. Although there is no evidence that the use of creams containing vitamin A acid are harmful during pregnancy, oral use of vitamin A acid (such as in treatment for acne) can be. Therefore it is advisable for safety reasons to avoid using vitamin A acid during pregnancy. |
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Mon Mar 26, 2012 12:31 pm |
No hahah! How do you know about her? I'm dutch and she's very famous in the Netherlands. She stands up against all the false cosmetics which promises to ''completely dissapear your wrinkles'' and ''improving your skin''.
She only tells the truth. She is like the dutch paula begoun.
Also, she gives the most wonderful advises (including the little piece about how to use retin a, which might be useful for some people on EDS, so i thought, why not place it here) |
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Mon Mar 26, 2012 3:27 pm |
No, I have never heard of Dr. Jetske Ultee before your post. But I did go and look at her website and read some of her articles and I agree with you, she is very committed to educating the consumer about skin care and products. It was nice to read something from Europe, since most online dermatological blogs originate in North America. Too bad you aren't her; we could always use another skin care professional at EDS!  |
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Born 1953; Blonde-Blue; Normal skin |
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