Long time lurker/first time poster
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

Sun May 27, 2012 8:01 pm

Hello! My name is Amanda and I've been stalking you guys for quite some time. I've gotten some great advice from you all (Careprost, hyaluronic acid tablets, etc.) and now that I'm ready to start a Retin-A routine I wouldn't imagine going anywhere but to the pros. Very Happy

First, a little background: I'm 26 years old with oily skin. I suffer from the occasional pimple, blackeads, and small, under-the-skin, flesh colored bumps on my forehead. I also have a few fine lines around my eyes and forehead which I have no doubt are from abuse of the sun/tanning bed in my younger years. (I've been UV free for almost two years now!) My skincare routine is as follows:

Morning-
Wash with cetaphil cleanser

Evening-
Wash with Cetaphil cleanser using Clarisonic
Spot treatment with Persa-Gel if needed

Like I said, my skin stays pretty clear other than the occasional pimple during my time of the month, blackheads on my nose or random ones around my mouth or cheeks, and those pesky flesh colored bumps on my forehead that I've suffered from since I was a kid. Last week it was time to order some more Careprost, so I decided to pick up a few tubes of Retin-A (Tretinoin 0.10% gel) since it was so cheap. I was prescribed it by my family doctor when I was a kid (12 or 13) for said bumps on my forehead and I don't remember it doing anything spectacular.

After all that rambling, I guess my question for you all is how do I work it into my routine? I'm pretty low maintenance with my skin (which is probably my problem) and I was wondering when I should use it? In the evening? Can I still use my Clarisonic or will it be too much with the irritation that the Retin-A is sure to cause? Do I need to change my cleanser and/or work a moisturizer into my routine? My skin is so oily that it goes NUTS whenever I use a moisturizer. High end, low end, oil free, ANYTHING. Will it clear up my skin problems and help with aging? Have any of you had similar problems that it cleared up? Does it just help with acne (cystic or other) or does it help clear up blackheads, etc? Basically, after 26 years of having bad skin, I'm hoping this will help. Any advice will be appreciated!

free skin care · Sun May 27, 2012 9:03 pm

Welcome!

I'm not going to comment too much on the Retin-A other than to say it can be highly effective for the issues you mention. However it can also be irritating and drying so the rest of your routine is important.

Overly oily skin can be a sign of hormones out of balance, can be a sign of underlying irritation (much of which is invisible) or sensitivity. Moisturiser should not be making your skin produce more oil, so I suspect your skin is stressed. You may find the fine lines are actually dehydration as much as ageing at this point. Believe it or not it is quite possible for skin to be oily and dehydrated simultaneously, and for skin to appear to react to something other than the primary irritant.

Do you wear make up or get exposed to dirt or pollution in your working life or commute? Cetaphil is not that gentle, it is based on anionic surfactants that can strip the skin. The longer they are in contact with your skin the greater the potential for irritation. You should not need to use a foaming product twice daily because your skin doesn't get 'dirty' overnight. You might consider switching to a microfibre cloth with plain water in the morning?

Are you not using a sunscreen? A zinc oxide based one could double as a moisturiser, mattify your skin and stop bacteria growing. Also are you consistently meeting or exceeding all your government's recommendations for healthy eating and lifestyle? This can affect how much oil your skin produces, and the composition of that oil making it more or less likely to clog pores and more or less likely to irritate skin. Of particular importance is your intake of oily fish and other essential fatty acids, sugar and white refined carbs.

HTH.

free skin care · Sun May 27, 2012 11:15 pm

It looks like you got the highest strength of tretinoin, which isn't recommended (they say it isn't even necessary or helpful to build up to higher strengths), and besides that its likely to cause a strong reaction if you're just starting out. If I were you I'd research how best to thin it out before using.

And if you start using tretinoin, you will have to use a good sunscreen, otherwise you're just making your skin even more vulnerable to sun damage. For this reason its also best to apply the tretinoin at night.

And I wouldn't use the clarisonic anytime close to when you use tretinoin until you figure out if you can tolerate it, and even then.. but you'd have to sort this out for yourself.

Wed May 30, 2012 8:06 am

Anyone else?

*crickets*

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.