My Obagi experience
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free skin care · Sat Aug 28, 2010 1:43 pm

Hi Nicerkitten,
Sorry I can't help you with dermarolling while on Obagi, but maybe someone else will see your post and jump in!

Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:19 pm

Ladies who are on the Obagi NuDerm system, do you all use the Obagi tretinoin with the system or is it possible to replace with a cheaper tretinoin the same strength?
Has anyone tried to use a different brand tretinoin with the Obagi system? I find the Obagi tretinoin very expensive and have seen other brand tretinoins a lot cheaper, I am just concerned that the effects of the system would not be as good. The Obagi one might include tretinoin in a slightly different proportion or might have added ingredients that the other tretinoin does not.
Please let me know your views!
x

free skin care · Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:15 am

I just started the Obagi NuDerm system a week ago. I am in my 60's, have good skin which I have always taken care of but do have a few brown spots that I would like to get rid of and would like to get a better overall color. Also, hoping it will help some of the fine lines and firm the skin.
So far, tightness and some flaking are the only thing I am seeing, a little itchy as well. Skin feels a little smoother.
So glad I found this discussion.

Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:35 pm

I am just finishing week 1 of Obagi. I am in my mid-20s. I gotta say, this is ROUGH! I read up on the side effects before using it so I was somewhat prepared. Now my face is red... REALLY red... and at night I start peeling like crazy.

All of this would be fine except I do have a job. Thankfully I can spend most of my day in my office, but I do have to go to a couple of meetings during the week and I am also taking a class 2 nights a week.

I've already been told that I look like I've "gotten some sun..." But that excuse won't work for a month Wink

So I'm wondering if any of you have any tips for covering up the redness/peeling? I just want to temporarily appear as normal as possible during the meetings I have to attend, and also for the class I'm in. Unfortunately the peeling starts to get really out of hand by about 7PM, and my class doesn't end until 9PM! Any advice? Is something like baby wipes acceptable to use?

free skin care · Tue Oct 05, 2010 5:25 am

bsm wrote:

I am just finishing week 1 of Obagi. I am in my mid-20s. I gotta say, this is ROUGH! I read up on the side effects before using it so I was somewhat prepared. Now my face is red... REALLY red... and at night I start peeling like crazy.

All of this would be fine except I do have a job. Thankfully I can spend most of my day in my office, but I do have to go to a couple of meetings during the week and I am also taking a class 2 nights a week.

I've already been told that I look like I've "gotten some sun..." But that excuse won't work for a month Wink

So I'm wondering if any of you have any tips for covering up the redness/peeling? I just want to temporarily appear as normal as possible during the meetings I have to attend, and also for the class I'm in. Unfortunately the peeling starts to get really out of hand by about 7PM, and my class doesn't end until 9PM! Any advice? Is something like baby wipes acceptable to use?

Hi, bsm. I am sure others will be along to give some recommendations. Baby wipes are ok. Have you tried a gentle scrub or even a microfiber cloth? They would only temporarily get rid of the flakes, but it may help you make it through your class? ZO Skin Care (Obagi's over-the-counter line) has a scrub that is really good, but it is expensive.

free skin care · Tue Oct 05, 2010 5:28 am

Hello Everyone!

**NicerKitten: You can use another brand of tretinoin if you like. At first, I used a prescription from my plastic surgeon and after that, I ordered from AllDayChemist on-line.

**Buffy45: Welcome to the world of Obagi! Sounds like you are right on course with the redness, peelies, and itchiness. It's all part of the process. Good luck and please keep us posted as to your progress.

**bsm: Sounds like you're also going through the "normal" rough patches of Obagi. Unfortunately, the peeling can continue for awhile, especially the first six weeks. I've never used baby wipes for the peeling, but they're pretty gentle, so it might be worth a try. Especially when you have meetings and classes. You will also stay red for awhile, too. People also thought I had gotten some sun! When the peelies subsided, I used a little mineral make up to cover it up.

Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:37 am

bsm wrote:

I am just finishing week 1 of Obagi. I am in my mid-20s. I gotta say, this is ROUGH! I read up on the side effects before using it so I was somewhat prepared. Now my face is red... REALLY red... and at night I start peeling like crazy.

All of this would be fine except I do have a job. Thankfully I can spend most of my day in my office, but I do have to go to a couple of meetings during the week and I am also taking a class 2 nights a week.

I've already been told that I look like I've "gotten some sun..." But that excuse won't work for a month Wink

So I'm wondering if any of you have any tips for covering up the redness/peeling? I just want to temporarily appear as normal as possible during the meetings I have to attend, and also for the class I'm in. Unfortunately the peeling starts to get really out of hand by about 7PM, and my class doesn't end until 9PM! Any advice? Is something like baby wipes acceptable to use?

Hi Bsm and everyone else, Smile

This is my first post here but I've been avidly following the threads since I started my obagi experience 6 weeks ago.

I am still a little red and peely although it isn't anywhere near as bad now as it was in the first few weeks.

My Derm suggested two things that might be helpful to you... the first was to use a little of the sunfader (if you can tolerate it) to stick down the peelies until you get home from work. The second was that it didn't matter how early in the evening you did the night-time routine so you could possibly use the microdermabrasion cloth as suggested to get rid of the flakes, slap the evening products on and then go to class.

For the redness I've been using glomineral powder in the GloRedness relief shade. I've found this works really well as it's yellow in colour and tones down the redness. It can also tolerate a little sunfader over the top without looking a total mess.

Hope this helps and good luck. This programme is definitely not for the faint hearted but the results are amazing Smile

Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:21 am

Thanks for the info, everyone. I will try anything!

Last night I decided not to use the Retin-A, since I think that is the culprit of my redness. This is the first time I've ever used Retin-A and my skin is definitely not happy! I've read in some of the other posts here that it's ok to skip a couple nights if your skin has become really irritated, which mine has. I've had a couple bad sunburns in the past but let me tell you, that redness was nothing compared to this!

Anyway, I've read that the Retin-A works with the Blender at night. So if I'm taking a night off from the Retin-A, should I still use the Blender on its own, or is that just a waste of product?

I originally went to a dermatologist to talk about acne, which has only become a problem recently in my life. It usually only flares up badly during "that time of the month." My skin gets a few blemishes but I wouldn't necessarily say that I have real "problem skin" -- but I would by no means say I have perfect skin either! I have some freckles that have been around my nose for my whole life, which I think is why my derm recommended Obagi. Now with these side effects, my skin is pretty much in the worst state it's ever been in. I'm trying to stay positive, but it's definitely a challenge in public! Hiding from my live-in boyfriend isn't really an option either Wink

(but he's being very supportive)

Really counting down to the day where I can see some good results. I know that everyone who uses these products experiences this more or less, and many people have come on here with the same gripes before me. But I figured this was an understanding audience to vent to! Smile

free skin care · Tue Oct 05, 2010 12:28 pm

bsm, when you don't use the Retin A, then don't use the Blender either. It will get better, just hang in there. Go slow if you need to.

free skin care · Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:08 am

Glad to see some new posts on this thread, seems many of the Obagi threads are older ones that are pretty quiet.
I am not into my third week of Obagi NuDerm and very happy so far. The tightness and itching are pretty much gone and I have very little redness and just a little peeling. In fact, I would welcome more peeling as that is what seems to get down to the new, prettier skin. They gave me the 0.025 tretinon cream and that is the mildest, so I am wondering how soon I can move up to the 0.05? I think I am going to order some from alldaychemist as the price is so low and if needed, I can alternate between the 2 strengths.
My face is sooo smooth and my brown spots are just starting to lighten. I am lucky as I did not have any acne or acne scarring to work on, I just want a more evenly toned look and hopefully, a reduction in the fine lines and wrinkles in my skin, especially under my eyes.

free skin care · Wed Oct 06, 2010 8:18 am

Hi Buffy45,
Sounds like you're seeing some nice results fairly quickly! That's great! I alternated between 0.025% and 0.050% while on Obagi -- and still do, as I am on maintenance. My skin made the acclimation fairly easily. However, trying 0.1% was another story!

free skin care · Thu Oct 07, 2010 4:40 pm

Today I saw the nurse and she upped my retin a to .05 which I will start using tonight, so I expect the peeling to get worse of course before it gets better. I am pleased with how my skin looks without makeup but I love makeup and love to wear it. Came home, cleansed my face and just put my normal skin moisturizer on it, etc. since I wasn't going back out in the sun and I wanted to see how I looked with my makeup on now. Well, the first hour or so it looked very nice, and then wow, the skin started peeling, the makeup looked like it was kind of dry, etc. What do you wear for foundation while you are going through this phase? I have several special events coming up where I want to look my best but I also want to continue to work through my Obagi experience. Is there any foundation that works with this? I know the Obagi rep I met at a meeting one night said that she used Jane Iredale mineral makeup but she has been on the program 2 years.

free skin care · Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:00 pm

I don't know any make-up that will hide the flakies. Your best bet is to exfoliate right before putting your foundation on and hoping your event doesn't last for more than a few hours!

I am 2 weeks in this time around and am really getting flaky all over. This has never happened in all my uses of Obagi. Very interesting. This time I am using Refissa with the blender. All of my brown is already totally gone. Unbelievable. Obagi Rules! Very Happy

Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:20 pm

My fellow Obagians, I hate to say this... but I am not sure that I can continue with the programme. My face is redder than anything I've ever seen. And I just read that some people experience this for the full 18 weeks. I am going to Europe for the holidays, I'm also hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, and I just really can't look like this.

As much as I would LOVE to have the amazing results that everyone speaks of, I'm just not sure I can handle these side effects, and DEFINITELY not for 4 and a half months. Needless to say, I'm feeling very discouraged. Sad

free skin care · Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:27 pm

Riley, good idea about exfoliate before putting on my makeup. ON the days I can, I go without. Interesting that you are flaky this time around but not before.
Not sure what to say about the redness, I am not seeing too much of that, although a little. It may get worse now that I am increasing the strength of my retin a.

free skin care · Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:35 pm

bsm wrote:

My fellow Obagians, I hate to say this... but I am not sure that I can continue with the programme. My face is redder than anything I've ever seen. And I just read that some people experience this for the full 18 weeks. I am going to Europe for the holidays, I'm also hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, and I just really can't look like this.

As much as I would LOVE to have the amazing results that everyone speaks of, I'm just not sure I can handle these side effects, and DEFINITELY not for 4 and a half months. Needless to say, I'm feeling very discouraged. Sad

Try reducing the amount of all of your products, especially the Exfoderm, which is usually what causes the severe redness. How much of all of the products are you using?

Also, you can stop for 3 days before an event and your skin should look good for the event, and then pick back up. I would definitely try to talk to your derm.

free skin care · Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:37 pm

buffy45 wrote:

Riley, good idea about exfoliate before putting on my makeup. ON the days I can, I go without. Interesting that you are flaky this time around but not before.
Not sure what to say about the redness, I am not seeing too much of that, although a little. It may get worse now that I am increasing the strength of my retin a.

Buffy, I just remembered that if you have a major event (like for a night) you can stop the products 3 days before and your skin should be fine for the event, then pick back up.

Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:48 pm

riley, thanks so much for the advice. You are a wealth of knowledge through this whole thread!

I am doing 1/2 grams of everything, and I'm on the lowest strength of retin-A. Also I'm on exfoderm forte, not regular exfoderm.

I have a follow-up with my derm next week, so I'm trying to make it until then. I guess what's discouraging to me is that my main concern was moderate acne, not as much hyperpigmentation (though in a perfect world, it would be nice to reduce that too) so I'm not sure that it's worth these intense side effects. I will try what you said first though before totally giving up!

free skin care · Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:16 pm

BSM, first of all, try to talk to your derm as soon as possible for advice on how to lessen the redness and if you can't speak to them right away, try as Riley suggested to reduce the amount of the products you are using to lessen the effects. If I were you, I would rather use the program at a slower pace, for a longer period of time, than to give it up completely. I know, it can be discouraging, some days I wonder why I ever started this, my skin wasn't bad before, but then I will see some improvement and think, oh wow, it is worth it. My friend who started a week before me is very discouraged right now, it is her monthly cycle and she is breaking out like crazy and not happy, but she swears she is sticking with it so I hope she sees some good results next week.

free skin care · Fri Oct 08, 2010 5:10 am

bsm wrote:

riley, thanks so much for the advice. You are a wealth of knowledge through this whole thread!

I am doing 1/2 grams of everything, and I'm on the lowest strength of retin-A. Also I'm on exfoderm forte, not regular exfoderm.

I have a follow-up with my derm next week, so I'm trying to make it until then. I guess what's discouraging to me is that my main concern was moderate acne, not as much hyperpigmentation (though in a perfect world, it would be nice to reduce that too) so I'm not sure that it's worth these intense side effects. I will try what you said first though before totally giving up!

You're welcome, bsm. Good that you are seeing your derm. See what he/she recommends. I would just reduce all the amounts until you see the derm. It is a hard system, but it really works. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

Fri Oct 08, 2010 10:36 am

What's interesting is that the redness flares up randomly throughout the day. I'll put the products on in the morning, and everything looks fine until about 2 in the afternoon. Then it calms down a bit, and flares up again in a BIG way when I get home from work in the evening. When I put the PM products on, it calms down again.

Does this happen to others too? I don't go in the sun or anything that would cause the random irritation... it's kind of funny. KIND OF. Wink

free skin care · Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:25 pm

I used the stronger Tret last night, no change today as of yet. Same amount of flaky. I looked up where to buy Jane Iredale makeup near me and there was a spa nearby that sold it. I went and picked up the pressed powder and they matched the shade to me and applied it. Several hours later and it still looks ok, so guess it will get me by until I can wear my favorites again. They were out of the liquid that I wanted to try but said they were getting more in next week. The owner of the spa uses it and I talked to her, she said she loves it and it works well with Obagi users.
I have had 3 little bumps come up, 2 on my neck and 1 on my face and each has a pinpoint black dot in the center of them. I squeezed one and a clear liquid came out, have no idea what those are but maybe something the Obagi is bringing to the surface?

Keep on keeping on.......

free skin care · Sat Oct 09, 2010 12:32 pm

2 nights of the stronger Tret cream and today I see what everyone is talking about as far as redness. Before on the .025 I had very little peeling with no redness or soreness, just tight feeling. Today, the area that flaked and peeled is red and a tiny bit sore, but just a small area did that.
I just had some filler put in my mouth area and the trough under my eye, so I am a sight to behold. Some bruising, some swelling from that, I bruise very easily and now the shiny, tight, spots of red face, wow, all this in "hopes" of looking better. And, I am going out to dinner with a friend tonight, will tell her it has to be some place dark and she can't study my face yet. LOL

free skin care · Sat Oct 09, 2010 5:41 pm

bsm wrote:

What's interesting is that the redness flares up randomly throughout the day. I'll put the products on in the morning, and everything looks fine until about 2 in the afternoon. Then it calms down a bit, and flares up again in a BIG way when I get home from work in the evening. When I put the PM products on, it calms down again.

Does this happen to others too? I don't go in the sun or anything that would cause the random irritation... it's kind of funny. KIND OF. Wink

Hi BSM,
I got red like that too when I first did Nuderm. I usually started to get red in the afternoon. People were always asking if I had gotten some sun? I looked pretty "normal" in the morning as well.

I guess it's just one of the many effects of using Obagi! It seems that each one of us experiences it a little differently.

free skin care · Sat Oct 09, 2010 5:44 pm

Hi Buffy45,
If certain areas of your face get too irritated or raw, you might try applying a little Aquaphor ointment. It really helps -- especially areas like the corners of your mouth or around the nose. I always kept some on hand.

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