Advice required - males using retin and sun exposure
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Tue Feb 05, 2013 4:54 am

Hi all,
1st post so please go easy on me! As the title suggests I'm a male, very early 30's and have started using tretinoin gel 0.025 the past 3 weeks or so, almost nightly, usually 2 night on 1 off depending on how my skin is doing. The 1st week I was red and sore and peeling, I backed off for a few days and quickly recovered (I wait 30 mins -1hr after washing before applying the retin a)..... There's not many forums on the Internet where man discuss the use of retin a etc (believe me I've looked) so I thought I'd come direct to the experts!!...

Around Christmas I had a bad breakout of acne from nowhere, lots of small whiteheads which are now pretty much cleared up. My intention was to use the tretinoin for anti ageing long term but looks like it may help any acne too....my skin has never been perfect but I've always looked after it since about 15 years old. I'm currently going through the 'purging' stage, it's not too bad to be honest, getting some tiny whiteheads that disappear and heal very quickly and a noticeable reduction in blackheads.

I'm just trying to sort out the best routine to stick with, it can be rather confusing....

I currently wash with Nancyboy face cleanser twice a day. I like this but not too sure if it too strong to use with retin a? If so any good products to try?

In the day I use lab series daily defence lotion SPF 15 - this is a chemical ss that stings upon application and I'm thinking of stopping it and either getting cerave am with SPF or using another moisturiser and purchasing something from burnout sun to put on top?

In the pm I am currently using eucerin 5% urea or aquaphor, not particulary fond of either but have cerave pm on order which I have heard good things about....I also have jojoba and rosehip oil that I sometimes use pm if Im feeling very dry.

Anything I'm doing totally wrong or could do better?

Now to my main question ..... I'm in the uk so the winters are cold, not much sun etc but I've still been using the above moisturiser with ss... In July I will be going away with the family and have a 4 year old who I know is going to expect his daddy to be in the pool with him all day of the holiday for 10 days straight!! Therefore I'm not going to be able to stay out of the sun, what is the best way to protect myself...I don't care about tanning or sunbathing, been there and done that several years ago, just don't want to undo any good the retin a has done and don't want to burn myself or cause more problems. Will I be ok to frequently apply a waterproof ss like the burnout sun one and wear a hat when I can??

It's getting expensive ordering all these items that arnt available in the uk...but trial and error I guess!

Oh, one more point, my gp knows I'm on the retin a although he has not prescribed me it. I told him as I had a check up for my skin last week and be didn't really appear to care....we don't tend to get referred to derms over here unless serious and even then it can take months and months to get an appointment. He has prescribed me topical clindacymin for the mornings. I just get my retin a from adc, which is actually cheaper then paying for a script here also (but not that much).

Sorry to ramble, hope I make sense ...thanks in advance

Mark

free skin care · Tue Feb 05, 2013 5:10 am

Hey Mark

I started using Retin A before my 30th birthday and have used it for over 30 years.

Retin A was designed primarily for acne treatment, but when they did studies on it they found it had antiaging properties too. I don’t know your cleanser, but like you I’m UK based. I really like the Simple range.

Now the other thing is that if you are using Retin A your skin is so much more sensitive to light. SPF15 isn’t enough protection for you probably. Oils sometimes push ingredients in deeper, and so rosehip is particularly notorious for doing that, so you may be getting additional irritation as a result, so you may want to limit your using that. As a side bar, I wouldn’t recommend putting anything immediately on your skin when you apply Retin A.

Now you can get sunscreens which are water resistant too. I forgot the one that’s advertised on telly but that’s one thing to use for sure. The other thing is that boots has a range of sunscreams which are water resistant too and cheaper than buying on internet.

Tessie

Tue Feb 05, 2013 5:38 am

Hi tessie,

Thanks for the advice! The cleanser is from the US, can't be brought over here in the uk. Just a basic cleanser but think is does contain a small amount of saylic acid, that's why I though it may be harsh to use with the retin a.

I will look into the simple range....what I don't want to do is change too many thing at once so I can work out what's working/not working if that makes sense!

I agree, SPF 15 is not enough, I hate wearing sun cream, hate the feeling of it!! That's why I was looking as the cerave am, which has good reviews as does the burnout sun products!

free skin care · Tue Feb 05, 2013 6:39 am

If the cleanser works for you and your skin likes it, then keep using it for sure. There are lots of different kinds out there, so it just looking to see whats out there. I’ve got very dry skin so love thick creams on me, and with Retin A, because your skin turns over faster, you need to have that protection from UVA/UVB damage/sensitivity.

Tue Feb 05, 2013 7:10 pm

One thing I've learned from using Retin-A--among other things--on and off over the years is that SPF 15 is nowhere near enough protection. While you're using it, you need at least a SPF 30 or higher.

I'm not currently using Retin-A now due to pregnancy, but when I was, I've had good luck with Josie Maran's SPF 40 daily moisturizer. It's a physical sunblock (not chemical) and isn't too greasy. I'm not sure if you can get it in the UK though.

free skin care · Tue Feb 05, 2013 9:29 pm

I would strongly suggest to stop using Retin A 2 weeks before your vacation...

free skin care · Tue Feb 05, 2013 10:47 pm

Hi Mark,

I have been using 0.1% Retin-A nightly for the last 2 years. I also am very active outdoors with cycling, boating and windsurfing so am familiar with the sunscreen battle. When in full sun, I first layer a water resistant chemical sunscreen, let it absorb for 20 to 30 minutes, then apply a physical zinc and titanium dioxide sunscreen. If I am not immersed in water then I will also apply a third layer of powder sunscreen throughout the day such as Peter Thomas Roth Mineral Sunscreen, which is dispensed through a brush.

If you reapply sunscreen throughout the day (anytime you sweat or at least every two hours) and wear a wide brim hat and sunglasses then you'll be fine. Sunscreen can only block out maximum 97% of UV rays so try to stay covered with a hat whenever you can.

Use at least a 30 SPF or higher. Not too high though or it will irritate your already sensitized skin.

Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:09 am

Thanks for all the replies and advice.... I will consider going off the retin a when away on holidays, I don't go until the end of July so have a good 6 months until I need to decide...going to try a few different sunscreens now, like I said I hate the one I'm using and it only has SPF15 which is clearly not enough!

Currently going through a bit of a peeling stage, where the top layer of skin is starting to peel and looks browner or darker if that makes sense! Had a someone ask if I had been on the sunbed or jokingly if I was wearing makeup ...I'll take that as a complement that the retin a is working!! I used a microfiber cloth for the 1st time ever last night so that may be why I'm slightly pinker today, wasn't very aggressive with it but think that's what's made me start peeling again (I didn't use retin a last night either but will to tonight.)

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