Cellulite
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free skin care · Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:15 pm

valentine529 wrote:

I am going to try using Retin A on my cellulite, too! I hope that it helps, even in a small way!

Does anyone know what percentage of Retin A would be best for this task? Currently, I use .05% cream on my face and neck on a daily basis. I am wondering if it would be better to use .1% gel instead Question

This thread is FULL of GREAT INFORMATION!!! Very Happy

The study used 0.3% retinol cream, so if you were to follow that protocol I would suggest that you skip the 0.1% gel and spring for a tube of the 0.3% cream.

The cheapest product off the top of my head that has 0.3% retinol is Afirm 2X. Perhaps someone else knows of another one that is even cheaper than Afirm, but that's all I can think of at the moment.

Dermadoctor sells it here -www.dermadoctor.com/brand_Afirm_2.html?src=ppc&ecamp=ggl&gkey=afirm&AID=5030&s_kwcid=TC

Wed Jul 06, 2011 5:22 am

I am sorry. I worded my question incorrectly! Embarassed

I should have asked which percentage of Retin A/tretinoin would be the most comparable to the .3% retinoic acid??? I am not completely certain, but it is my understanding that the retinoic acid is not as strong or effective as the prescription strength tretinoin. Of course, I could be wrong! Embarassed

Could someone clarify this? Question

I guess that I was going to do my own experimentation using products that are most comparable to the study that was mentioned and also most convenient for me. Wink

I figure it would be worth a try using the inexpensive Retin A products from All Day Chemist!

free skin care · Wed Jul 06, 2011 7:17 am

valentine529 wrote:

I am sorry. I worded my question incorrectly! Embarassed

I should have asked which percentage of Retin A/tretinoin would be the most comparable to the .3% retinoic acid??? I am not completely certain, but it is my understanding that the retinoic acid is not as strong or effective as the prescription strength tretinoin. Of course, I could be wrong! Embarassed

Could someone clarify this? Question

I guess that I was going to do my own experimentation using products that are most comparable to the study that was mentioned and also most convenient for me. Wink

I figure it would be worth a try using the inexpensive Retin A products from All Day Chemist!

Here is brief description of *Retin A* and *Retinol* that might be helpful for you.

Retin A, also known as "retinoic acid", is a type of tretinoin. Tretinoin is a Vitamin A derivative.

Retinol, which is a form of Vitamin A, converts to "retinoic acid" after it has been absorbed into the skin. It is used by a number of people because it is often less irritating compared to Retin A and you do not require a prescription for it.

Though these two actives are indeed different, they are linked together because Retinol has the ability to be converted into retinoic acid.

The big deal about retinoic acid is that it is the key component that is responsible for boosting collagen synthesis.

The challenge with Retinol is that you must use a stabilized high-concentration formula to try and obtain results that are similar to Retin A. That's why you see higher percentages of Retinol creams in comparison to Retin A.

If your skin can tolerate a fair amount of Retin A on it regularly (and what I mean by this, is that your body can handle RA on your legs/thighs or wherever) then I see no reason not to try your 0.05% Retin A to start with and up it to 0.1% if your skin is adapting well. This is what I intend to do, but I am going to start with the cream versions of RA because I do not want my skin to become too dry/irritated.

I hope this makes sense and clarifies things for you. Smile

Wed Jul 06, 2011 1:19 pm

Thank you for that very informative information! Smile

I have been using Retin A for half of my life, over 20 years, and I seem to tolerate it well. I have tried other products with retinoic acid, and the results were just not there for me. Sad

I plan on trying the .05% Retin A first, and if I am able to tolerate this, I will jump up to .1% gel. I plan on moisturizing the newly treated area as I see necessary...I will just listen to my skin!

I am very interested in seeing if this improves the appearance of cellulite! Also, I cannot wait to hear the reports of all the creative ladies following this thread! Smile

Thu Jul 07, 2011 7:29 am

Hi everyone!)
I was just amazed by your sharing expirience. As you may guess I'm suffering from just the same problem. Confused

But thanx to you I got a lot of variants to solve it Smile

free skin care · Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:01 pm

for the body tazorac might be a bit better, as it is stronger.
I like this video on youtube on how to treat cellulite, the guy is smart and he is a dermatologist, explaining well about cellulite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MPoXq3IWH8

free skin care · Sat Jul 09, 2011 5:17 am

I'm a little concerned that using retinol products over such a large area of the skin on a daily basis would result in too much absorption and would be toxic and hard on the liver. The skin is like a big sponge, and your body takes in what you put on it and has to process it.

free skin care · Sat Jul 09, 2011 5:23 am

ScotsLass wrote:

valentine529 wrote:

I am going to try using Retin A on my cellulite, too! I hope that it helps, even in a small way!

Does anyone know what percentage of Retin A would be best for this task? Currently, I use .05% cream on my face and neck on a daily basis. I am wondering if it would be better to use .1% gel instead Question

This thread is FULL of GREAT INFORMATION!!! Very Happy

The study used 0.3% retinol cream, so if you were to follow that protocol I would suggest that you skip the 0.1% gel and spring for a tube of the 0.3% cream.

The cheapest product off the top of my head that has 0.3% retinol is Afirm 2X. Perhaps someone else knows of another one that is even cheaper than Afirm, but that's all I can think of at the moment.

Dermadoctor sells it here -www.dermadoctor.com/brand_Afirm_2.html?src=ppc&ecamp=ggl&gkey=afirm&AID=5030&s_kwcid=TC

I think I would get this, and use it in the winter season only. I wonder if they would ship that product to Canada?

I may have to place an order on Costco website to get Dermawand. I don't always have the car to drive around and on weekends, my husband and I always spend time together.

free skin care · Sat Jul 09, 2011 5:26 am

Jeannine wrote:

I'm a little concerned that using retinol products over such a large area of the skin on a daily basis would result in too much absorption and would be toxic and hard on the liver. The skin is like a big sponge, and your body takes in what you put on it and has to process it.

I never considered that, but I never read that it was bad for you liver also. Do you have proof that it is bad for your liver?

Sat Jul 09, 2011 11:18 am

I am not certain if Retin A is toxic to the liver, but I do know that I was advised by my obstetrician to stop using Retin A during my pregnancy and for the 2 years that I was breastfeeding.

Right now, I use it on my face and neck. I apply only the size of a pea to cover both areas. I would imagine that if one uses just a small amount on select areas that this would be fine.

We definitely should check this out with a dermatologist... For me, my health is more important than my beauty!!!

free skin care · Sat Jul 09, 2011 11:37 am

Why spend a fortune for treatments that don't work or that are temporary at best? Diet. You will look and feel better.

free skin care · Sat Jul 09, 2011 11:44 am

Diet doesn't work for everyone, sorry.

Sat Jul 09, 2011 11:49 am

That is where you are wrong, SoftSkin. Confused

I am 5 feet 3 inches tall, and I weigh 105 lbs. I have always been very athletic and very concerned with my health. I do not smoke or drink any alcohol. I do follow a very healthy, low fat, low salt diet. I am also very serious about my gym routine...5 days a week of weight training and cardio. Cellulite has nothing to do with my weight or my diet! Sad

This is a genetic flaw...almost like if a person is born with a really big nose.

As far as the expense, I have an answer for that one: All Day Chemist... a tube of Retin A for less than 5 bucks! Very Happy

free skin care · Sat Jul 09, 2011 12:30 pm

I get my personalized massage oil.
i have added 2% of each essential oil to 100ml of carrier oil (almond oil, jojoba oil)
- Cypress
- Grapefruit
- Lemon
- geranium
- Juniper.

I massage my thigh once - twice a day.

free skin care · Sat Jul 09, 2011 1:35 pm

valentine529 wrote:

That is where you are wrong, SoftSkin. Confused

I am 5 feet 3 inches tall, and I weigh 105 lbs. I have always been very athletic and very concerned with my health. I do not smoke or drink any alcohol. I do follow a very healthy, low fat, low salt diet. I am also very serious about my gym routine...5 days a week of weight training and cardio. Cellulite has nothing to do with my weight or my diet! Sad

This is a genetic flaw...almost like if a person is born with a really big nose.

As far as the expense, I have an answer for that one: All Day Chemist... a tube of Retin A for less than 5 bucks! Very Happy

Yes, I agree with you. The slimmer I was, the more noticable it was for me. I've gained weight since Mad

free skin care · Sat Jul 09, 2011 1:36 pm

valentine529 wrote:

I am not certain if Retin A is toxic to the liver, but I do know that I was advised by my obstetrician to stop using Retin A during my pregnancy and for the 2 years that I was breastfeeding.

Right now, I use it on my face and neck. I apply only the size of a pea to cover both areas. I would imagine that if one uses just a small amount on select areas that this would be fine.

We definitely should check this out with a dermatologist... For me, my health is more important than my beauty!!!

Oh, I am aware of that and some doctors say that they don't think RetinA could do anything to you or the baby, but they just want to be sure.

free skin care · Sat Jul 09, 2011 8:37 pm

Thats how I feel about diet for cellulite. I don't have any weight to lose, I'm more active than most people, and eat very clean other than the occasional glass of beer. My mother was the same, with the same arc of cellulite across our thighs. I believe this to be genetic, it is identical on the women in my family.

free skin care · Sat Jul 09, 2011 9:22 pm

Been battling this since my 20's and never had a weight problem.....I weigh pretty much the same as high school...small and petite and I am very fit and exercise five days a week. None of my relatives have the problem. My issue with cellulite is on the front of my thighs. I have noticed that when I am faithful with my aeroplilates machine I have reduced it drastically....that is with using the rebounder that is attached at the end.
It operates with rebounding laying down. Rebounders are suppose to help with lymph drainage anyway. I got burned out exercising at home and this year have been doing Zumba at a studio....still great workout but not the best for cellulite.....need to incorporate the pilates back in. This is a link for the pilates machine.
http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.F0411.desc.AeroPilates-3-Corded-Deluxe-Performer-wCardio-Rebounder

I have wondered if not sweating is a reason I have cellulite. No matter how hard I workout I really don't sweat. My best friend is the same way and she has cellulite and is thin.

free skin care · Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:47 pm

Interesting about the no sweating... I don't sweat either. It could be 90 degrees outside and I'm riding my bike, but I don't break a sweat even though I'm working hard. My circulation is also awful where its the worst (back and sides of my thighs). My backside is always ice cold, no matter what. I don't use a rebounder, but I try to do the same motion to pump my feet to move the lymph. Not sure if this helps, but I guess it can't hurt.

free skin care · Sun Jul 10, 2011 12:53 am

About Retin A and liver toxicity, the oral form accutane can be damaging to the liver in some patients, that is why doctors monitor liver enzymes monthly in everybody on oral accutane. However, topically, they frequently prescribe tretinoin for back acne, which is a large area also, and no monitoring is done at that time. I would NEVER use retinoids in pregnancy, they can be teratogenic and nobody knows in what dosage, so why risk it. Stop retinoid usage preferably one month or more before pregnancy.

free skin care · Sun Jul 10, 2011 6:41 am

The liver and the kidneys are the organs responsible for removing toxins from the body. It's one or the other. In this case, it's the liver. Retin-A was never intended to be put on large areas of the body. It is safe when applied to small areas like the face, but if you rub it all over your legs and tummy, etc., you will absorb much more than is deemed safe. There have been numerous cases of poisoning from applying things to large areas of skin. Here are some relevant articles. If you want to know more, Google it.

http://www.wellness.com/reference/vitamins/vitamin-a-retinol/dosing-and-safety

http://www.annals.org/content/124/2/227.full.pdf+html

http://truthinaging.com/ingredient-spotlight/tretinoin-and-retinoids-toxicity-and-safety

Skincare wrote:

Jeannine wrote:

I'm a little concerned that using retinol products over such a large area of the skin on a daily basis would result in too much absorption and would be toxic and hard on the liver. The skin is like a big sponge, and your body takes in what you put on it and has to process it.

I never considered that, but I never read that it was bad for you liver also. Do you have proof that it is bad for your liver?

Sun Jul 10, 2011 12:17 pm

All of this information is very interesting. However, I want to remind everyone, although I am certain that you are all aware of this point, that not all information on the internet is accurate and truthful...

Personally, I am skeptical about most information that I find on the internet. It is critical to consider the sources where you find the information. With this in mind, I would still ask a dermatologist or even a pharmacist as to how much Retin A is dangerous to one's health.

free skin care · Mon Jul 11, 2011 9:35 am

valentine529 wrote:

Thank you for that very informative information! Smile

I have been using Retin A for half of my life, over 20 years, and I seem to tolerate it well. I have tried other products with retinoic acid, and the results were just not there for me. Sad

I plan on trying the .05% Retin A first, and if I am able to tolerate this, I will jump up to .1% gel. I plan on moisturizing the newly treated area as I see necessary...I will just listen to my skin!

I am very interested in seeing if this improves the appearance of cellulite! Also, I cannot wait to hear the reports of all the creative ladies following this thread! Smile

I think there is some confusion here. When you say you have used products that contained retinoic acid (and didn't find they were very effective), I believe you are referring to products that contained either Retinol or another weaker form of Vitamin A. Technically, tretinoin products are the only ones that contain (all-trans) retinoic acid (ie., Retin-A, Atralin, Renova, Avita, Altinac). All other products that contain Vitamin A derivatives have to be absorbed into the skin before the Vitamin A can be converted to retinoic acid. So in reality, these products do not contain retinoic acid at all. Do you see the difference?

Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:27 am

There is no confusion here regarding my experience with Retin A. Confused

In my experience, any other RETINOIDS that I have tried DID NOT GIVE MY SKIN THE POSITIVE RESULTS that Retin A .05% did.

For this reason, I choose not to waste my time or money on other RETINOIDS which offer ME a substandard result in comparison with the Retin A .05%. THIS IS JUST MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE!!!

Smile

free skin care · Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:41 am

Jeannine wrote:

The liver and the kidneys are the organs responsible for removing toxins from the body. It's one or the other. In this case, it's the liver. Retin-A was never intended to be put on large areas of the body. It is safe when applied to small areas like the face, but if you rub it all over your legs and tummy, etc., you will absorb much more than is deemed safe. There have been numerous cases of poisoning from applying things to large areas of skin. Here are some relevant articles. If you want to know more, Google it.

http://www.wellness.com/reference/vitamins/vitamin-a-retinol/dosing-and-safety

http://www.annals.org/content/124/2/227.full.pdf+html

http://truthinaging.com/ingredient-spotlight/tretinoin-and-retinoids-toxicity-and-safety

I agree that people should be cautious about applying large amounts of Retin-A to their bodies as the product wasn't intended to be used as such. With that said, there are many people who use Retin-A on their face, neck, hands and décolletage every day and when you combine the total amount of skin involved, it isn't a small amount in many cases. I have never been told by a doctor that applying RA to all of the above mentioned areas in a single day is unsafe either. So where exactly is the line drawn for maximum application per day?

The studies/articles you provided are all primarily related to toxicity of ingesting oral Vitamin A (ie., Accutane and supplements). The study of topical RA involved ONE woman who had chronic Hep C, which might be related to the negative reactions she had to Retin-A. An isolated study such as this isn't enough evidence to support that Retin A is toxic for everyone.

If anyone does decide to try Retin A on their cellulite, they should be aware that it WILL NOT eliminate the appearance of cellulite, per se. It may help restore the damaged connective tissue that is allowing the fat to bulge and create that yucky dimpling of the skin, but you will still have to address the circulation and lymph issues to help disperse the existing appearance of adipose fat.

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