why did tretinoin age my face
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Wed May 29, 2013 10:45 am

hi,everyone
I started using tretinoin 0.05% about 3 years ago for my acne. The first 3 months were good. My skin looked great, very shiny and moist. But at the end of the third month, little by little I started noticing a small frown line on the left side of my forehead and enlarged pores appeared on my forehead. i kept using it for another 3 months,but at the end of the 6th month i had grown laugh lines,wrinkly and saggy forehead and large pores. I couldn't believe it. Until using tretinoin I didn't have even a small line on my face, and there it was, my face being destroyed slowly in front of my eyes. I went to my doctor and explained everything and asked for an explanation, but she wouldn't hear me. She said it had nothing to do with tretinoin and that tretinoin is one of the best anti-aging products ever. But I don't think so. as I said I never had such a problem before, and I was 23 years old. i quit it,but after 4 months i was put on differin for 2 months for acne.it helped with acne,but no helping with wrinkly and saggy forehead and laugh lines.those lines have been there for 3 years .I'm 26 now and there has been no improvement. my skin has become so sensitive. I'm even scared of laughing as it leaves deeper and deeper lines on my face. I don't know who to be mad at, myself or the cold-blooded doctors who don't hesitate a minute in ruining your life. I wish I knew what I know now back then, I wish there was something I could do to reverse all this. I've hardly ever put on make-up in my life. I just had acne which was due to hormonal imbalance which could well be treated in other ways.

free skin care · Wed May 29, 2013 1:59 pm

I am in my 6th month or so using .05& retinA. and almost every other week or so I notice a new dark spot on my face... initially, i was thought that it's cause retin A is brining all this damage to the surface but not so sure anymore...

Wed May 29, 2013 2:46 pm

I have been using retin a micro for a few weeks.. had a few days where the skin was red and sensitive, because, I think, I didn't have a strong enough sunscreen. I used some moisturizer for a week or so and just applied the retin a tonight. I have noticed a significant tightning of skin and reduction of wrinkles. How much retin a were you using? Very Happy

free skin care · Wed May 29, 2013 3:02 pm

Alyce123 wrote:

I have been using retin a micro for a few weeks.. had a few days where the skin was red and sensitive, because, I think, I didn't have a strong enough sunscreen. I used some moisturizer for a week or so and just applied the retin a tonight. I have noticed a significant tightning of skin and reduction of wrinkles. How much retin a were you using? Very Happy

i think these immediate effects of tightening n wrinkle reduction are due to inflammation and irritation, which can plump up the skin.... it takes months n months to see wrinkle reduction with Retin A...

Wed May 29, 2013 3:05 pm

I took photos before I began using the retin
a micro, and do see a decided imporvement.. the inflamation wasn't much, and I got a 110 sunscreen to protect the skin.

free skin care · Wed May 29, 2013 3:57 pm

Alyce123 wrote:

I took photos before I began using the retin
a micro, and do see a decided imporvement.. the inflamation wasn't much, and I got a 110 sunscreen to protect the skin.

cool...

btw, there is not much difference between spf 30 and spf 110 as far as protecting from the sun..

Wed May 29, 2013 4:35 pm

Hi Venus,

Are you moisturizing your skin properly? I have been using 0.5% tretinoin for 6 years now. The first year that I began using it, I applied it all over my face including underneath my eyes. After a few weeks of doing that I began noticing fine lines around my eyes that weren't there before. I immediately stopped applying it under my eyes and began using a rich moisturizer around the problem area's and the fine lines started diminishing.
Tretinoin can really really dehydrate the skin causing superficial dehydration lines. Once the skin is adequately moisturized, the dehydration lines usually begin to fade. Keep in mind that dry skin is one cause of wrinkles, so if you aren't moisturizing your skin while using tretinoin than you are actually doing more harm than good. I feel that what you are experiencing could just be dehydration of the skin. I am certain that you can reverse the damage with good moisturizing products, preferably some with ceramides (CeraVe)because they can help to restore the skin barrier which helps lock moisture into the skin.
I would also like to point out that when I had dehydrated skin I was experiencing everything you mentioned, including the large pores. Once I achieved hydrated skin, the pores went back to being small.
I honestly cannot stress enough how important it is to use a good moisturizer while using Tretinoin.

HTH

A

Wed May 29, 2013 4:37 pm

I found a good moisturizer and what a difference.. great suggestions!

Wed May 29, 2013 6:48 pm

I would also like to add that using Tretinoin everyday is not advisable for those that are prone to skin sensitivities or dryness. I use it every other night and in the winters I use it every two nights. This way you will still achieve the desired results without the side effects.

Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:45 am

Aria_amour wrote:

Hi Venus,

Are you moisturizing your skin properly? I have been using 0.5% tretinoin for 6 years now. The first year that I began using it, I applied it all over my face including underneath my eyes. After a few weeks of doing that I began noticing fine lines around my eyes that weren't there before. I immediately stopped applying it under my eyes and began using a rich moisturizer around the problem area's and the fine lines started diminishing.
Tretinoin can really really dehydrate the skin causing superficial dehydration lines. Once the skin is adequately moisturized, the dehydration lines usually begin to fade. Keep in mind that dry skin is one cause of wrinkles, so if you aren't moisturizing your skin while using tretinoin than you are actually doing more harm than good. I feel that what you are experiencing could just be dehydration of the skin. I am certain that you can reverse the damage with good moisturizing products, preferably some with ceramides (CeraVe)because they can help to restore the skin barrier which helps lock moisture into the skin.
I would also like to point out that when I had dehydrated skin I was experiencing everything you mentioned, including the large pores. Once I achieved hydrated skin, the pores went back to being small.
I honestly cannot stress enough how important it is to use a good moisturizer while using Tretinoin.

HTH

A

Thanks Aria,
unfortunately the doctor didn't tell me about the dehydrating side of tretinoin. She didn't tell me that I had to use moisturizer during the treatment. I had no clue about what tretinoin was and how it could dehydrate your skin. I used tretinoin 3 years ago for 6 months and yes, even after that much time, my skin still feels dry and it's stretched and about to break when I laugh.Can my skin get back to normal if I keep using moisturizer? or is there any other way to get it thicker again, as it's become so thin now? I've been using moisturizer regularly for a few months now and I've seen very little change.

free skin care · Mon Jun 03, 2013 6:12 am

Tretinoin is one of the better antiaging products for sure, but it has to be used properly and to me if you have hormone imbalances then you need to sort them out first (and believe me I’ve been there and done that and got the t-shirt). I’d actually get a new doctor and put a complaint in about this current one.

Now at 26 you can definitely do things to improve your skin. Don’t loose heart. Acne may be due to hormonal imbalance, but it can also be stress related too and this is where you are bound to have been stressed out over these things too. If you think its dehydration, then you need to start using moisturising agents like the others have said and drinking lots of water too. You may want to also try Vit C serum, which you could make yourself and quite cheaply too, but whatever you do or use, be realistic and don’t expect overnight changes. Even Retin A needs to be used for up to a year (in the med studies done on it they were all originally over the year mark).

I’ve used Retin A for well over 30 years plus, and wouldn’t be without it, but I have had a great derm for that whole time (and pray he never retires as I don’t know what I’ll do then), but don’t let this bad experience put you off.

Now you don’t mention strength or frequency of usage, but these are all factors that can have effects too. Also one thing with retin a that many people ignore is that it makes the skin more sensitive to light and thus sun damage. Many of my idiot friends ignored that advice and started having strange marks appear and it was sun damage. So I’m mentioning this too – please folks ensure you are using a good sunprotector when you use Retin A. Likewise the form you are using is also important, gel, creams, microgel etc.

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