Retin a (tretinoin) cream question...
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Tue Mar 24, 2015 2:50 pm

Hey ladies (and gents).., I'm new here but have been lurking a while. I started retin a .025 a few months back and have worked my way up to .1 about a month ago. I only use it 4 nights a week. I am noticing what appear to be deep NEW wrinkles forming where they weren't before... Around my chin and forehead are the worst areas. I already went through my burning (red face) and bad peeling stage, and am now just slightly peeling.. Could this be from dry skin (which doesn't feel dry to the touch)? Or actual wrinkles from over exfoliation... Can wrinkles just appear in a months time span?

Here is my regimen: (I'm 33 and don't have sensitive skin)

Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday:

Am:

Peter Thomas Roth un-wrinkle peel pads
Vitamin c serum
Sometimes a serum (Olay regenerist microsculpting)
Moisturizer and sunscreen

Pm:
Clarsonic cleanse
Retin a
Cerave moisturizer or Olay

Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday:

Am:
Same as above

Pm:
Clarsonic cleanse
Maybe a face mask one night a week
Walgreens studio 35 aha cream
Olay microsculpting serum
Moisturizer

Please let me know if any of you have had the same experience and if it's going to get better Smile

Thanks

Tue Mar 24, 2015 3:15 pm

I had so many problems with anything but a .025% Retin-A. Why did you increase the %? I'm not sure it's necessary to move up in doseage. If I were you I'd use a gentle but thorough cleanser at night. Skip the pm clarisonic - use in the morning instead. It's what I do and my skin has never looked better.

Tue Mar 24, 2015 3:27 pm

I went up because my acne scars are awful and my derm recommended it.. The .025 I couldn't even tell I was using anything (which was probably a good thing) that's a good idea to switch Clarsonic to the morning...

Tue Mar 24, 2015 4:51 pm

My guess is over exfoliation. I'd lay off from using the Clarisonic daily and cut back on your other exfoliating products like the Retin-A and Vit C to give your skin time to repair itself.

free skin care · Wed Mar 25, 2015 10:39 pm

Sounds like overexfoliation, undermoisturizing and too strong Retin-A. I have been on nightly 0.1% for three years and still peel occasionally. However, it took me years to figure out to drop AHAs and reduce the amount of Retin-A. Had severe wrinkling for a while until I could find a balance between nicely exfoliated and glowing skin and extremely irritated dehydrated skin.

Eventually I gave up on the Clarisonic as even the Cashmere Luxe Brush was too exfoliating and caused micro-peeling.

Do you let your skin dry for at least 30 minutes before application?

Is your face mask or face wash drying?

Suggest decreasing/eliminating the AHA cream and reducing the frequency of Retin-A application or at least using a lesser amount or mixing with moisturizer to buffer it. This will let your skin recover its moisture barrier as it takes six weeks for a skin cycle. Try this for a month or two and see if it helps.

Also, topping off with an oil (a dry oil such as rosehip or hemp) can be helpful to keep your moisturizer from evaporating without looking greasy.

HTH, good luck!

Thu Mar 26, 2015 2:43 pm

Thanks ladies... Pp, did your new wrinkles ever fade? I'm slowing down on the exfoliant a for sure

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