HELP!!! I"M USING OBAGI!!!!!
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:20 pm

DarkMoon wrote:

SFVera wrote:

zhoushuhappy wrote:

Hello everyone, who can recommend me another brand Retin A? because now the obagi Retin A is expensive and i want to instead of. XXX!

Walgreens sells Retin A for around $50 but if you have a Walgreens card it drops to $32. The card costs $20 a year and you can get discounts on prescription meds not covered by your insurance and 10% back on Walgreens brand purchases.

Not without a prescription at least in the US they can't!

You are right, you need a prescription but I assume that people using Obagi and Retin A are doing so after consultation with their doctors. No offense to those who do this on their own but I wouldn't use anything as strong as Obagi and/or Retin A without discussing it with my doctor.

Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:51 pm

zhoushuhappy wrote:

SFVera wrote:

zhoushuhappy wrote:

Hello everyone, who can recommend me another brand Retin A? because now the obagi Retin A is expensive and i want to instead of. XXX!

Walgreens sells Retin A for around $50 but if you have a Walgreens card it drops to $32. The card costs $20 a year and you can get discounts on prescription meds not covered by your insurance and 10% back on Walgreens brand purchases.

thanks very much. I will have a try.

As DarkMoon pointed out, you will need a prescription to purchase the Retin A at Walgreens. If you aren't consulting with a derm your GP may be willing to write the prescription without an office visit.

Also I wanted to say my prescription for $32 is for the Tretinoin, .05%, 20 gram. Depending on what strength and size you are using the price may vary. And, again, you have to purchase the Walgreen's card for $20 so the savings on the first purchase is about $4 but it becomes $24 for future purchases during the year.

I've had really good results using Obagi and hope you will too!

Sun Nov 28, 2010 10:49 am

zhoushuhappy wrote:

Hello everyone, who can recommend me another brand Retin A? because now the obagi Retin A is expensive and i want to instead of. XXX!

Hi I have just bought Retin A in Cairo Egypt for 18.50 LE which is about £1.80 Stirling which being from the UK is so much cheaper than what I got quoted from back home!! My mum lives over there so I am lucky I can buy it in bulk!! Its made from Johnson and Johnson by the way!! A well known brand operating under another name to save the embarrassment of cheap labour!!

Wed Dec 22, 2010 10:26 pm

It's encouraging to read all the positive feedback on this forum!

Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:40 am

I would also like to ask which Retin-A brand you can recommend? I have been using the Obagi 0.1 for 7 months, but at £78 (about $120) a tube it's becoming very expensive. On Alldaychemist website they sell Stieva, Johnson & Johnson and a generic one. Anyone has any experience with those? I assume they probably differ slightly even if the active ingredient is the same.

free skin care · Mon Jan 10, 2011 3:15 pm

nicerkitten wrote:

I would also like to ask which Retin-A brand you can recommend? I have been using the Obagi 0.1 for 7 months, but at £78 (about $120) a tube it's becoming very expensive. On Alldaychemist website they sell Stieva, Johnson & Johnson and a generic one. Anyone has any experience with those? I assume they probably differ slightly even if the active ingredient is the same.

Hi Nicerkitten,
I've purchased the Johnson & Johnson retin a from ADC and it works just fine -- with the Obagi products and alone. I usually purchase the 0.05% cream version.

Tue Jan 18, 2011 1:54 am

When I started using the Obagi system I got the whole kit but wondered whether it was really necessary to use the Obagi cleanser, as opposed to cream cleanser I really like; and for years my derm and others have said toner was designed and needed to be used when facial cleansers left residue but the newer cleanser no longer leave residue so toner was a complete waste of money and time. Recently there was another article saying toner is a waste of money for the same reason.

It is true that creams and moisturizers absorb into the skin better when the skin is a bit damp (the reason every cosmetic counter gal has tried to sell me toner) but it is damp right after washing.

My derm says I can use any good light-weight cleanser and no toner if I want to but I wanted to see if anyone else is using only the other products without the Obagi cleanser and toner.

Thanks for your help.

free skin care · Tue Jan 18, 2011 6:13 am

The nuderm system is a 'system' and is meant to be used as such. Meaning you should be using all the products unless you are having adverse reaction. The toner in the nuderm system isn't for removing residue as it is for normalizing your skin's PH. The products in Obagi work more effectively at a specific ph range and the toner is used to set your skin's ph to a range where the products are better accepted and more effective. I would use the toner, especially if you are just wasting the money after having bought it.

Tue Jan 18, 2011 6:01 pm

its_kristy wrote:

The nuderm system is a 'system' and is meant to be used as such. Meaning you should be using all the products unless you are having adverse reaction. The toner in the nuderm system isn't for removing residue as it is for normalizing your skin's PH. The products in Obagi work more effectively at a specific ph range and the toner is used to set your skin's ph to a range where the products are better accepted and more effective. I would use the toner, especially if you are just wasting the money after having bought it.

All toners claim to balance the skin's PH but have proven unnecessary. I stopped using the toner a while back and it hasn't made any difference to the effectiveness of the Obagi products.

I was just wondering if anyone else was using another type of cleanser and/or stopped using the toner. And, if so, what their experience was.

free skin care · Tue Jan 18, 2011 6:13 pm

SFVera wrote:

I was just wondering if anyone else was using another type of cleanser and/or stopped using the toner. And, if so, what their experience was.

I always used the Obagi cleanser (though not necessarily the Nu Derm cleanser), but I stopped user the toner after my first bottle, and used plain witch hazel. It didn't seem to make any difference on my skin.

Wed Jan 19, 2011 1:18 pm

I agree with SFVera. I very much doubt that the cleanser or toner matters much in the effectiveness of the system. They are very pricey and after reading the ingredients list I decided to replace them with a cheaper, but very good cleanser and toner.

Don't forget that Obagi is a business and of course they will try to convince you to use their products and sell you as many things as possible. As far as I am concerned the active ingredients that are unique to the system are the blender and the clear, the tretinoin and the rest of the items can be replaced by cheaper equivalents.

Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:38 am

Rileygirl, thanks for the tip about witch hazel. I did a bit of research and it seems it works well for oily skin and/or acne issues, I have normal/dry skin but will pass the info on to my daughter who has oily skin and some acne.

Nicerkitten, you are right, companies really want to sell you their products, needed or not. At $28 a bottle (the price I get it for) for the cleanser and toner, I can spend that money on a manicure or pedicure, LOL.

Thanks to both of you for sharing your experiences.

Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:03 am

SFVera, I have been using Cetaphil for a cleanser and no toner as directed by my derm, I am on day 11 and am right on track with redness and lots of peeling!

Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:38 pm

shellz wrote:

SFVera, I have been using Cetaphil for a cleanser and no toner as directed by my derm, I am on day 11 and am right on track with redness and lots of peeling!

I've used Cetaphil for ages and really like it, so I'm using it with the Obagi products without toner, too.

Wow, I remember how crazy the peeling made me at the beginning. I wanted to hide out in the house, LOL. It took about 6 weeks for the peeling to nearly stop--it wasn't until I went to the maintenance phase that the peeling stopped completely. Obagi has worked wonderfully for me, I hope it works as well for you!

free skin care · Sun Jan 30, 2011 6:50 pm

MACrisis wrote:

Deanna:

Please be very careful with Obagi's products. As Lifeplyr01 said and what Sherri did - consult and use it under a dermatologist's supervision.
I've never used the line but for last 5 years I saw my sister-in-law's skin from oily to normal to super dry by using it. She used it under Dr. OBAGI's supervision!!! Obagi did Blue Peel on her try to remove bad acne scars she had. OMG you should see her face for the 1st 10 days. Scary!! After the peel her skin DID look very, very good for about 6 months but after that her skin looked about the same as before the peel. Her skin became very thin after the peel. She puts on at least SPF 30 sunscreen twice daily but her skin gets so sensitive to the sun. Till now I don't have courage to use Obagi even I heard so many good review about it. BTW, she got many broken capillaries from using Obagi too.

Oh my god, I just purchased obagi! will the type of skin be changed when using obagi ?

Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:09 pm

I just washed my face to get ready for the evening application and my skin was burning so bad when washing, ugh, should I suffer through it or back off a night? If I could be assured that this burning phase won't last too long then I think I can deal with it, but if it's not normal then someone please let me know Confused

thanks!

Tue Feb 01, 2011 12:40 am

Shellz - A minute or two of tingling or even a bit of stinging for a minute or two happens sometimes when I apply the Exfoderm but never burning. My derm said if I felt any burning to wash my face and call him. So, yes, stop using Obagi until you speak with you doctor. Obagi is really strong and it may be that you need to use less to start.

If the burning is from excessive peeling, you can use Aquaphor to cover the area to protect it from the Obagi products--I use Aquaphor around the edges of my nostrils b/c that area over peels if I get any Obagi products on it.

In any case, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. Take care.

Tue Feb 01, 2011 5:40 pm

Thanks SFVera! My face actually feels a bit better today (day 13) I spent some time in the shower this morning and rubbed off half of my face as per what I have read on other threads. Last night I just used a pearl of trint and same with blender. I think I just hit that "I want to quit" stage but don't want to give up so will just cut back a little for a while. I live in Arizona and it is so dry here to begin with! BTW, Aquafor is a life saver Smile

Tue Feb 01, 2011 7:44 pm

Shellz – So glad to hear the burning has eased, it sort of freaked me out. Last night this site was doing maintenance and I had the darnest time trying to post. All I could think was “Oh no, burning isn’t good!” I wasn’t sure my post actually got posted.

I didn’t read anything about rubbing one’s face on this site but the buildup of peeling/flaking skin made me want to. My derm said just to use a wash cloth gently—oh it was such an awful time, LOL! At one point a male friend over brunch asked if there was something wrong with my face because it was peeling! Obagi has dried out my already normal-dry skin so I use a light moisturizer over the treatments during the day. I know some gals here say not to use moisturizer but I can’t find anything on the Official Obagi site that says that and my derm said I could use a light moisturizer. Also when I was full on with Obagi I found their SPF35 sunblock also seemed to ease the appearance of peeling a bit. Now that I’m in maintenance (using Obagi 3 times a week) I use moisturizer every day.

I don’t know how much hyper-pigmentation you have but mine seemed to darken the first few weeks of the full treatment and then the darker areas just peeled off. The darkening upset me but now I just think it is part of the process.

In any case, I’m so happy you are o.k. Using less sounds like an excellent idea. Stick with it, it is worth it. Take care.

Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:37 am

I am on day 4 and I look like a character from a horror movie. This morning about 80% of my cheeks and chin was peeling like crazy, I was able to red rid of most of the flakes with washing and a Thermal water mist my Dr. provided. But the redness on my chin, around my mouth and chin is horrible. I also have lots of red blotches on my cheeks as well. With the redness and how tender my skin was today I skipped the clear and exfoderm to give my face a break. I know that this is all part of the process when you use the Nu-derm system but can anyone tell me how long I should expect to look so bad? And, has anyone used Obagi Tolereen or another hydrocortisone to help with the redness and stinging? The doctor who gave me the system is away until March 28 and I hoping there is something I can do on my own while I wait to get back to see her. Thanks!

Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:55 pm

Christine - It took about four weeks for the flaking to to ease up, my doctor said it could take up to 6 weeks. It was really bad and my face was really tender for the first week or so. My doctor said I could use a light moisturizer to help reduce the appearance of the flaking (after applying Obagi and it helped. Try reducing the amount of Obagi you use, it took a couple weeks for me to build up to the full dosage of Obagi. The areas around the sides mouth and creases around the nostrils are particularly sensitive so you shouldn't use Obagi in those areas. You can use Aquaphor on these areas to protect the skin and to help with areas of severe flaking. Hydrocortisone will help with the redness but reducing the amout used until your skin becomes used to Obagi would be better.

Good luck.

free skin care · Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:09 pm

Wow if Obagi is that dangerous, then people should go to the dermatologist to see if it's right for them. And to make sure that they have a regular derm they can consult should something like this comes up

free skin care · Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:51 pm

oasisjc wrote:

Wow if Obagi is that dangerous, then people should go to the dermatologist to see if it's right for them. And to make sure that they have a regular derm they can consult should something like this comes up

I wouldn't necessarily consider Obagi "dangerous" but it is definitely a treatment rather than just skin care.

It's definitely best to have a derm/plastic surgeon/esthetician on hand to consult. That being said, there are many of us who have done it alone with the help of some very amazing EDS forum members! Smile

Mon May 02, 2011 5:05 pm

Hello ladies!

I have been on obagi nu derm system for almost five months now. It took a while to get used to the system, but it totally cleared my skin. My only complaint was that I had deep scars left from suffering from years of acne. A few weeks ago I did a tca peel in hopes to improve my scars. My skin was looking great at first, but then I started to break out and have been breaking out ever since. I am back on my regimen but am not sure if I should be using the exfoderm as much or what to do. Has anyone else experienced this? Any advice would be helpful.

Sat Sep 17, 2011 2:25 pm

Hi Gals,

I asked this earlier but am back again b/c I'm hoping for new suggestions. I was in the Caribbean in July, used Obagi SFP 50 (I was applying it every hour, then every half hour), sitting in the shade, wearing a hat, etc. I had stopped using Obagi, as suggested by my doctor, approximately 5 weeks before going away but my skin got so damaged from the sun that I don't think it will ever clear up again. I've been on the full Obagi program since returning and my hyper-pigmentation has lighten in some areas but there has been no change in others. The areas that have no change are oddly the ones that cleared up so quickly and completely when I used Obagi for the first time.

I go to the Caribbean at least a couple time a year and the next time is in January. I desperately need recommendations for sun block with zinc oxide that really works.

Thanks!

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.