This post includes a paid referral code at the end. All other links in this post are not affiliated in any way.
As I approach ever closer to my fifth decade, like many people, I felt it was time to give my skin some extra attention. In early January this year, I embarked on my tretinoin journey, and now, nearly 10 months in, I’d like to share my experience.
Why I Started Tretinoin
I decided to try tretinoin because I noticed my skin needed a bit more care. Fine lines and areas of redness were becoming more prominent, and I wanted to address these issues proactively. After an online consultation, which involved uploading photos of my skin and answering some questions, I received a personalized formulation designed to target these specific concerns.
My Skin Background
I have fair skin and have struggled with rosacea on and off since my thirties. A few years ago, I managed to bring it under control with a prescription cream called Soolantra, which worked incredibly well for me. However, I still experience occasional flare-ups, and my skin remains sensitive, particularly across my nose and cheek areas.
Starting with Tretinoin
The first tube I received contained 0.25g of tretinoin. I began using it daily in the evening after cleansing my face. Initially, I was cautious, given my skin’s sensitivity, but I was hopeful that this treatment would help improve my skin’s texture and appearance. For the duration of the first tube I used it religiously every evening after cleansing. Initially it irritated the skin around my mouth and and I experienced flakiness for a couple of weeks - this is one of the known and expected side effects. It did settle down quite quickly so I wasn't too bothered by this.
I also had some mild eye irritation for the first week or two. The guidelines stress you must keep it away from the delicate eye area but the serum can seep a little from the surrounding areas and still cause irritation. After a bit of research I discovered a top tip which was to smear a small amount of vaseline around the eye area to prevent seepage. It worked a treat! After a couple of tubes I found I no longer needed to do this as my skin must have adjusted.
How It’s Working Out
So, how has it been working out for me? Here are my observations:
I've moved up to a 0.5mg formulation now but use it less frequently. I aim to use it every other night but being totally honest I've become a little lax at remembering to use it of late. I think this is because it doesn't always fit easily into a routine that includes other products I want to use. After cleansing your face you have to wait until your skin is fully dry to apply it. Once applied you need to wait quite a while if you want to use a night cream also. I do find this mildly inconvenient but I'm probably also being a bit lazy!
Have I seen results though? Whilst making allowances for the fact I've not had the strictest of routines lately, I feel like the biggest benefit is to my skin texture. It seems to have an exfolliant effect and I have noticed that foundation sits better on my skin and overall my skin seems brighter, especially when I was using it more frequently. I don't really feel it's had much effect on my forehead lines but this could be a combination of not being on a potent enough formula yet and my laissez - faire approach. I need to give it more time but I'm beginning to suspect botox would be a quicker fix for my frown lines.
Final Thoughts
Starting tretinoin has been a positive step in my skincare routine. Despite my initial concerns about sensitivity and flare-ups, the benefits have outweighed the challenges. My skin looks and feels better, and if I can start being a bit more fastidious about incorporating it into a regular routine then I’m excited to see continued improvements. I would say this is one of those 'marathon not a race' type treatments.
If you’re considering tretinoin, I recommend consulting with a professional to get a formulation tailored to your skin’s needs. It’s been an imperfect but worthwhile journey for me, and I hope it can be for you too.
Where to purchase
There's a number of online clinics who prescribe in the UK. Please do your research and only buy from somewhere reputable. If you are living outside of the UK also take care to buy safely if it's available to buy in your country.
I have a subscription with Dermatica which currently costs £24.99 per month or whatever frequency you choose for delivery. One of the things I like about this subscription is that I can delay a delivery if I still have formula left. The serum does go much further than you might think, due to it being advisable to only use a pea sized amount per application.
Dermatica offer other skincare products to purchase alongside your tretinoin formula. These are optional but I have tried some. Along with my first two tubes I purchased their 15% Vitamin C formula which was recommended for me to use on a morning. I didn't really get along with this product and ceased using it after a while. I found it it stung quite a bit and felt harsh on my skin. The stinging is a known side effect of Vitamin C skincare and is unlikely to be harmful, however, I like my skincare routine to be an enjoyable process so it wasn't for me.
I've also purchased their Balancing Glycerin Gel Cleanser which I enjoy, and use for an evening cleanse. I alternate it with Rituals Cleansing Balm which I use in my morning shower. Being fair skinned and very prone to sunburn I was concerned about skin damage - tretinoin is known to leave your skin more vulnerable to UVA rays so a good factor 50 daily sunscreen is a must! I've used facial sunscreen for years and I've had a lot of hits and misses so I decided to try their SPF50 Photodamage Defence Sunscreen when they launched it earlier this year. I really rate this sunscreen - it has a nice coverage, doesn't feel sticky or greasy and it sits well under make up. I would buy both these products again especially the sunscreen, and both are reasonably priced at £12.95 for the cleanser and £15.95 for the sunscreen. Dermatica also offer bundles of their skincare products which are frequently discounted.
If trying tretinoin is something that interests you and you want to purchase from Dermatica I have linked my referral code below which gives us both a £10 discount if you join up. No obligation at all to use it but if you've enjoyed this blog post and you decide to, thank you very much indeed.
https://www.dermatica.co.uk/referrer/LR9PLE
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and perhaps learned something from it if tretinoin is a new topic for you. If you've also tried tretinoin I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments!
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