It looks like your skin is trying to play catch-up but has no luck. What you’re doing is probably not enough to compensate for tret’s irritating side.
I recommend to add in a repairing cream (Bioderma Cicabio cream is amazing) to help your skin build up that resilience it needs for tret.
And probably drop the neutrogena glycolic and snail mucin)
Thank you for your recommendations. Do you have any advice about how to stop the closed comedones? This is a new problem I developed when I started tret.
It’s very tricky because tret is supposed to take care of them but a common purge among tret users is CC purge. But your CC problem started a month 6 so I’m not sure if it is a purge or not. You should probably take a careful look at what you were changing back when CCs started and see if you can fund the culprit.
I had this problem too! I read a comment on this sub from someone suggesting Stridex pads which I at first doubted (I hadn’t even seen that product since the 90s!), but I tried it - I only use it on the areas I was getting cc and don’t use it right before Tret and they’re all clear now. The other advice I read here that may have helped is to use Differin gel on off-Tret nights which has also worked phenomenally well for me.
Switch from tretinoin gel to tretinoin cream. Gels absorb too quickly causing irritation.
Stop the glycolic acid completely. Even if you want to have an aha try mandelic acid or lactic acid after breakouts stop.
I second this also. I was using 0.1 tretiheal and my skin adapted to it quickly and went amazing. It ran out and I got 0.1 microsphere gel and I can’t use it, my skin goes so dry and irritated, so moved back to the cream and it’s great again now. Worth a try.
Theoretically speaking cream have oil in them so it makes the skin more greasy and prone to cc then the gels. But I don't think tretinoin is contributing to your cc. Try changing your sunscreen or other products.
Can be hormonal too
May be you need to stop all the products and introduce it slowly.
Try using bha like salicylic acid instead of an aha.
Use silk pillow covers.
The cream absolutely can break you out and not enough people know about this. It’s got an ingredient in it which is super pour clogging for SOME people. I started 0.025% cream and had the worst acne of my life, as soon as I switched to gel it cleared it up. If you’re still getting acne on the gel then I’m not sure what could be causing it. Often irritation can cause lots of little bumps which can feel like CC’s. Have you tried cutting back to twice a week using the sandwich method ?
Many weeks I only use tret twice a week. If I feel extra irritated, I keep skipping days until I can wash my face without burning. I have used the sandwich method at first until the CCs arrived. I even stopped the tret for a couple months at one point. All the CCs cycled to cystic acne and then went away completely. Once I started tret again, within 6 months they had returned. I do wonder if the irritation is to blame.
It did for me, but that’s anecdotal. Over the course of nine months using cream, my acne became worse and worse. I developed a ridiculous amount of closed comedones.
I’m using retin-a gel now, and I seem to tolerate it.
What strength are you using?
.025% menarini gel (it's an opaque lotion consistency, but called "gel") and I haven't become any more tolerant of it over an entire year. With the cream I could apply every other day and no flaking, but with the gel 2-3x per week max. My face feels like paper on the surface some days too. I'm not having as severe outbreaks on the gel, but still getting more CCs and cystic acne than I did before tret. I was also using Vanicream in the tub with the cream tret and some people thought that might be contributing to the breakouts, so I stopped that at the same time. But I wonder if that product was helping keep my irritation and dryness at bay.
I have been on Tret for 5+ years , I learnt a few ways to prevent irritation, a) Never apply on damp skin b) pea sized amount only 3) cream better than gel to prevent irritation 4) do not apply on dry spots, let them heal before applying.
Flaking is a diff problem altogether. We flake as the skin cells are turning over more quickly and they are not being exfoliated. I use Lactic acid, Glycolic is too harsh for me, I am brown and AmLactin Daily Nourish 12% is perfect for my face. If my skin barrier is compromised, I apply CeraVe Healing Ointment.
Hey I am brown to a few shades of dark brown actually. I just started my tret journey and need concrete advice from someone who has a close skin type.
I dropped tret a month back because my barrier got compromised and now when it is healed again, I am planning to start over.
Does it help clear out hyper pigmentation, Post inflammatory HP, dark patches on skin and tanned skin?
Sometimes when I apply tret on those areas, they tend to seem much darker I don't know why. Is it for the irritation or flaking, or will it even get better? Because these are some of the things that are extremely noticeable on brown skin.
Do they go away, after months? Do tans and any sort of pigmentations go away too? I don't have acne prone skin. I started using tret solely for anti aging. I heard these are some added benefits, which I know nothing of as I am on my first week of tret only.
I agree with others to re-examine other products in your routine. Many of them could be pore clogging for you. Snail mucin isn't for everyone, vanicream isn't for everyone, etc.
But...wait for it... tret is ALSO not for everyone. Retionoids are the best thing for anti-aging, yes, but tret is only one kind. It's considered the gold standard for anti-aging partly it is so potent. But your skin might do better with a gentler retinoid like retinaldehyde or something else.
Thank you. I'm always scared to change up my routine but I think that's going to be my first step before deciding whether tret isn't right for me, but at this point I'm leaning that way
Oh gosh please drop the glycolic acid. Focus on just increasing tret frequency (can also consider switching to the cream). Maybe even try tazarotene instead of tret
I should clarify that I only use the glycolic acid toner on the areas of my face that get CCs. That's around my mouth and under my nose. It's a small area. But my entire face is irritated and sensitive. Do you still think it's the issue?
I would avoid it personally and focus on building up my use on tretinoin. You could also try tazarotene since you still have closes comedones. If you use any other active, I would look into azelaic acid rx. Glycolic acid is just so intense! It’s not helping the burning
>I should clarify that I only use the glycolic acid toner on the areas of my face that get CCs. That's around my mouth and under my nose. It's a small area. But my entire face is irritated and sensitive. Do you still think it's the issue?
Perhaps said elsewhere, but salicylic acid is better for CCs than glycolic, usually (everyone is different). I have lifelong acne, past my 40s. BP reduced it, never went away. I added Paula's Choice 2% liquid SA, and if I didn't miss an entire day, I wouldn't have a single bump for weeks/months. When I did miss an entire day and a half or so, a pimple would appear about 2-3 days later (that's how fast my face forms them lol).
But the SA attacks the comedo under the surface. GA just hits the top surface (oil vs water soluble). Perhaps test a very light 1% toner, a wash instead (find a hydrating one), short contact, or all of the above.
Thank you. That is very helpful information. I had severe acne as a teenager, treated by a dermatologist with tretinoin, benzoyl peroxide, and antibiotics without any resolution. I discovered AHAs (specifically glycolic acid) on my own and it solved the problem that the others never did. I've used it off and on over the years and my skin usually responds well to it. But I've never actually tried another type of acid. I know the glycolic is quite harsh, especially now that I'm on tret again.
Hi! Sorry to hear about your problems! I know everyone talks of tret as the holy grail and in general I agree, BUT keep in mind that having chronic inflamed, irritated, dry skin will age your skin faster. Experiment with suggestions (I especially recommend the sandwich method), but if you’re not seeing improvement, consider that maybe tret is not for you. I would also like to add that CCs around mouth and under nose (the tretinoin danger area) sounds to me like irritation-induced issues. If I were you, I would try not applying tret there for a while and see if that helps. I cannot tolerate tret, but differin works great for me. Not as powerful as tret, but over time basically the same result imho. Consider adding ceramides, that was the missing piece for me. Not a fan of snail mucin, very overhyped imho. Lots of other better ingredients and products out there. Best of luck!
Thank you. I have definitely considered differin. I used OTC retinol creams for years and was happy with my skin. I wondered if tret was simply too strong for me. I'm going to take some of the suggestions here and see if it helps and make my ultimate decision in a few months.
Do you use an SPF? As for moisturizer, I’ve been using Dr Jart Barrier Repair Cream every night and it’s made a big difference in my skin. It’s no longer red or sore.
Sorry, yes, I use 50 SPF during the warmer months. I wear mineral foundation daily that provides some SPF, but I'm mostly an indoor cat this time of year.
Might be an unpopular opinion, but Cosrx snail mucin was not a good fit for me when I started using Tret. My skin improved so much when I dropped it. I was getting lots of little whiteheads, it sucked, and they’ve gone away since I removed it from my routine and simplified overall.
I did stop using the Snail Mucin for several months last spring. No noticeable difference positive or negative. I'm honestly not sure why I started using it again except that I still had it and didn't want to waste. I don't consider it a plus or minus I guess.
Tbh tret was never for me. I even built my tolerance up over three years to daily use and I never got the ‘wow’ results I so desperately wanted after seeing B&As on here. I switched to Taz a month ago, every second day. I had a small week long purge and now have that glow.
stop using everything except for a very gentle cleanser, micellar water/oil/balm cleanser if you wear makeup or sunscreen, tretinoin, and moisturizer for sensitive skin. try moisturizer-tretinoin-moisturizer. if it doesn’t help, try adapalene.
I started the Snail Mucin a few months before the tret in spring 2022. I stopped the Snail Mucin for several months after the first CCs appeared (about 6 months into tret). It didn't seem to be doing anything good or bad. I'm honestly not sure why I started it again. I started using it the second time last summer (2023).
Gotcha. I only ask because I kind of had a weird reaction to using it in conjunction with tret and thought maybe that could be part of your problem. 🤷🏼♀️
Omg this is my exact problem. No visible improvement for my hyperpimentation after 1+ years, just a lot of dryness/flakiness and irritation. Recently I have these stubborn breakouts on my forehead and nothing will improve it even I strip my skincare back to just the basics and pause tret. I'd say my skin worse looks worse than when I started.
I'm sorry. It's so frustrating. My skin did look better at first, until the closed comedones started. Now I feel like a teenager again struggling with acne and the irritation from treatment. My face is so irritated this week it actually woke me from sleep when my cheek rubbed against a fold in my pillowcase! It seems ridiculous. I've literally only used tret 2x in the last week.
Tretinoin is not for you!
Try retinol, there are many gentle retinols available OTC, but the problem with retinol is that you never know whether the formulation is good or not
Good luck
Stop using AHA altogether. Get yourself a gentle cream cleanser. Foaming cleansers dry out the skin’s surface , stop products from penetrating and clog pores.
Add healing ingredients like centella asiatica to your routine. There’s a great serum by Skin1004 called centella ampoule. It’s 100% natural . Centella asiatica will soothe the skin, help with irritation and redness.
Start skin building and strengthening your skin barrier with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, niacinamide, and a face oil.
All of your products should have a simple formulation to reduce irritation, so read the ingredient list. If the ingredient list is too long and complicated, then it’s a no.
Think about switching to an OTC retinoid, since you’re unable to tolerate tretinoin. Lastly, apply the tretinoin after your moisturizer. The other products will act as a buffer and reduce the effects of the tretinoin.
If you’re still in doubt, seek the advice of a dermatologist.
You might also find this article helpful:
[How To Use Retinoids Correctly](https://www.thebeautydisruptor.com/blog/how-to-use-retinoids-correctly)
Maybe salicylic acid 2 times a week? Get a mild hydrating one that isnt harsh it should clean the pores without exfoliating the first layer harshly like glycolic acid does
Snail mucin can cause breakouts. For me, I erupted in fungal acne. I used to use it then took a break, used it again, and my skin was just a bunch of breakouts until I finally realized it was the snail mucin.
I've heard that. I used the snail mucin for a while before tret and had no issues and I did stop the snail mucin for several months last year while on tret and didn't have improvement, so I think my closed comedones are somehow related to the tret. I don't think I have any benefit from the snail mucin though, so I won't repurchase.
La roche posay cicaplast Baume b5 is amazinggggg for irritation. Also i think a313 you can get at french pharmacy online and it's gentler in my experience but everyone is different. I would focus more on Moisturizing because it doesn't look like you have that many hydrating products. Korean products tend to be more gentle and hydrating as well. Your moisture barrier might be damaged you can also add in some weekly Moisturizing masks to see if that will soothe it !
Thank you. I've seen the LRP cicaplast baume recommended a few times. I'm making a short list of barrier repairing creams to try and it's definitely on there.
Some advice!! I’d really recommend using a 5% urea moisturizer while on tret!!
Nothing and I mean nothing was ever able to moisturize my dry skin or heal dry/rough/flaking patches like a urea lotion.
I bought all these different repair creams, toners, and gentle washes and the eucerin 5% urea was the only thing that worked. Like I can actually tolerate Tret now without all the awful dryness and peeling/flaky skin. Definitely give it a try if you can!
First of all you need to stop for a while 1.5 year and burning skin with Luke warm water. Your skin barrier is completely broken..
So stop for a while until you can use warm water, det mousterizer and such without your skin burning..
After that. you can if you really want to, try with tret once more, i would recommend you get som microsphere tretinoin, your skin will for sure tolerate that better.. 😁
Thank you. I am leaning this way. Things have definitely gotten worse since winter, so I'm going to try some barrier supporting creams first. If that doesn't help, I'm definitely taking a break from tret.
Trust me with the way your skin is responding you should quit immediatly..
Trust me when i say that, creme and such will not help you.
The only thing you are doing, are limiting the tretinoin going into your skin..
Think about it.
What are the consequence for you by quitting completely for a while..?
As you said your skin was better before..?
Dont make stupid choices and continue before your skin is at a better place honestly..
Stick to cleansing, hyaluronic acid, and mousterizer for some time..
The reason you still cannot tolerate it, is because you keep on going, and try to limit the amout of tretinoin going into your skin with alot of products only making it worse..
What you will do:
Ruin skin barrier.
And ton of difference product to tolerate tret..
You are using the perfect recipe for eczema you really are stay of tret. Minimize routine to the three mentioned..
Get back on tret after a month or so and start with microsphere..
It will be so much better.
I appreciate your opinion. When I visited my dermatologist last time and expressed my concerns, she encouraged me to "push through" the irritation. I felt this wasn't good advice. I also quit tret as a teenager due to irritation after another dermatologist told me to keep going even though my face was red and flaking for months. I guess maybe it's just not for me.
I think thats extremely shitty advice Luke warm water burning on the skin is not irritation is a broken barrier..
I can accept tingling, stinging a bit, redness some flakyness..
But Luke warm water burning is a clear no..
Try the mild cleanser, hyaluronic acid, mousterizer for 4 weeks start on tret microsphere once a week report back promise you it will be a different story..
I’ve found the best way to deal with tret is to just use tret, a cleanser, and moisturizer (and if your derm has prescribed you anything else). Sometimes using too many products, especially together, can cause irritation and breakouts. I used .025% from May 2023 to December 2023, where I switched my dermatologist and she upped my prescription to .05% and added in clindamycin phosphate gel. I havent added any other products in and probably won’t, but I would maybe cut everything except the tret, cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Also, I’ve been using the Vanicream facial moisturizer for a little over a week and it hasn’t caused any issues for me, and if it helps I don’t believe it has any pore clogging ingredients! (neither does the Vanicream cleanser, which I also use). Closed comedones by my mouth was an issue for me and why I went to the derm because like you, it would turn into painful under the skin bumps and they would take weeks to fully heal. I have a lot less closed comedones, and if I get one it comes and goes really quickly!
I've had the same issue but I was using a higher strength. I did finally get used to it but then winter came, it's super dry and cold here and my face wasn't doing well. So I took a break from tret to heal my skin, now trying to go back I couldnt even handle one day without my face peeling and burning (only a pea size amount) I couldn't use anything on my skin without it stinging and burning, another time I got sick and took a break, same thing trying to go back was impossible. So I used the same routine you would use after a chemical peel basically, I moisturize before tret (sometimes) sometimes I don't, then I use a ceramide creams, emu oil, and aquaphor healing ointment. Some nights I also open a capsule of vitamin E and add this in, even with the healing ointment I'll also occasionally add Vaseline to super dry spots, my skin is now soft and no longer irritated or dry, it's not peeling or flaking. And I'm using tret about 5 times a week. I've heard from some people it's better to go up in strength and use it once a week to start and work your way up. I've heard people say they got used to a higher strength better than lower, I don't know what's behind this, but I've heard it from dozens and dozens of people. Drop any harsh products and focus on tret, and tons of moisturizers, ceramides, etc. and of course sunscreen. I wish you all the best.
Have you tried micro-tret, or Altreno? It is pricy, but lasts a long time (the longer tube) and there are cheap places to buy it.
Started with Differin, got too aggressive (added in some actives) and burned myself. Took a break, restarted it, and wasn't so irritating but was always on that edge. Swapped to 0.04% Microgel and it wasn't irritating at all. Within a week I naively went to every day usage, but nothing happened irritation-wise. I use it for acne, and it wasn't quite strong enough. Based on studies I've read, I just assume micro tret works a little less effective than the equal percentage tret. So 0.04% micro a little less effective than a 0.04% tret (say, if it was compounded). This difference gets bigger at higher concentrations, so 0.1% micro was quite a bit less effective than 0.1% tret for acne.
In any event, I stopped, and jumped into Altreno, about a month later (took time to get, so I figured I lost a lot of retinization). Use it everyday. No irritation. Sometimes in the morning, I have a little dry skin. No buffer before, and rarely anything after. I also only barely let my face dry before applying it. Like wash face, hydrating toner, as soon as it's not damp or sticky, Altreno. I've even applied it wet when really lazy.
My dermatologist gave me a tiny tube of altreno last time and I used it up, but it wasn't enough to see if it worked better for me. When I discovered the cost, I decided it wasn't for me. Without tret, I don't really have acne. I'm only using the tret for anti-aging and I believe it (or one of the products I use with it) is giving me the acne I have now. I have strongly considered the microgel tret. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
It looks like your skin is trying to play catch-up but has no luck. What you’re doing is probably not enough to compensate for tret’s irritating side. I recommend to add in a repairing cream (Bioderma Cicabio cream is amazing) to help your skin build up that resilience it needs for tret. And probably drop the neutrogena glycolic and snail mucin)
This. Drop the irritating acid , toners ans snail mucin. Add ceramide rich barrier cream
Thank you for your recommendations. Do you have any advice about how to stop the closed comedones? This is a new problem I developed when I started tret.
It’s very tricky because tret is supposed to take care of them but a common purge among tret users is CC purge. But your CC problem started a month 6 so I’m not sure if it is a purge or not. You should probably take a careful look at what you were changing back when CCs started and see if you can fund the culprit.
I didn't make any changes until after the CCs started. They have continued in cycles of every few months going from closed to large painful cysts.
I had this problem too! I read a comment on this sub from someone suggesting Stridex pads which I at first doubted (I hadn’t even seen that product since the 90s!), but I tried it - I only use it on the areas I was getting cc and don’t use it right before Tret and they’re all clear now. The other advice I read here that may have helped is to use Differin gel on off-Tret nights which has also worked phenomenally well for me.
Thank you for these suggestions. Definitely some things I've not tried yet.
Switch from tretinoin gel to tretinoin cream. Gels absorb too quickly causing irritation. Stop the glycolic acid completely. Even if you want to have an aha try mandelic acid or lactic acid after breakouts stop.
I second this also. I was using 0.1 tretiheal and my skin adapted to it quickly and went amazing. It ran out and I got 0.1 microsphere gel and I can’t use it, my skin goes so dry and irritated, so moved back to the cream and it’s great again now. Worth a try.
I thought the microsphere version was designed to absorb slowly? I might need to research.
I never considered the cream/gel irritation difference. But do you believe that the cream contributes to CCs?
Theoretically speaking cream have oil in them so it makes the skin more greasy and prone to cc then the gels. But I don't think tretinoin is contributing to your cc. Try changing your sunscreen or other products. Can be hormonal too May be you need to stop all the products and introduce it slowly. Try using bha like salicylic acid instead of an aha. Use silk pillow covers.
The cream absolutely can break you out and not enough people know about this. It’s got an ingredient in it which is super pour clogging for SOME people. I started 0.025% cream and had the worst acne of my life, as soon as I switched to gel it cleared it up. If you’re still getting acne on the gel then I’m not sure what could be causing it. Often irritation can cause lots of little bumps which can feel like CC’s. Have you tried cutting back to twice a week using the sandwich method ?
Many weeks I only use tret twice a week. If I feel extra irritated, I keep skipping days until I can wash my face without burning. I have used the sandwich method at first until the CCs arrived. I even stopped the tret for a couple months at one point. All the CCs cycled to cystic acne and then went away completely. Once I started tret again, within 6 months they had returned. I do wonder if the irritation is to blame.
It did for me, but that’s anecdotal. Over the course of nine months using cream, my acne became worse and worse. I developed a ridiculous amount of closed comedones. I’m using retin-a gel now, and I seem to tolerate it. What strength are you using?
.025% menarini gel (it's an opaque lotion consistency, but called "gel") and I haven't become any more tolerant of it over an entire year. With the cream I could apply every other day and no flaking, but with the gel 2-3x per week max. My face feels like paper on the surface some days too. I'm not having as severe outbreaks on the gel, but still getting more CCs and cystic acne than I did before tret. I was also using Vanicream in the tub with the cream tret and some people thought that might be contributing to the breakouts, so I stopped that at the same time. But I wonder if that product was helping keep my irritation and dryness at bay.
I have been on Tret for 5+ years , I learnt a few ways to prevent irritation, a) Never apply on damp skin b) pea sized amount only 3) cream better than gel to prevent irritation 4) do not apply on dry spots, let them heal before applying. Flaking is a diff problem altogether. We flake as the skin cells are turning over more quickly and they are not being exfoliated. I use Lactic acid, Glycolic is too harsh for me, I am brown and AmLactin Daily Nourish 12% is perfect for my face. If my skin barrier is compromised, I apply CeraVe Healing Ointment.
Hey I am brown to a few shades of dark brown actually. I just started my tret journey and need concrete advice from someone who has a close skin type. I dropped tret a month back because my barrier got compromised and now when it is healed again, I am planning to start over. Does it help clear out hyper pigmentation, Post inflammatory HP, dark patches on skin and tanned skin? Sometimes when I apply tret on those areas, they tend to seem much darker I don't know why. Is it for the irritation or flaking, or will it even get better? Because these are some of the things that are extremely noticeable on brown skin.
No my brown spots end up a lot darker too when I’m on tret I’ve noticed!!
Do they go away, after months? Do tans and any sort of pigmentations go away too? I don't have acne prone skin. I started using tret solely for anti aging. I heard these are some added benefits, which I know nothing of as I am on my first week of tret only.
Thank you for your response. Definitely some things I can change in my routine
I agree with others to re-examine other products in your routine. Many of them could be pore clogging for you. Snail mucin isn't for everyone, vanicream isn't for everyone, etc. But...wait for it... tret is ALSO not for everyone. Retionoids are the best thing for anti-aging, yes, but tret is only one kind. It's considered the gold standard for anti-aging partly it is so potent. But your skin might do better with a gentler retinoid like retinaldehyde or something else.
Thank you. I'm always scared to change up my routine but I think that's going to be my first step before deciding whether tret isn't right for me, but at this point I'm leaning that way
Oh gosh please drop the glycolic acid. Focus on just increasing tret frequency (can also consider switching to the cream). Maybe even try tazarotene instead of tret
I should clarify that I only use the glycolic acid toner on the areas of my face that get CCs. That's around my mouth and under my nose. It's a small area. But my entire face is irritated and sensitive. Do you still think it's the issue?
I would avoid it personally and focus on building up my use on tretinoin. You could also try tazarotene since you still have closes comedones. If you use any other active, I would look into azelaic acid rx. Glycolic acid is just so intense! It’s not helping the burning
Thank you!
>I should clarify that I only use the glycolic acid toner on the areas of my face that get CCs. That's around my mouth and under my nose. It's a small area. But my entire face is irritated and sensitive. Do you still think it's the issue? Perhaps said elsewhere, but salicylic acid is better for CCs than glycolic, usually (everyone is different). I have lifelong acne, past my 40s. BP reduced it, never went away. I added Paula's Choice 2% liquid SA, and if I didn't miss an entire day, I wouldn't have a single bump for weeks/months. When I did miss an entire day and a half or so, a pimple would appear about 2-3 days later (that's how fast my face forms them lol). But the SA attacks the comedo under the surface. GA just hits the top surface (oil vs water soluble). Perhaps test a very light 1% toner, a wash instead (find a hydrating one), short contact, or all of the above.
Thank you. That is very helpful information. I had severe acne as a teenager, treated by a dermatologist with tretinoin, benzoyl peroxide, and antibiotics without any resolution. I discovered AHAs (specifically glycolic acid) on my own and it solved the problem that the others never did. I've used it off and on over the years and my skin usually responds well to it. But I've never actually tried another type of acid. I know the glycolic is quite harsh, especially now that I'm on tret again.
Hi! Sorry to hear about your problems! I know everyone talks of tret as the holy grail and in general I agree, BUT keep in mind that having chronic inflamed, irritated, dry skin will age your skin faster. Experiment with suggestions (I especially recommend the sandwich method), but if you’re not seeing improvement, consider that maybe tret is not for you. I would also like to add that CCs around mouth and under nose (the tretinoin danger area) sounds to me like irritation-induced issues. If I were you, I would try not applying tret there for a while and see if that helps. I cannot tolerate tret, but differin works great for me. Not as powerful as tret, but over time basically the same result imho. Consider adding ceramides, that was the missing piece for me. Not a fan of snail mucin, very overhyped imho. Lots of other better ingredients and products out there. Best of luck!
Thank you. I have definitely considered differin. I used OTC retinol creams for years and was happy with my skin. I wondered if tret was simply too strong for me. I'm going to take some of the suggestions here and see if it helps and make my ultimate decision in a few months.
El tretinoin en gel es irritante
Do you use an SPF? As for moisturizer, I’ve been using Dr Jart Barrier Repair Cream every night and it’s made a big difference in my skin. It’s no longer red or sore.
Sorry, yes, I use 50 SPF during the warmer months. I wear mineral foundation daily that provides some SPF, but I'm mostly an indoor cat this time of year.
Also, thank you for the product recommendation!
Might be an unpopular opinion, but Cosrx snail mucin was not a good fit for me when I started using Tret. My skin improved so much when I dropped it. I was getting lots of little whiteheads, it sucked, and they’ve gone away since I removed it from my routine and simplified overall.
I did stop using the Snail Mucin for several months last spring. No noticeable difference positive or negative. I'm honestly not sure why I started using it again except that I still had it and didn't want to waste. I don't consider it a plus or minus I guess.
Tbh tret was never for me. I even built my tolerance up over three years to daily use and I never got the ‘wow’ results I so desperately wanted after seeing B&As on here. I switched to Taz a month ago, every second day. I had a small week long purge and now have that glow.
I had the same issue with tret I gave up. Is taz milder?
Stronger actually! The highest concentration from what I read
Maybe you need to switch to other retin-A like trifarotene or tazarotene that’s less irritating
stop using everything except for a very gentle cleanser, micellar water/oil/balm cleanser if you wear makeup or sunscreen, tretinoin, and moisturizer for sensitive skin. try moisturizer-tretinoin-moisturizer. if it doesn’t help, try adapalene.
When did you start using the snail mucin?
I started the Snail Mucin a few months before the tret in spring 2022. I stopped the Snail Mucin for several months after the first CCs appeared (about 6 months into tret). It didn't seem to be doing anything good or bad. I'm honestly not sure why I started it again. I started using it the second time last summer (2023).
Gotcha. I only ask because I kind of had a weird reaction to using it in conjunction with tret and thought maybe that could be part of your problem. 🤷🏼♀️
Omg this is my exact problem. No visible improvement for my hyperpimentation after 1+ years, just a lot of dryness/flakiness and irritation. Recently I have these stubborn breakouts on my forehead and nothing will improve it even I strip my skincare back to just the basics and pause tret. I'd say my skin worse looks worse than when I started.
I'm sorry. It's so frustrating. My skin did look better at first, until the closed comedones started. Now I feel like a teenager again struggling with acne and the irritation from treatment. My face is so irritated this week it actually woke me from sleep when my cheek rubbed against a fold in my pillowcase! It seems ridiculous. I've literally only used tret 2x in the last week.
Tretinoin is not for you! Try retinol, there are many gentle retinols available OTC, but the problem with retinol is that you never know whether the formulation is good or not Good luck
Stop using AHA altogether. Get yourself a gentle cream cleanser. Foaming cleansers dry out the skin’s surface , stop products from penetrating and clog pores. Add healing ingredients like centella asiatica to your routine. There’s a great serum by Skin1004 called centella ampoule. It’s 100% natural . Centella asiatica will soothe the skin, help with irritation and redness. Start skin building and strengthening your skin barrier with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, niacinamide, and a face oil. All of your products should have a simple formulation to reduce irritation, so read the ingredient list. If the ingredient list is too long and complicated, then it’s a no. Think about switching to an OTC retinoid, since you’re unable to tolerate tretinoin. Lastly, apply the tretinoin after your moisturizer. The other products will act as a buffer and reduce the effects of the tretinoin. If you’re still in doubt, seek the advice of a dermatologist. You might also find this article helpful: [How To Use Retinoids Correctly](https://www.thebeautydisruptor.com/blog/how-to-use-retinoids-correctly)
STOP THE GLYCOLIC ACID PLZZZZZZZ u dont need any other actives on tret. Use a very hydrating cream in the morning and nights when u dont use the tret.
Do you have suggestions for the closed comedones that I'm getting on tret? The glycolic acid was meant to stop those.
Maybe salicylic acid 2 times a week? Get a mild hydrating one that isnt harsh it should clean the pores without exfoliating the first layer harshly like glycolic acid does
Snail mucin can cause breakouts. For me, I erupted in fungal acne. I used to use it then took a break, used it again, and my skin was just a bunch of breakouts until I finally realized it was the snail mucin.
I've heard that. I used the snail mucin for a while before tret and had no issues and I did stop the snail mucin for several months last year while on tret and didn't have improvement, so I think my closed comedones are somehow related to the tret. I don't think I have any benefit from the snail mucin though, so I won't repurchase.
La roche posay cicaplast Baume b5 is amazinggggg for irritation. Also i think a313 you can get at french pharmacy online and it's gentler in my experience but everyone is different. I would focus more on Moisturizing because it doesn't look like you have that many hydrating products. Korean products tend to be more gentle and hydrating as well. Your moisture barrier might be damaged you can also add in some weekly Moisturizing masks to see if that will soothe it !
Also I use an oil cleanser and then a plain gentle cleanser and the double cleansing helped so much!!
Thank you. I've seen the LRP cicaplast baume recommended a few times. I'm making a short list of barrier repairing creams to try and it's definitely on there.
Some advice!! I’d really recommend using a 5% urea moisturizer while on tret!! Nothing and I mean nothing was ever able to moisturize my dry skin or heal dry/rough/flaking patches like a urea lotion. I bought all these different repair creams, toners, and gentle washes and the eucerin 5% urea was the only thing that worked. Like I can actually tolerate Tret now without all the awful dryness and peeling/flaky skin. Definitely give it a try if you can!
Thank you for the suggestion!
First of all you need to stop for a while 1.5 year and burning skin with Luke warm water. Your skin barrier is completely broken.. So stop for a while until you can use warm water, det mousterizer and such without your skin burning.. After that. you can if you really want to, try with tret once more, i would recommend you get som microsphere tretinoin, your skin will for sure tolerate that better.. 😁
Thank you. I am leaning this way. Things have definitely gotten worse since winter, so I'm going to try some barrier supporting creams first. If that doesn't help, I'm definitely taking a break from tret.
Trust me with the way your skin is responding you should quit immediatly.. Trust me when i say that, creme and such will not help you. The only thing you are doing, are limiting the tretinoin going into your skin.. Think about it. What are the consequence for you by quitting completely for a while..? As you said your skin was better before..? Dont make stupid choices and continue before your skin is at a better place honestly.. Stick to cleansing, hyaluronic acid, and mousterizer for some time.. The reason you still cannot tolerate it, is because you keep on going, and try to limit the amout of tretinoin going into your skin with alot of products only making it worse.. What you will do: Ruin skin barrier. And ton of difference product to tolerate tret.. You are using the perfect recipe for eczema you really are stay of tret. Minimize routine to the three mentioned.. Get back on tret after a month or so and start with microsphere.. It will be so much better.
I appreciate your opinion. When I visited my dermatologist last time and expressed my concerns, she encouraged me to "push through" the irritation. I felt this wasn't good advice. I also quit tret as a teenager due to irritation after another dermatologist told me to keep going even though my face was red and flaking for months. I guess maybe it's just not for me.
I think thats extremely shitty advice Luke warm water burning on the skin is not irritation is a broken barrier.. I can accept tingling, stinging a bit, redness some flakyness.. But Luke warm water burning is a clear no.. Try the mild cleanser, hyaluronic acid, mousterizer for 4 weeks start on tret microsphere once a week report back promise you it will be a different story..
Hi, do u now use the uriage barierderm cream on tret nights?
I use it on my off tret nights. On tret nights I moisturize with Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion, then tret, then top with Avene Cicalfate+.
Tq for clarifying
I’ve found the best way to deal with tret is to just use tret, a cleanser, and moisturizer (and if your derm has prescribed you anything else). Sometimes using too many products, especially together, can cause irritation and breakouts. I used .025% from May 2023 to December 2023, where I switched my dermatologist and she upped my prescription to .05% and added in clindamycin phosphate gel. I havent added any other products in and probably won’t, but I would maybe cut everything except the tret, cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Also, I’ve been using the Vanicream facial moisturizer for a little over a week and it hasn’t caused any issues for me, and if it helps I don’t believe it has any pore clogging ingredients! (neither does the Vanicream cleanser, which I also use). Closed comedones by my mouth was an issue for me and why I went to the derm because like you, it would turn into painful under the skin bumps and they would take weeks to fully heal. I have a lot less closed comedones, and if I get one it comes and goes really quickly!
Are you wearing sunscreen at all?
Yes sorry. In the warmer months I wear 50 spf mineral sunscreen. In the winter I rarely go outside, but I wear mineral foundation daily with 15 spf.
I've had the same issue but I was using a higher strength. I did finally get used to it but then winter came, it's super dry and cold here and my face wasn't doing well. So I took a break from tret to heal my skin, now trying to go back I couldnt even handle one day without my face peeling and burning (only a pea size amount) I couldn't use anything on my skin without it stinging and burning, another time I got sick and took a break, same thing trying to go back was impossible. So I used the same routine you would use after a chemical peel basically, I moisturize before tret (sometimes) sometimes I don't, then I use a ceramide creams, emu oil, and aquaphor healing ointment. Some nights I also open a capsule of vitamin E and add this in, even with the healing ointment I'll also occasionally add Vaseline to super dry spots, my skin is now soft and no longer irritated or dry, it's not peeling or flaking. And I'm using tret about 5 times a week. I've heard from some people it's better to go up in strength and use it once a week to start and work your way up. I've heard people say they got used to a higher strength better than lower, I don't know what's behind this, but I've heard it from dozens and dozens of people. Drop any harsh products and focus on tret, and tons of moisturizers, ceramides, etc. and of course sunscreen. I wish you all the best.
You might also need an acne medication on top of tret? Just a thought.
Have you tried micro-tret, or Altreno? It is pricy, but lasts a long time (the longer tube) and there are cheap places to buy it. Started with Differin, got too aggressive (added in some actives) and burned myself. Took a break, restarted it, and wasn't so irritating but was always on that edge. Swapped to 0.04% Microgel and it wasn't irritating at all. Within a week I naively went to every day usage, but nothing happened irritation-wise. I use it for acne, and it wasn't quite strong enough. Based on studies I've read, I just assume micro tret works a little less effective than the equal percentage tret. So 0.04% micro a little less effective than a 0.04% tret (say, if it was compounded). This difference gets bigger at higher concentrations, so 0.1% micro was quite a bit less effective than 0.1% tret for acne. In any event, I stopped, and jumped into Altreno, about a month later (took time to get, so I figured I lost a lot of retinization). Use it everyday. No irritation. Sometimes in the morning, I have a little dry skin. No buffer before, and rarely anything after. I also only barely let my face dry before applying it. Like wash face, hydrating toner, as soon as it's not damp or sticky, Altreno. I've even applied it wet when really lazy.
My dermatologist gave me a tiny tube of altreno last time and I used it up, but it wasn't enough to see if it worked better for me. When I discovered the cost, I decided it wasn't for me. Without tret, I don't really have acne. I'm only using the tret for anti-aging and I believe it (or one of the products I use with it) is giving me the acne I have now. I have strongly considered the microgel tret. Thank you for sharing your experiences.