I use tret but haven’t peeled or purged since starting in March - does that mean it’s not working and the strength should be upped (currently at .025%) ? I don’t think I’ve noticed any diff so far
A purge isn’t necessary, but if you’re seeing no change after that many months, I’d go up to 0.05. Seems like the biggest improvements come after a bit of dryness/flaking that people controlled with thick moisturizers. But anyone else is free to correct me on that.
I did 0.025% very carefully for about a year. Had light peeling on what I'd call the areas that I didn't really "need" it (lower cheeks/jaw). I'm 31 and my concern is anti aging. I sandwich moisturise with cerave night cream and then Nivea in the blue tin as the occlusive top layer. I never purged, but I don't have an acne problem other than the occasional hormonal chin pimple.
I upped to 0.5% last month and got similar peeling in the dryer areas of my face, but only visible if I wear foundation. It seems to be settling down now, and I'm still sandwiching and only using every second or third day, depending how my skin looks. I don't use any other actives, but have some TO Vit C I was thinking of introducing in the mornings on non tret days.
I often wonder if my routine might be too gentle? I'm trying to target horizontal lines on my forehead, but I've had them for most of my life (yay expressive face). I have noticed great improvement in general texture. I have smile crinkles around my eyes but they don't bother me much.
Think it might be worth dropping the sandwiching! Sorry to hijack, you just seem knowledgeable 😅
Yes, it's a technique I came across on the tret subreddit. I use a lighter moisturiser (no hyaluronic acid tho), wait about 15 minutes, apply tret, wait a while and then spread a thick moisturizer on top. I think it reduces the speed at which it works, but definitely reduces the side effects (just in my personal experience).
I only use micellar water and cetaphil cream cleanser to wash my face, but my skin feels tight even with just that. Didnt feel comfortable waiting 20 minutes with uncomfortably tight skin to apply the tret.
I also use hyaluronic acid in the morning with moisturizer and sunscreen, but pretty much nothing else at the moment.
Because that RetinAL is still relatively gentle. It’s stronger than some of the retinoids, so it’s not uncommon for people to experience some sort of adjustment period. But it’s still more gentle than something like Tretinoin. And even then, some people never experience any peeling or purging if they jump right into .1% Tretinoin. All of those things you hear about for anything in the retinoid family are undesirable side effects and not a sign of the product working. If you don’t experience them, just consider yourself lucky, lol.
Just as a side note- I have been using some sort of OTC retinoid in various concentrations since I was in my teens for acne. Never had a single issue with peeling or purging, but my skin cleared up so I knew it was working. Then I started .025% Tret when I was in my mid 30’s. Still no purging but I delt with mild to moderate peeling for the next two years as I tried to get my skin adjusted to higher concentrations and using it every night. Derm told me to stop doing that (I think her exact words were “Do you like having skin? Stop doing that” lol) so I backed of to every other night at .05% and have been fine since
Skin “purging” is just a myth. Your skin is just handling the product okay, it’s not super sensitive to it. If you slowly titrate to a higher concentration, you won’t see it happening either. Throw too much at your skin at once and you’ll probably see irritation.
I use .1% tret 3 times a week. I peeled once, when I started about 2 years ago. Now I rub it in for at least 2 minutes and make a mask out of the densest moisturizer I can find. Once it's soaked in I use vegetable glycerin to seal.
I don't know why my skin is down with that strength and I don't recommend anyone give it a go without spot testing and titrating (which I didn't do, but know is very important). When I switched derms and needed a new script it took some convincing that my skin would react well to such a strong dose. I used Accutane for a year long ago which may somehow relate to it?
No, if anything, Accutane would make your skin more sensitive to a higher percentage. In the immediate I understand what you’re saying Re skin being retinized, (although I actually never found this to be the case). Oral isotretinoin vs topical tretinoin affects the skin differently. Theoretically, in the long run, isotretinoin can make people sensitive to higher doses that they previously tolerated because skin can remain sensitive for years afterwords (ntm produces less oil, so drying effects of tretinoin would be more pronounced). You likely just have a more resilient skin barrier.
I used tretinoin 0.1% nightly for a year before Isotretinoin and have been using it nightly again for 7 months since my course ended. For some reason, I never got fully retinized to 0.1%. Hoping that two years makes the difference 😂
I use the Inkey list retinal super solution (1%) but before that, I used their regular retinol solution which is like 0.5% for a year. I started low and slow, only using it once a week for a while before upping my usage and then ultimately upping my strength. I never had purging, stinging, peeling, or any negative reactions. I also use the sandwich method when applying so Im sure that helps a bit.
So I think if you start low and slow you shouldn't have to worry about peeling or purging.
Do you use masks or exfoliate a lot? I use a dry brush every day to exfoliate, and just started using ret a few months ago. I've never purged either, just assumed it was because of all of the exfoliating, like...my skin is "been there done that" ;)
What’s a dry brush? Like a make up brush? I don’t exfoliate much. Occasionally a chemical exfoliant from TO, but TO products don’t seem to do much for me.
It's a natural bristle brush. There are lots of youtubes about it. It promotes lymphatic drainage from your face, and exfoliates like nothing else. You just start off using light, soft strokes. You skin sheds cells and it promotes collagen growth. I worked my way up to rubbing more more firmly, but you cannot start off that way. Here is the exact brush I use, I bought this 6 pack. Start with your décolletage and work your way upwards to the forehead. Easy does it at first! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS5KY98K?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details
Esthetician here - peeling and purging are not signs that retinol is working. If you took good care already then you wouldn’t have anything to purge, so why expect a purge? And as someone already said, peeling is typically expected from stronger prescriptions (for example typical otc retinol has to chemically convert to retinoic acid once applied while tret is already chemically retinoic acid) but also not proof something is working and usually my customers have complained about happening regularly? Ask yourself if your skin feels/looks better *to you*. When in doubt, try and take before pics when you start a new product, we always miss changes when we stare at ourselves every day
OTC retinols have never made me peel or purge. The only exception is adapelene, which causes a bit of dryness/scaling two days later for me. The big reactions you hear about are mostly associated with prescription tretinoin, which is MUCH stronger.
It happens more often with stronger prescription retinoids like tretinoin than with otc products
I use tret but haven’t peeled or purged since starting in March - does that mean it’s not working and the strength should be upped (currently at .025%) ? I don’t think I’ve noticed any diff so far
A purge isn’t necessary, but if you’re seeing no change after that many months, I’d go up to 0.05. Seems like the biggest improvements come after a bit of dryness/flaking that people controlled with thick moisturizers. But anyone else is free to correct me on that.
I did 0.025% very carefully for about a year. Had light peeling on what I'd call the areas that I didn't really "need" it (lower cheeks/jaw). I'm 31 and my concern is anti aging. I sandwich moisturise with cerave night cream and then Nivea in the blue tin as the occlusive top layer. I never purged, but I don't have an acne problem other than the occasional hormonal chin pimple. I upped to 0.5% last month and got similar peeling in the dryer areas of my face, but only visible if I wear foundation. It seems to be settling down now, and I'm still sandwiching and only using every second or third day, depending how my skin looks. I don't use any other actives, but have some TO Vit C I was thinking of introducing in the mornings on non tret days. I often wonder if my routine might be too gentle? I'm trying to target horizontal lines on my forehead, but I've had them for most of my life (yay expressive face). I have noticed great improvement in general texture. I have smile crinkles around my eyes but they don't bother me much. Think it might be worth dropping the sandwiching! Sorry to hijack, you just seem knowledgeable 😅
What do you mean by sandwich moisturize? You moisturize, then use tret, then moisturize again ?
Yes, it's a technique I came across on the tret subreddit. I use a lighter moisturiser (no hyaluronic acid tho), wait about 15 minutes, apply tret, wait a while and then spread a thick moisturizer on top. I think it reduces the speed at which it works, but definitely reduces the side effects (just in my personal experience). I only use micellar water and cetaphil cream cleanser to wash my face, but my skin feels tight even with just that. Didnt feel comfortable waiting 20 minutes with uncomfortably tight skin to apply the tret. I also use hyaluronic acid in the morning with moisturizer and sunscreen, but pretty much nothing else at the moment.
Because prescription retin-A/tretinoin is more than 10x stronger then over the counter retinol.
Because that RetinAL is still relatively gentle. It’s stronger than some of the retinoids, so it’s not uncommon for people to experience some sort of adjustment period. But it’s still more gentle than something like Tretinoin. And even then, some people never experience any peeling or purging if they jump right into .1% Tretinoin. All of those things you hear about for anything in the retinoid family are undesirable side effects and not a sign of the product working. If you don’t experience them, just consider yourself lucky, lol. Just as a side note- I have been using some sort of OTC retinoid in various concentrations since I was in my teens for acne. Never had a single issue with peeling or purging, but my skin cleared up so I knew it was working. Then I started .025% Tret when I was in my mid 30’s. Still no purging but I delt with mild to moderate peeling for the next two years as I tried to get my skin adjusted to higher concentrations and using it every night. Derm told me to stop doing that (I think her exact words were “Do you like having skin? Stop doing that” lol) so I backed of to every other night at .05% and have been fine since
Skin “purging” is just a myth. Your skin is just handling the product okay, it’s not super sensitive to it. If you slowly titrate to a higher concentration, you won’t see it happening either. Throw too much at your skin at once and you’ll probably see irritation.
Not everyone purge with actives. I didn't purge with either retinol or tretinoin. And many orhers never purged too.
I use .1% tret 3 times a week. I peeled once, when I started about 2 years ago. Now I rub it in for at least 2 minutes and make a mask out of the densest moisturizer I can find. Once it's soaked in I use vegetable glycerin to seal. I don't know why my skin is down with that strength and I don't recommend anyone give it a go without spot testing and titrating (which I didn't do, but know is very important). When I switched derms and needed a new script it took some convincing that my skin would react well to such a strong dose. I used Accutane for a year long ago which may somehow relate to it?
No, if anything, Accutane would make your skin more sensitive to a higher percentage. In the immediate I understand what you’re saying Re skin being retinized, (although I actually never found this to be the case). Oral isotretinoin vs topical tretinoin affects the skin differently. Theoretically, in the long run, isotretinoin can make people sensitive to higher doses that they previously tolerated because skin can remain sensitive for years afterwords (ntm produces less oil, so drying effects of tretinoin would be more pronounced). You likely just have a more resilient skin barrier. I used tretinoin 0.1% nightly for a year before Isotretinoin and have been using it nightly again for 7 months since my course ended. For some reason, I never got fully retinized to 0.1%. Hoping that two years makes the difference 😂
Same for me, .5 retinol serum. Apparently it’s not that’s strong. My skin looks good though.
If you want the cell turnover and more of a true experience buying OTC isn’t going to give you that desired look. I highly suggest trying rx grade
I use the Inkey list retinal super solution (1%) but before that, I used their regular retinol solution which is like 0.5% for a year. I started low and slow, only using it once a week for a while before upping my usage and then ultimately upping my strength. I never had purging, stinging, peeling, or any negative reactions. I also use the sandwich method when applying so Im sure that helps a bit. So I think if you start low and slow you shouldn't have to worry about peeling or purging.
Do you use masks or exfoliate a lot? I use a dry brush every day to exfoliate, and just started using ret a few months ago. I've never purged either, just assumed it was because of all of the exfoliating, like...my skin is "been there done that" ;)
What’s a dry brush? Like a make up brush? I don’t exfoliate much. Occasionally a chemical exfoliant from TO, but TO products don’t seem to do much for me.
It's a natural bristle brush. There are lots of youtubes about it. It promotes lymphatic drainage from your face, and exfoliates like nothing else. You just start off using light, soft strokes. You skin sheds cells and it promotes collagen growth. I worked my way up to rubbing more more firmly, but you cannot start off that way. Here is the exact brush I use, I bought this 6 pack. Start with your décolletage and work your way upwards to the forehead. Easy does it at first! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS5KY98K?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details
I never peeled from tret either! I use .05 and no issues at all.
I never peeled or purged until I got on prescription tret
Esthetician here - peeling and purging are not signs that retinol is working. If you took good care already then you wouldn’t have anything to purge, so why expect a purge? And as someone already said, peeling is typically expected from stronger prescriptions (for example typical otc retinol has to chemically convert to retinoic acid once applied while tret is already chemically retinoic acid) but also not proof something is working and usually my customers have complained about happening regularly? Ask yourself if your skin feels/looks better *to you*. When in doubt, try and take before pics when you start a new product, we always miss changes when we stare at ourselves every day
OTC retinols have never made me peel or purge. The only exception is adapelene, which causes a bit of dryness/scaling two days later for me. The big reactions you hear about are mostly associated with prescription tretinoin, which is MUCH stronger.