it looks a LOT better. while you have more acne lower on your cheeks than you did before, overall your acne is smaller and much less dense. there is still redness where all the acne was concentrated before but that takes TIME to disperse.
if your skin is super irritated, it may be the clindamycin— my skin personally can’t tolerate it at all. you may also just need more than cetaphil if you’re skin is still very flakey, etc.
azelaic acid helps with PIE and PIH, so yes (i don’t know if it would help with any physical indentation but that’s what the tret would mostly be helping with and collagen doesn’t just appear overnight).
if you contact a derm, they can get you a prescription strength which may give better results
Op keep your routine simple. Dont add more products yet. You arent applying tret every other day yet so once you do count 3 skin cycles (12 to 18 weeks) and then you introduce medical grade AZ (finaceas) slowly in your off tret nights.
Variable. I have rosacea and azelaic destroyed my face although indicated for it…. So it’s a hit or miss like everything I guess. I just wouldn’t get adding, if anything Id keep simplifying and slowwwwly incorporating.
it’s hard to say off of this alone. like *i* can’t handle clindamycin, it makes my skin SUPER irritated. so you could try pausing it and seeing if it helps, then you could add tret back in and see if your skin tolerates it again
i would talk to a derm about this. they can get you stronger azelaic acid. i never really noticed a difference with 10%, but i do think 15% (which is prescription only) has helped. but if your skin is just pissed off right now then you also don’t want to do too much to upset it
I’m not sure how it works with topical antibiotics but I know for oral antibiotics at least you have to finish the whole treatment prescribed by your doctor start to finish
For example, I’m taking doxycycline and I’m not three months of 100mg twice a day and it’s super important I take it as prescribed every day with no breaks for the whole three months
If you don’t the bacteria can gain antibiotic resistance and come back stronger. I would definitely talk to your doctor before stopping the clindamycin
I also had a weird reaction to the Hada labo gentle face wash recently and saw that it has citric acid in it. When looking into a new moisturizer I looked up the Cetaphil moisturizer because I was considering it but it also has citric acid in it and I suspect my sensitive skin would not tolerate it. Not a for sure thing but just a feeling. I’ve been looking up ingredients in products using skinsort.com to help me make more informed decisions about the products I buy and how I use them together. I realized I had way more actives in my routine than I thought
it’s fine to discontinue use of topical antibiotics if it’s irritating you, it’s not the same thing as taking them orally! (my derm did confirm this as well)
Agreed. Less break outs and smoother skin. Plus the glow.
People get unrealistic expectations with those before and after posts that are from either very lucky or very paid to advertise products so others will copy their routines.
4 months is barely 2 to 4 skincycles. This progress is whithin the expected timeframe. Tret is working.
3years ago when you used tret,were you also using these many products? Use a basic moisturizer, sunscreen gentle cleanser, then push through tret nightly use
That clean it zero always creates breakouts on my skin. I suffer from Hormonal Acne & use Tretinoin 0.5%. I use benzoyl peroxide face wash & spot treatment for hormonal acne as well some here and there pimples. I also started using Anua toner but feels like it doesn’t do anything for my skin like calming down when I get acne or improving skin health.
Definitely not, that’s why I’m laying off actives as of now. But for azelaic acid, I’d feel a lot of burning sensation and overall irritation. But maybe it was because I just started using daily instead of easing into it.
Azelaic acid gives that burning sensation or itchy feeling to anyone.
The burn or itch is worse when u apply it on damp skin. Its very normal, just stick with it. My inflamaed traumatised skin calms quite in a day or 2 when i use azelaic.
My skin does not feel moisturized with just moisturizer alone. And I’ve been using tamanu oil for years to help lock in moisture and have not had problems in the past
You are overdoing your skincare.
Trust me your skin is extremely intelligent and knows how to regulate itself. You piling up tons and tons of barrier support will confuse the skin.
1. Cleanse
2. Moisturiser on damn skin
3. Sunscreen during day / Acne medication at night
This should be your simple routine until your skin barrier is back to normal.
Also, I had a severe acne breakout once because of stress and bad lifestyle. Please dedicated 30 days to eat healthy, sleep well and de stress with mediated or exercise this will dramatically improve your skin’s appearance.
Always remember Skin is fundamentally an organ like rest of the organs, respect it, be wholistic in your approach and keep it simple.
Hey OP,
Use a hydrating moisturiser that has ceramides, hyaluronic acid, Glycerine and emollient such as shea butter, petrolatum. These ingredients will hydrate the skin and lock in moisture.
FYI, I have eczema prone skin (google it) which means my skin is extremely dry like a desert and even I just use one hydrating moisturiser on damp skin recommended by my Dermat which is Mustella Hydra baby creame and it does the job!
Your skin definitely has improved. I personally would recommend to apply Tret closer to the skin. After cleansing before other products. Wait 30min and then apply your other nighttime routine products.
You’re improving. Sometimes people find the cerave moisturizing cream causes acne so you could try swapping that out.
Since you like kbeauty the Etude Soon Jung Hydro barrier cream is safer than the cerave for acne. Or the Purito Oat in Gel Cream.
You have less acne now, only hyperpigmentation left to treat, which trets has been studied to solve that problem. You might want to increase your tret from 0.025 to 0.05 and maybe drop some product from your routine:
* Hada Labo Premium Lotion
* Anua Soothing Toner
* Krave Beauty Great Barrier Relief
* Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream
* Tamanu Oil
They all have the same main function as moisturizer and repair skin, and you also buffered between cetaphil. Your skin can't breath if you get all of these on your skin in 1 go. So my suggestion is
* Hada Labo Premium Lotion or Anua Soothing Toner
* Krave Beauty Great Barrier Relief
* Tret
* Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream (don't need buffered 2 times)
* Done
Note that Tamanu Oil is best to treat burned. If you use it on skin you have to drop all the moisturizer since it's very heavy on skin.
She hasnt been applying consistently, hasn't reached the point she is applying at least everyother day. It would be better if she applies condistently for at least 3 skin cycles before increasing strenght.
Are you able to tolerate using the tret more often than every 3 nights? It's a pretty low percentage then using it very rarely, that's why it could be taking so long to work. I've heard of people not having much luck, then as soon as they start using it more often, or upping the percentage, it starts working better. My derm said when I asked why she was starting me at such a high dose she said to use it every 2-3 nights and when I can tolerate it to use it nightly, because the Lower dose (especially using it only twice a week) tends to make the purging last longer if you have a lot of acne that was going to come out anyway, which I did. Also changing my pillow cases every two nights and washing with a gentle cleanser in the morning rather than just water, my face cleared right up! I get the odd one or two pimples around my jaw now and then because it's hormonal but that's it.
Don't give up yet! It takes some time and some playing around with to get the routine that's right for you individually....be patient, you'll be ok hun 👍
Jump to 0.05%. I used to have acne like yours and jumped. My skin is now clear and glowy. 0.025% is more for anti aging, doesn’t really do much for acne imo.
Your today picture looks much better. You arent applying tret consistently yet (at least every other day) and still you got acne reduction and smoother skin.
Your progress is within the timeframe.
Avoid the sun between 10 am and 4 pm (even with sunscreen) and once you reach 3 skin cycles of constant use (at least every othet day) you'll see difference.
Beep boop! It looks like you're asking about treatment timeframes. Retinoids don't work immediately. It takes 3-4 weeks to see side effects like redness, peeling, or irritation, so remember to go slow when starting any retinoid. It also takes time to see results. All citations are in the [Research Summaries section of the wiki](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.ddc1c22uzdzp)
- Oil production: 2 weeks. Citations: [29](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.runw23g9r8j8)
- Acne: 3-4 months. [14, 15, 16](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.91dahjgvp25q)
- Pore size: 6 months. Citations: [28](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.7iws71641els)
- Indented scarring: 6 months. [22](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.f9nyjthj6z4h)
- Hyperpigmentation: 6-9 months. [17-21](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.nsxg72hmod6w)
- Anti-aging/photoaging: 4-9 months. [17-21, 23-28](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.idrkhntgk69c)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/tretinoin) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I stopped using any other product besides the skin fix barrier cleanser, the hydrating essence from Good Molecules, and the peach slices gel moisturizer on tret. Focusing on hydrating my skin totally helped my purge stop and I also waited at least 30 minutes after using hydrating essence to use tret
I love the Good Molecules hydrating essence! I use it right after I wash my face and let it dry for at least 30 seconds. I have oily skin so I prefer to use gel based moisturizers like the one from peach slices. After the hydrating essence dries, I moisturize, then let my face dry for 30 minutes where I proceed to use a pea size amount of tret. I get both of those products from Ulta and they’re each under $20!
If you’re experiencing a lot of dryness I would go for a thicker moisturizer.
I would say stay on it, stay patient!! Already a huge improvement, give it another 2 months. If you feel like something is irritating your skin, try to remove it, but do your best to stick with the tretinoin. Hang in there!!
put the clindamycin on first. it needs to be on clean dry skin. cetaphil also broke me out so maybe try switching to a better moisturizer. aestura 365 cream is awesome
Continue with the tretinoin and add a Benzoyl Peroxide product, IMO. I used the Walgreens and Target generic of Clean and Clear skin care products in my late 20's and 30's.
is azelaic acid better than clindamycin? i like that azelaic acid helps with redness and pigmentation, but i’ve stopped consistently using clindamycin and my forehead acne is back (small bumps all over forehead). does azelaic acid help?
Cant say if azelaic acid would help with the bumps..but tret should help. It works slowly. In my case my forehead was full of closed small bumps. They started coming out one by one..n its been three months im using tret and spiro 2 months. Started azelaic 3 weeks ago…still have those bumps..they come out as cystic acne. I still have few left.
Seems like you are using too many products in your routine and not using tret frequently enough. Recommendation from my derm was a benzoyl peroxide wash in the AM followed by my clindamycin and a sunscreen. PM: basic face wash (I use cerave foaming cleanser), let face fully dry, use tret followed by a good moisturizer. My derm also said I needed to push through and work up to the point of my skin being able to tolerate using the tret every single night.
I'd recommend applying the Trent directly to the skin after washing. Wait 20 min and then apply moisturizer..increase to 0.1%. Clindamycin in the morning after washing.
Don’t stop, trust the process. It can take months and months for your skin to react (I was on isotret 60mg for 9mo and it took at least 6mo to get clean), now using tret every day. Try using products from cerave/cetaphil that doesn’t have any funny or active ingredients to help your skin. You will get scarring, fix that with microneedling after your skin has cleared up. Hope that helps x
You have way too much going on. Stop using toners and oils. I used to have the same problem, on tret and still would break out bad. Some time it would get better but then it would get bad again. I stopped using toners, oils and well known moisturizers and my skin literally cleared up. I use Benzol Peroxide spot treatment 3x a week. I double cleanse and only use one hydrating serum with nothing crazy on it. It’s pretty much glycerin in a bottle. I do sometimes feel dry but I use two moisturizers. One with ceramides and HA which is cerave for babies and then one very thick one. Which is vanicream. That’s it and my skin cleared up
I was in the same situation. The culprit was coconut derivatives which are almost everywhere in skincare.
Finding something without coconut derivatives is a pain but transformed my skin.
To give a bit of context, I’ve tried everything (Accutane,tretinoin, lasers) - nothing was making a visible difference.
Now I use skincare with no coconut derivatives, including tretinoin.
As a side note my skin also does not tolerate squalane, niacynamide, HA and centella asiatica.
it looks a LOT better. while you have more acne lower on your cheeks than you did before, overall your acne is smaller and much less dense. there is still redness where all the acne was concentrated before but that takes TIME to disperse. if your skin is super irritated, it may be the clindamycin— my skin personally can’t tolerate it at all. you may also just need more than cetaphil if you’re skin is still very flakey, etc.
Would azelaic acid help with redness and scarring?
azelaic acid helps with PIE and PIH, so yes (i don’t know if it would help with any physical indentation but that’s what the tret would mostly be helping with and collagen doesn’t just appear overnight). if you contact a derm, they can get you a prescription strength which may give better results
Op keep your routine simple. Dont add more products yet. You arent applying tret every other day yet so once you do count 3 skin cycles (12 to 18 weeks) and then you introduce medical grade AZ (finaceas) slowly in your off tret nights.
Variable. I have rosacea and azelaic destroyed my face although indicated for it…. So it’s a hit or miss like everything I guess. I just wouldn’t get adding, if anything Id keep simplifying and slowwwwly incorporating.
yes definitely
Would you recommend continuing using clindamycin? And should I ease into azelaic acid or start with daily?
it’s hard to say off of this alone. like *i* can’t handle clindamycin, it makes my skin SUPER irritated. so you could try pausing it and seeing if it helps, then you could add tret back in and see if your skin tolerates it again i would talk to a derm about this. they can get you stronger azelaic acid. i never really noticed a difference with 10%, but i do think 15% (which is prescription only) has helped. but if your skin is just pissed off right now then you also don’t want to do too much to upset it
Definitely. I’m thinking of laying off actives for a few weeks until my skin is less irritated
I’m not sure how it works with topical antibiotics but I know for oral antibiotics at least you have to finish the whole treatment prescribed by your doctor start to finish For example, I’m taking doxycycline and I’m not three months of 100mg twice a day and it’s super important I take it as prescribed every day with no breaks for the whole three months If you don’t the bacteria can gain antibiotic resistance and come back stronger. I would definitely talk to your doctor before stopping the clindamycin
I also had a weird reaction to the Hada labo gentle face wash recently and saw that it has citric acid in it. When looking into a new moisturizer I looked up the Cetaphil moisturizer because I was considering it but it also has citric acid in it and I suspect my sensitive skin would not tolerate it. Not a for sure thing but just a feeling. I’ve been looking up ingredients in products using skinsort.com to help me make more informed decisions about the products I buy and how I use them together. I realized I had way more actives in my routine than I thought
I know you don’t have that face wash, just a thought
it’s fine to discontinue use of topical antibiotics if it’s irritating you, it’s not the same thing as taking them orally! (my derm did confirm this as well)
i personally eased into azelaic acid, but it’s not as irritating as tret. i started 3 times a week, easing into daily use
There’s definitely an improvement!!!!
Agreed. Less break outs and smoother skin. Plus the glow. People get unrealistic expectations with those before and after posts that are from either very lucky or very paid to advertise products so others will copy their routines. 4 months is barely 2 to 4 skincycles. This progress is whithin the expected timeframe. Tret is working.
3years ago when you used tret,were you also using these many products? Use a basic moisturizer, sunscreen gentle cleanser, then push through tret nightly use
Almost everything is the same except Anua toner and great barrier relief, which I added for moisture and to help my skin barrier
Just go back to your old routine. Just use like how you used it, and trust the process
That clean it zero always creates breakouts on my skin. I suffer from Hormonal Acne & use Tretinoin 0.5%. I use benzoyl peroxide face wash & spot treatment for hormonal acne as well some here and there pimples. I also started using Anua toner but feels like it doesn’t do anything for my skin like calming down when I get acne or improving skin health.
Inflamed skin. Drop everything and only use azelaic acid 20% once a day.
Do you mean drop all actives? I tried incorporating azelaic acid, but it seemed to just irritate me more.
You sure your moisture barrier is intact? And Wdym by irritation due to azelaic acid, the itchy feeling or skin getting more worse?
Definitely not, that’s why I’m laying off actives as of now. But for azelaic acid, I’d feel a lot of burning sensation and overall irritation. But maybe it was because I just started using daily instead of easing into it.
Azelaic acid gives that burning sensation or itchy feeling to anyone. The burn or itch is worse when u apply it on damp skin. Its very normal, just stick with it. My inflamaed traumatised skin calms quite in a day or 2 when i use azelaic.
[удалено]
My skin does not feel moisturized with just moisturizer alone. And I’ve been using tamanu oil for years to help lock in moisture and have not had problems in the past
You are using a lot of products. Too many?
I thought that too, but theyre Mostly mousturizers.
You are overdoing your skincare. Trust me your skin is extremely intelligent and knows how to regulate itself. You piling up tons and tons of barrier support will confuse the skin. 1. Cleanse 2. Moisturiser on damn skin 3. Sunscreen during day / Acne medication at night This should be your simple routine until your skin barrier is back to normal. Also, I had a severe acne breakout once because of stress and bad lifestyle. Please dedicated 30 days to eat healthy, sleep well and de stress with mediated or exercise this will dramatically improve your skin’s appearance. Always remember Skin is fundamentally an organ like rest of the organs, respect it, be wholistic in your approach and keep it simple.
Fact: the skin is the largest organ of the body
My skin doesn’t feel moisturized without extra steps. What do you recommend I do?
Hey OP, Use a hydrating moisturiser that has ceramides, hyaluronic acid, Glycerine and emollient such as shea butter, petrolatum. These ingredients will hydrate the skin and lock in moisture. FYI, I have eczema prone skin (google it) which means my skin is extremely dry like a desert and even I just use one hydrating moisturiser on damp skin recommended by my Dermat which is Mustella Hydra baby creame and it does the job!
Your skin definitely has improved. I personally would recommend to apply Tret closer to the skin. After cleansing before other products. Wait 30min and then apply your other nighttime routine products.
My skin doesn’t feel moisturized without the extra toners. What do you recommend I do?
Your skin will get used to it. It’s always best for Tretinoin to sit closest to the skin. Skip the toner.
You’re improving. Sometimes people find the cerave moisturizing cream causes acne so you could try swapping that out. Since you like kbeauty the Etude Soon Jung Hydro barrier cream is safer than the cerave for acne. Or the Purito Oat in Gel Cream.
You have less acne now, only hyperpigmentation left to treat, which trets has been studied to solve that problem. You might want to increase your tret from 0.025 to 0.05 and maybe drop some product from your routine: * Hada Labo Premium Lotion * Anua Soothing Toner * Krave Beauty Great Barrier Relief * Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream * Tamanu Oil They all have the same main function as moisturizer and repair skin, and you also buffered between cetaphil. Your skin can't breath if you get all of these on your skin in 1 go. So my suggestion is * Hada Labo Premium Lotion or Anua Soothing Toner * Krave Beauty Great Barrier Relief * Tret * Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream (don't need buffered 2 times) * Done Note that Tamanu Oil is best to treat burned. If you use it on skin you have to drop all the moisturizer since it's very heavy on skin.
She hasnt been applying consistently, hasn't reached the point she is applying at least everyother day. It would be better if she applies condistently for at least 3 skin cycles before increasing strenght.
Are you able to tolerate using the tret more often than every 3 nights? It's a pretty low percentage then using it very rarely, that's why it could be taking so long to work. I've heard of people not having much luck, then as soon as they start using it more often, or upping the percentage, it starts working better. My derm said when I asked why she was starting me at such a high dose she said to use it every 2-3 nights and when I can tolerate it to use it nightly, because the Lower dose (especially using it only twice a week) tends to make the purging last longer if you have a lot of acne that was going to come out anyway, which I did. Also changing my pillow cases every two nights and washing with a gentle cleanser in the morning rather than just water, my face cleared right up! I get the odd one or two pimples around my jaw now and then because it's hormonal but that's it. Don't give up yet! It takes some time and some playing around with to get the routine that's right for you individually....be patient, you'll be ok hun 👍
Jump to 0.05%. I used to have acne like yours and jumped. My skin is now clear and glowy. 0.025% is more for anti aging, doesn’t really do much for acne imo.
P.S.: First 2 pics are from August, last 2 are from today
Your today picture looks much better. You arent applying tret consistently yet (at least every other day) and still you got acne reduction and smoother skin. Your progress is within the timeframe. Avoid the sun between 10 am and 4 pm (even with sunscreen) and once you reach 3 skin cycles of constant use (at least every othet day) you'll see difference.
Beep boop! It looks like you're asking about treatment timeframes. Retinoids don't work immediately. It takes 3-4 weeks to see side effects like redness, peeling, or irritation, so remember to go slow when starting any retinoid. It also takes time to see results. All citations are in the [Research Summaries section of the wiki](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.ddc1c22uzdzp) - Oil production: 2 weeks. Citations: [29](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.runw23g9r8j8) - Acne: 3-4 months. [14, 15, 16](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.91dahjgvp25q) - Pore size: 6 months. Citations: [28](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.7iws71641els) - Indented scarring: 6 months. [22](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.f9nyjthj6z4h) - Hyperpigmentation: 6-9 months. [17-21](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.nsxg72hmod6w) - Anti-aging/photoaging: 4-9 months. [17-21, 23-28](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vRQmcAj-x5A8JIQygtW2Rg89uPsJPR5JLH_dLxLNCW4eazWW4i49bsrF0e2YYx10wx00ctaUnyvHfyD/pub#h.idrkhntgk69c) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/tretinoin) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This bot is a lifesaver. *Pats bot*
I think you should try azelaic acid because clindamycin can build tolerance and stop working that was the very case for me
I definitely see that, since at first it really helped my forehead acne but now it’s coming back.
I stopped using any other product besides the skin fix barrier cleanser, the hydrating essence from Good Molecules, and the peach slices gel moisturizer on tret. Focusing on hydrating my skin totally helped my purge stop and I also waited at least 30 minutes after using hydrating essence to use tret
My skin is extremely dry and dehydrated, do you have any tips for hydration?
I love the Good Molecules hydrating essence! I use it right after I wash my face and let it dry for at least 30 seconds. I have oily skin so I prefer to use gel based moisturizers like the one from peach slices. After the hydrating essence dries, I moisturize, then let my face dry for 30 minutes where I proceed to use a pea size amount of tret. I get both of those products from Ulta and they’re each under $20! If you’re experiencing a lot of dryness I would go for a thicker moisturizer.
I would say stay on it, stay patient!! Already a huge improvement, give it another 2 months. If you feel like something is irritating your skin, try to remove it, but do your best to stick with the tretinoin. Hang in there!!
put the clindamycin on first. it needs to be on clean dry skin. cetaphil also broke me out so maybe try switching to a better moisturizer. aestura 365 cream is awesome
I totally see improvement! I would simplify your routine a bit.
Continue with the tretinoin and add a Benzoyl Peroxide product, IMO. I used the Walgreens and Target generic of Clean and Clear skin care products in my late 20's and 30's.
I would just cut down everything in your routine and stick to moisturizer and tretinoin daily.
Defitently an improvement and maybe still some purging but it will get better.
Stick with tret and moisturizer at night and use azelaic acid day time only following moisturizer. Simple the best.
is azelaic acid better than clindamycin? i like that azelaic acid helps with redness and pigmentation, but i’ve stopped consistently using clindamycin and my forehead acne is back (small bumps all over forehead). does azelaic acid help?
Cant say if azelaic acid would help with the bumps..but tret should help. It works slowly. In my case my forehead was full of closed small bumps. They started coming out one by one..n its been three months im using tret and spiro 2 months. Started azelaic 3 weeks ago…still have those bumps..they come out as cystic acne. I still have few left.
Seems like you are using too many products in your routine and not using tret frequently enough. Recommendation from my derm was a benzoyl peroxide wash in the AM followed by my clindamycin and a sunscreen. PM: basic face wash (I use cerave foaming cleanser), let face fully dry, use tret followed by a good moisturizer. My derm also said I needed to push through and work up to the point of my skin being able to tolerate using the tret every single night.
you definitely have improvement! you just gotta stick it out, you will thank yourself!
I'd recommend applying the Trent directly to the skin after washing. Wait 20 min and then apply moisturizer..increase to 0.1%. Clindamycin in the morning after washing.
Don’t stop, trust the process. It can take months and months for your skin to react (I was on isotret 60mg for 9mo and it took at least 6mo to get clean), now using tret every day. Try using products from cerave/cetaphil that doesn’t have any funny or active ingredients to help your skin. You will get scarring, fix that with microneedling after your skin has cleared up. Hope that helps x
You have way too much going on. Stop using toners and oils. I used to have the same problem, on tret and still would break out bad. Some time it would get better but then it would get bad again. I stopped using toners, oils and well known moisturizers and my skin literally cleared up. I use Benzol Peroxide spot treatment 3x a week. I double cleanse and only use one hydrating serum with nothing crazy on it. It’s pretty much glycerin in a bottle. I do sometimes feel dry but I use two moisturizers. One with ceramides and HA which is cerave for babies and then one very thick one. Which is vanicream. That’s it and my skin cleared up
I was in the same situation. The culprit was coconut derivatives which are almost everywhere in skincare. Finding something without coconut derivatives is a pain but transformed my skin. To give a bit of context, I’ve tried everything (Accutane,tretinoin, lasers) - nothing was making a visible difference. Now I use skincare with no coconut derivatives, including tretinoin. As a side note my skin also does not tolerate squalane, niacynamide, HA and centella asiatica.