#tretinoin for acne

[oddwayintt]

Tretinoin Cream: A Comprehensive Guide

What is Tretinoin Cream?

Tretinoin cream is a topical medication that contains tretinoin, a derivative of vitamin A. It comes in different strengths, ranging from 0.01% to 0.1%, and is available as a prescription cream, gel, or liquid.

Tretinoin Cream is considered the gold standard topical treatment for acne and skin rejuvenation. But what exactly is tretinoin and how does it work its magic on the skin? Let's find out.

Tretinoin Overview

Tretinoin is a retinoid medication that was originally approved by the FDA in 1971 as an acne treatment. It is derived from retinoic acid, which occurs naturally in the body and plays an important role in cell growth and turnover.

On the skin, tretinoin works by increasing cell turnover. This helps clear plugged hair follicles that can lead to acne lesions. The increased cell turnover also means fresher, younger-looking skin cells are brought to the surface.

How Tretinoin Cream Works

When tretinoin cream is applied to the skin, it starts working on a cellular level. Here's a quick breakdown of how it works its magic:

Increases cell turnover: Tretinoin speeds up cell turnover by enhancing exfoliation. Dead skin cells are shed faster.

Unclogs pores: By increasing cell turnover, tretinoin helps clear debris, oil, and dead skin from pore openings. This prevents clogging.

Reduces oil production: Tretinoin signals the oil glands to produce less oil by altering gene expression. Less oil equals less acne.

Smooths and evens skin: Increased cell turnover means fresher skin is revealed. Tretinoin also boosts collagen production for smoother, firmer skin.

Fades pigmentation: By increasing cell turnover, tretinoin helps fade dark spots and discoloration faster.

So, tretinoin is like a power wash for your skin cells! It clears away dead skin, unclogs pores, reduces oil, smooths texture, and evens tone.

Tretinoin Cream Formulations

Tretinoin creams, gels, and liquids come in a range of concentrations:

Tretiheal 0.1% Tretinoin Cream

Tretiheal 0.05% Tretinoin Cream

Tretiheal 0.025% Tretinoin Cream

Lower strengths like 0.01% are ideal for first-time users. Higher strengths pack a more powerful punch for stubborn acne and aging skin but can cause more irritation.

Some brands of tretinoin combine the medication with an antibiotic like clindamycin. This helps fight acne bacteria for more effective treatment.

Tretinoin also comes in special anti-aging formulations with added moisturizing and smoothing ingredients to enhance benefits and minimize irritation.

Tretinoin Cream Benefits for Skin

With those mechanisms of action in mind, let's look closer at the specific benefits using tretinoin cream can provide for your skin:

Treats Acne

By speeding up skin cell turnover within pores and keeping them exfoliated, tretinoin is highly effective at clearing up inflammatory acne lesions like papules and pustules. It also helps prevent new blackheads and whiteheads from forming. If breakouts are your primary concern, consistency with tretinoin application is key for maintaining clear skin long-term.

Reduces Wrinkles and Fine Lines

With its collagen-boosting abilities, tretinoin cream can markedly reduce signs of aging over time. Fine lines and wrinkles appear diminished, leaving skin looking firmer, smoother, and more plump. Think of tretinoin as "ironing out" wrinkles from the inside for a visibly rejuvenated appearance.

Brightens Skin Tone

By increasing cell turnover, tretinoin brings fresh new skin cells to the surface. These newer cells help fade areas of pigmentation and age spots, leading to a brighter, more even toned complexion. Consistent use can gradually improve overall skin clarity.

Smooths Skin Texture

Along with smoothing away wrinkles, tretinoin also improves the skin's tone and texture. Pores appear smaller, skin feels tighter, and the complexion looks refreshed. This is thanks to tretinoin's effects on collagen and cell turnover.

Fades Dark Spots and Discoloration

If you deal with dark spots, melasma, or uneven pigmentation, tretinoin can help. The increased cell turnover it stimulates will gradually fade and replace damaged skin cells that have excess pigment concentrated in them. With time, these dark areas diminish for a more uniform skin tone.

Using Tretinoin Cream Safely

While clearly effective, it's important to use tretinoin cream properly to get results while avoiding irritation. Here are some tips:

Moisturize Well

Tretinoin can dry out the skin, especially at first. Be diligent with moisturizer - apply a gentle, fragrance-free moisturizer daily, both morning and night. This helps counteract dryness and peeling.

Avoid Overexposure to Sun

Tretinoin makes your skin more sun-sensitive. Be diligent about sun protection - wear a broad spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen daily and limit direct sun exposure.

Watch for Irritation and Sensitivity

Scale back usage if your skin becomes highly irritated. Try applying tretinoin over moisturizer to help buffer against redness and flaking as your skin adjusts.

Who Can Use Tretinoin Cream?

Acne Sufferers

Tretinoin is a gold standard treatment for acne vulgaris, whiteheads, blackheads, and breakouts. Under a dermatologist's guidance, it can clear up moderate to severe inflammatory acne.

Anti-Aging Benefits

Beyond acne treatment, those looking for smoother, firmer, more youthful skin can benefit from incorporating tretinoin into their skincare routine. It delivers anti-aging collagen-boosting results.

Under Guidance of Dermatologist

Because tretinoin is a prescription topical medication, you need oversight from a dermatologist to use it safely and effectively. Follow your dermatologist's usage instructions.

Uses of Tretinoin Cream

Let's look closer at the two main uses for tretinoin cream: acne and anti-aging/skin rejuvenation.

Acne Treatment

Tretinoin was originally formulated as an acne treatment. After decades of research and clinical use, it remains one of the most effective topical acne medications on the market.

How it Treats Acne

Tretinoin treats acne in a few key ways:

Speeds up cell turnover to prevent dead skin cell buildup in pores.

Unclogs pores by shedding dead skin cells inside the pores.

Decreases oil (sebum) production, which contributes to acne.

Has anti-inflammatory effects to reduce acne redness and swelling.

Kills acne-causing bacteria on the skin's surface.

By doing all of this, tretinoin helps clear up blackheads, whiteheads, and stubborn inflammatory acne like papules and pustules. It works well for non-severe acne of all types from teen acne to adult acne.

Anti-Aging/Skin Rejuvenation

Beyond acne treatment, tretinoin cream is now widely used for reducing signs of aging and rejuvenating the skin.

How it Rejuvenates Skin

Tretinoin improves the appearance of aging skin in a few key ways:

Increases collagen production, for firmer, more youthful skin.

Reduces fine lines and wrinkles by increasing cell turnover.

Smooths rough, uneven texture by enhancing exfoliation.

Evens discoloration and pigmentation by fading dark spots.

Minimizes enlarged pores by preventing dead skin buildup.

Creates an overall glow and brightness to the complexion.

Tretinoin is especially helpful for reducing and preventing fine lines, smoothing rough skin texture, and fading discoloration/age spots. With consistent use, it can make skin look more clear, radiant, and youthful.

[legobabyofficial]

getting a tretinoin prescription was so funny because the doc was literally like "you'll think nothing is happening for 3 weeks and then you'll have the worst breakouts of your life. then your skin will peel like a snake for a month, revealing beautiful, poreless New Skin. if there is even one drop of water on your face when you apply this cream you will get third degree burns. buy some vanicream and I'll see you in three months!"

[spurgie-cousin]

Josie Balka has an IUD!

Oh interesting! Did she talk about it in a video or something? I didn't see anything on her stories

I did see her talking about going to the dermatologist for acne even though she's literally got the clearest skin I've ever seen, but that's neither here nor there lol

[katelevelsup]

Nighttime Skin routine!

Good evening, lovelies! I’ve been hesitant to post about my nighttime skincare, as it’s still a work in progress. This post will include unedited, makeup-free pictures of me. 

When I was 27, I very suddenly went from having clear skin, to having adult acne. 

This definitely shook my confidence. 

First I tried a benzoyl peroxide facial cleanser, which, sadly, didn’t touch the problem. Next I tried adapalene gel, which helped a bit, but not enough. 

So I turned to the online dermatology service, Apostrophe. The dermatologist who helped me was kind and responsive, and always listened to my concerns. I recommend Apostrophe as a starting place for anyone struggling with their skin. We tried a few different treatments. Unfortunately, neither the antibiotics nor the spironolactone were right for me. The 0.025% tretinoin cream cleared my skin up a little more, but I needed a stronger dosage, which, unfortunately, Apostrophe doesn’t prescribe. 

Then I turned to another telehealth service, Nurx. The doctor there was also absolutely lovely, and, unlike Apostrophe, they accepted my health insurance. Here, I was prescribed 0.05% tretinoin. 

This had much stronger side effects than the weaker dosage-- peeling and photosensitivity-- but it has also been the most effective treatment yet. 

Here’s my current routine:

I always like to start with a clean slate, but without leaving my skin feeling stripped. This is my favorite evening cleanser. 

It removes my sunscreen and makeup without drying me out. While my face is still damp, I apply a few drops of this. I’ve found that it minimizing peeling. 

After waiting for my face to completely dry, I apply the aforementioned tretinoin. 

It’s a little rough to start with, but it’s been miraculous! 

And this is where I currently am in my skin journey. 

[bioaquapakistan]

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[wallabywannabe]

Went down an internet rabbit hole while doing homework and now I'm reading about how Confucius inspired Chinese scientists to cure leukemia.

"The translation of the essence of Confucius' philosophy into cancer therapy could be, if cancer cells are considered elements with 'bad' social behavior in our body, 'educating' rather than killing these elements might represent a much better solution."

Don't kill cancer cells. Teach them not to be cancer (by giving them a drug that restores their normal progression)! I love it. And they figured it out and turned a disease that kills people within 1 month into a disease that's easily curable with 1 month of oral meds.

[persefone98]

This serum is a very good alternative to retinol if you have sensitive skin! This serum is pretty good for enlarged pores, acne scars and acne prone skin and it works wonderfully for your first wrinkles.

[bhltdnet]

Available at: https://blackmoonhouse.com/1262

[lovergirl]

Also! I'm no longer being nice to my lab partner bc in lab last wk she pointed out my jaw acne and was like "what happened to u? U should stop eating junk food" RUDE and she didnt believe me when i said it's a tretinoin purge anyways we had a quiz too that day and she didn't finish on time and was sulking and so she just left for the whole lab after the quiz SO I WAS LEFT ALONE TO DO LAB WORK 🙂 (which is fine i get more done w out her anyway and we r individually graded) and thennn also i noticed she likes to compare scores and grades and is just so unhappy everytime i get a mark higher than her (even if just 3 scores above) and girl... i'm not mad abt it but the vibe is so off when you're working w someone w that mindset so i made friends w two other girls in lab and i'm happy now 😇

[exeggcute]

hello! you seem to know a lot about skincare stuff, so i'm curious what products you use for general daily use? i also have adult acne and it's very annoying. i would also appreciate any lip moisturizing ideas if you have any. thank you, and hope your day's going well!

oh yes! although fair warning that I am not a skincare expert at all (I don't even understand half the lingo that people use when they talk about products lol) so take any of my recommendations with a grain of salt...

other than sunscreen, literally all of the stuff I use is either from paula's choice, the ordinary, or good old cerave. I don't even bother trying other brands at this point because I assume they'll just be overpriced junk—plus, you can get almost all cerave products and a good chunk of the ordinary's products at, like, target. I'd also note that you don't need to (and really should not) go out and buy a million things at once; I have a pretty good arsenal at this point but it took me a couple years to build it up by trying one or two new products at a time and seeing what I like.

both paula's choice and the ordinary have "shop by concern" sections on their websites, so if you want actual targeted advice about what to try then I would definitely defer to them lol. but for some specific examples of what I like:

diehard fan of cerave face soaps. they have a foaming pump and a non-foaming pump, depending on whether your skin is more oily or more dry. I mostly use the latter, but since noelle uses the former I'll occasionally steal a pump of the foamy one if I'm having an oily streak lol.

likewise with cerave moisturizer, specifically for your body, but also works great on your face as a final skincare step. will not make you break out. however (important info incoming!!!) the pump lotion is far inferior to the giant tub of lotion—the pump stuff is just kind of watery and sad in comparison. get the tub. you deserve it.

the ordinary hyaluronic acid 2% serum is another "help I have dry skin but also acne" lifesaver. you can apply it directly to (damp!!!) skin or (wet!!!) hair or put a couple drops in your lotion for extra-moisturizing lotion. but it works by drawing outside moisture into your skin/hair, so make sure you're not applying it to dry skin/hair or it can backfire and actually dry you out.

paula's choice enriched calming toner = dry skin savior.

for acne specifically, paula's choice pore-reducing toner fucking rules. it's not harsh at all so you can use it as much as you want. pairs well with paula's 5% AHA exfoliant (which only use when I'm really flaky, since it is a little harsh, but you can temper it by applying lotion right after).

the ordinary azelaic acid 10% suspension is a little tingly, so I only use it when I'm actively breaking out (which tbf is often lol), but it's a great at starving out pimples.

from the paula's choice CLEAR line, I looooove the purifying clay mask. I use this one a couple times a week as needed, usually right after I get out of the shower, and then I'll wash it off and do the rest of my face potions as usual. even if my skin is pretty clear I just like how tight and clean everything feels after. I also recently tried the CLEAR 5% benzoyl peroxide daily skin clearing treatment (only because I got it as a free gift... otherwise I would Not have tried a benzoyl peroxide product lmao. bad memories of childhood acne treatment snake oil shit.) and was surprised how much I liked it, although I've been applying it verrry sparingly. the bottle recommends applying it (1) to your entire face and (2) EVERY DAY, but I've had luck using it as a sporadic spot treatment. pairs well with the enriched calming toner.

I've also been using this prescription tretinoin cream off and on for the past year (from the dubious skincare-as-a-service online pharmacy "forhers" lol) and it's Good but not a miracle. my skin is already pretty sensitive so I try not to use it that often, but it would probably work a lot better if it did. also makes you photosensitive as hell so watch out (sunscreen is a must).

specifically for lip moisturizer, nothing beats plain old burt's bees lip balm imo but if you need something heavy-duty I do like the paula's choice lip and body treatment balm. it's a little greasy but has great staying power and the tub lasts forever!

also important to note. you should always do stuff in this order: wash your face (duh) > toner > other stuff > lotion/moisturizer. I know you're supposed to do the "other stuff" in a specific order if you're stacking multiple products but tbh I just kind of wing it lol.

[trckstergods]

Convinced my friend to do something mildly unethical and write me a tretinoin prescription and it has completely fixed my acne in 1 month

[negroglo]

How you skin so clear bro? I'm tryna be a pretty lil bih like you 😭😭

“Pretty lil bih” is crazyyy😭

But anyway

Morning:

1. CeraVe cream to foam cleanser or CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser

You just need something simple and gentle. If you’re having a break out, use something with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide (leave on for 3-5 minutes to allow the active ingredients to work)

2. Naturium Tranexamic Acid Brightening Treatment

Mostly for antioxidant support throughout the day. Antioxidants prevent free radical damage that can result in collagen breakdown. It contains tranexamic acid, alpha arbutin, and kojic acid -in addition to being antioxidants they are also tyrosinase inhibitors that prevent the formation of dark spots.

3. Sunscreen

Most important step! SPF 30 or higher

Just find something that works for you and apply it EVERY morning (~1/4 tsp or two finger lengths for the face and neck)

Night:

1. CeraVe cream to foam cleanser

2. Naturium Tranexamic Acid Brightening Treatment

3. Tretinoin (prescription) HOLY GRAIL

Topical retinoids are the gold standard for fighting acne, sun damage, and aging. It works on the cellular level to increase cell turn over, collagen synthesis, blood vessel formation. You must be consistent and it take 8-12 weeks before results are visible. 👨🏾‍🔬

Adapalene and other retinols are available otc. and can be more beginner friendly.

4. CeraVe Baby Lotion ( has similar ingredients to the their night cream but it has way more product for a better price lol)

Miscellaneous:

Paula’s Choice BHA or CeraVe Acne Control gels

These are exfoliants I use once or twice a week if my skin is dull or textured

A dermatologist is probably the best person to ask for skincare advice, so if you have access I highly recommend booking a consultation. They’re also teledermatology services that can things a bit more accessible.

Good luck bro 🧍🏾‍♂️🤎

[donnerpartyofone]

Fun with rosacea: So not only does doxycycline give me esophagitis and intracranial hypertension, and Rhofade only works for me on an unpredictable basis, but the other most normal thing people take, Soolantra, now costs me almost $700. I used to get this stuff without even thinking about it, but I'm assuming that because it contains Ivermectin, it now costs whatever the maker thinks it can gouge out of the dumbest people in the land. So we talked about Accutane, which I had filed away in my brain as a pretty "normal" acne drug, but now I know that

a) It's a tretinoin thing with may have the same effect on my face as a scouring pad, temporarily or forever.

b) To get it I need a negative pregnancy test, blood work, another negative pregnancy test a month later, and to promise my doctor that I am not already suicidal or psychotic, because

c) it has the single scariest list of psychiatric side effects that I've ever seen in my life. There's like a whole page of them that I have to swear that I read, and it says basically everything but Freddy Kreuger will kill you in your dreams, and at this point I'm not convinced that won't happen.

So I started the Accutane process with the understanding that a month from now I might not even want it, and I'm back to considering more laser-type options even though I previously spent $4,000 on a procedure that temporarily made things worse, and then left me back at square one. But like I'm in a situation where at least once a month I have to do a public thing before an audience of up to 100 people, and it's one thing to just look ugly--I mean that's just a fact of life--but it's a whole other thing to have skin that's shiny with medication and covered in purple welts and other people are making it really clear that they think you're drunk or having a panic attack and they keep going CALM DOWN OK?! when you're just sitting there minding your business. So I guess I'm still willing to try anything; the adventure continues.

[seatown123456]

Steps how to apply tretinoin cream

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[shawcl]

hey youknow I got that skincare advice too 💖 hormonal acne is the worst, I'm in the same boat 🤝 you gotta have a retinol in your routine from one almost 30 girlie to another 🤝 I did really good with epiduo (prescription) and I heard differin is the best alternative you can get in stores. I'm trying tretinoin rn (another super strong prescription retinol cream) but I'm only a week in so I'll report back after a month or 2. our skin is getting thinner so a retinol boosts collagen which prevents clogged pores/acne. Just make sure you pair this stuff with a rlly good moisturizer. I love the la roche-posay toleriane one, they have one with sunscreen for the AM and without for PM. like someone else said, toning is super helpful too. I use straight up witch hazel on a cotton round twice a day after cleansing and before product. It's not the gentlest on the skin, but not as harsh as a benzoyl peroxide heavy toner either. it's pretty much an extra step to make sure your skin is SUPER clean. also it's played out but drinking lots of water really does help! too! ✨

cat i trust ur opinion literally so much omg i'm writing everything down as we speak so i can look it all up later 📝📝📝 also pls do report back on the retinol cream or whatever else you might find helpful in the future, i'm always up for more skincare wisdom <3

[slafkovskys]

for the anons asking for recs, i have awful acne scars and inflammation, for literally no reason, and i’ve tried EVERYTHING. i have super sensitive skin so most products burned or made me peel but i just started using the ordinary azelaic acid suspension and it started working within 2 days. its already helping fade my scars and brighten my skin and help my texture. i think its like vitamin c but a little different. and for my tretinoin girlies you can use them both at the same time 😊

i’ve heard (watched tiktoks) about this! i’m already using a couple different acids so might need to check if i can mix this one in but i have such bad acne scars on my cheeks, this sounds right up my alley 🥸