“Problems with retinol treatment (age 51, fair skin)”

Retinol treatment on very fine and sensitive skin improved spots and skin texture overall but created other problems,such as broken veins, super-dry lips and under-eye wrinkles.

I'm 51, with very fair skin. I began to use a retinol treatment (Obagi) about a year ago for unprecedented outbreaks of spots. I started and remained on the lowest strength because of skin sensitivity. The product helped marvellously with the spots, and I noticed the overall texture of my skin improved (though wrinkles under my eyes appeared almost immediately).

About a year in, however, my lips had dried up so much I couldn't seem to rehydrate them, and I developed broken capilliaries on my cheeks. I cut down to once a week use of the cream and IPL improved the veins, but only somewhat. I am now unsure whether to continue with the cream at once a week, to go back to daily use, or to stop altogether.