Tretinoin to Retinol?

Question

esthetician said that people should not use Tretinoin for longer than 6 months and should switch off to retinol for 6 months and then back to Tretinoin because Tretinoin thins the skin is this accurate?

Carrie L. Morris, MD, FACS · Answer

Tretinoin is also known as Retin-A. It is used for anti-aging and to treat acne. You can only use Tretinoin if prescribed to you by your primary doctor. Always go by what the doctor suggests first. Estheticians are very well educated on retinoids, but they can only tell you so much without overwhelming the client. Tretinoin is 20x more potent than retinol, you can damage your skin barrier with tretinoin. This is why you want to listen to your doctors' suggestions first. Retinol is known to accelerate cell turnover, and even skin tone boosts collagen production, and smooths out fine lines and wrinkles. Retinol is over the counter and you do not need to start as slow with retinol as you do with tretinoin. With both use a PEA size amount every time. Unless your doctor says otherwise. If you experience flakiness with Retin-A it is normal, but peeling constantly means you are overusing it. SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore works great for restoring your skin barrier, or even just mixing in your Retin-A with this moisturizer! Don't forget your SPF your skin is extra sensitive.

Tretinoin to Retinol?

Answers (1)

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