Am I Suppose to Still Apply Moisturiser After Using my Retina A at Night?

Clinical studies have shown that using a moisturizer with a topical retinoid reduces irritation with no decrease in efficacy. It does not matter which is applied first.

I always recommend use of a good facial moisturizer when my patients are using Retin-A, as it has a tendency to dry the skin out.  One tip for using Retin-A: don't apply it right after you wash your face - if your skin is moist, the Retin-A will penetrate more and be more likely to cause irritation.  Wait 15-30 minutes after washing to apply your Retin-A for the best tolerability.  Make sure the moisturizer you are using is specifically formulated for the face and is labeled as "non-comedogenic," which means that it shouldn't cause breakouts.

You can apply moisturizer before or after Retin-A... This will not decrease the efficacy of the Retin-A.  If you have a tendency to be dry I encourage you to apply your moisturizer before the Retin-A.  Remember that Retin-A is only for night use. 

Hope this helps. 

 

Dr. Grant Stevens              Marina Plastic Surgery Associates           Marina del Rey, CA The Institute

Retin-A has a tendency to dry the skin out a lot, so I actually prefer my patients do apply the Retin-A to dry skin. Then wait a few minutes and add moisturizer over it. You will need to ask your prescribing physician if he/she has another preference, but this is the way I've done it for almost 30 years and it allows the Retin-A to be effective without overdrying the skin.