I used tretinoin 0.025% on my face including the eye area. After around 4 weeks my under eye shadows became much worse (I already had dark shadows from naturally thin skin) and I now have awful bags under my eyes which I didn't have before. It looks as if I have lost subcutaneous fat and/or the skin has thinned. Is this a typical side effect of tretinoin and now I've stopped using it are the dark shadows and bags likely to improve? Thanks so much for your advice, it's much appreciated .
Answers (1)
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If you are using retinoid creams, you may experience dryness and irritation that is commonly referred to as the ‘retinoid reaction.’ In our office, we recommend Elevase Moisture Booster to help reduce the dryness and to improve the skin’s natural moisture barrier function. Elevase contains ceram...
Ideally you would apply the Retin-A in the evenings to bare skin. However, if your incredibly dry and flaky, it is ok to buffer it by applying a moisturizer prior. It can take the skin 12-16 weeks to fully adjust to Retin-A so we suggest starting with 3 nights a week and work up from there so...
No one can tell you if mixing Retin A with moisturizers decreases the potency of the Retin A, or not. No good studies have been published on this bit of home chemistry. If you are concerned about dryness, use a lower strength Retin A, or, use a moisturizer the next morning