POSTED UNDER Retin-A REVIEWS
Two Years Retin A Use, by Far the Best Commitment for my Skin I've Ever Made. - Great Britain, GB
ORIGINAL POST
I live on the coast and never bothered with...
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I live on the coast and never bothered with sunscreen. In fact I loved the sun kissed appearance of mild sun burn. Nothing pleased me more than the feel of the sun on my face. Then people started to think I was older than my elder brother. Worse, I began to not recognise the face in the mirror. I looked like a candle that was left too close to the fire.
I started a nightly dedicated Retin A ritual along with moisturiser with SPF 30 during the day. I experienced some redness and peeling and nasty breakouts but mainly from over use. The advice about starting slowly is very sound advice. If you're going to use Retin A then it is a long term commitment so please start slowly.
Two years on, my skin is so much better than it was. Someone even told me I had nice skin and I laughed in astonishment because I had grown to accept my awful damaged skin. Another person asked me recently if I had any 'work' because they thought I was looking younger.
I use Retin A most nights with face oil over the top, a Vit C serum most days along with face oil and SPF moisturiser. I'm no Tom Cruise but I can tell you with my hand on my heart that my skin is more firm more even toned more smooth and more soft bouncy than it was five years ago.
I'll never stop using Retin A unless it becomes too difficult to find online.
I started a nightly dedicated Retin A ritual along with moisturiser with SPF 30 during the day. I experienced some redness and peeling and nasty breakouts but mainly from over use. The advice about starting slowly is very sound advice. If you're going to use Retin A then it is a long term commitment so please start slowly.
Two years on, my skin is so much better than it was. Someone even told me I had nice skin and I laughed in astonishment because I had grown to accept my awful damaged skin. Another person asked me recently if I had any 'work' because they thought I was looking younger.
I use Retin A most nights with face oil over the top, a Vit C serum most days along with face oil and SPF moisturiser. I'm no Tom Cruise but I can tell you with my hand on my heart that my skin is more firm more even toned more smooth and more soft bouncy than it was five years ago.
I'll never stop using Retin A unless it becomes too difficult to find online.
cluster_head's provider
UPDATED FROM cluster_head
2 days post
Some extra photos.
You can't really see my skin in the original photo I posted. Hopefully you an see a bit better with these taken last week. You will notice that I still have lines and my skin could be more plump in places but really, if you saw it two and a half years ago you would notice a massive improvement. I will be turning 43 in July and a lot of people think that I am younger than that whereas three years ago a lot of people thought I was perhaps older than that. Retin A and Facial Oil at night coupled with Vit C serum and SPF moisturiser in the day has made a world of difference. I just wish I had used SPF from an earlier age. Why do we never listen to the advice are given when young?
Replies (37)
March 23, 2015
You look great! And I totally hear you about listening to advise when we were younger. I live in California and loved the river when I was younger...loved being tan. Trying to reverse the damage is a lot more difficult than simply being proactive and taking care of your skin from the beginning, which is the lesson I'm trying to teach my daughters who are in their 20s. I'm getting a CO2 peel in December and I'm nervous about how scary I'll look right after the procedure, but hoping for excellent results. Thanks so much for your feedback!
March 25, 2015
I just started using Retin A for my Rosasea, I am using the lowest dose you can get and I am still peeling like crazy but I was told to expect that and it would stop. Can you tell me what oil you put over it at night and what Vit C serum are you using? I need something to calm down the burning and painful face, so anything you can tell me would be much appreciated. Oh ya and do you put it around your eyes? I was told not to and I did once and now the skin feels a bit sore, will that stop eventually as well? Thank you in advance.
March 30, 2015
If you are peeling a lot I would recommend cutting down on the mound of nights that you are using it until your skin grows accustomed. I too had some pretty bad peeling but cut my use right back to just twice a week which I did for a good month or two before increasing to three nights a week then it was some more months until I could manage every other night. It was probably six months or more before I managed every night and even now I still have to have a night off at least once a week.
The oil I use is just whatever facial oil I find in special offer but I have had best results with plain jojoba oil or plain rosehip oil. I just like the smell of the specialist facial oils so I use them most of the time.
The Vit C serum I use is Ole Henriksen Truth Serum. I really like it but there are much better Vit C serums available. I only use this particular one because it smells so good (I am addicted to the way things smell) and also I have managed to pick up loads of it at a ridiculously cheap price. Once it all runs out, I will probably use Perricone Vit C Ester instead because it has a better reputation.
I do put the Retin A under my eyes but only started doing that recently and only VERY sparingly. I never put it on my eyelids. I have accidentally got some on my eyelids and, wow, did they get sore!
Any soreness you feel will definitely go away, just cut back your usage. Slowly but surely wins the race so far as Retin A is concerned.
March 30, 2015
Thank you so much for all your help! I am very blonde and very pale skinned and I have incredibly sensitive skin made worse by rosacea which is why I was prescribed this but I am thinking the doctor made a mistake in the dosage and I used it every night for a week, needless to say my face hurts and looks like a shedding snake. I have not used it for 3 days now and I made an appointment so my doctor can change the dosage. You have saved me allot of suffering! Thank you again! No worries about the typos my phone is the worst for that so I get it. :)
March 30, 2015
You are very welcome! I hope that you can persevere with the Retin A because I am convinced that great results can be achieved. So many people give up because they use too high a dosage and use it too frequently to begin with and the skin just cannot tolerate it. Best of luck with the Dr and remember that in nine months time you will really notice the difference to your skin. :)
April 16, 2015
If you do use retin A under eyes a doctor in here said to mix a tiny amount like pea size for whole face with your cream. I do this with hydrate from obaji it's been two nights I have been doing this and it has made a difference. Slowly but surely. Retin A works better when applied a little and a break of a night or 2 sounds good.
March 28, 2015
Hi can I ask where did you buy your products. Doctors In the uk just don't want to prescribe it? I'm 37 female and really starting to notice the wrinkles and they are getting worse by the second. My love for the sunshine has caught up with me!! Please any advice on products would be so helpful.
March 30, 2015
I get mine from a trusted eBay seller in Thailand. I know lots of people worry about buying medications from foreign countries but I totally trust my source. I buy the Janssen brand because they are part of Johnson & Johnson which is a well trusted pharmaceutical company. Retin A is available over the counter in Thailand and is extremely cheap to buy there.
If you do decide to start a Retin A regimen then I would advise to buy the 0.025% concentration and agree to yourself that it is a long commitment. You will not see results immediately, in fact your skin might get worse to begin with. Always wait ten mins after washing your face before applying the cream at night. Use it only twice a week for the first month, then three times for the second month, then every other night only if your skin can tolerate it. I find adding an oil like jojoba or rosehip over the Retin A really helps with counteracting the dryness. Wait fifteen mins if you can after applying the Retin A. This is not too important though if you can't wait.
I also use an amazing face peel kit from Ole Henriksen once a week called Lemon Flash Peel. Along with the Retin A at night and Vit C serum during the day, I have seen really really good results. I do not regret my love of the sun but I do wish I used a sunscreen when younger. You absolutely must use a high SPF if using Retin A otherwise all your hard work will he undone. In fact the skin can be even more damaged.
I hope you do decide to start using Retin A, in nine months time you will probably be so glad that you did.
April 14, 2015
Hi! What vitamin c serum do you use? Also, can I get the name of the spf moisturizer and facial wash you use? Thanka so much!!
April 15, 2015
the Vit C serum I use is Ole Henriksen's The Truth Serum. I managed to get quite a lot of it at a good price in the Christmas saes and I love it but most people do not consider it the best Vit C serum. For quality and value, you might want to check out the one by Paula's Choice if you are in the United States. Skinceuticals produce a great Vit C serum that i considered one of the best but it is pretty expensive and many consider the price to not match the value.
April 16, 2015
Faith lee. I am on the obaji nu derm and my skin looks and feels great and alot younger. I am 36 and the lack of care and good moisterising and wrongly using a steroid cream for 10 years left my face getting fine lines esp round the eyes and forehead. Maybe it's too soon as I have seen people older who have great skin.
Look into it and see what you think. I am also using oils like vitamin e and vitamin A. And many others like coconut oil etc. Rosehip oil is a natural retin A and will do your skin wonders. Drink plenty of water and include a wheatgerm oil or dry wheatgerm into your diet. You will see it will make a difference in how you feel and look.
Finally, cluster_head is soo right. Sunscreen sunscreen and sunscreen. I won't leave the house with anything below 50+, shades are a must and maybe a scarf or a hat. Enjoy the sun but be sensible in it.
Xx
April 5, 2015
Hi, did the retin-a firm or tighten your skin?
April 5, 2015
Yes, I think it probably does. It kinda plumps it up a bit. It is such a very slow and gradual process though that it is easy to almost not notice the improvement and to forget what effect it has (a bit like not noticing getting older day by day). I do touch my cheeks as I type this and they feel firmer than they did three years ago. In fact they feel more firm than perhaps ten years ago.
As well as Retin A, I now use sunscreen and I use an 'at home' facial peel kit once a week or so which has also helped to improve the firmness of my skin.
Honestly, I used to get depressed when I looked at my skin. It was never the lines that bothered me. It was that my skin tone was much more uneven and the texture was kinda rough and really my face just looked 'sad' and like a candle as it begins to melt and droop. Now that I really think about it, Retin A must have firmed my skin a lot. I rave about it all the time and a lady whom I work with that I do not know very well sent me a private message asking me how I had improved my skin and another lady who is not known for giving compliments told me that she thought I had great skin.
I really love the stuff! I have some very slight melasma that I never noticed before starting Retin A but I think that is because I have so much overall 'new' skin that there are some areas of slight discolouration. I'm a little vain but I'm not the sort of guy who could ever wear makeup foundation but for anyone that does wear makeup, I imagine that their skin could look absolutely flawless.
April 14, 2015
Hi! What spf moisturizer and facial cleanser do you use? Thanks!
April 15, 2015
Daily, I have been using a Boots moisturiser with SPF30 built into it but I am really thinking about switching permanently to a dedicated sunscreen with SPF50. I have noticed that if I am outdoors in bright sunlight, I often get some slight sunburn where before using Retin A I would not usually burn during the same period of time. I am also becoming paranoid about getting skin discolouration. I have purchased a SPF50 face fluid by Eucerin and used it a couple of times and it is great. It gives a matt finish unlike most SPF50 products and does not feel too heavy on the skin.
To clean my face, I use Ole Henriksen African Red Tea face wash. It is fantastic and smells amazing, but I use it mainly because I managed to get a lot of it really cheap in the Christmas sales. I have previously also used Superfacialst Vit C skin polish which is also fantastic.
August 25, 2015
Hi Yogi,
I use an oil free moisturiser with SPF 15, this is made by Roden & Fields a U.S company, Boots are out of stock at the moment but oil free is helpful for acne prone skin.
I use an oil free moisturiser with SPF 15, this is made by Roden & Fields a U.S company, Boots are out of stock at the moment but oil free is helpful for acne prone skin.
UPDATED FROM cluster_head
1 year post
Still a massive fan
I continue to use Retin A and will never be without it (unless it becomes too difficult to acquire). I have to admit though that I still spend a lot of time outdoors and do not apply sunscreen as often as I probably should and I have suffered the occasional case of mild sunburn. I know that the sun is the number one enemy of the skin but I love being exposed to the elements and so I am in a constant battle between protecting and repairing my skin. My skin has been badly abused by the sun in the past but I have learned that I love the sun and refuse to hide under tons of sunblock and a hat. That being said, I have worked hard to repair my skin so strive to achieve an equilibrium.
My skincare regimen has become a lot more simplified. I use Retin A most nights (about five our of seven) and then apply a moisturiser on top. I like to use a cream with retinol in it especially for my neck because my neck does not tolerate Retin A too well. This is a shame because my neck has some deep lines running around it in bands.
I read a lot in bed and I am convinced the the lines around my neck are caused from the position that I lay in for hours on end. I love reading in bed though so the to hell with the neck (for now).
I sometimes take a break from Retin A for a couple of weeks at a time and apply an exfoliating serum by Ole Henriksen underneath a light moisturiser. I find that during these two weeks, my skin looks its very best.
In the morning I apply a 20% Vit C serum and then a Vit C cream that has UVA and UVB filters in it. (The cream is from the Superfacialist range sold in Boots in the UK and is an absolute Godsend. I live in constant fear of it being discontinued).
If I am to be spending any length of time outdoors, I try to apply a SPF50 cream, such as Decolor. I hate creams with high SPF though as I just don't like the feel of them on my skin. My favourite one is called Protect the Truth by Ole Henriksen but it seems to have been discontinued (in the UK at least; this seems to always happen to products that I love).
I continue to notice subtle improvements to my skin even after years of use. Of course, I also notice subtle signs of continued aging too, but my skin is definitely a lot better than it was ten years ago.
My skincare regimen has become a lot more simplified. I use Retin A most nights (about five our of seven) and then apply a moisturiser on top. I like to use a cream with retinol in it especially for my neck because my neck does not tolerate Retin A too well. This is a shame because my neck has some deep lines running around it in bands.
I read a lot in bed and I am convinced the the lines around my neck are caused from the position that I lay in for hours on end. I love reading in bed though so the to hell with the neck (for now).
I sometimes take a break from Retin A for a couple of weeks at a time and apply an exfoliating serum by Ole Henriksen underneath a light moisturiser. I find that during these two weeks, my skin looks its very best.
In the morning I apply a 20% Vit C serum and then a Vit C cream that has UVA and UVB filters in it. (The cream is from the Superfacialist range sold in Boots in the UK and is an absolute Godsend. I live in constant fear of it being discontinued).
If I am to be spending any length of time outdoors, I try to apply a SPF50 cream, such as Decolor. I hate creams with high SPF though as I just don't like the feel of them on my skin. My favourite one is called Protect the Truth by Ole Henriksen but it seems to have been discontinued (in the UK at least; this seems to always happen to products that I love).
I continue to notice subtle improvements to my skin even after years of use. Of course, I also notice subtle signs of continued aging too, but my skin is definitely a lot better than it was ten years ago.
Replies (28)
October 22, 2016
Hi, so interested to read your post as I've been wondering about retin a for a long time but have no idea where to get it from. Do I need a prescription? I'm in the UK too so thought I'd ask! You look great. X
November 8, 2016
Thank you so much. I get mine from India. I used to get it on eBay from Thailand but I think eBay have become more strict with that sort of thing. There are certain online pharmacies that sell it. The brand I use is Retino A. I would recommend starting with the lowest dose and only use it twice a week for a couple of months until your skin gets used to it. I highly recommend using it. It is a very slow process and patience and perseverance is required but the results are amazing. :) let me know how you get on x
December 2, 2016
You guys think Retin A will help a dehydrated skin? I completely dried out my skin from overconsumption of caffeine and smoking for more than a year now, and i have hollows eyes from the extreme weight loss, i know retin a can't do anything for the sunken eyes, but can they at least get rid of all the lines and wrinkles that are on my face now, that came due to bad diet and no water for a year now? specially lines under my eyes and forehead? thanks
December 5, 2016
I can only speak from personal experience. From what you say, I think that Retin A could help, (along with a healthy diet and lots of water intake). Ironically, Retin A can very much dry out the skin at the beginning and a conservative approach is recommended when starting out (otherwise you could become disheartened and give up). I still get pretty dry skin every now and then so I tend to hold back from using the Retin A for a day or two when this happens.
My eyes are somewhat hollow too so I can sympathise there.
Please search YouTube for 'How to use Retin A without irritation' by a a YouTube user called Hot and Flashy. If you stick strictly to her advice you should do just great.
I also advise to use a good Vit C serum in the day and you must use sunscreen every single day if you start a Retin A regimen.
My eyes are somewhat hollow too so I can sympathise there.
Please search YouTube for 'How to use Retin A without irritation' by a a YouTube user called Hot and Flashy. If you stick strictly to her advice you should do just great.
I also advise to use a good Vit C serum in the day and you must use sunscreen every single day if you start a Retin A regimen.
December 7, 2016
Hey thanks for the update! But if I stop using retin a will my wrinkles come back? thanks!
December 8, 2016
Well, your wrinkles will come back if you stop but not overnight. I have gone through phases where I have stopped using Retin A for a while and my skin has never gone back to the same poor state as to when before I started treatment. I must admit that I am worried that I will one day run out of cream and not be able to get any anywhere and my skin will then just naturally deteriorate.
February 9, 2017
i agree your skin looks plump and clear. good thing you have made a good skin care regimen.
March 29, 2017
please contact
May 20, 2017
Hi - Jessica here - just trying to find you - but got your email the other day and will reply.
May 21, 2017
I think that was another person who made a comment in the comment section on my review that has emailed you. I hope all works out for you. Feel free to message me privately though if there is any advice or help you might think I can offer.
May 7, 2017
Thank you for sharing! How frequently do you use it? I have 0.025%
May 20, 2017
This is a very good question and it sort of depends. I have been using it for a considerable amount of time now but still do not use it every single day (I know plenty of other users though that after gradually building up their usage, can now use it daily).
I can not remember my exact routine, but when I first started with the 0.025%, I only used it a couple of times a week for a couple of months then three times a week for a month or so then after around six months I used it four times a week but then started using the 0.05% once a week instead of the 0.025% then built up the same sort of routine, gradually increasing the number of times I used the 0.05%. Then around the nine-month mark (or perhaps slightly sooner), I ditched the 0.025% all together and stuck with the 0.05% for years.
Last year I started using the 0.1% gel once a week and have noticed some subtle improvement (even after years of using only 0.05%). I will probably add an updated photo around my birthday in July because I plan to keep an eye on my skin condition over the years).
To this day I still only apply Retin A approximately five times a week and sometimes will only apply once or twice a week here and there, dependant on how my skin is (for example when my skin feels too dry or when it flakes occasionally due to an over-zealous application. Or when I know I will be spending considerable amounts of time outdoors in strong sunshine; so I sort of just play it by ear so to speak and adjust my usage to suit). It is important to note that I saw some further improvement last year to my skin when I started using Vit C serums during the day too.
Sorry for my long rambling reply but I get carried away when talking about Retin A as I really do love it so much!
I can not remember my exact routine, but when I first started with the 0.025%, I only used it a couple of times a week for a couple of months then three times a week for a month or so then after around six months I used it four times a week but then started using the 0.05% once a week instead of the 0.025% then built up the same sort of routine, gradually increasing the number of times I used the 0.05%. Then around the nine-month mark (or perhaps slightly sooner), I ditched the 0.025% all together and stuck with the 0.05% for years.
Last year I started using the 0.1% gel once a week and have noticed some subtle improvement (even after years of using only 0.05%). I will probably add an updated photo around my birthday in July because I plan to keep an eye on my skin condition over the years).
To this day I still only apply Retin A approximately five times a week and sometimes will only apply once or twice a week here and there, dependant on how my skin is (for example when my skin feels too dry or when it flakes occasionally due to an over-zealous application. Or when I know I will be spending considerable amounts of time outdoors in strong sunshine; so I sort of just play it by ear so to speak and adjust my usage to suit). It is important to note that I saw some further improvement last year to my skin when I started using Vit C serums during the day too.
Sorry for my long rambling reply but I get carried away when talking about Retin A as I really do love it so much!
Replies (87)