POSTED UNDER Microneedling Reviews
Orange peel skin texture after Retin A usage and way worse after DIY Microneedling
UPDATED FROM pinkpanther7
8 months post
Microneedling Destroyed my Skin Texture
So I wanted micro needling for fine lines and expression lines, to " plump up my collagen", to
slow aging and perhaps smooth texture more.
After 6 treatments over the course of 3 months at a depth of 0.5-2.5 mm my skin looked great. 2 months after that, my pores just seemed to hang open and the texture of my skin looked drastically worse. I noticed one day because I was trying to apply my foundation as I normally did and it was settling into my pores. I was horrified and I started to try to figure out what had happened to my skin. I found out fommmy dermatologist after the fact that micro needling causes micro tears which creates micro scars and that scar tissue takes a few months to form and when it does form it shrinks to about 2/3's the size of normal skin and so perhaps it is just scar tissue surfacing now. Or maybe the microneedling actually did structural damage to my pores and sebum glands as my skin can no longer produce sebaceous filaments on my nose and my cheeks which I always used to have. It's crazy! And it's driving me crazy, I feel very self conscious about it bd I feel a lot of remorse and I wish I had not done the treatments. I would do anything to have my old skin back...Be very careful with microneedling and do your research if you have very sensitive skin it may not be a good idea!
slow aging and perhaps smooth texture more.
After 6 treatments over the course of 3 months at a depth of 0.5-2.5 mm my skin looked great. 2 months after that, my pores just seemed to hang open and the texture of my skin looked drastically worse. I noticed one day because I was trying to apply my foundation as I normally did and it was settling into my pores. I was horrified and I started to try to figure out what had happened to my skin. I found out fommmy dermatologist after the fact that micro needling causes micro tears which creates micro scars and that scar tissue takes a few months to form and when it does form it shrinks to about 2/3's the size of normal skin and so perhaps it is just scar tissue surfacing now. Or maybe the microneedling actually did structural damage to my pores and sebum glands as my skin can no longer produce sebaceous filaments on my nose and my cheeks which I always used to have. It's crazy! And it's driving me crazy, I feel very self conscious about it bd I feel a lot of remorse and I wish I had not done the treatments. I would do anything to have my old skin back...Be very careful with microneedling and do your research if you have very sensitive skin it may not be a good idea!
ORIGINAL POST
Orange peel skin texture after Retin A usage and way worse after DIY Microneedling
Five years ago, looking back, I had really nice skin. I had a little bit of hyper pigmentation/melasma. I've always had oily skin and so I've always had visible pores. I saw my dermatologist and he gave me Retin-A and hydroquinone to lighten up the sun spots. I read that Retin A is the number one thing for anti-aging and preserving collagen and so I thought I would get a lot of benefit from it.
I used it for a couple of months and then stopped and I did this about four times over 4 years...it seems that that over that time my skin texture became worse and not better. It did help with the dark spots, the fine lines were unchanged. But my skin texture was worse and the pores seemed a bit more open and my skin a bit more dry and flaky on top. Then I heard about micro needling and that it's a miracle treatment and so I decided to try that. I quit Retin A and I did six treatments over the course of three months (aug-oct 2020) based on the Youtuber Natural Kaos's tutorials. I did it t home other a Dr Pen, I used various serums:EGF, HA, Squaline
For the first couple of months after the microneedling treatment my skin looked pretty good and then all of a sudden around the end of last year I was trying to apply my foundation and I realized it was settling in to all my pores and I realize my skin looked a lot worse and that I now have orange peel texture.
Over the last six months I have been searching for answers, was it the microneedling that damaged my skin, was it the Retin-A usage or was it that I didn't use the Retin-A long enough in order for my skin to fully retinize for the pores to shrink. I don't know, all I know is I would do anything to get the good complexion that I once had ( and didn't appreciate) back.
I hav read on here and on Reddit About a skin condition called dehydrated skin where your moisture barrier gets damaged and gives you orange peel texture and that if you repair your moisture barrier this will go away I desperately hope that is true. I don't want people to look at me up close, I avoid looking in mirrors. It's just devastating to do something to try to improve your skin only for it to get much worse. Has anyone experienced this with either Retin-A or micro needling and did you find a way to fix it?
I used it for a couple of months and then stopped and I did this about four times over 4 years...it seems that that over that time my skin texture became worse and not better. It did help with the dark spots, the fine lines were unchanged. But my skin texture was worse and the pores seemed a bit more open and my skin a bit more dry and flaky on top. Then I heard about micro needling and that it's a miracle treatment and so I decided to try that. I quit Retin A and I did six treatments over the course of three months (aug-oct 2020) based on the Youtuber Natural Kaos's tutorials. I did it t home other a Dr Pen, I used various serums:EGF, HA, Squaline
For the first couple of months after the microneedling treatment my skin looked pretty good and then all of a sudden around the end of last year I was trying to apply my foundation and I realized it was settling in to all my pores and I realize my skin looked a lot worse and that I now have orange peel texture.
Over the last six months I have been searching for answers, was it the microneedling that damaged my skin, was it the Retin-A usage or was it that I didn't use the Retin-A long enough in order for my skin to fully retinize for the pores to shrink. I don't know, all I know is I would do anything to get the good complexion that I once had ( and didn't appreciate) back.
I hav read on here and on Reddit About a skin condition called dehydrated skin where your moisture barrier gets damaged and gives you orange peel texture and that if you repair your moisture barrier this will go away I desperately hope that is true. I don't want people to look at me up close, I avoid looking in mirrors. It's just devastating to do something to try to improve your skin only for it to get much worse. Has anyone experienced this with either Retin-A or micro needling and did you find a way to fix it?
Replies (5)
Firstly, I'm so sorry for your experience! No one wants to be worse off after a treatment than before! It's heartbreaking- truly!
With that said, this forum is for professional treatments, performed by a trained professional! Therefore a review of a D.I.Y. projects you performed yourself (the "micro needling") doesn't belong here and it devalues the hard work many professionals train hard to be able to do!
Moving forward, it looks to me like you would benefit greatly from the effects of Retin-A to re-texturize your skin and smooth it out once again, which Retin-A does so well.
This time, make sure you moisturize your skin enough EVERY DAY and use an adequate SPF during the day, every day.
You're quite right, your skin should not be peeling and feeling dry, so when that happens, just skip a day (or more) of Retin-A, until your skin feels nicely moisturized again. It's your job to pause your treatment when it becomes too harsh for your skin (in that moment).
N.B. I sincerely wish for you that a longer treatment with Retin-A will solve your "orange skin" texture for you!!! All the best.
Thank you so much for your feedback! It's so depressing.. to try to improve only to make it worse. So you don't think that Retin A made my skin have orange peel texture? But miconeedling did? You think Retin A will improve things?
Yes, it's truly heartbreaking and I wish you didn't have to go through this!!
If you have a budget for it, you will be better off discussing the treatment with a dermatologist BUT there’s A LOT you can do to improve the texture of your skin now dramatically - even on a budget.
For starters Retin-A is a proven workhorse that refines the texture of your skin and also helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles (I'm 47 and Retin-A has reduced my crow's feet to almost nothing)!
From your description, I think your biggest problem (previously when trying Retin-A) was a lack of hydration to your skin.
Retin-A is prescribes as an anti-acne treatment (that happens to have brilliant anti-aging properties) so it WILL dry your skin and you will need to be mindful of getting enough hydration (water based moisturizers or a hydrating serum containing Hyaluronic acid etc.) on top of Retin-A at night and then remember to hydrate and add an SPF30 or more during the day - every day (it’s the best “anti-aging” treatment of all)!
It will take a long time for Retin-A to do it's magic - anywhere from 6 months to a year - is my guess.
Start with a lower strength and work your way up - and take a break from the treatment when your skin gets irritated, red or dry and a resume treatment once the irritation is gone.
If you still have more orange peel skin after about a year of consistent Retin-A use, then I would recommend you getting a medical skin peel from a professional.
Ask for quotes and make sure they understand your expectations so you get the right treatment!
They can do smaller areas for less.
Medical peels are much stronger than the ones you can buy OTC and can go much deeper to lift off the scaring you (might) likely have made with the DIY microneedling.
I think you will be very pleasantly surprised with the effect Retin-A will have on your skin with the proper hydration. It’s a miracle worker really!!
The peel (possibly a Jessner Peel or likely a PCA peel) will help remove the remains of the orange peel skin texture (if there is any) and your skin will most likely look the way it up had hoped for to begin with.
(continued)
P.S. I can't imagine it was Retin-A creating the lasting orange peel skin!!! It might dry out your skin and over “exfoliate” it (temporarily) when but once you stop treatment, it goes away.
I’m convinced it was your DIY efforts with “microneedling” that gave you the orange peel skin texture. You did them far too often and went too deep in your own - and unfortunately that can create scars, but I’m sure you will be able to fix it with the long term Retin-A treatment I suggested (and possibly with an added medical peel).
You’ll love it!! You’re a beautiful woman with a wonderful sparkle in her eye - don’t let a DIY mishap get you down!!
(continued) Just get started on the treatment I suggested so you can get your skin back to smooth and bouncy again (this time with reduced wrinkles and lines from the Retin-A use and extra hydration).
Have faith in the treatment and above all, have patience with it!!
You got this!!
(continued) Let us know how you’re getting on with the treatment.
I wish you the VERY best!!
Thank you o much or your kind words & support. I'm going through so much right now and to add on top tht I destroyed my own skin, it's too much. I have been struggling with so much anxiety an depression, this is crushing me. I feel so
Much remorse.. I just want the skin back that I dint appreciate
Sweet PinkPanther7 You have no reason to be so hard on yourself. You took a chance on a treatment you assumed would work and then found out that it work out so well for you.... I would use ALL of that energy to Rise like the Phoenix out of the ashes and feel HAPPY it didn't get worse than it did - and celebrate that I can actually reverse it - and then immediately start the program I made for you, that will guarantee your full recovery - now THAT'S what I would do!! Go celebrate and GET STARTET on your treatments/recovery.
Thank You for your compassion and for taking the time to comment and give me advice, I really appreciate it and I do have hope for the future, I feel like I already see an improvement just doing a lot of hydration and working on my moisture barrier but I am going to go back to Retin-A soon and consider a peel
This time no DIY!!!
No retin a does cause orange peel texture in many people and using more retin a will only make it more and more worse
thank you for all your knowledge… i also have damage from professional microneedling… what would you say about using Trentinoin instead of Ret A?
thank you for all your knowledge… i also have damage from professional microneedling… what would you say about using Trentinoin instead of Ret A?
I, too have orange peel textured skin and started using a line of skincare called dr secret from Singapore. It's only been a week but I already see the large pores on my nose becoming smaller. I'm thrilled and can't wait to see how my skin will look in 2 months!
Which products ?
I think your skin looks beautiful.
I am on my third year with retin a and only in the last few months I have started noticing improvements in texture and my pores are smaller.
I am on my third year with retin a and only in the last few months I have started noticing improvements in texture and my pores are smaller.
I have orange peel skin and have swollen eyes for 6 months since my last dermapen treatment. I also used obagi retinol 0.5. It has ruined my looks. My eyes are baggy and full of white fluid and I have track marks on my face.
Ur skin looks awesome to me... i dont get this
Replies (5)