Retin-A - From Fine Lines to Fabulous

While sitting in the dermatologist office for annual skin screening, I asked what I should do about the fine lines and the thinning of my skin around my eyes. At the time I had just turned 50 and every woman knows that people's faces age in different spots. My eyes were showing my age. I had fine to medium wrinkles forming, large pores, wrinkles on my forehead - all the things that scream aging! I was using all the best over-the-counter creams but you know that the dermatologist office's now sell skin care products so I inquired thinking maybe he would show me some new moisturizer or wonder cream! He examined me and wrote a prescription for .05 Retin-a gel.
WHAT TO EXPECT: I was to use a pea size, on my washed face before bed and start off using it every third night and work myself up to using it every night as my skin would tolerate it.
In the beginning, I saw lots of flaky skin and I experienced a little bout of a breakout for the first two weeks. No redness, just flaking and the occasional pimple.
After month 2, my skin was not flaking as much and by then I was up to being able to apply it every other night.
By month 6, I was able to apply it every night. My once super oily skin (that I had to blot at least 5 times a day) was now becoming what I would call normal. Not oily but not dry.
CHANGES TO MY SKIN: I will be honest and say that I did not start to see improvement until about the 6 month mark BUT even before then people were commenting on how great my complexion was which was something new. At the six month mark, I noticed less fine lines around my trouble areas. That was very encouraging. As I said my skin was becoming way less oily so my makeup was staying on and not melting down my face and settling into the lines anymore. The skin pores did not shrink but they smoothed out a bit for me as well. My foundation went on a bit easier and looked much better.
After a year, my husband started commenting on how young I was appearing for my age. He'd say these comments at breakfast as I sat there with no makeup on. So bare skinned my husband was noticing the difference and he has been looking at my face for 28 years so he should know.
At year two, my results are amazing. I look back at pictures of myself from three years ago and I look at pictures of myself now and the difference is incredible. I look over 10 years younger than I did three years ago. The most telling event was that my old boss contacted me and wanted to meet up for lunch. I had not seen him in over 2 years. He couldn't stop staring and then finally he asked me if I had a face lift! Yes, that is right - a face lift. He said he could not believe how young I look. I just told him that I am using a fantastic moisturizer - every woman needs to keep her secrets :-) But it is true. Most people don't guess me to be over 40 and for someone who is 52, that's not bad, I will take the 38-40 age range anytime! I am pleased with how Retin-a has worked on my skin.
MY ROUTINE:
Night: I use Neutrogena Naturals face wash at night and I wait 20 minutes after washing my face to apply the pea sized amount. I apply it all over my face and I am careful when I round the eye orbital not to get it close to my eye but in enough proximity to be of some use on those wrinkles because they were my main concern and was what was aging me.
Morning: I wash my face with Avalon Vitamin C face wash to give a refresh to my skin. After that, I apply Neutrogena Hydro-Boost Water Gel to my skin. And that's it - I am ready for some mineral foundation and I am good to go.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS: When I know that I will be in the sun for any extended period of time, I make sure that I use Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Sunscreen Face Lotion 50 under my mineral foundation. Zinc Oxide sunscreen is the best to help keep the collagen your skin is trying to produce when you are using Retin-a. Also, if you wear foundation as I do, make sure it has an SPF of at least 15-20. You need to protect the new collagen your skin is producing and exposure to sun will only break it down.
MY OPINION: You can spend a ton of money trying the latest over the counter creams and guessing about your skin on your own. My advice is to go to a dermatologist and speak to them about your concerns. I was concerned about the cost of the dr. visit and possibly the cost of what he recommended. I think we all are. In the end, you will spend the same amount of money seeking a professional's advice and maybe using a product or prescription that you do in experimenting with all the latest over the counter creams that just contain a small amount of an actual active ingredient or makeups to try to blur fine lines, etc. especially when you hit the 50 year old mark.
Also, give whatever treatment your dermatologist prescribes at least 6 months. It took years to put those fine lines on and it takes a while for the body to start responding and building new collagen.
Stay beautiful my friends!

So I received a comment that there is no full face pic on my review. Here is a pic I took today at 58 y/o. I started using Retin-a in 2018 at 52 years old because I was concerned about fine line wrinkles (mostly around my eyes and the horizontal forehead wrinkles seemed to be setting up to become deeper). You know what they say, "Fine lines become deep lines." I think the fact that I had entered my 50's made me hypersensitive on how my skin was looking. I felt my pore were getting more pronounced and the accumulation of fine lines where makeup would settle bothered me. I started to knuckle down on my skin care and seek the advice of my dermatologist on how to address my issues.

I think my use of Retin-a has really slowed the progress of any fine lines that I had all those years ago. And, as they say, proof is in the pudding and I feel really good about how my skin looks at 58 using this product. The only changes that I do is that I use it every other night and in between I use the Cera Ve night cream. I exfoliate once a week with an AHA peel and I microneedle my face every 2 months. I am happy with this combination of things for my skin.