Your skin may be more sensitive to the sun while using tretinoin. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen and wear a hat when outside. Avoid artificial sunlamps, which can also cause sunburn.
Tretinoin gel and cream contain several different ingredients, which can cause irritation. RedBox Rx offers options that are less likely to irritate your skin, such as tretinoin gel microsphere and lower-strength tretinoin cream.
Acne Treatment
Tretinoin is an FDA-approved acne medication and also works to reverse signs of aging. It improves the appearance of acne scarring, helps minimize dark spots caused by sun damage, and reduces the redness associated with inflammatory acne.
It’s usually a few weeks before you see results from your tretinoin. But don’t give up! Many people experience a period of time known as the “tretinoin purge” in which their acne may seem to worsen. This is because the medication is working to unclog pores and prevent future breakouts from occurring.
Apply tretinoin at night after washing and cleansing your face. Use a pea-sized amount, and make sure your skin is completely dry before applying the medication. Avoid using other topical products that might irritate your skin, including cosmetics, soaps, and hair products that contain sulfates, sulfur, menthol, lime, or alcohol (eg, astringents and after-shave lotions). If you notice redness or flaking during the first few weeks of use, it’s important to continue with your treatment plan.
Anti-Aging
While Tretinoin was originally developed as an acne treatment, it also works to combat fine lines and wrinkles. The medication speeds up the process of skin cell turnover to help your body shed older, damaged cells and replace them with fresher, smoother ones. This helps diminish fine lines and wrinkles as well as even out hyperpigmentation.
Unlike the retinol you can purchase at drugstores, Tretinoin is 20 times more potent and requires a prescription to obtain. It is available in a topical cream, gel or lotion that can be applied to the face twice a day.
Before applying tretinoin, it is important to wash your face with a mild cleanser and warm water. Use a non-irritating soap and gentle scrub and rinse thoroughly. Gently dry your face with a soft towel. After washing, wait about 30 minutes before applying tretinoin. Apply a pea-sized amount of the product to your clean face and spread evenly using your fingertips.
Fine Lines & Wrinkles
Unlike many over-the-counter anti-aging products, tretinoin is clinically proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It also helps fade age spots, soften rough patches and improve skin tone and texture. It takes about three to six months of daily use before improvements are seen, but it is a long-term solution for sun damage and signs of aging.
Tretinoin increases the speed of cell turnover, sloughing off dead cells and revealing new skin beneath. This reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone and reveals more youthful-looking, radiant skin.
Studies show that a cosmetic regimen of 0.01% tretinoin gel and moisturizing sunscreen improves wrinkle appearance, compared to prescription tretinoin alone. The cosmetic regimen also significantly improved skin elasticity and overall facial appearance based on expert grading and self-assessment after 8 weeks.
Dry Skin
If you have dry skin, using a moisturizer with the right balance of hydrating and emollient ingredients can help prevent peeling and flaking. Choose a cleanser that helps to balance your skin, and a moisturizer that locks in hydration with ingredients like shea butter, ceramides or hyaluronic acid.
During the first few weeks of tretinoin treatment it is common for your skin to experience some mild peeling and redness – this is called retinization. It is important to stick with your treatment and not stop it until you see improvement.
Always make sure to apply your tretinoin with clean hands, and use only the smallest amount (a pea-sized dab) and evenly distribute it across your entire face. Also, don’t wash your face with oily soaps or scrubs before applying tretinoin as this can cause irritation. Tretinoin 0.1% Gel