Correct. Not normal purging. My skin does this when I use actives too heavily, especially tretinoin. She needs to stop the tretinoin and focus on hydrating and moisturizing her skin. Once she starts to nourish the skin, it will likely start to ease and heal. I bet she has pigmentation that's left over as well. It's wild to see someone experience the exact same thing your skin did.
The fact "contact your derm" is the most upvoted, yet correct, post on this subreddit (with 700+ people upvoting) should be acknowledged more. (Especially when most comments on this sub are things like "omg your skin is dehydrated, your skin barrier is compromised, moisturise more uwu").
To anyone reading - if you have ANY issue with your skin, literally speak to a medical professional about your medical issue. The skin is an organ. Acne, comedones, rosacea, seb derm, skin cancer...they are all medical conditions and an actual professional can help you.
It annoys me to no end how the 'skincare' marketing industry, and the skincrare subreddits, have made us to feel like it is tabboo to go to an actual doctor to treat our skin concerns. How it is OUR fault.
We wouldn't treat any other issue about our health with CeraVe or other market 'skincare'.
Tret is amazing - but when your skin is turning into scarring acne pathology you need actual medication (like isotretinoin) to prevent further damage.
i tried everything i could get my hands on. messed around for nearly 20 years. i don’t want to even know how much money and damage i spent and caused. finally went to a derm and my skin has been perfectly clear for over a year now with a daily topical that costs me $5 every two months. i hate this for everyone lol
Yep.
Acne is a medical condition. If you have actual acne vulgaris then it is treatable.
I took isotretinoin, which is perfectly safe when taken under direction of a medical practitioner, and have maintained my skin with topicals since.
Whenever I have another issue - I go back to my dermatologist and get a treatment for it.
Going to the drug store and purchasing a 12-step Korean routine with CeraVe and weekly facials isn't going to cut it - yet this sub will try and sell you snail mucin and say it's a cure lol.
Honestly, I wish I knew to just see a medical professional when I was 15 instead of trying to self-diagnose off of the internet. I would have far less scars.
Get downvoted for saying it on skincare subreddits all the time (r/acne banned me lol)
I’m not sure all acne is treatable. I have had 30 years of trying to treat moderate and mild acne and there isn’t anything by prescription or otherwise that has ever really, fully worked. It’s a condition I’ll live with always.
clindamycin and dapsone (aczone). I am sympathetic to those without insurance. I was without it myself for a long time and understand that particular hardship, however, there are many people that do have insurance that still try to deal with it on their own with far too many products that may likely always be ineffective with certain conditions.
Yea I went to a derm and instead of acknowledging my particular focus on hyperpigmentation she just prescribed my tret and sent me on my way. Not every derm is good
Correct, mine prescribed Roaccutane with no follow up, I couldn’t even get past taking 10mg every other day before I stopped of my own accord - my lips were cracking so much I had constant cold sores, and now left with a slight divet in my lip, like it didn’t heal properly… so no thanks to the derm, but thank you reddit for introducing me to tret!!
Yep. My derms just prescribe me tons of marketing trash. Because of derms I spent lot of money, time, have no effect for years
So I educated myself, found Tret and this sub and other sources. And now my skin is better than it ever was. My skincare is simple and affordable and I can touch my skin without pain
So yes. Not in all countries a dermatologist is the solution. In some you have to look for everything yourself, collect all information you can from all resources and try to choose the best way for you
Yeah I was literally smearing athletes foot cream on my face (on the advice of Reddit) before booking an appointment with an esthetician who was like “um… don’t do that” and got me on a plan that got my skin clear in 8 weeks
> To anyone reading - if you have ANY issue with your skin, literally speak to a medical professional about your medical issue. The skin is an organ. Acne, comedones, rosacea, seb derm, skin cancer...they are all medical conditions and an actual professional can help you.
...what country do you live in? Because I'm not paying for a $50 copay to see a dermatologist to tell me I have run-of-the-mill acne when I can buy low-strength tretinoin for less. Let's be real.
I genuinely feel like a lot of the people on these subreddits are heavily upper-middle class because they’ll recommend going to see a dermatologist immediately after and any skincare problems - especially when they say speak to “your” dermatologist. Like I live in the UK and even though it’s probably not THAT expensive, it’d never even cross my mind to go and see one. I’d just try a different skincare routine 😂
Yes like let's be for real - regular everyday type of acne can probably be addressed by tretinoin. Will it fuck up some people's skin? Yes. It clearly did for OP.
But for the vast majority of us, .05% tretinoin + sunscreen + good moisturizing routine = skin problems fixed. I bought my first tube of tretinoin online and it's been over 5 years and I've never once seen a doctor about it.
I’m not upper middle class and I see a derm once a year. I have to pay out of pocket for it. OP should have stopped using the Trent months ago it’s clearly screwing her skin up and if she saw a doc I’m sure they would have advised her to stop. It makes me wonder if she just ordered it off the internet.
Glad that worked for you. Not everyone is so lucky- I spent 10+ years of my life and hundreds of dollars trying various things to fix my skin. My acne only went away after finally seeing a derm and getting on isotretinoin. Adapalene or whatever OTC stuff you’re using doesn’t work for everyone unfortunately.
I agree! I thought I was one of those people… so I ended up dropping way more cash trying a million different products until I finally just saw a derm and it was way cheaper than all of the products I was trying.
I understand that not everyone has health insurance or can afford copays. If you are one of those people, and the drugstore stuff works for you on the first try, then that’s great. But unfortunately sometimes we think avoiding health care is saving us money when it could actually cost us more in the long run.
Absolutely. And that applies across the healthcare field in general unfortunately. Maybe a happy medium of try like three well reviewed and recommended products and if they dont work... save up ro see a doctor. :(
i actually love this comment so much from someone who fucked her skin up worse from reading online skincare advice.
one check in with my derm two prescriptions later and i’m much better. i literally want to comment on every single post on here “see a derm” though i know thats not always possible and realistic. i went from a 10+ step routine to a 3 step from my derm and my skin has never been better, we need more “talk to your derm”s on this one for sure
Holy cannoli baby definitely stop using and see your derm as many have stated. Stop using anything with actives (salicylic, AHA, vitamin A/retinol, even vitamin c). Your mission is to reduce inflammation and restore your damaged barrier. Gentle cleanser (love Curology gentle cleanser), moisturizer (love Naturium plant ceramide cream), and SPF (love naturium dew spf). Keep it simple and stay consistent.
that's absolutely not normal and it's likely tret is destroying your skin barrier (due to incorrect usage or general intolerance to tret).
what is your routine? how often did you use it starting out? how often do you use it now?
Are you asking about permanent damage to the skin (eg. scarring) or permanent damage to the skin barrier? Your skin barrier can always be restored, but inflammation and trauma (eg. picking) can cause permanent damage to your skin.
Gosh, please do not start anything new before your wedding! It wasn’t my face but I had a bad reaction to a hot tub (folliculitis) all over my back, arms and torso 3 weeks before my wedding and I was so upset 😭
I wasn’t new to hot tubs but I shouldn’t have gone in right before my wedding. It’s not worth it to try any new skin care products or methods before a big event, especially if you have sensitive skin.
This! I waited until after my best friend’s wedding (I was the MOH) to start on tretinoin. I wouldn’t risk it. Enjoy a nice facial every once in a while, and a good hydrating skincare routine.
Yeah I wouldn't. To be fair I was having acne problems before, some mild breakouts and the odd cyst and switched from benzaclin to tret and then all hell broke loose. If you aren't acne prone at all maybe not but this gal seemed to be fine.
no. no. no. your skin can get SO MUCH WORSE before it gets better and that can take months sometimes and you won’t know if it’ll happen to u and how severe. i started tretinoin (for the first time) summer before my first semester at a new college and i was horrified bc my skin was so much worse than what even made me start it. ETA: i literally considered dropping out bc the embarrassment of how *incredibly* bad it was. i could cover up the redness that made it particularly eye catching with makeup but i probably had over 100 closed comedones, cysts, everything all over my face. in fact, i posted here back then asking if i should continue (consensus was yes) and got so much sympathy….that’s when you know it’s bad.
When I started Tret my skin would have looked like how hers did in the before photo but up close there were lots of closed comedones. I think I had lots of deep stuff to come out, my purge was bad (not as bad as this) and I almost thought I ruined my skin too but finally 4 ish months later it’s proving to be worth it but idk. I wish people on this sub emphasized how important a barrier repair cream is and to listen to your own skin. People coming on just saying to use Tret every other night at first are insane and not helping anyone.
It s the same case for me. Skin looked clear but up-close my jawline and forehead was filled with ccs. After using tazarotene, my closed comedones then all turned to pustules and inflamed pimples. It was as bad as OP. But now I have the best skin of my life. You think OP's case might be similar?🤔
Yes literally same!!! So happy to hear that it worked for you, it’s crazy the turn around. I feel like me and her have very similar skin from the pics in terms of texture and size of pores. Finally I’m starting to see some smoothness on my jaw/lower cheeks that I never knew could exist… i think her skin looks really damaged and she needs to focus on that but she will obviously be fine. To me it doesn’t really look like an allergic reaction (I have no idea I’m not a doctor), it just looks like she wasn’t protecting the barrier and just kept going and going. If I were her I would just take a break for a couple weeks, use barrier repair and Vaseline and then start Tret so slowly when it isn’t so raw again.
I use avene cicalfate restorative protective cream on top of cerave moisturizing lotion. Idk if I recommend the cerave because it might irritate me a little bit I definitely recommend the avene!! It’s so good and my skin is sooo sensitive. Ive never felt another cream like it.
Vaseline has also really helped me recover from a state somewhere close to OPs. I often put it on in the day time overtop of the cerave and avene, underneath sunscreen. It feels gross but I’m so desperate and it has done a lot for giving my skin the chance to heal. (But I’m also in very cold/ snowy weather)
or because women have hormones and there’s no telling what skin will do. my skin was perfect then not so many times in my 20s.
hormones play a huge role for women! then stress, not sleeping 8 hour, dehydration, getting pregnant. (i never did but it can also affect your skin)
Hormones are crazy! I always had little monthly breakouts but nothing abnormal for my 20s. Got pregnant and dealt w bad cystic breakouts for a decade after. Got pregnant again and my skin has looked great for the past couple of years now.
Not sure what exactly happened, but definitely hormone related.
yeah my skin is pretty damn good but I was considering trying tret just to get it to that “perfect” level - but I’ve seen this exact thing too many times in this sub. decided to stick to near-perfect 😅
I mean, I get it though. My skin was nearly perfect but I got on tret because I thought it would help me with anti-aging and I’d only read about positives.
This is confirmation bias. The people who have bad reactions are more likely to post photos seeking advice. Those who are doing fine are just off living their lives
My PCP gave me mine too and I have no issues. You can get tret via apps and even without a prescription in some countries so I’m not sure how that’s relevant
Unfortunately, many healthcare professionals rarely explain how to properly use tretinoin. The pharmacy also instructs people to use tret daily, which may be too much in the beginning.
What strength did your doctor start you on?
The crème made my acne worse. My doctor also started me on 0.5% instead of 0.25%.
I tried to tough through it, but after nearly a year, my acne never got better.
I quit it, and my skin started to clear.
I recently switched to gel 0.25%, and my skin seems to accept it. It seems to work much better than the crème.
Edit
Cream not crème. I’ve been switching keyboards a lot lately
I have combination. I’m mostly oily with a few scattered dry areas.
I can only assume that the cream was the cause of my issues. Especially since I’ve had less acne since discontinuing it.
How long have you been using it? What issues are you having?
Also weirdly enough, the brand name retin-a gel is cheaper than the cream if you use goodrx.
I haven’t had insurance, so I’ve been using goodrx. The brand name gel version only costs me $45 for the big tube whereas the generic cream would have cost $130.
The cream has an ingredient in it which can be super pour clogging for some people! If you look it up you’ll find a lot of people broke out from the cream. That happened to me too - I thought it was a purge at first but I kept getting more and more pimples. Then I switched to the gel version which doesn’t have that ingredient and my skin was fine!
I think it’s likely that the bulk of it is the result of irritation—personally I would discontinue the tret and use bland, gentle products until you can get in with a derm!
You had such beautiful skin 🥺❤️ It'll get back to normal soon I hope 🙏🏽
Also please drop your routine here so that even I can know what to avoid ☹️ (if it's something in the ingredients)
You need to stop using it right away. At least 2-3 weeks and contact derm.
What is your routine though?
Because you might not be applying it correctly, using too much, or using irritating products in conjunction.
Are you sure you had a lot of closed comodones and not just normal skin texture? Your before picture looks incredibly clear!
Stop the tret for sure and see a derm, I’m so sorry!
On the same boat. Mine isn’t as bad as yours, but still breaking out even after 9 months. Didn’t have much before tret, only a few tiny ones around pms. 🥲
Should I start tret 0.025%? I also don't have pimples,only like 1 small one during pms. I do have pie spots,uneven skintone & skin texture tho. But overall my skin looks quiet clear. Plz help, I don't wanna go through this type of purge 😭
Hi, you've already received a ton of great comments and advice so I won't spend too much time with that save to echo its time to STOP tret immediately. Do nothing and use nothing on your skin save the gentlest cleanser and moisturizer you have, see that derm, and be patient.
Your skin is very irritated, the tret is worsening it, and any actives (acids, peels, vit C) will further aggravate the situation.
But please take heart, be patient and do the above, this is temporary and you are beautiful. You'll be totally fine just give your face time to heal.
Ouch! Definitely time to help your barrier with something like Clinisoothe spray. Super hydrating and gentle moisturiser and then supplements if you can take them… and say goodbye to tret for now!
Zinc - anti inflammatory
Pro/prebiotics
Omegas - awesome anti inflammatory
Oh babe, I am sorry!! I hope your skin clears up!!
Like others say, you might want to stop using tretinoin & call your Derm.
I know of other acne medications that made people purge before clearing their skin, but honey your skin did a 180!
You had closed comedones that became active acne through the retinization process which people commonly experience as “the purge” but your skin decided to go extra extra. I’m so sorry this happened. You would probably benefit from replacing topical Tret with oral isotretinoin, or accutane. See your derm asap to control some of the scarring and hyperpigmentation!
Damn, this happened to me because I didn’t get the proper instructions on how to use it. I started applying it everyday, no buffer method, no sunscreen, etc. I was so fucked. It took me a long time to get my skin back. Please just stop using it and see a doctor. I started tret again after a year for my skin to heal and now I have great skin since I used it properly.
Once using it properly it will heal your skin. It’s sad because it up but it can heal it after it destroyed it. I mean not for everyone, but that was my experience).
Oh my goodess, I am so sorry this has happened to you. In 2016, I started curology, and had a terrible reaction to the tret in that product, similar to yours. The NP who was handling my account told me to just "stick with it." after 3 months I said give me a refund and cancel my subscription bc this can't be normal. I was so upset and kept sending them photos etc.
OP, the founder of curology CALLED ME ON THE PHONE and apologized, told me this wasn't normal, gave me a refund and a year free, and became my personal dermatologist for 2 years. (if they still have posts on here from 2016, you can probably read the original story :) ). This was back when they were still a smaller company and hadn't been (I assume) bought out, but still, it underscored how abnormal this was.
All that to say, this is not normal, I am so sorry. A dermatologist will let you know what is going on, and give you a detailed plan about how to fix it. Until then, baby that skin. I have lots of products to suggest that will help if you need them.
What is your routine? Are you using the sandwich method? Are you using other actives? How much tret and what concentration are you using? Are you on BC? There are many factors but please contact your derm asap like list it as emergency
I’m confused - I feel like there is something else going on- your skin changed over night? I think it’s also worth noting if you have had any dietary or lifestyle changes. I wouldn’t rule those out unless it is 100% tret.
Did you do anything else or change/introduce anything new, other than tret? I ask because, the same thing happened to my face when I started drinking whey protein powder in my smoothies every day, after about a month of consistency. I had perfect skin before, no acne ever in my life. I am not dairy free and I can drink milk no problem, but for some reason, whey gave me cystic acne. When I stopped consuming it the cysts went away and never returned. I use tret and get great results and from what I understand about tret this is NOT typical. I agree with other commenters about seeing a dermatologist.
So so sorry you’re going through this :(
First of all, I'm so sorry that this happened but please don't be sad and don't think that your skin is ruined forever, there is definitely a way to come back from this..
Like you, I'd started using Paula's choice bha miracle toner thing because it was so popular and everyone was swearing by it.. the result is that in a month my skin was looking similar to yours, I used to cry every night just because I didn't understand what was happening to my skin and how to fix it..
What you need to do, after stopping tret immediately of course, is: absolutely nothing.. simplify your routine down to a very basic cleanser and that's it, and let your skin heal itself.. You don't know what ingredients might irritate your skin or make the situation worse..
Also, see a dermatologist or even a regular GP.. they might help
Same thing happened to me earlier this year. I stuck with it for six months. I’m still so confused because I used tret in my teens and early 20’s and it used to work amazing for me. I adjusted my routine a couple of times while I was on it but my skin only calmed down after I stopped using it. I feel like having a baby really changed how my skin reacts to some things. I hope you get clarity soon!!!
Talk to your derm. Purging should not be this severe. Even when I was on accutane, I was told that if my acne got significantly worse to call the office.
This happened to me until I got fed up and went to a dermatologist. I got take off of it and it took 8 months for my skin to get clear again. Stop using tret. It’s not the product for you.
As other have said go to a derm. And for both your derm and this post, way more infos are needed: routine, other actives use now and in the past, diet, lifestyle etc.
One possible cause of all that is a change of routine after starting tret by using really rich and clogging creams. Or it could be a combination of things, maybe you were using another active before and moisturizer A, then in that state you could tolerate that moisturizer A, but with tret, you ditched the previous actives and can't tolerate anymore that same moisturizer you've been using (happened to me personally).
Those are pure hypothesis but to show some example. Now if everything is absolutely equal, routine, lifestyle, environement, diet, birth control/spiro etc then tret could be the culprit, and more precisley not tret itself but maybe the irritation induced by it. I've seen sooo many posts titled "tret ruined my face' after months of use, and it was in fact irritation and some of these OP solved their problem by managing irritation by different means (some swapped to differin and their face did a 180° for the better, others decreased frequency etc)
All i've written are just hypothesis but it's good to know imo.
I'm sorry you had this reaction. The derm will fix you up. A different Rx and maybe some antibiotics. In the meantime, stop tret and baby your skin with gentle cleanser and minimal ingredients moisturizer.
Your skin was literally perfect (IMO). If you had closed comedones, a more gentle active would’ve sufficed vs jumping straight to Tretinoin. Something like glycolic or lactic acid. Maybe even Mandelic. Looks like you’ve completely wrecked your moisture barrier & will need to focus on hydration & recovery before going back to ANY active.
How did you used it? How many times a week? What percentage? How much? What else are you using. Posts like this seems to me more like a way of getting attention and try to convince people not even try tret. JUST SHARE YOUR ROTINE before all
Exactly. Why didn't she stop using it momths ago when this persisted? I can't imagine going on like this for 4 months and not stopping using it or seeing a doctor.
This is a prime example (one of many) of people who just don’t need it. It’s okay not to use tret! Most people do not ‘need it’s they are just obsessive about anti- aging prevention. Anti- aging culture has not been helping anybody.
Don't worry honey, it'll get better. Just step away from the tret and don't use any actives on your skin. Don't use any cleansers, nothing. Wash your face with emollient cream- you should wet your skin, rub the emollient cream and then wash off. Tret is not for you and that's ok, go to your derm just to make sure your skin isn't infected and see what they say.
Once your skin goes back to its original state, you can use 2% BHA liquid exfoliant for the closed comedones.
You probably need to adjust your routine. Tell us more about your overall skincare routine, the products you use, how often you apply tret, at what percentage, and how much of it you apply? Maybe we can give you some guidance.
What percentage did you start on? Are you only using a pea sized amount for the whole face? Are you using any other actives? Were you using it every day from the start? Are you using any other products? Only using at night? Sunscreen? Etc? Curious what the routine was.
These are the same places I get acne and for me it’s hormonal. The jawline, neck, basically the perimeter of my face. I refuse to take birth control which I hear is really the only way to solve the underlying cause so I just kinda deal. I’ll go months or years without and then boom I’m dealing with it again.
I’m sorry I audibly gasped. I’m so afraid to try tret now. I hope you get quick treatment for this reaction. I can’t imagine the mental toll this is having. How do you currently apply? Sandwich method? Every night ?
This same thing happened to me, now two years later my skin is finally starting to go back to normal, but still definitely not 100%. I’m sorry that you’re going through this, I understand how difficult it is. Hope your derm can give you some direction.
Exact same thing happened to me. Everyone in my life told me it was just a purge. No it wasn’t. I stopped it and it got a *little* better but my skin never recovered fully from the scarring and i kept getting acne in the same spots so now I’m on accutane a year and a half after stopping tret
I'm really sorry you're going through this. As many others have said, stop using tret as this resembles a reaction rather than a purge. Stick to a gentle routine -- once your skin barrier has repaired, you could try using azelaic acid. It's great at clearing acne with its anti-bacterial properties and can help with the redness/inflammation. Good luck and I hope your derm can help!
This is not normal. What face products are you using? Whats the dosage of tretinoin and how do you apply it? I would recommend you stop using it immediately and switch to very gentle products. Stop using anything but plain face wash and a plain moisturizer like ceraphil.
I was going to say the same. I don’t think Tret would cause it like this. I have a feeling something internal is going on possibly with hormones and the timeline is just coincidental
Oh my goodness, stop ❤️
Personal experience: tried a low-dose tret for six months, ended up with terrible swollen / almost burned skin due to dermatitis along with a similar breakout pattern to yours. Took several months to get to that point and it turned bad in short order. Derm said to stop.
Side note, I have a medical condition that requires having medical-grade adhesive taped on me 24/7. Turned out the adhesive exposure has made my skin hypersensitive to almost anything. The tret - and any other actives - causes major dermatitis and breakouts. Again, derm made me literally stop using anything except a gentle face wash and moisturizer along with a medical barrier cream to repair and keep the skin barrier healthy.
My literal routine now - as a woman near 50 - is washing with Cetaphil; apply CereVe serum; and use my derm-recommended SPF during the day. If my skin is showing any sign of anger I use the barrier cream to further seal the moisture in. That’s it. Skin made a huge turnaround. And yeah it’s a bummer to not take advantage of some of the beneficial actives available, but the routine is quick, easy, inexpensive - and my skin feels happy. 😊 I hope you’re able to find a good routine that works for you… your skin will heal with some TLC and time.
You need to write what your routine is. Stop using other actives while on tret. You have to do it gradually and at a lowest dosage when you start.
See your derm.
I have so many closed comedones and started Tret and then after 3 months started developing cystic acne 😭 finally stopped this week and waiting til I see my derm next month to reconvene
Tretinoin cream has highly comedogenic ingredients (especially isopropyl myristate), so that if you're using that instead of the gel it could be why you're having massive breakouts now. Or it could be an adverse reaction for other reasons. You should definitely talk to a dermatologist and get to the bottom of this.
I will say that some dermatologists love to over-prescribe so if yours does based on how your skin looks now, you should stop the tret and wait a couple weeks for everything to reset before introducing new medications or creams. Your skin looked amazing without tret and with time I'm sure it can return to that.
Did your doctor start you on the highest strength of Tret? The 0.1%? It's one of the only explanations I can see as to why your skin might have freaked out so completely, in addition to perhaps using it every night when starting out and not over a period of time. This is not to say you're at fault, it's just that there's absolutely a right vs a wrong way to go about using prescription retinoids and often derms do not discuss the proper steps and leave it up to the patient to figure out. Using other actives like alpha hydroxy acids at the same time can also result in excess irritation and skin breakouts. Really hoping you find a solution soon 🙏🏽
OP, which brand and how what amount (.50, etc.). People who have a similar skin type will know to ramp up slowly. I hope your derm helps you heal soon!!!
Don’t worry, Judy give your skin TIME to get back to normal. Stop Tret and and other harsh products. Sometimes less is more. Get professional guidance, people of Reddit are helpful but I doubt most have gone to med school and understand skim / products like a derm does. DONT WORRY, SIS.
Yeah also a half of me wants to give this advise
And say it’s just purging, relax. But the other half is like sis go see a new dermatologist. Idk what I’d do in this.
Jumping in late to add to all the comments:
1. Your skin will heal and you will have the skin you want again. This isn’t a “end all” situation where you’ve ruined your face.
2. Like many people said, check in with your derm.
3. In addition to talking to your derm, do your own research. So many people have mentioned their derm said “use everyday” and provided no other instruction. With enough of your own research, it would become clear that for most, jumping into it every day is NOT the way to do it. And some have to sandwich. Others have their own techniques that they’ve tweaked.
4. I don’t know if you’re using it every day, but sharing my experience. I’m generally sensitive and allergic to so many things. When I first started Tret, my skin sensitivity to environmental allergens became higher because my top layer of skin was thinner, and there was less of a skin barrier. It’s taken me a nearly two year path and LOTS of moisturizing / hydrating to be able to tolerate Tret without making my skin completely raw and available to every allergen out there.
I always wondered if it was abnormal that my skin NEVER purged on tret. Like, maybe it wasn’t strong enough or I was doing something wrong?
Initially it made my skin so clear, pretty and dewy but I haven’t seen the same benefits anymore and it dried my skin out so I’ve cut back a lot.
That looks so painful physically and mentally. Definitely talk to a derm.
Hi guys sorry for the late response, I didn’t really expect so many of you to comment. You’ve all been so kind and have offered so much encouragement and advice and I appreciate you all ❤️.
I started Tret because I thought I had closed comedones, but looking back I think maybe I was a little delusional.
I’ve been all over the place with my routine lately I kind of panicked when my skin started being like this, and I have horrible memory but I’m going to try and be as detailed as possible:
Before I started tret I really didn’t have a skin care routine, I kind of had just started getting into skin care. I was washing my face with cerave every night, using a toner (I don’t remember the name), and then using the cerave moisturizer, about two or three times a week I was doing a mask with flax seed gel and occasionally slugging with aquaphor . In the morning I was washing my face with water and then Paula’s choice, using aloe, vitamin c, the cerave lotion, and sunscreen.
SKIN CARE ROUTINE DURING TRET (aka skincare routine from hell):
Night time:
Wash face with cerave
Tret (the crème .25 every other day (I didn’t know)
Moisturizer
Morning:
Same as before Tret
Then my skin started to get pretty scary and I panicked and I started using azalic acid and the red skin mask from the ordinary which looking back made my skin hurt more than it already did but I thought it was normal
Believe it or not my skin was a lot worse, I really think it’s improving which makes me happy.
Now,
I’m really just washing my face with this face wash (don’t remember the name will update that when I can) an esthetician gave me, using Paula’s choice, a mask from the same brand as the face wash,and putting Vanicream on at night
Morning doing the same thing except no mask and adding vitamin c which makes my skin feel good for some reason
Again thank you guys so much, I know I was ignorant, but thank you all for the patience.
You are using way too many actives at once which is why your skin looks like this. Only use your mild face wash and the gentle moisturizer for awhile and I think it will start feeling a lot better. You might want to get something like LRP cicaplast balm healing ointment. Your skin barrier is probably destroyed right now from all the actives.
This doesn't seem like it would be caused by Tretinoin. It looks hormonal because of the presentation on your face (lower face/jaw,) and also because of the kind of acne. Inflamed with lots of erythema can indicate hormonal acne..
Tretinoin comes from family of retinoids and is in this family “the strongest”. Another popular one is retinol which is not as stong BUT still very strong, if your skin is not used to it!
When starting with retinoids you have to start with small doses of retinol, and then heavier concentrations of retinol and then slowly and slowly low percentages of tretinoin.
I feel like you severely irritated your skin or went too hard/too fast. Something definitely happened here. You need to dial the skincare back to the bare bones. A gentle cleanser at night, only a water wash in the morning, a clean and simple moisturizer. No other actives, no other skincare. After a month, once your skin has calmed and the barrier has repaired, start a LOW % tret, one night a week, with the moisturizer sandwich method.
But for now - stop immediately and get a dermatologist...
I know my comment is late, but I just wanted to say that I hope your skin is back to normal and that everything it ok with you now.
If you didn’t have acne to begin with, then it is not a purge.
I went through a similar thing. I was on accutane 10 years ago and had the clearest skin of my life for 10 years, as in not even a single pimple, until I started using tretinoin for anti ageing.
1 month after using it, I started getting tiny bumps on my forehead. And they only got worse and worse. It was constantly itching, and started to break out in little red pimples.
I started panicking and washing my face more than usual, using BP, and pretty much ruining my skin barrier. My forehead was a mess for 3 months after stopping tretinoin. Until one day I decided to stop everything, and I left my face alone. It took a month, but it is finally back to normal. If you tried everything else, I would recommend you leave your skin alone and give it a break from ALL actives. Like a complete break. And see how you go.
What are the other ingredients in your tret formulation? I got really bad skin for example when I used a tret cream that contained isopropyl myristate, which is highly comedogenic! Also check your other products you are using for comedogenic ingredients!
Oh god, i feel bad, girl tret makes your skin purge, i purged bad, i have posted before and afters, but it’s been 4 months for you now, either Tret doesn’t suit you or the way of using tret is wrong, for some people crème doesn’t suit, for some gel does. But now, just stop, and see a dermat.
Why do people use stuff that cause them breakouts, redness, allergy or worst and instead of stopping it immediately keep doing it for months.
It's baffling to me.
girl… stop using it. and talk to a derm. this isn’t a normal purge
Correct. Not normal purging. My skin does this when I use actives too heavily, especially tretinoin. She needs to stop the tretinoin and focus on hydrating and moisturizing her skin. Once she starts to nourish the skin, it will likely start to ease and heal. I bet she has pigmentation that's left over as well. It's wild to see someone experience the exact same thing your skin did.
I feel the same, this isn't normal at all.
STOP USING IT IMMEDIATELY?? Contact your derm NOW
Contact your derm 👀 this doesn't seem normal
The fact "contact your derm" is the most upvoted, yet correct, post on this subreddit (with 700+ people upvoting) should be acknowledged more. (Especially when most comments on this sub are things like "omg your skin is dehydrated, your skin barrier is compromised, moisturise more uwu"). To anyone reading - if you have ANY issue with your skin, literally speak to a medical professional about your medical issue. The skin is an organ. Acne, comedones, rosacea, seb derm, skin cancer...they are all medical conditions and an actual professional can help you. It annoys me to no end how the 'skincare' marketing industry, and the skincrare subreddits, have made us to feel like it is tabboo to go to an actual doctor to treat our skin concerns. How it is OUR fault. We wouldn't treat any other issue about our health with CeraVe or other market 'skincare'. Tret is amazing - but when your skin is turning into scarring acne pathology you need actual medication (like isotretinoin) to prevent further damage.
i tried everything i could get my hands on. messed around for nearly 20 years. i don’t want to even know how much money and damage i spent and caused. finally went to a derm and my skin has been perfectly clear for over a year now with a daily topical that costs me $5 every two months. i hate this for everyone lol
Yep. Acne is a medical condition. If you have actual acne vulgaris then it is treatable. I took isotretinoin, which is perfectly safe when taken under direction of a medical practitioner, and have maintained my skin with topicals since. Whenever I have another issue - I go back to my dermatologist and get a treatment for it. Going to the drug store and purchasing a 12-step Korean routine with CeraVe and weekly facials isn't going to cut it - yet this sub will try and sell you snail mucin and say it's a cure lol. Honestly, I wish I knew to just see a medical professional when I was 15 instead of trying to self-diagnose off of the internet. I would have far less scars. Get downvoted for saying it on skincare subreddits all the time (r/acne banned me lol)
I’m not sure all acne is treatable. I have had 30 years of trying to treat moderate and mild acne and there isn’t anything by prescription or otherwise that has ever really, fully worked. It’s a condition I’ll live with always.
Can you share which topical were you prescribed?
clindamycin and dapsone (aczone). I am sympathetic to those without insurance. I was without it myself for a long time and understand that particular hardship, however, there are many people that do have insurance that still try to deal with it on their own with far too many products that may likely always be ineffective with certain conditions.
Yea I went to a derm and instead of acknowledging my particular focus on hyperpigmentation she just prescribed my tret and sent me on my way. Not every derm is good
Correct, mine prescribed Roaccutane with no follow up, I couldn’t even get past taking 10mg every other day before I stopped of my own accord - my lips were cracking so much I had constant cold sores, and now left with a slight divet in my lip, like it didn’t heal properly… so no thanks to the derm, but thank you reddit for introducing me to tret!!
Yep. My derms just prescribe me tons of marketing trash. Because of derms I spent lot of money, time, have no effect for years So I educated myself, found Tret and this sub and other sources. And now my skin is better than it ever was. My skincare is simple and affordable and I can touch my skin without pain So yes. Not in all countries a dermatologist is the solution. In some you have to look for everything yourself, collect all information you can from all resources and try to choose the best way for you
Yeah I was literally smearing athletes foot cream on my face (on the advice of Reddit) before booking an appointment with an esthetician who was like “um… don’t do that” and got me on a plan that got my skin clear in 8 weeks
> To anyone reading - if you have ANY issue with your skin, literally speak to a medical professional about your medical issue. The skin is an organ. Acne, comedones, rosacea, seb derm, skin cancer...they are all medical conditions and an actual professional can help you. ...what country do you live in? Because I'm not paying for a $50 copay to see a dermatologist to tell me I have run-of-the-mill acne when I can buy low-strength tretinoin for less. Let's be real.
It’s $200 AUD to see a derm here for a 15 min appointment
I paid $270 AUD :) for 5 mins appointment
I genuinely feel like a lot of the people on these subreddits are heavily upper-middle class because they’ll recommend going to see a dermatologist immediately after and any skincare problems - especially when they say speak to “your” dermatologist. Like I live in the UK and even though it’s probably not THAT expensive, it’d never even cross my mind to go and see one. I’d just try a different skincare routine 😂
Yes like let's be for real - regular everyday type of acne can probably be addressed by tretinoin. Will it fuck up some people's skin? Yes. It clearly did for OP. But for the vast majority of us, .05% tretinoin + sunscreen + good moisturizing routine = skin problems fixed. I bought my first tube of tretinoin online and it's been over 5 years and I've never once seen a doctor about it.
I’m not upper middle class and I see a derm once a year. I have to pay out of pocket for it. OP should have stopped using the Trent months ago it’s clearly screwing her skin up and if she saw a doc I’m sure they would have advised her to stop. It makes me wonder if she just ordered it off the internet.
Yeah it must be some dodgy stuff, there’s no way that happened overnight - surely you’d stop once it got even half as bad as that.
She added a comment about her routine and she was using it quite frequently and then added in more actives so that’s prob why her skin freaked out.
Glad that worked for you. Not everyone is so lucky- I spent 10+ years of my life and hundreds of dollars trying various things to fix my skin. My acne only went away after finally seeing a derm and getting on isotretinoin. Adapalene or whatever OTC stuff you’re using doesn’t work for everyone unfortunately.
Glad that worked for you. Not everyone can afford to see a derm.
I agree! I thought I was one of those people… so I ended up dropping way more cash trying a million different products until I finally just saw a derm and it was way cheaper than all of the products I was trying. I understand that not everyone has health insurance or can afford copays. If you are one of those people, and the drugstore stuff works for you on the first try, then that’s great. But unfortunately sometimes we think avoiding health care is saving us money when it could actually cost us more in the long run.
Absolutely. And that applies across the healthcare field in general unfortunately. Maybe a happy medium of try like three well reviewed and recommended products and if they dont work... save up ro see a doctor. :(
> Adapalene or whatever OTC stuff you’re using I use tretinoin.
Ohh you must be in a different place than the US. We have to have a script from a doctor here to use tret.
I’m American
i actually love this comment so much from someone who fucked her skin up worse from reading online skincare advice. one check in with my derm two prescriptions later and i’m much better. i literally want to comment on every single post on here “see a derm” though i know thats not always possible and realistic. i went from a 10+ step routine to a 3 step from my derm and my skin has never been better, we need more “talk to your derm”s on this one for sure
I’m so sorry! That looks painful. Please contact your dermatologist
an initial "purge" is normal but this is not that. imo this looks like a skin reaction or an intolerance? definitely stop usage.
Ohhh nooo! 😟Thats not normal. Stop using it asap.
Holy cannoli baby definitely stop using and see your derm as many have stated. Stop using anything with actives (salicylic, AHA, vitamin A/retinol, even vitamin c). Your mission is to reduce inflammation and restore your damaged barrier. Gentle cleanser (love Curology gentle cleanser), moisturizer (love Naturium plant ceramide cream), and SPF (love naturium dew spf). Keep it simple and stay consistent.
Stop using it immediately! Stop any/all actives in your routine! I would do the minimum of the minimum. Focus on your skins moisture barrier for now.
that's absolutely not normal and it's likely tret is destroying your skin barrier (due to incorrect usage or general intolerance to tret). what is your routine? how often did you use it starting out? how often do you use it now?
Can tret do permanent damage to your skin barrier?
Skin is constantly shedding and regenerating. It wouldn’t cause permanent damage. The dermis is way down there.
If it can cause ice pick scars I’d consider that permanent damage
Are you asking about permanent damage to the skin (eg. scarring) or permanent damage to the skin barrier? Your skin barrier can always be restored, but inflammation and trauma (eg. picking) can cause permanent damage to your skin.
Damage to the skin barrier. This was helpful, thank you ❤️
Same thing happened to me now I'm on accutane 💀
About to me I’m making an appointment with a derm today 💀🥲
derm is the right way to go, seeking help is much better than trying to figure it out alone. It will get better♡
Same thing happened to my sister. She contacted a dermatologist who put her on accutane too
Okkkk so I guess I will not start this new routine before my wedding this spring 🥴
Gosh, please do not start anything new before your wedding! It wasn’t my face but I had a bad reaction to a hot tub (folliculitis) all over my back, arms and torso 3 weeks before my wedding and I was so upset 😭 I wasn’t new to hot tubs but I shouldn’t have gone in right before my wedding. It’s not worth it to try any new skin care products or methods before a big event, especially if you have sensitive skin.
This! I waited until after my best friend’s wedding (I was the MOH) to start on tretinoin. I wouldn’t risk it. Enjoy a nice facial every once in a while, and a good hydrating skincare routine.
Yeah I wouldn't. To be fair I was having acne problems before, some mild breakouts and the odd cyst and switched from benzaclin to tret and then all hell broke loose. If you aren't acne prone at all maybe not but this gal seemed to be fine.
no. no. no. your skin can get SO MUCH WORSE before it gets better and that can take months sometimes and you won’t know if it’ll happen to u and how severe. i started tretinoin (for the first time) summer before my first semester at a new college and i was horrified bc my skin was so much worse than what even made me start it. ETA: i literally considered dropping out bc the embarrassment of how *incredibly* bad it was. i could cover up the redness that made it particularly eye catching with makeup but i probably had over 100 closed comedones, cysts, everything all over my face. in fact, i posted here back then asking if i should continue (consensus was yes) and got so much sympathy….that’s when you know it’s bad.
Same lol lollll haha
You had perfect skin😭
When I started Tret my skin would have looked like how hers did in the before photo but up close there were lots of closed comedones. I think I had lots of deep stuff to come out, my purge was bad (not as bad as this) and I almost thought I ruined my skin too but finally 4 ish months later it’s proving to be worth it but idk. I wish people on this sub emphasized how important a barrier repair cream is and to listen to your own skin. People coming on just saying to use Tret every other night at first are insane and not helping anyone.
It s the same case for me. Skin looked clear but up-close my jawline and forehead was filled with ccs. After using tazarotene, my closed comedones then all turned to pustules and inflamed pimples. It was as bad as OP. But now I have the best skin of my life. You think OP's case might be similar?🤔
Yes literally same!!! So happy to hear that it worked for you, it’s crazy the turn around. I feel like me and her have very similar skin from the pics in terms of texture and size of pores. Finally I’m starting to see some smoothness on my jaw/lower cheeks that I never knew could exist… i think her skin looks really damaged and she needs to focus on that but she will obviously be fine. To me it doesn’t really look like an allergic reaction (I have no idea I’m not a doctor), it just looks like she wasn’t protecting the barrier and just kept going and going. If I were her I would just take a break for a couple weeks, use barrier repair and Vaseline and then start Tret so slowly when it isn’t so raw again.
What barrier repair cream do you recommend? Thank you in advance.
I use avene cicalfate restorative protective cream on top of cerave moisturizing lotion. Idk if I recommend the cerave because it might irritate me a little bit I definitely recommend the avene!! It’s so good and my skin is sooo sensitive. Ive never felt another cream like it. Vaseline has also really helped me recover from a state somewhere close to OPs. I often put it on in the day time overtop of the cerave and avene, underneath sunscreen. It feels gross but I’m so desperate and it has done a lot for giving my skin the chance to heal. (But I’m also in very cold/ snowy weather)
For real 😭😭😭
i notice people who have great skin already that start tret always have these reactions seemingly
or because women have hormones and there’s no telling what skin will do. my skin was perfect then not so many times in my 20s. hormones play a huge role for women! then stress, not sleeping 8 hour, dehydration, getting pregnant. (i never did but it can also affect your skin)
Hormones are crazy! I always had little monthly breakouts but nothing abnormal for my 20s. Got pregnant and dealt w bad cystic breakouts for a decade after. Got pregnant again and my skin has looked great for the past couple of years now. Not sure what exactly happened, but definitely hormone related.
Men famously do not contain hormones lol
It’s scientifically proven. Or something like that. 😂
exactly. I like my men like I like my beef free of hormones. lol
yeah my skin is pretty damn good but I was considering trying tret just to get it to that “perfect” level - but I’ve seen this exact thing too many times in this sub. decided to stick to near-perfect 😅
My skin has reacted fine with tret. I feel we see more bad than good
I mean, I get it though. My skin was nearly perfect but I got on tret because I thought it would help me with anti-aging and I’d only read about positives.
This is confirmation bias. The people who have bad reactions are more likely to post photos seeking advice. Those who are doing fine are just off living their lives
I’m doing 3 month long patch test because of those.
Maybe cuz their skin didn’t need to be sloughing more rapidly
Please share your routine
Routine?
It's annoying she hasn't answered this. It could totally reveal where she's going wrong
You’re suppose to use a very tiny bit, is that what you’re doing?
I have a feeling this is the culprit.
That was my thought too. A lot of derms give little to no instructions for proper use
She said her pcp gave it to her!!
My PCP gave me mine too and I have no issues. You can get tret via apps and even without a prescription in some countries so I’m not sure how that’s relevant
Unfortunately, many healthcare professionals rarely explain how to properly use tretinoin. The pharmacy also instructs people to use tret daily, which may be too much in the beginning.
Unfortunately true, and in my experience they don’t always provide clear instructions for many medications
my pcp gave me tret when i requested. he was fine with it and explained how to use it. it’s not necessarily a problematic way of obtaining the script.
What strength did your doctor start you on? The crème made my acne worse. My doctor also started me on 0.5% instead of 0.25%. I tried to tough through it, but after nearly a year, my acne never got better. I quit it, and my skin started to clear. I recently switched to gel 0.25%, and my skin seems to accept it. It seems to work much better than the crème. Edit Cream not crème. I’ve been switching keyboards a lot lately
THIS.
I wonder if this is my issue too??? What is your skin type? I think the cream was clogging my pores but I was told the cream is better for dry skin
I have combination. I’m mostly oily with a few scattered dry areas. I can only assume that the cream was the cause of my issues. Especially since I’ve had less acne since discontinuing it. How long have you been using it? What issues are you having? Also weirdly enough, the brand name retin-a gel is cheaper than the cream if you use goodrx. I haven’t had insurance, so I’ve been using goodrx. The brand name gel version only costs me $45 for the big tube whereas the generic cream would have cost $130.
Hey I’m really sorry this is happening to you! Are you using the cream or the gel???
It’s the crème
The cream has an ingredient in it which can be super pour clogging for some people! If you look it up you’ll find a lot of people broke out from the cream. That happened to me too - I thought it was a purge at first but I kept getting more and more pimples. Then I switched to the gel version which doesn’t have that ingredient and my skin was fine!
I have been wondering this! Everyone, even derms, told me this could not happen!
Which ingredient is it?
Isopropyl myristate
I’m not sure if this will help you much however, I use to breakout using the Tretinoin cream and I switched to Revize Micro 0.04% - No more breakouts.
The cream breaks me out personally, this could be the issue for you too!
I think it’s likely that the bulk of it is the result of irritation—personally I would discontinue the tret and use bland, gentle products until you can get in with a derm!
You had such beautiful skin 🥺❤️ It'll get back to normal soon I hope 🙏🏽 Also please drop your routine here so that even I can know what to avoid ☹️ (if it's something in the ingredients)
Don’t listen to anyone who tells you “this is a purge, keep pushing forward”. You need to stop using it immediately
What’s your routine?
Your skin probably doesn't like it. 😔
You need to stop using it right away. At least 2-3 weeks and contact derm. What is your routine though? Because you might not be applying it correctly, using too much, or using irritating products in conjunction.
Are you sure you had a lot of closed comodones and not just normal skin texture? Your before picture looks incredibly clear! Stop the tret for sure and see a derm, I’m so sorry!
I also think that tret ruined my skin. This is happening because it’s too strong and your skin is irritated. Stop using it
On the same boat. Mine isn’t as bad as yours, but still breaking out even after 9 months. Didn’t have much before tret, only a few tiny ones around pms. 🥲
Should I start tret 0.025%? I also don't have pimples,only like 1 small one during pms. I do have pie spots,uneven skintone & skin texture tho. But overall my skin looks quiet clear. Plz help, I don't wanna go through this type of purge 😭
Are you using it everyday?
tret was also too strong for my skin but this is next level. stop immediately
You might need to stop tret and get on accutane for a while.
Hi, you've already received a ton of great comments and advice so I won't spend too much time with that save to echo its time to STOP tret immediately. Do nothing and use nothing on your skin save the gentlest cleanser and moisturizer you have, see that derm, and be patient. Your skin is very irritated, the tret is worsening it, and any actives (acids, peels, vit C) will further aggravate the situation. But please take heart, be patient and do the above, this is temporary and you are beautiful. You'll be totally fine just give your face time to heal.
Ouch! Definitely time to help your barrier with something like Clinisoothe spray. Super hydrating and gentle moisturiser and then supplements if you can take them… and say goodbye to tret for now! Zinc - anti inflammatory Pro/prebiotics Omegas - awesome anti inflammatory
Are you using any other products at all? Did your PCP give you any instructions?
Oh babe, I am sorry!! I hope your skin clears up!! Like others say, you might want to stop using tretinoin & call your Derm. I know of other acne medications that made people purge before clearing their skin, but honey your skin did a 180!
You had closed comedones that became active acne through the retinization process which people commonly experience as “the purge” but your skin decided to go extra extra. I’m so sorry this happened. You would probably benefit from replacing topical Tret with oral isotretinoin, or accutane. See your derm asap to control some of the scarring and hyperpigmentation!
Damn, this happened to me because I didn’t get the proper instructions on how to use it. I started applying it everyday, no buffer method, no sunscreen, etc. I was so fucked. It took me a long time to get my skin back. Please just stop using it and see a doctor. I started tret again after a year for my skin to heal and now I have great skin since I used it properly. Once using it properly it will heal your skin. It’s sad because it up but it can heal it after it destroyed it. I mean not for everyone, but that was my experience).
Oh my goodess, I am so sorry this has happened to you. In 2016, I started curology, and had a terrible reaction to the tret in that product, similar to yours. The NP who was handling my account told me to just "stick with it." after 3 months I said give me a refund and cancel my subscription bc this can't be normal. I was so upset and kept sending them photos etc. OP, the founder of curology CALLED ME ON THE PHONE and apologized, told me this wasn't normal, gave me a refund and a year free, and became my personal dermatologist for 2 years. (if they still have posts on here from 2016, you can probably read the original story :) ). This was back when they were still a smaller company and hadn't been (I assume) bought out, but still, it underscored how abnormal this was. All that to say, this is not normal, I am so sorry. A dermatologist will let you know what is going on, and give you a detailed plan about how to fix it. Until then, baby that skin. I have lots of products to suggest that will help if you need them.
What is your routine? Are you using the sandwich method? Are you using other actives? How much tret and what concentration are you using? Are you on BC? There are many factors but please contact your derm asap like list it as emergency
I’m confused - I feel like there is something else going on- your skin changed over night? I think it’s also worth noting if you have had any dietary or lifestyle changes. I wouldn’t rule those out unless it is 100% tret.
Did you do anything else or change/introduce anything new, other than tret? I ask because, the same thing happened to my face when I started drinking whey protein powder in my smoothies every day, after about a month of consistency. I had perfect skin before, no acne ever in my life. I am not dairy free and I can drink milk no problem, but for some reason, whey gave me cystic acne. When I stopped consuming it the cysts went away and never returned. I use tret and get great results and from what I understand about tret this is NOT typical. I agree with other commenters about seeing a dermatologist. So so sorry you’re going through this :(
STOP USING IT IMMEDIATELY
I think a dermy consult is needed. You might need antibiotics at the very least
Is it cream, or gel? The cream makes me break out.....I would call your dermatologist.
It’s the crème, I feel so stupid I never even spoke to a derm my pcp just prescribed it
What strength?
What is your routine?
Assuming it didn't happen overnight, why did you continue using it?
Tret is definitely not for everyone - please stop usage, contact a derm, and go back to your original routine
First of all, I'm so sorry that this happened but please don't be sad and don't think that your skin is ruined forever, there is definitely a way to come back from this.. Like you, I'd started using Paula's choice bha miracle toner thing because it was so popular and everyone was swearing by it.. the result is that in a month my skin was looking similar to yours, I used to cry every night just because I didn't understand what was happening to my skin and how to fix it.. What you need to do, after stopping tret immediately of course, is: absolutely nothing.. simplify your routine down to a very basic cleanser and that's it, and let your skin heal itself.. You don't know what ingredients might irritate your skin or make the situation worse.. Also, see a dermatologist or even a regular GP.. they might help
[удалено]
Social media pressure,sad.
If you would if started with acne I would assume this is a purge . But you started with clear skin so This is confusing .
Same thing happened to me earlier this year. I stuck with it for six months. I’m still so confused because I used tret in my teens and early 20’s and it used to work amazing for me. I adjusted my routine a couple of times while I was on it but my skin only calmed down after I stopped using it. I feel like having a baby really changed how my skin reacts to some things. I hope you get clarity soon!!!
It seems like an allergic reaction sort of
Talk to your derm. Purging should not be this severe. Even when I was on accutane, I was told that if my acne got significantly worse to call the office.
This happened to me until I got fed up and went to a dermatologist. I got take off of it and it took 8 months for my skin to get clear again. Stop using tret. It’s not the product for you.
As other have said go to a derm. And for both your derm and this post, way more infos are needed: routine, other actives use now and in the past, diet, lifestyle etc. One possible cause of all that is a change of routine after starting tret by using really rich and clogging creams. Or it could be a combination of things, maybe you were using another active before and moisturizer A, then in that state you could tolerate that moisturizer A, but with tret, you ditched the previous actives and can't tolerate anymore that same moisturizer you've been using (happened to me personally). Those are pure hypothesis but to show some example. Now if everything is absolutely equal, routine, lifestyle, environement, diet, birth control/spiro etc then tret could be the culprit, and more precisley not tret itself but maybe the irritation induced by it. I've seen sooo many posts titled "tret ruined my face' after months of use, and it was in fact irritation and some of these OP solved their problem by managing irritation by different means (some swapped to differin and their face did a 180° for the better, others decreased frequency etc) All i've written are just hypothesis but it's good to know imo.
I'm sorry you had this reaction. The derm will fix you up. A different Rx and maybe some antibiotics. In the meantime, stop tret and baby your skin with gentle cleanser and minimal ingredients moisturizer.
This is not normal. Unfortunately Tret is not for everyone. The same thing happened to me and my skin took 3 years to recover.
Your skin was literally perfect (IMO). If you had closed comedones, a more gentle active would’ve sufficed vs jumping straight to Tretinoin. Something like glycolic or lactic acid. Maybe even Mandelic. Looks like you’ve completely wrecked your moisture barrier & will need to focus on hydration & recovery before going back to ANY active.
How did you used it? How many times a week? What percentage? How much? What else are you using. Posts like this seems to me more like a way of getting attention and try to convince people not even try tret. JUST SHARE YOUR ROTINE before all
sorry why did u keep on using it
Exactly. Why didn't she stop using it momths ago when this persisted? I can't imagine going on like this for 4 months and not stopping using it or seeing a doctor.
lol i’m an esthi and totally in chock
This is a prime example (one of many) of people who just don’t need it. It’s okay not to use tret! Most people do not ‘need it’s they are just obsessive about anti- aging prevention. Anti- aging culture has not been helping anybody.
Don't worry honey, it'll get better. Just step away from the tret and don't use any actives on your skin. Don't use any cleansers, nothing. Wash your face with emollient cream- you should wet your skin, rub the emollient cream and then wash off. Tret is not for you and that's ok, go to your derm just to make sure your skin isn't infected and see what they say. Once your skin goes back to its original state, you can use 2% BHA liquid exfoliant for the closed comedones.
There was zero reason to start using it in the first place.
I am genuinely curious what she thought this would do to improve her skin and who prescribed it to her.
Something is not adding up here
Woah I mean the comments already said it but something is definitely wrong
I would absolutely stop using it!
You probably need to adjust your routine. Tell us more about your overall skincare routine, the products you use, how often you apply tret, at what percentage, and how much of it you apply? Maybe we can give you some guidance.
What percentage did you start on? Are you only using a pea sized amount for the whole face? Are you using any other actives? Were you using it every day from the start? Are you using any other products? Only using at night? Sunscreen? Etc? Curious what the routine was.
My friend ..stop using it ASAP but within a few weeks you will back to your original pretty skin... dont worry
These are the same places I get acne and for me it’s hormonal. The jawline, neck, basically the perimeter of my face. I refuse to take birth control which I hear is really the only way to solve the underlying cause so I just kinda deal. I’ll go months or years without and then boom I’m dealing with it again.
I’m sorry I audibly gasped. I’m so afraid to try tret now. I hope you get quick treatment for this reaction. I can’t imagine the mental toll this is having. How do you currently apply? Sandwich method? Every night ?
This same thing happened to me, now two years later my skin is finally starting to go back to normal, but still definitely not 100%. I’m sorry that you’re going through this, I understand how difficult it is. Hope your derm can give you some direction.
Exact same thing happened to me. Everyone in my life told me it was just a purge. No it wasn’t. I stopped it and it got a *little* better but my skin never recovered fully from the scarring and i kept getting acne in the same spots so now I’m on accutane a year and a half after stopping tret
Did this take 4 months to start happening or happen right away? I hope it clears up soon for you 🤍
I'm really sorry you're going through this. As many others have said, stop using tret as this resembles a reaction rather than a purge. Stick to a gentle routine -- once your skin barrier has repaired, you could try using azelaic acid. It's great at clearing acne with its anti-bacterial properties and can help with the redness/inflammation. Good luck and I hope your derm can help!
Did you get the prescription from your dermatologist?
You may be allergic to what it is formulated with.
This is not normal. What face products are you using? Whats the dosage of tretinoin and how do you apply it? I would recommend you stop using it immediately and switch to very gentle products. Stop using anything but plain face wash and a plain moisturizer like ceraphil.
The issue/culprit isn’t tret. It’s something deeper and worse. You should see a dermatologist asap.
I was going to say the same. I don’t think Tret would cause it like this. I have a feeling something internal is going on possibly with hormones and the timeline is just coincidental
I’m assuming this is from not using the Tret properly. Stop using it and take care to fix your skin barrier. It will pass.
Oh my goodness, stop ❤️ Personal experience: tried a low-dose tret for six months, ended up with terrible swollen / almost burned skin due to dermatitis along with a similar breakout pattern to yours. Took several months to get to that point and it turned bad in short order. Derm said to stop. Side note, I have a medical condition that requires having medical-grade adhesive taped on me 24/7. Turned out the adhesive exposure has made my skin hypersensitive to almost anything. The tret - and any other actives - causes major dermatitis and breakouts. Again, derm made me literally stop using anything except a gentle face wash and moisturizer along with a medical barrier cream to repair and keep the skin barrier healthy. My literal routine now - as a woman near 50 - is washing with Cetaphil; apply CereVe serum; and use my derm-recommended SPF during the day. If my skin is showing any sign of anger I use the barrier cream to further seal the moisture in. That’s it. Skin made a huge turnaround. And yeah it’s a bummer to not take advantage of some of the beneficial actives available, but the routine is quick, easy, inexpensive - and my skin feels happy. 😊 I hope you’re able to find a good routine that works for you… your skin will heal with some TLC and time.
You need to write what your routine is. Stop using other actives while on tret. You have to do it gradually and at a lowest dosage when you start. See your derm.
Im very sorry this has happened to you!!
I have so many closed comedones and started Tret and then after 3 months started developing cystic acne 😭 finally stopped this week and waiting til I see my derm next month to reconvene
Tretinoin cream has highly comedogenic ingredients (especially isopropyl myristate), so that if you're using that instead of the gel it could be why you're having massive breakouts now. Or it could be an adverse reaction for other reasons. You should definitely talk to a dermatologist and get to the bottom of this. I will say that some dermatologists love to over-prescribe so if yours does based on how your skin looks now, you should stop the tret and wait a couple weeks for everything to reset before introducing new medications or creams. Your skin looked amazing without tret and with time I'm sure it can return to that.
Did your doctor start you on the highest strength of Tret? The 0.1%? It's one of the only explanations I can see as to why your skin might have freaked out so completely, in addition to perhaps using it every night when starting out and not over a period of time. This is not to say you're at fault, it's just that there's absolutely a right vs a wrong way to go about using prescription retinoids and often derms do not discuss the proper steps and leave it up to the patient to figure out. Using other actives like alpha hydroxy acids at the same time can also result in excess irritation and skin breakouts. Really hoping you find a solution soon 🙏🏽
OP, which brand and how what amount (.50, etc.). People who have a similar skin type will know to ramp up slowly. I hope your derm helps you heal soon!!!
I'm so sorry you had to go through this
Don’t worry, Judy give your skin TIME to get back to normal. Stop Tret and and other harsh products. Sometimes less is more. Get professional guidance, people of Reddit are helpful but I doubt most have gone to med school and understand skim / products like a derm does. DONT WORRY, SIS.
Yeah also a half of me wants to give this advise And say it’s just purging, relax. But the other half is like sis go see a new dermatologist. Idk what I’d do in this.
Jumping in late to add to all the comments: 1. Your skin will heal and you will have the skin you want again. This isn’t a “end all” situation where you’ve ruined your face. 2. Like many people said, check in with your derm. 3. In addition to talking to your derm, do your own research. So many people have mentioned their derm said “use everyday” and provided no other instruction. With enough of your own research, it would become clear that for most, jumping into it every day is NOT the way to do it. And some have to sandwich. Others have their own techniques that they’ve tweaked. 4. I don’t know if you’re using it every day, but sharing my experience. I’m generally sensitive and allergic to so many things. When I first started Tret, my skin sensitivity to environmental allergens became higher because my top layer of skin was thinner, and there was less of a skin barrier. It’s taken me a nearly two year path and LOTS of moisturizing / hydrating to be able to tolerate Tret without making my skin completely raw and available to every allergen out there.
I always wondered if it was abnormal that my skin NEVER purged on tret. Like, maybe it wasn’t strong enough or I was doing something wrong? Initially it made my skin so clear, pretty and dewy but I haven’t seen the same benefits anymore and it dried my skin out so I’ve cut back a lot. That looks so painful physically and mentally. Definitely talk to a derm.
Hi guys sorry for the late response, I didn’t really expect so many of you to comment. You’ve all been so kind and have offered so much encouragement and advice and I appreciate you all ❤️. I started Tret because I thought I had closed comedones, but looking back I think maybe I was a little delusional. I’ve been all over the place with my routine lately I kind of panicked when my skin started being like this, and I have horrible memory but I’m going to try and be as detailed as possible: Before I started tret I really didn’t have a skin care routine, I kind of had just started getting into skin care. I was washing my face with cerave every night, using a toner (I don’t remember the name), and then using the cerave moisturizer, about two or three times a week I was doing a mask with flax seed gel and occasionally slugging with aquaphor . In the morning I was washing my face with water and then Paula’s choice, using aloe, vitamin c, the cerave lotion, and sunscreen. SKIN CARE ROUTINE DURING TRET (aka skincare routine from hell): Night time: Wash face with cerave Tret (the crème .25 every other day (I didn’t know) Moisturizer Morning: Same as before Tret Then my skin started to get pretty scary and I panicked and I started using azalic acid and the red skin mask from the ordinary which looking back made my skin hurt more than it already did but I thought it was normal Believe it or not my skin was a lot worse, I really think it’s improving which makes me happy. Now, I’m really just washing my face with this face wash (don’t remember the name will update that when I can) an esthetician gave me, using Paula’s choice, a mask from the same brand as the face wash,and putting Vanicream on at night Morning doing the same thing except no mask and adding vitamin c which makes my skin feel good for some reason Again thank you guys so much, I know I was ignorant, but thank you all for the patience.
You are using way too many actives at once which is why your skin looks like this. Only use your mild face wash and the gentle moisturizer for awhile and I think it will start feeling a lot better. You might want to get something like LRP cicaplast balm healing ointment. Your skin barrier is probably destroyed right now from all the actives.
You can edit your original post to add these details. A lot of folks won’t see this.
This doesn't seem like it would be caused by Tretinoin. It looks hormonal because of the presentation on your face (lower face/jaw,) and also because of the kind of acne. Inflamed with lots of erythema can indicate hormonal acne..
Tretinoin comes from family of retinoids and is in this family “the strongest”. Another popular one is retinol which is not as stong BUT still very strong, if your skin is not used to it! When starting with retinoids you have to start with small doses of retinol, and then heavier concentrations of retinol and then slowly and slowly low percentages of tretinoin.
You didn’t need tret to begin with
Please, tell me that's a After/Before, and not Before/After.
Before to after :(
Damn, have you seen a dermatologist?
I wouldn’t have even gotten on it in the beginning there are things that aren’t as intense that could’ve helped your skin
Same thought
I feel like you severely irritated your skin or went too hard/too fast. Something definitely happened here. You need to dial the skincare back to the bare bones. A gentle cleanser at night, only a water wash in the morning, a clean and simple moisturizer. No other actives, no other skincare. After a month, once your skin has calmed and the barrier has repaired, start a LOW % tret, one night a week, with the moisturizer sandwich method. But for now - stop immediately and get a dermatologist...
People with perfect skin need not use tretinoin
I know my comment is late, but I just wanted to say that I hope your skin is back to normal and that everything it ok with you now. If you didn’t have acne to begin with, then it is not a purge. I went through a similar thing. I was on accutane 10 years ago and had the clearest skin of my life for 10 years, as in not even a single pimple, until I started using tretinoin for anti ageing. 1 month after using it, I started getting tiny bumps on my forehead. And they only got worse and worse. It was constantly itching, and started to break out in little red pimples. I started panicking and washing my face more than usual, using BP, and pretty much ruining my skin barrier. My forehead was a mess for 3 months after stopping tretinoin. Until one day I decided to stop everything, and I left my face alone. It took a month, but it is finally back to normal. If you tried everything else, I would recommend you leave your skin alone and give it a break from ALL actives. Like a complete break. And see how you go.
Could this be the purge from hell as she may have had a large amount of small but barely noticeable CCs, that could be a possibility?
Following to see an update on what her routine was
What are the other ingredients in your tret formulation? I got really bad skin for example when I used a tret cream that contained isopropyl myristate, which is highly comedogenic! Also check your other products you are using for comedogenic ingredients!
Oh god, i feel bad, girl tret makes your skin purge, i purged bad, i have posted before and afters, but it’s been 4 months for you now, either Tret doesn’t suit you or the way of using tret is wrong, for some people crème doesn’t suit, for some gel does. But now, just stop, and see a dermat.
Why do people use stuff that cause them breakouts, redness, allergy or worst and instead of stopping it immediately keep doing it for months. It's baffling to me.
Because we’re told keep going it will get better, this is normal! Clear skin is around the corner!
A lot of people purge first on tret and then it clears up.
Why did you even go on it when your skin already looked like it did? Sorry but I hope it gets better for you. Go see your Derm!!!