Okay, so, a while back, I started noticing some fine lines creeping up on my face, and my skin was looking a bit dull overall. I tried a bunch of different creams and stuff, but nothing really made a huge difference. Then, a friend of mine mentioned tretinoin. She said it worked wonders for her, so I figured, why not give it a shot?
First thing I did was book an appointment with my doctor. I wanted to make sure I was using it correctly, you know? After all, this stuff is pretty potent. My doctor gave me the lowdown on how to apply it and what to expect. He suggested starting with a low concentration and using it every other night to see how my skin reacted.
So, I got my prescription and headed to the pharmacy. I picked up a tube of the cream and also grabbed a gentle cleanser and a good moisturizer, just like my doctor recommended. I was ready to go.
That night, I started my new skincare routine. Here’s how it went down:
- Cleanse: I washed my face with a gentle, non-foaming cleanser. Nothing fancy, just something to get rid of the day’s grime.
- Dry: This is important—I made sure my face was completely dry. Like, bone dry. I waited a good 20 minutes after washing to make sure there was no moisture left.
- Moisturize(Optional): I applied my basic moisturizer before tretinoin.
- Apply: I squeezed out a pea-sized amount of the tretinoin cream and applied it evenly to my face, avoiding the sensitive areas around my eyes and mouth.
- Moisturize: I followed up with another layer of moisturizer. My doctor said this helps to prevent irritation.
The first few weeks, I definitely noticed some dryness and peeling. My skin felt a bit sensitive, and there were a couple of days where I was a little red. But, I stuck with it, following my doctor’s advice to use it every other night. After that, I started using every night little by little.
After a couple of months, I started seeing some real changes. Those fine lines? They were definitely less noticeable. My skin tone looked more even, and I had this glow that I hadn’t seen in years. Even some old acne scars seemed to be fading a bit. The peeling was a little annoying, but I could deal with it.
My Tips
- Start Slow: Seriously, don’t rush into using it every night. Give your skin time to adjust.
- Moisturize: Don’t skip the moisturizer. It makes a huge difference in preventing irritation.
- Sunscreen: Tretinoin makes your skin more sensitive to the sun, so you gotta wear sunscreen every day. I use SPF 50, no excuses.
- Be Patient: It takes time to see results. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see a change overnight.
So, yeah, tretinoin has been a game-changer for me. It’s not a miracle cure, but it’s definitely improved the look and feel of my skin. If you’re thinking about trying it, I’d say go for it, but definitely talk to your doctor first. They can help you figure out the right way to use it for your skin type.
It’s been a journey, but I’m really happy with the results. My skin feels smoother, looks brighter, and those pesky fine lines are way less noticeable. It’s not perfect, but I feel way more confident in my own skin now, and that’s a pretty great feeling.