Since my first experience with Tretinoin A LOT has happened! Using Tretinoin alone obviously did not work for me at all. Hence I decided to visit a new derm. I tried quite a few combinations of medications and topicals which included: tretracycline, Duricef, Bactrim, Differin, Epiduo, Clyndamicin, Ziana, etc... The combination of bactrim and differin worked great to clear up my acne however, it wasnt enough to keep it from coming back in full force.
Feeling hopeless and defeated I returned to my derm once again for a new regimen. Since Bactrim had worked so well, she put me on it again but this time combined with Retin-A Micro (Tretinoin Gel 0.04%) and Duac (mix of Clyndamicin and benzoyl peroxide gel). I was to take bactrim twice a day everyday for 6 weeks, put on Retin-A at night, and put on Duac in the morning. This became my MIRACLE! It took some time to work completely, but once my acne cleared up I was able to remain clear! Apart from these prescriptions, drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly have also helped tremendously. Using oil free makeup is also a must!
Getting rid of acne is possible! I do still get a few breakouts here and there but nothing even comparable to before. I highly recommend that you guys visit a dermotologist. There are many prescriptions out there that are very good. Its just a matter of finding the combination that works best for you. Be patient. Clear skin is possible!
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Thursday, September 5, 2013
6 months using Tretinoin - Results update
I officially crossed the 6 month mark on Tretinoin and I have to say that I unfortunately had to stop using Tretinoin. Out of nowhere my skin was just not able to tolerate it well and I started getting really big pimples and my skin was completely irritated. It could have been the face wash I was using, or maybe the sun, but I just had to stop using Tretinoin. After 3 months using Tretinoin I did see an improvement in my skin, but I was never 100% clear. Tretinoin made my skin get REALLY bad at first and then slightly better than where I started. It also made my skin extra oily!! Overall, I would say save yourself some time and effort and avoid Tretinoin if you can. In my opinion an oral medication might be more convenient and might yield better and faster results. My dermatologist just recently prescribed and oral antibiotic along with Epiduo. If that does not work then I will have to turn to accutane.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Tretinoin Therapy for Acne
Hello Everyone I made this blog to post weekly update about my progress using tretinoin for moderate acne. I have battled with acne for about 4 years and this is my last hope before possibly resorting to accutane.
I developed mild to moderate acne when I was 18 years old and my face has pretty much gone downhill from then. I currently have blackheads, whiteheads, pustules, you name it. So i visited a dermatologist and was prescribed tretinoin cream 0.025% to use nightly. After doing some research I figured that it would be best to start slowly with the treatment. For the first week I plan on using it every three days. The following week I will use it every two days and if my skin reacts well, on the following week I will be using it every other day. Hopefully by starting slowly I can avoid all the irritation and peeling, but most importantly maybe I could avoid a horrible initial break out.
Next week I will post an update on how my skin is doing and will post pictures as well. I have high hopes for this treatment because it has worked for so many people. Hopefully soon I will finally have clear skin again!!! =)
*Click on this link for tips on skin care while using Tretinoin: http://tretinoinskincare.blogspot.com/
Week 1
This was my first week of treatment with tretinoin cream 0.025% and I have to say that I am definitely having an initial breakout. I have a few inflamed red pimples on both sides of my cheeks. I have very minimal peeling and my face does seem a bit smoother. This week I have also struggled with the urge to pop because oh my God Ive had quite a few that looked more than ready to pop. Anyways I dont feel too attractive at the moment but I will try to not feel too bad because hopefully it'll all be worth it in a couple of months. Below are some pictures from last week before treatment (on the top) and from this week post starting treatment (Bottom). I apologize if some may seem nasty, but I figured it would be the best way for you guys to be able to see my progress using tretinoin. By the way I apologize for the lighting difference in the photos, but you guys get the point.
Week 3
This week I started wearing Tretinoin nightly. I haven't experienced any peeling yet and I think that my initial breakout might actually be over. I really only have one active breakout at the moment and everything else on my face is just post acne scarring. I think that Tretinoin is definitely working to reduce breakouts plus its also helping to lighten my red marks from acne. Hopefully things continue progressing!! Below are this week's pictures.
Week 4
This week was terrible! I had midterms and was very stressed out. A bad habit that I have when I'm stressed out is to touch my face a lot, which causes pimples. As a result this week I have had a ton of new pimples, everywhere on my face! I did notice though that Tretinoin does help to make them go away faster. Thankfully though my face is clearing up from this week's breakout, although it is nowhere near perfect. Below are this week's pictures and I would just like to emphasize the importance of not touching your face, especially without washing your hands first.
Week 5
This week I have definitely seen an improvement. I probably had just 2 new small pimples this week, which is a huge difference from before using Tretinoin. The only persistent problem are my post acne dark/reddish spots. I have quite a few of those but I have seen a slight improvement, nothing huge though. I'm very hopeful that Tretinoin will help clear my acne and I hope it also helps with my scars. Below are this week's pictures
Week 6
This week was pretty good overall. I did not have any crazy breakouts. One thing though that is still bothering me are my acne scars, which have been clearing up extremely slow :(. Overall though I do see improvement. Below are this week's pictures:
Week 9
I haven't been able to update my blog for a few weeks because I've been extremely busy with school, but my skin has continued progressing. I probably got about 4 new pimples during the last few weeks, but all were relatively small. My face is not completely clear yet but I am definitely getting less new pimples and of a smaller size. Scars continue to be a problem but they have gotten considerably lighter. I have been told that usually by the end of the third month on Tretinoin is when your skin gets dramatically clear so I'm really hoping that it is the case with my skin. Below are time pictures of my progress.
I developed mild to moderate acne when I was 18 years old and my face has pretty much gone downhill from then. I currently have blackheads, whiteheads, pustules, you name it. So i visited a dermatologist and was prescribed tretinoin cream 0.025% to use nightly. After doing some research I figured that it would be best to start slowly with the treatment. For the first week I plan on using it every three days. The following week I will use it every two days and if my skin reacts well, on the following week I will be using it every other day. Hopefully by starting slowly I can avoid all the irritation and peeling, but most importantly maybe I could avoid a horrible initial break out.
Next week I will post an update on how my skin is doing and will post pictures as well. I have high hopes for this treatment because it has worked for so many people. Hopefully soon I will finally have clear skin again!!! =)
*Click on this link for tips on skin care while using Tretinoin: http://tretinoinskincare.blogspot.com/
Week 1
This was my first week of treatment with tretinoin cream 0.025% and I have to say that I am definitely having an initial breakout. I have a few inflamed red pimples on both sides of my cheeks. I have very minimal peeling and my face does seem a bit smoother. This week I have also struggled with the urge to pop because oh my God Ive had quite a few that looked more than ready to pop. Anyways I dont feel too attractive at the moment but I will try to not feel too bad because hopefully it'll all be worth it in a couple of months. Below are some pictures from last week before treatment (on the top) and from this week post starting treatment (Bottom). I apologize if some may seem nasty, but I figured it would be the best way for you guys to be able to see my progress using tretinoin. By the way I apologize for the lighting difference in the photos, but you guys get the point.
Week 2
This is my second week using Tretinoin and I'm not sure if I am seeing any difference in acne at this point, but I have noticed that my face is much smoother and moisturized. During the week I saw a reduction in the amount of new pimples, but they started popping up again in the last 2 days. I also want to point out that I have experienced so far very minimal peeling like barely noticeable so that's a good thing. It might be since I started slowly with Tretinoin and only wear it every other day at this point. Also on the days that I don't put on the cream I put on Benzoyl Peroxide 10% from Clean and Clear on the active spots. Anyways below are the pictures from this week.
This week I started wearing Tretinoin nightly. I haven't experienced any peeling yet and I think that my initial breakout might actually be over. I really only have one active breakout at the moment and everything else on my face is just post acne scarring. I think that Tretinoin is definitely working to reduce breakouts plus its also helping to lighten my red marks from acne. Hopefully things continue progressing!! Below are this week's pictures.
Week 4
This week was terrible! I had midterms and was very stressed out. A bad habit that I have when I'm stressed out is to touch my face a lot, which causes pimples. As a result this week I have had a ton of new pimples, everywhere on my face! I did notice though that Tretinoin does help to make them go away faster. Thankfully though my face is clearing up from this week's breakout, although it is nowhere near perfect. Below are this week's pictures and I would just like to emphasize the importance of not touching your face, especially without washing your hands first.
Week 5
This week I have definitely seen an improvement. I probably had just 2 new small pimples this week, which is a huge difference from before using Tretinoin. The only persistent problem are my post acne dark/reddish spots. I have quite a few of those but I have seen a slight improvement, nothing huge though. I'm very hopeful that Tretinoin will help clear my acne and I hope it also helps with my scars. Below are this week's pictures
Week 6
This week was pretty good overall. I did not have any crazy breakouts. One thing though that is still bothering me are my acne scars, which have been clearing up extremely slow :(. Overall though I do see improvement. Below are this week's pictures:
Week 9
I haven't been able to update my blog for a few weeks because I've been extremely busy with school, but my skin has continued progressing. I probably got about 4 new pimples during the last few weeks, but all were relatively small. My face is not completely clear yet but I am definitely getting less new pimples and of a smaller size. Scars continue to be a problem but they have gotten considerably lighter. I have been told that usually by the end of the third month on Tretinoin is when your skin gets dramatically clear so I'm really hoping that it is the case with my skin. Below are time pictures of my progress.
Results - 3 months using Tretinoin
It is a common belief that generally after 3 months of using Tretinoin you should start seeing dramatic clearing of acne. I definitely believe that my acne has gotten a lot better a well as my skin texture. I find myself using less makeup and have even stopped wearing concealer for the past few days. My face is not completely clear though. I still get new pimples although they're not as big and as many at a time as before. The new pimples also go away faster. I would say though that your face definitely gets a lot worse before it gets better, you have to be very patient and consistent with your treatment. Overall I'm happy with where my skin is going, but I will continue using Tretinoin until my skin clears completely, if that's possible :/. Anyways, below are the pictures of how my acne looks like now.
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