By Bridget Sullivan, PA-C, Coastal Skin Surgery and Dermatology
Having a proper skin care routine is key to having healthy skin and, in turn, cosmetically pleasing skin. A product that can be used in a basic skincare routine is tretinoin cream. When a patient first uses this, it can take a while for their skin to adjust, so we recommend going “low and slow.” This means starting with a low strength (0.025%) and slowly building your way up to applying every night. There are different tips and tricks depending on how sensitive your skin is. For example, use it 2-3 nights a week for a few months until it doesn’t irritate your skin anymore, and gradually build your way up to every other night, and then every night. If it still causes irritation, you can mix it with your moisturizer or do a “moisturizer sandwich”: wait a few minutes and apply your moisturizer afterwards.. There are many different tips and tricks for easing tretinoin into your daily routine without causing too much irritation. Tretinoin cream is a Vitamin A derivative and is a form of retinoic acid. If there is anything close to what some may call a “miracle cream,” it’s tretinoin, because it packs a plethora of benefits in one tube.
Tretinoin cream applied at nighttime increases our skin cell turnover rate. This leads to many benefits, including reducing and helping in the treatment of acne and unclogging pores. It also stimulates collagen and elastin production. The stimulation of collagen and elastin will improve the texture of our skin and help with scarring and fine lines and wrinkles. Tretinoin has also been shown to improve UV or sun damage. It also decreases photo damage and helps with cosmetic concerns, including evening out skin tone and lightening dark spots.
With the myriad of benefits listed above, it is no wonder that this cream and ingredient are recommended to most patients in a basic skincare routine. This cream should be applied only at nighttime to a clean and dry face. This particular cream can only be found at a medical office and is not over the counter. It is important to note that not everyone is a candidate for Tretinoin cream. For example, you cannot use it during pregnancy and it might not be recommended if you have sensitive skin. There are other alternatives that can be used. Therefore, it is important to have a discussion of treatment options with your medical provider.
