retinoid product for daily use?

[milkyway-girl]

I'm 26 and have recently noticed laugh lines appearing. i also have this one wrinkle in my forehead that really bothers me! I want to start using a retinoid product to help combat these lines, as well as some large pores that i have around my nose. I read the other thread about tretinoin (sp?) and am looking for something more over the counter and of not such a high strength.

i have some questions:

1. by using a retinoid product, will it prevent my laugh lines from getting worse, or will it also dissipate them?

2. does anyone have any product reccomendations? i have a copy of "dont go to the cosmetics counter without me" and it reccommends the following products:

cetaphil nighttime moisturiser with retinol
clinique advanced stop signs visible anti-aging serum
st ives multi vitamin retinol anti-wrinkle cream

has anyone used these products and if so what are your impressions?

 

[o0ceania]

What order does it recommend to use those products? Every night or day, and which product first?
I also have several questions about the usage of retinoids..

--is once daily enough? i've heard of people applying it twice daily at the highest strength level, which i think is 2% for Retin-A Micro.
--what is the difference in terms of effectiveness/best performance: Retin Micro, generic tretinoin, or Tazarotene?
I keep hearing/reading from various news outlets like mags and general interest sites that Tazarotene is more effective than the other two, but I've never read a derm or other skin care professional say which one works best. I have however heard that generic tretinoin is more effective than Micro, but Micro is more gentle on the skin. This was stated from a plastic surgeon. A derm told me that Micro adheres to the skin better, thus is more effective. Who is correct?
-I've been using generic tretinoin for 2 years daily at night, and then switched, and have been on Micro for 1 year and a half. I sometimes alternate between the two, and switch off every month nowadays. Is this a good idea? Can my skin get resistant from daily use of retinoids and stop responding to the product? I've heard that the skin can, but have never seen a professional cite this claim. I have read that it's a good idea to use a retinoid for the rest of your life, but an aesthetician told me that that's a poor idea because the skin can get worse with long term use. I'm so confused as to who is telling the truth...

A Shiesedo artist told me she doesn't recommend any retinoid because they "burn the skin." Is this true?

Thanks

 

[o0ceania]

oh! i forgot to ask: does anyone know a manufacturer number to contact for questions about the prescription retinoids? i could not find any on the drug monograph inside the package.

another thing i've been wondering about:
since application of a topical retinoid increases collagen and thus thickens the skin, in theory wouldn't it be true that if you applied it on your lips they would get bigger too? i'm surprised that no one has discussed this as a potential lip plumper because it appears as if it would perform the same on the lips.

 

[modelbehavior228]

green cream. My friend uses it and he likes it ALOT.

 

[Hanne]

I've noticed that when I have use RoC's Retin-Ox+ night creme on my frown line for a week or so it diminishes.

 

[o0ceania]

what is RoX? is that a prescription?

 

[ChrissyCream]

I'm 26 and have recently noticed laugh lines appearing. i also have this one wrinkle in my forehead that really bothers me! I want to start using a retinoid product to help combat these lines, as well as some large pores that i have around my nose. I read the other thread about tretinoin (sp?) and am looking for something more over the counter and of not such a high strength.

i have some questions:

1. by using a retinoid product, will it prevent my laugh lines from getting worse, or will it also dissipate them?

2. does anyone have any product reccomendations? i have a copy of "dont go to the cosmetics counter without me" and it reccommends the following products:

cetaphil nighttime moisturiser with retinol
clinique advanced stop signs visible anti-aging serum
st ives multi vitamin retinol anti-wrinkle cream

has anyone used these products and if so what are your impressions?

i would say the best thing to kill wrinkles is botox...one injection on the forehead and your problem will be gone. hehe

 

[o0ceania]

but botox doesn't work on everyone, right? and it's temporary.

from what i understand, retinoids will only prevent lines from getting worse if used regularly for the rest of your life, in addition to always wearing sunscreen during daytime. without sunscreen retinoids are useless.

does the book recommend using those creams after retinoid application? i've read that you aren't supposed to put anything on after application until you wash your face in the morning. then you can apply a cream.

 

[marqueemoon]

oh! i forgot to ask: does anyone know a manufacturer number to contact for questions about the prescription retinoids? i could not find any on the drug monograph inside the package.

another thing i've been wondering about:
since application of a topical retinoid increases collagen and thus thickens the skin, in theory wouldn't it be true that if you applied it on your lips they would get bigger too? i'm surprised that no one has discussed this as a potential lip plumper because it appears as if it would perform the same on the lips.

I'm guessing it would be too irritating for your lips. After all lip skin is extremely thin and sensitive. Also I doubt the difference in thickness would be enough to make your lips noticeably plumper.

 

[marqueemoon]

but botox doesn't work on everyone, right? and it's temporary.

from what i understand, retinoids will only prevent lines from getting worse if used regularly for the rest of your life, in addition to always wearing sunscreen during daytime. without sunscreen retinoids are useless.

does the book recommend using those creams after retinoid application? i've read that you aren't supposed to put anything on after application until you wash your face in the morning. then you can apply a cream.

The problem is Retin A will only reduce 'non-dynamic' lines. Dynamic lines, which are caused by the movement of facial muscles, will not get better with Retin A because the offending factor has not been removed. That's why botox works so well. If you want to get rid of dynamic lines, only botox will do the trick.

 

[o0ceania]

^ finally it all makes sense! where can i study more about dynamic lines and things that RetinA can't fix? thanks

 

[splatooey]

i thought retin A and tazoretene were for acne, and they both THIN the skin out which is why you must use sunscreen b/c your skin is thinner from use and thus sun damage and UV will penetrate your skin easier thus more wrinkles and hence, need for sunscreen. i never heard of anyone using retinoids and tazorac for wrinkles and fine lines.

 

[lucy92]

i just got a prescription for retin a micro at .04 percent.
will this help with blackheads?

 

[o0ceania]

a derm i consulted said there are patients that do use retin-a to plump the lips and it does work, just not dramatically enough to make it a major habit.

retin-a doesn't thin the skin, it firms it. it sheds the skin faster giving the illusion of skin thinning, when in fact it just sheds the damaged the skin quicker so firmer, plumper skin can reach the surface. "thinning the skin" is a phrase that could be applied to any activity in which you are exfoliating/removing skin.
is my understanding correct?

 

[cardboardboxed]

green cream. My friend uses it and he likes it ALOT.

I second green cream. Never greasy/oily, it's perfect and light and does wonders for my skin. The only thing I hate is the $40 price tag

 

[lucy92]

i scared up enough guts last night to apply a thin layer of the retin a micro to my forehead. i have bangs so i tested an area which could be covered just in case it started getting red or flaky. so far so good! im going to try again tonight.

 

[angeldreamz]

I actually use retin A for acne and it works okay. It definitely makes my skin much tighter and firmer which i love. The only draw back is that it doenst do much for my acne, and it makes my skin really sensitive. My skin starts flaking alot and i have major redness on my cheeks, esp when im premenstrual. During that time, even if i apply a very thin layer of retin A, my skin starts flaking ALOT the next day, as in my whole face starts peeling. It's really annoying, and the flaking lasts for about 4 days (keep in mind that Im on my period during this time, so I FEEL awful, and I LOOK awful as well).
I heard that retin A works great for some people, i guess I'm just not one of them. I dont think it does much for acne, but it does help firming the skin alot. after the flaking stops, my skin is absolutely tight and firm. Just make sure that % of retin A isnt too high. I use retin A cream 0.05%. I tried retin A cream 0.025% before, and my derm put me on a higher one becasue she said the last one wasnt doing anything for my acne.

 

[lucy92]

angeldreamz, maybe you should look into laser therapy to decrease the oil production. talk to your parents. that might be less money that shelling out for prescriptions.

ive been using retin a micro .04 for a few weeks now. ive had minimal flaking. ive only been putting it on my nose and chin area. i feel that its really getting rid of the blemishes i do have fast. cuts their lifespan in half so to speak.

 

[angeldreamz]

yea, i have really been searching for some alternative solutions for my problem. I should check into laser theraphy. Thanks alot for the idea lucy92

 

[stochastic]

angeldreamz;

I'd consider a few things before giving up completely. Retin-A can be terribly irritating when used straight out of the box as per instructions, but some of the irritating effects can be minimized.

- If you dilute retin-a with some regular moisturizer you may cut down on the potency, but on the other hand it may also help with the flaking. The trick is to use as much as you can possibly tolerate without ill side effects.

- If the cream isn't helping with your breakouts, consider switching to retin-a gel instead. Just beware that the gel is a tad more potent. Another option would be to use tazarotene instead. This is even more potent, but I believe also the best topical treatment for acne.

- Have you tried treating breakouts with more than just a retinoid? Using finacea in the mornings and retin-a or differin in the evenings could be yet another option. Antibiotics is a third option, though I wouldn't recommend it long-term.

- And finally, are you sure that your breakouts aren't rosacea or dermatitis? Treating these with harsh topicals could make matters even worse.