moisturizer for new Retin-A user

[eurotrash]

Ok, so I recently made the switch from Differin to Retin-A micro. As I expected, I'm going through a little of the purging and a lot of the drying/peeling all over again. When I was in this stage with the Differin, I used the same moisturizer I always have, and there was no problem.

But because the RAM is so irritating, my moisturizer is stinging a little, and doesn't seem to be sinking in very well. So I'm looking for something very gentle, very moisturizing, but that won't clog my pores and defeat the whole purpose.

I'm considering one of the following:
-PC skin balancing gel-- a little expensive for the amount, but if it works, then fine.
-PC non-greasy
-Cetaphil regular or the skin balancing formula

Any suggestions? I know that a few of you guys are on RAM. Do you use anything that really has worked out well for you?

[3blindmice]

I've found that retin-a micro takes a bit of adjustment in the skin care routine. I actually use a combination of moisturizers or at least I did in the winter. It's mostly pc so I'll go through my routine.

I use the PC Skin Recovery cream religiously. I thought it would be too emollient, but it's practically the only thing that keep my skin moist enough so that it doesn't freak out or get red. I know that you most likely want to get the least emollient product, but I don't think that the skin balancing gel or the non greasy moisturizer will be moist enough. You'll have different skin now. I was sent a non greasy moisturizer by accident and I tried using it, but it's just not moist enough for me. My skin went from combo/normal to quite dry. In the winter it was hard, because I was doing a thin layer of the Skin Recovery all over my face, then my sunscreen. Now I just do a some of the Skin Recovery around my nose folds (this is so important, try not to let the retin-a get there, it will never stop flaking. I always buffer that area with a bit of cream before I apply my retin-a so that it doesn't migrate and dry it out) and then top it with my sunscreen (pc non greasy, normal to oily).

What's also helped me a lot is the PC normal to oily skin toner. I love that toner, I would be so lost without it and the Skin Recovery moisturizer. The toner is great because it seems to keep the skin moist, not dry. I use the normal oily because I have two huge bottles of it. I've never tried the dry skin version, but supposedly it's very nice.

I wash my face with Cetaphil in the morning and Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash at night to take off makeup. For the first month or so, not matter what you put on your skin is going to help all of the flaking. Usually you can rub off the flakes in the morning when you wash your face, they'll become dislodged, but you'll always have a bit for the first month. You just have to bear it out. After the first month or so, the flakes will go away and you'll most like have this slightly tender flushed skin. I sure did. It looked like I was glowing, but in fact, the skin was peeling and tender. I was slathering on the creams religiously.

What's really weird with retin-a micro is that I can now use anything on my skin that is super emollient and not break out. My skin was really raw in the winter and some days I was just putting face oil on it to make it softer. And not getting a single pimple. I now use a lot of tinted moisturizers during the day or really moisturizing foundations. And not getting a single pimple. The retin-a micro does such a good job at getting pores clean that I don't worry about what I'm using anymore. I can't use anything harsh, but my skin is really liking the softer more emollient creams.


:)

[Jenn.]

Cetaphil - as I'm going to be going through similar stuff soon enough, I asked my dermatologist, and she recommended it. She even had a drawer full of samples of the lotion and the face wash.

[eurotrash]

Thanks so much, both of you!
3blind mice, you're probably right about needing something super emollient, my face is seriously feels like it's shredding off, so sore already! I'm not used to needing something so thick. I will probably try the cetaphil first, until my paycheck goes through and I can afford to raid Paula's site again.

The toner is a good suggestion. I've got so much flaking that it would be nice to have something that will help remove the dead peices of skin without rubbing, yet keep me hydrated.


Thanks again girls, my poor face feels better already!

[3blindmice]

:) glad to of help!

I also forgot to mention that if you ever reach a point in which you think your face is just looking a bit too red and almost raw, you can just omit the retin-a that night. The dermatologist in Sonia Kashuk's book says that if your face is looking a bit too red, lay off of the retin-a every 4th night and use just a moisturizer instead. I do this every once in a while myself and it really does help.

I so know where you're coming from though, my face felt like it was going to fall off at some point, it was so tender, especially after my evening shower. I really couldn't wait to slather on the cream and to make that dryness go away. I had the pleasure of starting retin-a micro during the winter and the harsh winter weather and the retin-a really made for some fun times. But the results are more than worth the original discomfort and peeling. I'm so so pleased with the results.

[Jenn.]

It's so funny what I hear about the retin-a micro drying out people's faces. I used that stuff for a good while and all it did was make my face oilier.

I'm starting on differin and duac...never heard of duac. I'm wondering how harsh these will be on my face. Scarletwine, what was your experience on Differin?

[getupkid]

well, i'm not scarletwine, but i'm on differin. something that helps me is to put the differin on at night, let it "soak in" for a while (like 15-30 mins or so) and then moisturize. i used to do that and then i got lazy--i would put on the differin then immediately put on the moisturizer and it seemed like i would get more zits than usual. i also am using clean and clear's morning glow (i think that's what it's called) and i like it a lot. i have used every moisturizer under the sun, and they're all ok at first. it seems to me like if i use one bottle of something and then switch to another brand, my face clears up more. i don't know--maybe your skin gets used to something, or maybe it just takes me so long to use a bottle of moisturizer that it's all gross by that time. another moisturizer i really liked was the mary kay timewise one, but it's like $20.

[eurotrash]

My experience with Differin was actually pretty great, it was just that in the end, it wasn't strong enough. For the first 4 days, I didn't notice any difference at all, then all the sudden I woke up and my face was covered in really fine flakes, mostly around the chin and nose. The flaking continued for about two weeks, during which I started purging at the same time, which was pretty icky. But after that, by the 3rd week, my skin was looking a lot better, and I kept noticing small improvements as time went on. I would get a pimple or two every now and then, but they would heal quickly.

However, all it did for me was clear up my actual pimples, which was great, but my whole face still looks....clogged. The pores in my Tzone are pretty large and they all still were clogged, so I decided to try the RAM to see if that can do any more.

From what I've heard, Differin is pretty mild, it seems to be what most derms recommend that you start out on, if you're acne isn't severe.


Oh-- and 3blind, you are so right about the skipping a day now and then. I actually did that by accident last night (fell alseep on the couch before my regimine), and I woke up this morning and my face felt normal. Now I'm actually looking foward to starting the RAM again tonight, rather than dreading it. I'll probably continue to do that, even if it ends up prolonging visible results a little.

[3blindmice]

yes, I was told that Differin is the first course of action when someone has mild to moderate acne, and that it's not really that effective. It worked okay for me in the beginning but after a while it did nothing at all. I was still breaking out into huge pimples on my chin and I had these impacted pores that went nowhere. The ram took care of all of that. Now when I get a pimple (rarely) it's very very tiny and goes away the next day.

but I tell you, if I had severe acne, I wouldn't even be messing around with the creams and stuff, I would be begging to take Accutane. I have no problems taking pills if in the long run they would help me out better than any cream would.

[Jenn.]

I am starting with Differin, but also taking a blood pressure medicine that is shown to block some testosterone. I have pretty bad acne...it's very painful. I've already done Accutane as a teen (I'm 28 now). My dr. wants me to try this, and get cleared by my psychiatrist to take Accutane. So this is just a trial, and something to get me started until I can take Accutane.

[3blindmice]

are you getting the Differin gel? Is supposedly more effective than the cream which was virtually useless. I had great results on the Differin gel for a while, but then it did nothing at all. Is there a way your derm can upgrade you to Retin-a Micro? I asked to be put on ram and my derm was so thrilled for some reason, she said that Differin is more marketed towards people with sensitive skin and mild acne.
I have a friend with terrible cystic acne and she was put on birth control to control her hormones and some sort of topical lotion to clear up her existing pimples, but she stopped taking the pills and stopped using the lotion so she's right back to where she was. I do hope the Differin works for you, but don't lose hope if it starts not to work, sometimes it's just a matter of finding the right combination of products. :)

[Jenn.]

Well, I've been on Retin-a Micro, with no results...

I think the reason why she prescribed something sort of weak was because the main thing that was supposed to treat it is the blood pressure medicine. But she has me doing a combo of Differin one night (and yes, it is the gel), then Duac the next. I've never heard of Duac, but it is a benzoyl peroxide and clindomycine in one.

I'm already on birth control, and started it to help with acne, but again, to no avail.

I just did some research on the blood pressure medicine....and I'm wondering if it may also reduce the unwanted (dark) hair on my belly....

What Is It?

Spironolactone has been widely used for over 50 years to treat fluid retention, mild high blood pressure, and a few rare hormonal problems. It was subsequently found to be highly effective in the treatment of certain hormonally-related conditions in women, including (1) Adult acne, (2) unwanted facial or body hair, and (3) "pattern" hair loss of the scalp. It is common for a woman to have two or even all three of these (hormonal) problems. They are almost never caused by abnormally high or low hormone levels. In fact, hormone levels are usually normal. The problem is not with how much hormone is made, but how much hormone is used at its destination; in this case your oil glands and hair follicles. If your oil glands and/or hair follicles are too sensitive to normal fluctuations in your hormones, you "overreact" to those fluctuations.

THREE IMPORTANT POINTS:


Adult acne is NOT the same as teenage acne, and does not usually respond to teen acne treatments
"Pattern" hair loss is as common in women as baldness is in men. However, women do NOT go bald the way men do; their hair just becomes thin in the same, central area of the scalp.
The same hormones can cause hair loss on the scalp and Abnormal Hair Growth elsewhere. How can that be? Because different hair follicles have different hormone receptors.
Spironolactone does not change your hormone levels because hormone levels are not the problem. It works by preventing hormones from binding to your hair follicles and oil glands, blunting the unwanted effect. Since your hormone levels remain the same, hormone-associated side effects are avoided. Of course, no drug is completely free of side effects, but in our years of experience with this therapy, side effects have been quite rare, and those we have seen have been quite mild. Less than 5% have noticed irregular or frequent menstrual periods, which can be easily controlled with birth control pills or other methods. Breast Tenderness, Mood changes and Fatigue are other possible side effects.

The package insert also mentions reports of "tumors in laboratory animals." This is outdated and misleading information. Spironolactone has been prescribed for over 50 years, with many people taking it daily for years at a time, yet there is no evidence that it has caused a single tumor in a human, even after many years of continuous treatment. The present consensus is that any such risk is negligible.

If your blood pressure is normal, spironolactone will not affect it. If you are being treated for high blood pressure now, please tell us. However, if you are taking any other blood pressure medicines, spironolactone may increase their effect. You may have to substitute spironolactone for one or more of your present medicines. Please ask your physician about any potential problems with blood pressure medicines (or any other medication you are taking).

[getupkid]

spironolactone may help with the hair, but it will take a few months for you to notice.