Does Retin A work?

Smurfie · 08-05-2004, 01:27 AM

Okay...so I've tried saliytic (-sp) acid, Clearasil, Stridex and almost everything else you can obtain without a presciption....

I've had acne on my face ever since I was 10, but until recently I've never had it on my forehead and only once in awhile one at a time on my neck. My face has always been very dry also until recently...now you could fry an egg on it!! Granted, it has been hot and humid here lately...but it hasn't mattered in the past. Is my skin just changing because I'm getting older?

Currently, I have acne ALL over my entire face and neck...not just little pimples...but big red infected sores that take a long time to heal. I am washing and exfoliating, but not extensively to be sure not to aggravate matters. My other PCOS symptoms are getting worse...does MORE acne go along with that?

Has Retin A worked for you? I'm thinking about asking my Dr. for a precription...I gotta do something, I look terrible

Does it do anything for oily skin?

TIA!

BayGirl · 08-05-2004, 01:34 AM

retin a wont do much in teh way of acne.. not that i kow of. my mom is a dermatological nurse so I have been around this stuff and others most my life.

I would suggest goign to a dermatologist and getting an antibiotic face cleaner/astringent. They would help clear up and prevent the big ole red ones.

Retin A isn't for oily skin... e-mail me and we can talk .. I am not a doctor but I ama human sponge when it comes to medical stuff so I remember lots.....

Baygirl@optonline.net

I would love ot help you out.

thinkthin98 · 08-05-2004, 05:43 PM

I agree, retin A might help but an antibacterial face wash is probably better and you might need soemthing stonger than OTC stuff...go to your derm and mention PCOS, they might know something we don't about how it affects the skin and hair!

Good Luck!

LaurieAnne83 · 02-01-2005, 04:41 PM

Lol... I just had to correct the advise. Acne washes do *nothing* You should use an unmedicated wash - the medication in a wash doenst stay on long enough. And Retin-a IS a prescription treatment, by the way - for acne and it works by unclogging the pores and is one of the best acne treatments there is, but is very expensive.

Nikki76 · 02-03-2005, 09:41 AM

Retin-A works great on my acne. It works by exfoliating the top layer of skin. It works on oily skin by drying it up. My skin is very oily. I would definitely see a dermatologist for the best advise.

Also, since it is a prescription, if you have prescription insurance, it should be covered. (Mine is but I do need special approval since I am over 25 and should not get acne anymore, Yeah.)

Laureatea · 02-24-2005, 12:58 AM

No. I have used Retin A at my dermatologists recommendationfor years and i never had good results. What has worked for me is a combination of salacylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide (I worte about it in another post...one called Any Good Over The Counter Products?, or something like that). I read about it in the book that the laides who created ProActiv wrote and thought Id give it a try. It has worked miracles for me.

cixelsyd · 02-25-2005, 04:29 PM

Ouch! I used to use it and it really burned. Each night when I went to bed I could hardly sleep from the pain. I was only in junior high. Ok, now I'll get off my self-pity train and tell you to use something like St. Ives Apricot Scrub for exfoliating, or get a nice washcloth and scrub with your facewash - not too hard! I like to wash with a cleanser facewash first like Neutrogena or Mary Kay and then do the scrubwash second. If I have time, I do Kiss My Face olive oil bar after the scrub, it works wonders! Also, every night before bed I put on some sort of face lotion - Aveeno makes a good one, right now I'm using some lavender concoction from the organic foods store. Lots cheaper than Retin A or microdermabrasion (both of which I have suffered through many times) and works just the same. Less pain, too. Good luck!

VickiP · 03-09-2005, 04:35 PM

Retin A seems to be specific from person to person like the BCPs.
I used Retin A when I was younger (in my teens) and I hated it. It irritated my skin and I broke out. I use it now (I'm 23) and it has helped my skin a lot and doesn't irritate me. My skin is also much more oily now than it was when I was younger - even in the winter time my face is wicked oily.

You need to go to a dermatologist for a prescription. I also like Retin A b/c you can get a substitution for cheap.

Reginia · 04-10-2005, 01:49 AM

Retin A is very powerful. It has dried my skin...which is good for me because I have very oily skin. However, it dried and burned it a bit on my cheeks. It left a black mark *I am AA so my hyperpigmentation is dark and it hasn't cleared yet. I may cut back on the usage to everyother day, but it cuts the oil and I like that.

deborahlou · 04-10-2005, 02:32 AM

Retin A worked on me for a while...but now what i'm doing is i drink lots and lots of water. I wash my face every night with a scrub and i also use a oil control moisturizer that has helped a great deal.

Rasburry · 04-10-2005, 06:41 AM

my 13 year old's doc just rx'd Retin-A for his skin. It seems like as soon as he hit puberty his skin started to break out. The salytic acid pads and topical cream weren't cutting it, so she suggested retin-a in a moderate amount. She said it works by sloughing (turning over and exfoliating) the skin rapidly. She also said that it could cause the acne to become initially worse (or to look worse) and some peeling/redness/tingling is normal. She said to wear a light/non-clogging moisterizer during the day if skin became too dry. The doc told him that I might try to steal it bc it gets rid of fine wrinkles. I'm 33 so not many wrinkles just yet, but I have a rx of retin-a already for my skin.

Hope this helps.

GGBUNNY · 04-12-2005, 04:58 AM

i used retin a when i was a teen and it helped a little tiny bit. my acne was cystic and all over. but it did burn and make it more sensitive, more recently i have used differen cream and gel, but they didn't help. inititally it draws out all the bumps. you have to give it at least 6 wks to clear those out. BUT... if your skin is like mine, or with us having this wonderful pcos, there is always something down there to draw out. mine gets worse, and worse the more i use it. that's why i stopped. i need to suppress mine, i want them to stay down!

onelittleyogi · 04-14-2005, 12:19 PM

retin A didn't help me much. But Differin did. And there's also Azelaic acid, or Tazorac. Lots of options....check out www.makeupalley.com and go to the skincare board for LOTS more information.

Also, with hormonally caused acne, my experience has been that the topical stuff can reduce it, but not clear it. SO I still get the samE number of pimples while my PCO is flaring (when my body tries to ovulate but can't) but they are smaller and go away faster.

Shannon816 · 04-15-2005, 05:26 AM

I haven't used it, but an older friend used it for wrinkles. If you do try it, take my advise and don't do what this woman did. She got her wrinkles from years of baking herself in the sun, then she thought she'd use the Retin A to make her skin look better. Only despite the fact she was told to stay out of the sun, she still continued to tan. Owwww! Her face literally looked like it was cooked because she got such a bad sunburn. Her entire face was bright red and peeling, so she had to put this greasy stuff on, which only made her look worse. Moral of the story: Stay out of the sun.

_xSamix_ · 04-27-2005, 11:14 AM

i stoped using it because i use hair removal creams on my face, belive me the two dont mix!!!!