Skin care advice: what is tretinoin and does it work?

Tretinoin (which is a form of vitamin A) is the main ingredient in many medications used to treat acne. It causes the affected skin to peel which unclogs the pores and helps the skin’s oil glands function normally. Also, tretinoin increases the turnover of skin cells, which helps exfoliate the outer layers of skin. This helps decrease the formation of blackheads and whiteheads. This medication helps control acne but it is not a cure.

Tretinoin comes in liquid, cream, and gel forms. It is usually applied daily before bedtime or once every few days. Follow the directions on the label carefully and don’t use more or less than your doctor prescribes. It should be stored away from heat, extreme cold and direct light.

Dose tretinoin really work? When you first start using it, your acne will probably get worse. This is due to the action of the medication on previously unseen comedones or papules. You may have scaling skin or an increase in acne. This should only last about 7-10 days. About 2-3 weeks after using it (but sometimes more than 6 weeks) your skin should show a lot of improvement.

If you are going to use any form of tretinoin you should follow these steps.

1. Wash your hands and skin with mild soap. Make sure you don’t use medicated soap or any soap that tends to dry skin.

2. Make sure your skin is dry and wait 20 or 30 minutes before applying tretinoin.

3. Use a gauze pad or cotton swab to apply the medication.

4. Only apply the product to the affected skin.

5. Avoid contact of this product with the eyes, angles of the nose, mouth and broken skin.

You can use moisturizers or cosmetics while using tretinoin, but not at the same time. Always wash your skin before applying this medicine.

If you use tretinoin once a day, and forget a dose, just skip that dose. If you use it every 2 or 3 days and forget a dose, you can apply a dose within 12 hours of the time you should have applied it. If it has been over 12 hours, just skip that dose.

Before using tretinoin, be sure to tell your doctor if you are allergic to anything. Also, tell your doctor if you are pregnant, breast-feeding, or planning to become pregnant. Be prepared to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun or tanning beds. Tretinoin can cause skin to be more sensitive to the sun. If you are going to be in sunlight for a long time be sure to wear protective clothing and sunscreen. Extreme weather, such as wind or cold, may irate skin while on this medication.

The presence of other medical problems may cause problems if you use tretinoin. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any problems, especially dermatitis, sunburn, eczema, or a family history or personal history of cutaneous epithelioma.

Some side effects tretinoin can cause include: slight stinging of the skin, color changes in skin (darkening or lightening), scaling skin, swelling, blistering, and an increase in acne sores. These effects are not common, but if they occur and are severe tell your doctor immediately and stop using the medication.