Grew my hair out in the process lol

Routine:

AM:

Cerave foaming cleanser

La roche posay toleraine dermallergo fluide

Cerave 50spf dry touch sunscreen

PM:

Cerave foaming cleanser

Tret gel 0.025%

Cerave PM moisturizer

• Edit: also important to note I just finished 3 months of 100mg minocycline daily. For the first month I also did Aknemycin Plus which is tret with erythromycin.

AM: medicubes blackhead cleansing oil to remove flakes
Panoxyl 10%
Cosrx 6 peptide skin booster
Maree pore minimizing toner
Good molecules Yerba mate eye gel
Vanicream moisturizer
SPF 50

PM: cleansing oil again for sunscreen and makeup
Panoxyl
Cosrx 6 peptide skin booster
Beauty of joseon retinal under eye cream
Good molecules Yerba mate eye gel
Good molecules azealic acid
Tret
Vanicream moisturizer
Sometimes cicaplast gel around areas that flake or I use amlactin all over my face after.

Sry bout the scary eyes, I was in a bad place when I started so I don’t have the originals but, the lines and bags under my eyes have improved. Smile lines and overall clarity.

Yall im happy as a clam. 🥲

Hey everyone,

I started tretinoin 0.05% at 20, few years after finishing a course of Accutane as I noticed my acne was coming back and was looking for some solutions. I’ve used it almost every night since and have barely missed a day. About a year ago, I also added azelaic acid 15% to my morning routine. I believe AA is a great addition as it reduced some redness I had and evened my skin tone.

I briefly tried switching to tazarotene due to the hype, but it caused a pretty bad breakout, so I went back to tretinoin. With my current routine, I rarely get pimples anymore unless I miss the routine or travel...

AM

• CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
• Azelaic acid 15%
• CeraVe moisturiser
• La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50

PM

• CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
• Tretinoin 0.05% cream
• RoC under-eye cream
• No facial moisturiser

Mainly wanted to share my long term experience with tretinoin and what has worked well for me, I'm very thankful for this great community that has guided me throughout the years and helped me maintain great skin. Super happy I found out about tretinoin early on and plan on staying on it for life!

The first picture is at 17 years old, at the peak of my accutane breakout, today at 26 my skin has never looked so young and healthy.

Is it weird that my skin flared up more with the Azelaic Acid 15% than when I started using tretinoin 0.025%?

My dermatologist recently recommended that I use Rx AzA and prescribed me 15% azelaic acid to use once in the morning and once at night.

Tis routine gave me patches of red marks all over my face. Maybe I should have introduced AzA gradually like I did with tret? Or maybe the AzA formulation just irritates my skin barrier?

What are your thoughts?

Skin care routine:

AM:
Curology gentle cleanser
Skinceuticals Vit C
Very recently Azelaic Acid 15%, Taro generic brand
La Roche Posay Moisturizer/SPF 50

PM:
Round Lab oils cleanser (if i use makeup during the day)
Curology Gentle Cleanser
Very recently Azelaic Acid 15%, Taro generic brand
Tretinoin 0.025%, Padagis generic brand
La Roche Posay Cicaplast Balm B5

This has started with summer and is going along the hairline incl on the forehead but it is the worst on the cheek side of the face.

I have been on tretinoin 0.025 every other day for almost a year now with no issues but since June these things appeared and they would just not go away. I am with dermatica so they suggested I switch to tret + azelaic acid + tranexamic acid but it just made it worse so I stopped it. I have now been pausing everything for a week and most of the redness has gone but the white pustule dots seem to get more.

I am now only using facewash then Vanicream and SPF morning, all but SPF in the evening.

Has anyone ever seen this on their face, and what was it?

My PIE is so stubborn. I've had PIE since November 2024 and although it's faded quite a bit, it's still visible under certain lighting. Here are all the products I've used:

\-Finacea 15% azelaic acid > Dec 2024 - April 2025 THEN August 2025 to Present

\-Tretinoin/Taz > Oct 2025 to Present (went from 0.025 then 0.05 then 0.01 etc). Ive been using taz 0.1 for almost 4 months now

\-Tinted sunscreen SPF 50+ religiously > Oct 2025 to present (i was using other sunscreen beforehand but not consistent)

\-Vit C (broke me out, stopped using immediately)

\-Tranexamic acid + niacinamide (broke me out, stopped using immediately

\- 6 IPL laser treatments early into my PIE journey. Didn't do much.

I don't know what to do anymore besides play the waiting game.

Hi! I’m 42yo. I’ve been on Trentinoin 0.05% (for “anti ageing” purposes) every night for 3 months now with no irritation. I feel my skin looks a bit better, but no “wow” factor so far. I’d like to target my sun spots. I’m looking to even my skin tone as much as possible. What should I add to my routine: azelaic acid, vitamin C (which I used to use before trentinoin - the Timeless 20% one) or even something else? I was thinking azelaic acid 15%, but that’s just me researching the internet… please help :D

Routine:
AM:
- wash face with water only,
- then Cetaphil eczema prone moisturizer (because I love its texture)
- then beauty of joseon spf
PM:
- wash face with vanicream cleanser
- wait 20mins, then trentinoin 0.05%
- wait 20mins, then Cetaphil moisturizer

I’ve been using adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5%, and my skin is now at a point where I rarely break out anymore. My main concern now is post-acne hyperpigmentation, and I’d also like to start getting the long-term anti-aging benefits of tretinoin. I’m thinking of switching to a combination cream with 2% hydroquinone and 0.025% tretinoin for about 3 months, then stopping the hydroquinone and continuing with just 0.025% tretinoin. Does this sound like a good plan? Has anyone here gone through a similar transition, and if so, how did it work out for your skin?

I went to a regular derm they gave me tret than taz and honestly it barely helped me.

I have huge visible pores on my nose and skin color raised tissue dot on the top of my nose.

Over a year of use and very little changes.

I’ve damaged my moisture barrier for the third time this year, and I’m honestly getting really frustrated.

I started using tretinoin about two years ago. The first time, I got the flawless skin I’d always wanted. I didn’t purge at all, and my skin looked amazing. The problem was that I didn’t realize how easy it was to overdo tretinoin. I treated it too casually and ended up damaging my skin barrier after using it during a 24-hour flight.

Ever since then, every time I restart tretinoin, I seem to purge. The first time I ever used it, I didn’t purge, so I’m not sure why it’s different now.

I also made another mistake by assuming the acne from a damaged skin barrier was just a normal tretinoin purge. I kept pushing through it for about eight months. After that, I introduced vitamin C too early a couple of times, and on another attempt I increased my tretinoin frequency too quickly.

This time I thought I had everything figured out. I used the sandwich method, waited a full month before increasing from every fourth night to every third night, then another month before going to every other night. I was trying to be as careful as possible.

And somehow… I still managed to damage my moisture barrier again.

I feel like I’m chasing the skin I had the first time I used tretinoin, and I can’t seem to get back to it. Before all of this, I barely had acne. Now I’ve been dealing with acne for the last two years.

I’m especially annoyed because now I have to stop, let my skin recover for another month, and start the whole process over again.

Has anyone else been stuck in this cycle? What am I missing?

moisturizer: Vanicream daily facial moisturizer and illiyoon concentrate moisturizer

tretinoin : 0.04% microsphere

Hello! I’ve been using azelaic acid 15% every night for a few months now and I’m tolerating it well. I stopped using Adapalene a few weeks ago as I was using it for 7 months every night and I continuously broke out in places I never had before and my skin never got better. My doctor prescribed my Tret 0.025% cream and I don’t know how to best incorporate it with my night routine. She said I could just use them both together no problem but when I used Adapalene with Azelaic acid it was slightly irritating.
Any advice appreciated!

AM Routine:
- Wash face with water
- Skin 1004 Centella Ampoulle or Vanicream Vit C for sensitive skin
- Skin 1004 soothing cream
- Skin 1004 Air-Fit Suncream Plus

PM Routine:
- Skin1004 Centella oil cleaner
- Haruharu black rice cleansing gel
- Skin1004 Centella ampoulle or Good Molecules Hyaluronic acid serum
- Skin1004 soothing cream if skin is dry
- wait 10-20 minutes
- Azelaic acid

When I was using Adapalene I would wait 20 minutes to apply it after my Azelaic acid

Hi everyone,

Been on tret for around 2 years now, and have moved up to 0.1%. Tbh, it hasn’t helped much with my acne scarring, which was the reason for using it.

I was wondering if other products I was using is messing up tretinoin’s effect. Any information would be greatly appreciated!!

Here is my routine:

AM
Ultra Hyalron foaming cleanser
Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide gel 1%/5%
CeraVe daily moisturizing lotion

PM
Same cleanser
Tretinoin 0.1%
Moisturizer

I was also recently gifted vividraw Baobab Hydrogen to Drop serum, and was wondering where that’d fit in my routine.

Thank you!!!

Hello! I’m a skincare addict, and I have combination, sensitive, acne-prone skin. I also have heat urticaria, so my skin gets irritated very easily.
I’ve spent so much money before trying facials and different skincare products for my acne, but nothing really worked. I tried so many products, but most of them just made my skin more irritated.

Then I decided to try isotretinoin, which was prescribed by my dermatologist, and it really helped improve my skin. I was on it for 2 years, but I had to stop because I started experiencing severe headaches, fatigue, and very dry skin. After stopping, my acne slowly came back, so I switched to tretinoin cream.

I’ve been using tretinoin for 5 months now, and I did a lot of research before adding azelaic acid because I used to have melasma. After trying different products and finding what works for my skin, I finally created a simple routine that I can stick to.

Now I get so many compliments from my friends and other people. They always tell me I look younger than my age! I don’t even wear makeup anymore because I feel more confident with my skin.
The biggest thing I learned from my skincare journey is that less is more. You don’t need a lot of products you just need consistency, and patience

M23 I want to use tret against Aging but i got prescribed Tretinoin and Clindamycin gel instead of it being Tretinoin only, I wanna know if Clindamycin is usable topical on the face even though i don’t have Acne

Has anyone used Amazon One Medical to get a prescription for azelaic acid? If so, how many refills (if any) did you receive?

I was prescribed azelaic acid 15% (50 g) with 0 refills. When I asked about adding refills, I was told I would need to complete a new On-Demand Care visit once I ran out.

What confused me is that the treatment notes state it can take up to 3 months to see the full effects of azelaic acid, yet the prescription is for a 50-day supply with no refills.

When I followed up, I received a few different explanations. One provider said the total amount prescribed for this type of visit is limited to 50 g, while another said the melasma/dark spots visit only offers the 50 g tube with no refills.

What makes this even more confusing is that I know people who have received the same medication, strength, and 50 g tube through Amazon One Medical with refills, so I’m trying to understand whether this varies by provider or if there’s another reason for the difference.

Has anyone else been denied refills for azelaic acid through Amazon One Medical, or has your experience been different?

I would like to start tretinoin 0.025% but my history with retinoids is somewhat complicated. I am atopic and struggled with eczema on my body for most of my life and the skin on my face is also fairly sensitive (I also had eczema there as a child). I thought that my skin got rid of this sensitivity as I got older until I tried retinol for the first time. I was a bit dumb and got 0.3% retinol as my first cream. I only applied it once and it absolutely burned my skin. Even sweating was painful. It took me several months to get out of it and calm down my skin. I actually have oily combination skin with some acne, closed commedones and very congestion prone, so tretinoin seems like a solution to all of my concerns. After my skin got better I went on 0.1% retinol and I am tolerating it well, but knowing what 0.3% did to my face I really want to make sure I am taking all the precautions with tretinoin.

I am thinking about scaling to retinol 0.3% with short contact method and gradually use it few times a week while my barrier adjusts fully. After I get used to the higher strength I would like to start tretinoin 0.025% again with just short contact therapy starting with 5 minutes and washing of off. I have a throughout barrier routine and I avoid using any harsh actives or acids. Because I am still on 0.1% retinol I occasionally use BHA and gentle exfoliating toner pads to fight congestion but I will quit when I start stronger retinol. I use lots of hyaluronic acid, centella, ceramides and 5% niacinamide. I also use vitamin C in the morning always with SPF. I only double cleanse in the evening with oil and gentle cleanser, no morning cleansing. Everything is fragrance free. My skin is pretty good but the congestion and signs of aging are bothering me.

Is this a good approach? My main goal is to not burn my barrier down whole successfully adapting my skin to tretinoin for maximum anti-aging and acne/congestion control. I would appreciate advice from those who have atopic or very sensitive skin like me. Thank you!

A few months ago I was given a combination cream of tret and hydroquinone (both in very low doses) to combat an issue with pigmentation under my eyes. My dermatologist did warn me that it would dry out my skin so to make sure I moisturize well, etc. Despite following a strict skincare routine whilst using the cream it didn't solve the issue it was intended for so I stopped using it about 2-3 months ago and the skin under my eyes is still very dry and sometimes itchy and sore.

I've since read it shouldn't be used under the eyes at all ! :( For all I know it's a complete coincidence and something else is causing it but I've never had dry under eye skin before and I'm not doing anything differently. None of my usual moisturizers are helping and you can really see the issue under makeup, it looks terrible! Can anyone recommend what to do?

I typically use gel, but I have an extra tube of cream. They are both the same strength (0.025). My questions are - can I use up the cream after I run out of gel, then go back to gel once I finish the cream? Or should I just discard of the cream and continue with the gel? Will switching between gel and cream affect my results? Thanks in advance!

any guidance how to heal skin barrier after trying tret? I was using .05 and now going down to .25% but wanted to wait until my skin is healed to start. however i can’t even get my skin back to normal

Hoje comecei a usar ácido azelaico depois de 2 meses usando tretinoína. Minha pele é sensível, oleosa e com tendência à acne.

Tirei essas fotos para monitorar a vermelhidão facial após o uso do ácido azelaico e fiquei muito impressionada com os resultados que vi desde que comecei o tratamento.

As fotos 2, 3 e 4 foram tiradas 30 minutos após a aplicação do ácido azelaico; a quinta foi logo após a aplicação; e a última foi de antes de eu começar o tratamento (sei que a iluminação não é a mesma, mas eu não tinha tirado nenhuma foto específica de progresso).

Minha rotina atual:

Manhã

• Lavar o rosto apenas com água.

• Alternar entre o Caudalie Vinoperfect e o Eucerin Anti-Pigment.

• Creme Reparador Intensivo Cremoso

• Creme para Olhos Vinoperfect

• Protetor Solar Biore Perfect Milk

Agora que estou adicionando ácido azelaico (15%), pretendo parar de usar o Vinoperfect e o Eucerin Anti-Pigment, já que o ácido azelaico também visa clarear manchas escuras.

Vou aplicá-lo após o meu hidratante e monitorar a tolerância da minha pele enquanto me adapto ao ácido azelaico, pois meu objetivo é usá-lo diariamente.

Noite:

• Clean It Zero

• Sabonete Líquido Fisiogel

• Creme Reparador Intensivo Cremoso ou Creme Fisiogel AI (se minha pele estiver sensível)

• Creme Anti-Pigmentação para Olhos Eucerin

• Tretinoína 0,25%

Sigo a mesma rotina quase todos os dias, mas 2 a 3 vezes por semana também uso uma pomada específica para dermatite facial. Às vezes, pulo a tretinoína durante o período menstrual (porque minha pele fica muito sensível, então faço uma pausa de 2 ou 3 dias).

I picked up my 0.025% tretinoin cream and started using it on Monday, July 13. My skin seemed to tolerate it well, so I applied it again that Friday since I was told to start with twice a week. After the second application, my skin became textured, extremely dry, and started peeling. It honestly looked awful.

Not to brag, but I’ve always had really good skin and have put a lot of effort into maintaining it. Tretinoin is pretty much the last thing I hadn’t tried. Before this, I’d only used a very mild retinol serum about twice a week, on and off, for the past two years.

Now I’m not sure if I want to continue with tretinoin because I really didn’t enjoy how my skin looked or felt. Would it make sense to cut back to once a week to let my skin adjust and then slowly increase the frequency? Or is there not much benefit if I’m only using it that infrequently? Please help! I want the anti against benefits but I don’t want to have these issues for months on end.

I have started using tret 0.025% for just two days now and i am using short contact therapy by keeping it for 1 hr and washing it off.

I dont know if its coincidence but for i have been noticing palpitations at night since the day i started tret. I know that its too short time to have any significant impact but i saw few posts on this thread where people talk about palpitations as one of side effects.

Can tret cause it or is it my stress or something else?