Retin A Micro

I decided to write this review right now as an "initial reaction".I know that I was extremely hesitant about buying this product online.I ordered "Tretinoin (Retin a micro ) Gel USP 0.05% 20g" from mydrugpill on August 12, 2016 with an estimated arrival date between the 18th and 21st. It arrived today at 2pm and I am pleased with the packaging.

I am on my 8 th week on tretinoin gel, to be honest definitely you need have patience. I start using Retin-a micro cream while m taking birth control pill ( Levonorgestrel ), that pill having negative side effect on my body. I asked to my doctor she recommend retin- a cream, now i'm quit satisfied.

I have used many different prescription acne medications, before being prescribed Retin A Micro (went from using Retin A Micro 0.08 to 0.1 which i am currently using). When it comes to my skin, it went over the years from being considered to be normal w/no breakouts, combination/oily w/breakouts, to becoming very sensitive, dry, still acne prone, and i also suffer with seborrheic dermatitis as well. I use medications on my face to treat my seborrheic dermatitis flareups and as well as to control my adult acne. I have been prescribed regular Retin A 0.025 in both the gel and cream forms, Differin 0.1 Gel, Differin 0.3 Gel, Onexton, Epiduo, Epiduo Forte, and even an antibiotic to take, before i ended up being put on Retin A Micro. I can say that i only was able to take one of the antibiotic pills prescribed and due to such severe upset, could not continue to take anymore of them.
Thus far while on Retin A Micro, i have received the same side effects that i got while being on regular Retin A, but if i happen to get a pimple, it will be a small one and it goes away very quickly.

Now, i did think that just because Retin a Micro is a time released formula, that the side effects would be less harsh, however, i have been dealing with lots of skin peeling and flaking on a daily basis, irritation, redness, and soreness. Also, it does make my very sun sensitive as well. To cleanse my face with while on Retin A Micro, i go back and forth between using Cetaphil's Gentle Skin Cleanser and Aquanil's Cleansing Lotion. For a moisturizer, i don't only have ine that i exclusively use, as jnstead, i happen to rotate between moisturizers (which consists of both high end and drugstore ones).

I do use Retin A Micro nightly. I do not use a moisturizer or anything else before i apply it to my face, or afterwards as a buffer. I use it exactly as it is prescribed to be used only.

I do plan to continue to stay on Retin A Micro irregardless of the side effects, because i have no interest in exploring using any more prescription acne meds on my face. They all pretty much affect my skin the same way in terms of side effects, which is why it makes no sense to me, to switch to something else. As long as it does a good job controlling my acne and kerps my face looking really youthful, then i plan to stay on it, for as long as i can.

I did my research on Retin-A Micro Gel before starting it. I was apprehensive about trying Retin-A, however my acne was so aggressive after quitting birth control I was willing to try anything.

Retin-A is a commitment. Your acne will more than likely get worse before it gets better and it WILL take 9 months- 12 months to really "work". However, the results are incredible and more than worth it if you can be patient. I have been on Retin-A for about 2 years now and have flawless skin. I never knew my skin could look like this. I still get the occasional break-out, but my overall complexion is like silk.

Warning: Retin-A dries your skin out. I have found Cetaphil SPF 50 is the best moisturizer. Also, over time my skin has adjusted to the Retin-A and the dryness is not as dramatic.

I'm on my second tube of 0.025 gel and nearly finished with it. Obviously I started out quite slowly, mostly due to fear from reading reviews. I think this has served me well, because I have experienced only ONE day where my chin peeled a very little bit.

Other than that, my results have been exceptional. My skin tone is noticeably more even in the past six weeks. Old acne scars and scars I have from picking at my skin are nearly gone. My skin is so soft. I have had no purging or peeling other than that one day. I skip some days but always use moisturizer--nothing particularly heavy, but I usually spray my face with a rose water spray like Mario bedescu beforehand so I know it will sink in. Over my entire face, I typically use cremo moisturizer because I know it doesn't break me out. Anywhere that feels parched afterwards, I use Nivea cream. Under my eyes I always use cerave eye cream and Vaseline. I also use about eighteen different lip balms throughout the day and haven't had too much trouble more than usual in that area.

I am considering upping to the .05 gel and hope to remember to update this review accordingly. (But I'm forgetful, so, yeah.) it's a great product though and I recommend trying it. I buy mine online, but if you have a trusted dermatologist, you should of course seek their advice first :)

Alright. I finally feel like I've been using this long enough to write a review.
Firstly, gals, don't get over eager with this stuff.. It's a powerful treatment. Using too much or using it too frequently will not make it work faster, in fact, it will do the exact opposite.. Trust me, I know this from experience. :)
I'm using RA because I'm almost in my 30's, I want to prevent wrinkles, and boost collagen. I was starting to get little lines around my eyes and on my forehead. -I'm really expressive -hence my expression lines!

I started using the .05% in the cream version. I used it for about 2 months using every other day and didn't notice ANYTHING happening, not for good or bad.

So, I upped my dosage to 1% in the gel version. Now, like I said, take it slow. I didn't and I paid for it. I started using every day for the first 2 weeks. I was peeling.. All over.. Mouth, nose, eyebrows, eyes.. I couldn't even smile without the corners of my mouth cracking open (and that shit takes forever to heal).

I started using every three days. At night, after washing, I wait 20 mins then apply a pea-sized amount all over my face & neck. Also, I do use it under my eyes on the little lines - But, on that area, I first apply my eye cream. After I apply the gel, I wait 20 minutes, then apply Lamer cream - nice and heavy.

At first, you will most likely have your ugly-phase (flaky skin, break outs), don't worry, just suck it up and get over yourself. It'll pass! :)

It's taken me awhile to find the perfect routine for my face.. Because I'm now extremely sensitive & dry. But, I finally got it!

Here it goes..

AM - Cetaphil bar soap - nice and cheap, but AMAZING cleaning and moisturizing, doesn't strip or irritate the skin, doesn't leave behind residue. I then follow with Cetaphil moisturizer with spf 50 (PROTECT YOUR SKIN! THE SUN IS THE DEVIL TO YOUR PRECIOUS FACE) ...... I've been a sun-worshiper all my life. But, now I'm all safe, chemical free sunscreens and floppy hats :-p

PM - Now, this isn't for everyone, I'm surprised it works for me. But, I use organic extra virgin coconut oil to wash my face. It removes all of my makeup like a charm, and also leaves delicious oils that absorb into my skin after I dry. I wait 20 minutes, then apply apply my Retin-A (now I use it every-other day), followed by my Lamer another 20 minutes later.

Once a week I mix my coconut oil with honey & sugar, it's really amazing to gently remove all my dead skin cells - which I get a lot of because of the RA.

By the way, to all you obsessive blackhead, pimple squeezers, take it from me.. If there was ever a time to get over that nasty habit, now it that time. You'll squeeze, and nothing will come out, just oils. then you will have a peeling mark on your face for a couple days. I've noticed that if I don't squeeze, the pimple will be virtually invisible the next day anyway. The life-span of a breakout it really short when you use RA.

I've added some healthy life-style changes in the past few months that have given me a nice dewy glow.
-Drinking a TON of water EVERY day
-Juicing DAILY - lots of yummy greens, and veggies with beta carotene, and fruit.. Vitamins and minerals are the best! You are what you eat! Not only do I look better, but I have so much more energy! Which leads to...
-Exercising! Cardio! Sweat out those pores, detox!
-Omega 3 - YEESSS
-I sleep next to a humidifier to keep my skin from drying our from the heater/air conditioner
-Clean eating


That's it! After 10 months of Retin-A, my skin is much brighter and tighter. I had a couple of freckles that disappeared, too! My skin tone is nice and even. I get "empty pimples" once a month. But they're only visible if I can't resist..... And squeeze. :-p

MOISTURE IS EVERYTHING! GET A GOOD HEAVY NIGHT CREAM!

I haven't been using Micro long enough to give it a review on effectiveness, but I will say that switching from Tazorac to Retin-A Micro has been a game changer for my skin. Tazorac fried my face. It was red and irritated every day, which made it difficult to use products that help with acne control.

I'll definitely be back in a few weeks to report on my skin's texture.

I have been on Retin- A micro gel .08 for 2 months(using it 3 times a week). My Skin is STILL purging so bad. It didn't purge when I first started but for the last month its been so bad.

I have only ever had hormonal acne but this past year, I started getting more cystic breakouts due to having too much soy(I'm a vegan) and from using a new foundation containing "Talc". I went to see my dermatologist and she put me on Retin- a micro gel- my skin is now WAY worse than before I even started using it. And I have so much hyper pigmentation from all the purging. My wedding is in a little under 4 months and I am so depressed and anxious that it is going to look like this. I called my derm and she said I will notice it getting better by month 3 and 4 but to help with the purging, she put me on Doxycycline.

Is this really worth it like everyone says? Please share your stories and advice on how to help my skin and all this hyper pigmentation. Thanks so much in advance!

This is my morning and night routine, approved and/or directed by my dermatologist:

My morning routine:
-CeraVe foaming facial cleanser
-CeraVe AM moisturizer

My nightly routine:
-When wearing makeup: Neutrogena Fresh foaming cleanser
or
-When not wearing makeup: CeraVe Foaming facial cleanser
-Tone with Braggs organic apple cider vinegar diluted with water
-CeraVe PM Moisturizer

3 times a week I use the Retin-a Micro gel and once a week I exfoliate with FrankBod coconut Scrub to help with the flakiness/dryness.

I am no newbie to chemical exfoliators. They are possibly the best thing that's ever happened to my skin's texture. However after burning my face with Tazorac and then years later giving Retin A a shot - I swore off touching a tretinoin product again. My skin is just too thin, sensitive, and rosacea prone.

However...it randomly occurred to me that I had never given Retin A Micro a chance one night. After reading up on how it differs from typical Retin A, I ordered a tube. Afterall, my skin has changed over the years. I got rid of my acne & cut down on oil production (see my Spearmint Tea review). Additionally, I learned the importance of one's skin moisture barrier. So I incorporated a "snail slime" serum into my skincare routine. This alone was enough of a change to help my sensitive skin tolerate higher percentages of alpha hydroxy acids.

Then I moved onto Retin A Micro. I really appreciate how this comes in a gel formula rather than the Retin A cream I had experimented with. It dries down to a matte finish and doesn't feel tacky on my skin.

One giant pro of Retin A Micro is it's time released (Retin A is not). This means you don't have to wait to apply after most skincare products. The time releasing trait also helps sensitive skin a ton by not burning the second it reaches skin (also unlike Retin A). My face is currently very, very smooth. I LOVE glycolic acid toners but I can definitely see what people mean when noting that tretinoin goes deeper into skin.

I will repurchase. I've had WAY better luck with Retin A Micro than I did with Retin A.

I used Retin A a couple years back when I was a teenager however I did not stick with it.I did not want to keep using Retin A because I broke out worse than I ever had. So I recently went to the dermatologist about 3 months ago because I had a bad break out mainly around my chin area. She prescribed me Retin A, Onexton, and Doxycline. I have been using Retin A for 10 weeks now and my skin has been through a lot of changes. Within week 1-4 my skin had completely stopped breaking out. I was so shocked because I thought I had skipped the purging period. Well I was wrong. Week 5-8 was my purging period. But it honestly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I think this was due to the fact that I was taking antibiotics. I am now on week 10 and I can tell a difference in my skin. I get a pimple maybe once a month and it only last for a day or 2 then is gone. I still have some acne scars but they are fading away. Overall Retin A has worked for me and I cant wait to see more result the longer I use it.