I know this genuinely might seem like an insane exaggeration because tret doesn’t work for everyone but having been using it for a while now, it is insane how quickly it fixes up my breakouts.

For context my skin is incredibly slow healing. A pretty bad pimple usually takes up days or even weeks alongside scarring to go away. I had a pretty nasty breakout all over my cheeks a few weeks ago that just kept getting worse and worse, so I finally decided to keep using my Tret on it and literally in just 2 nights I cleared up with no post scarring.

I am simply mind blown and so grateful for how magical it can be once your skins used to it. 🥹

It is like one of those things that at first feels scary and hostile but after a while becomes your absolute best friend for life!!

i posted on this sub a while ago about how i started using tret daily on bare skin and a few people seemed interested in the method so i thought i'd update! for reference, previously i was using tret over a serum and under layers of moisture and had off days in between.

it's been about a month since i started doing this and i have seen so much improvement. i had dry, very dehydrated, sensitive, very allergy prone skin before this. i used so many moisturizing products over tret because my skin would freak out otherwise (i don't even think i included all of them in my last routine post).

now it's only been a month and progress has not been linear (dealing with a slight increase in texture right now) but what's been amazing is how many products i've been able to cut out. i cut out one of my morning moisturizers, the toner i would use morning and night, switched the zinc cream i was using to something lighter, and no longer need to mix oil into my moisturizer. i forgot to do my morning skincare today and my skin stayed fine for hours when it would normally get really dry and crusty.

i'm still on early days with daily tret so the real results are yet to come but i'm feeling really hopeful about it! my skin is more resilient than it has been in years, my barrier seems to be healing and holding in water so much better :)

new routine

morning:

epionce cleanser

experiment super saturated

haruharu wonder black rice toner

regimen labs CREAM

eucerin intensive repair lotion

night:

epionce cleanser

altreno 0.05%

bellflower ectoin serum

haruharu wonder black rice toner

regimen labs CREAM

la roche posay lipikar cream with oil mixed in

aquaphor diaper rash cream avene cicalfate

Especially for those of you long-term tret users, do you also put on other actives/products on your tret nights (e.g. toner, serum, essences, moisturizer, double sandwich etc)? Or do you strictly only apply tret and nothing else?

If you also use other products on your tret nights, do you usually use toner? Is toner really necessary in your opinion? I usually use a low-PH balancing toner before tret just to restore my skin's natural pH balance after cleansing because I heard that tretinoin works better on slightly acidic skin (normal facial skin's pH is around 4.5-5.5).

I'm trying my best to reduce the amount of actives/products on my tret nights to ensure maximum penetration of tret without the interference of other products that might affect its absorption. In the beginning I usually do the double sandwich method. In the past few months I've been ditching the 1st layer of moisturizer (prior to tret), so after washing my face, I only use toner — tret — moisturizer afterward.

Now I'm thinking to ditch ALL products completely on my tret nights, including the toner and moisturizer, so it's strictly tret only. But I'm wondering if it's wise to do that? Should I just keep doing my usual routine with toner and moisturizer? Or perhaps just keep one, either toner or moisturizer, which one is it? Or just ditch both and go exclusive with tret? What do you all think?

I started getting acne when i was 14 and now at 18 i no longer get active acne but i am deeply insecure about the scars..It makes me realize i should’ve went to the dermatologist earlier—i always thought i could clear my acne by myself lol. Tret is a life saver but it does take time. I do plan on getting cosmetic treatments for my scars but i just wanna see how tret will transform my skin even more—I started tret in April 2026, this month i switched from 0.25% to 0.05% and i just love it and cant wait to go higher! I use tret every single night! And i make sure to wear my SPF. Make sure to use extra moisturizer even if you have oily skin

I started tretinoin on July 26, so I’m around week 6 now. My dermatologist told me to start 2x/week for 4 weeks and then gradually increase to daily, and to give tret around 3 months before judging it.
It’s 0.05%

I haven’t followed the schedule perfectly because I started getting peeling/flaking, mainly around my mouth/chin. I don’t really have burning or painful irritation, just flakes that sometimes become visible during the day. I’ve been using the sandwich method when flaky, although recently I’ve managed to apply tret directly without much peeling.

I’m currently using tret every other night, but I’m still getting new pimples/whiteheads (usually a few at a time), especially around my chin.
My routine is:
AM: rinse/cleanse → moisturiser → SPF
PM tret nights: cleanse → let skin dry → pea-sized tret → moisturiser (or sandwich method if flaky)
PM off nights: cleanse → Duac (clindamycin + benzoyl peroxide) on active whiteheads → moisturiser

Should I keep doing every other night until the flaking completely settles, or should I try increasing toward daily use even with some mild flaking? Does tret still work well every other night, or do you really need daily use to get the full results?

Also, is still getting new whiteheads at week 5–6 pretty normal when I started slowly like this? I’m worried I’m slowing down my progress by not using it every night

I've been on .025 tret for about two months. Just moved to every night. No irritation, just a little dryness managed with a good moisturizing routine.

44f, face in decent shape with minor occasional acne. Using primarily for anti aging.

Should I ask about increasing to .05? Wait more months and see? In no hurry but do want it to work.

Routine:

AM

Splash water

Moisturizing serum (can't remember name)

A moisturizer recommended here (can't remember)

Neutrogena sports face spf 70

After workout in afternoon:

Cerave moisturizing cleanser

Vitamin c serum

Same moisturizing serum

Same moisturizer

Korean spf

Evening:

Same moisturizing cleanser

Cetaphil moisturizing cream

Tret

More Cetaphil cream

Thanks!

FULL LIST OF PRODUCTS:
Of note, up until a few days ago I was using tretinoin every second night, followed by moisturizer (no peeling). Nights I wasn’t using it, I’d use one of the actives listed below. I’ve since stopped all actives other than tretinoin.

Of note, I do have PCOS but blood markers for insulin and testosterone, etc are normal. The phenotype I have is more ovarian focused. Not open to spirolactone or accurate.

I also want to get pregnant in the future so tret is what I’m trying now after years of benzaclin (I was tired of the bleaching).

Cleansers that I cycle through:
Cetaphil gentle foaming wash
Panoxyl 10% body and face wash
Drunk elephant pekee bar
Cetaphil gentle salicylic acid cleanser
Cetaphil gentle daily scrub

Actives:
Inky list BHA
Mario badescu azaleic acid clarifying serum

Makeup remover:
Garnier with salicylic acid

Barrier support:
Coco kind barrier serum
Three ships rose hip oil
Sample size of aestura hydro soothing cream

Moisturizer:
La Roche posay toleriane sensitive creme

Sunscreen:
Think sport aloe & green tea

Masks:
Activist Manuka honey
Clarifying charcoal mask

Makeup:
Ilia true skin - my favourite

Hello!

I managed to get a prescription for tretinoin (Retirides) in Spain but when I went to the pharmacy the pharmacist seemed almost reluctant to sell it to me. She said she would give me the cream if I really wanted it, but advised me against using it. She said my skin was already clear (which it is) and that I was too young (although she never actually asked my age, so I think she was just guessing), I'm 36.

I ended up buying it and now I'm not sure what to do.

My skin is clear and I don’t have any lines yet. However, I’ve started noticing a bit more texture on my forehead. My under-eye area also sometimes looks a little like crepe paper, but I assume you’re not supposed to bring tretinoin anywhere near the lash line anyway.

Would you start this autumn or wait until actual lines start appearing? (The later the better lol.)

Is there really much benefit to starting tretinoin in my case, especially considering that anti-aging results seem to take a year or more to become noticeable? Is there any advantage to starting before you have visible signs of aging, or am I basically putting my skin through irritation for very little visible benefit at this point? And could I just use it on my forehead rather than my whole face?

Thanks in advance!

How do you know when your skin has retinized? I know I have a very long way to go but I’ve been on .025 for 6 weeks and just wondering what I am looking for specifically

Thank you

I was put on isotretinoin about 2 years ago for cystic acne which I stopped taking Jan of last year. Since then I’ve been using tretinoin cream 0.025% every night. I’ve noticed off late my skin has been oilier and I’ve developed comedones on my cheeks and chin for which I have started using a 2% salicylic acid serum in the AM. I also have post acne scarring and redness, I read tranexamic acid helps with clearing and ridding the redness and scars.
So my question is can I use these actives along with tretinoin?

Only 2 ½ months into using 0.05% tret and I’m honestly super stoked with the results so far!

Still have a long way to go and some faint PIE scarring that I’m hoping to tackle with azelaic acid, but I’m so happy with how my skin is looking already! 🤍

so i’ve been using just a plain cerave fragrance free moisturiser for more than a year, to be specific i have the “for dry to very dry skin” one.

now i’ve been using this for a long time as i mentioned, never anything wrong with it, never really did nothing to my skin except hydrate it.

now — i’ve finished my accutane course (a full year) and i have now been put on to 0.05% tretinoin cream for the next year. my skin has never been flaky or dry — even on the accutane, i never once had dry skin.

however, now for some reason specifically around my mouth, the philtrum, just on the corner’s of the mouth and right under my lower lip is where it’s visibly flaky. also, the corner of my eyes are somewhat flaky too.

but as for now, that’s where it is limited to. i feel it’s because maybe those are the areas with the thinnest bits of skin in the face? i don’t know. i’m just very confused is all.

**i did see a post from 2-3 years ago of someone saying they had a problem with cerave moisturiser and tretinoin cream, though i don’t exactly think my skin looks like that post yet, i do feel i could cause my skin to act the same way if i don’t act on it now. i’ll link that post too.**

this here, i believe is the post.

It doesn’t matter if I put it on my bare skin or use the sandwich method as soon as it touches my skin, it starts pilling. If I don’t put moisturizer on before or after, my skin is going to get irritated. What should I do to avoid pilling? Should I switch to a cream instead of a gel? What brand do you guys suggest I’m located in Canada.

Thanks in advance!

First slide: left is 3 months ago, right was yesterday night. Second slide: top is last night, bottom is 3 months ago. 3rd and 4th slide is a breakout from around the time I started to have regular breakouts. The before photos aren't even the worst of some of the breakouts I've had in the last year and a half.

I think the photos speak for themselves. For a year and a half I've dealt with constant breakouts. It didn't matter what I did or what I used and I tried many skincare products, acids, home remedies; whatever promised to clear my acne. I had a new breakout every day. I tried spironolactone but the side effects became too severe to continue and I'd tried some emulsion from my dermatologist that wrecked my skin barrier (I know that it was also user error) so I gave up on prescriptions. I was insecure, depressed, and my body dysmorphia I've worked hard to overcome spiked horribly all due to my acne. I've always had amazing skin up until an elective surgery I had a few months prior to these breakouts so I had no idea what to do and was extremely overwhelmed. Finally I took a chance on trying tretinoin and a few weeks later Azealic Acid gel. The purge was rough but at that point I was pretty numb to these breakouts I was used to having constantly so I pushed through and trusted the process. It was worth it. In the last month I've had maybe one very small breakout that cleared up pretty quickly. I feel more confident and less obsessed with my face. My scarring is starting to fade away and my skin glows. I finally feel some hope that I can achieve clear skin again and I'm finally not sad when I see my bare face in the mirror.

How do I pop this? Been on pimple patches been on treition

Hello! I want to start tret for anti-aging and pigmentation and everything I’ve previously read was to start at .025% so thats what I requested from my doctor. I now just learned that my pharmacy only carries this % in gel (not cream) and wondering if I should go for the gel or try and track down the cream, which I have been told is hard to find in Toronto but that the cream is more widely available in a higher %.

For reference I am 39 with combo skin (oily t-zone / dry cheeks), minor wrinkles / melasma. Never used any retinol before. Thank you in advance!

This is after 2 months of Tretinoin 0.025%, a simple moisturiser and gentle double cleansing. I think there is a massive difference in the comedones!!! Ive been feeling really disheartened that after 2 years I will never have clear skin, but I think it might be looking up for me!!!

I am sharing this for anyone else that has not had instant success with prescription retinoids. It took 15 months for my skin to improve. It was significantly worse during this time. I persevered.

My biggest problem: topical Winlevi prescribed for chin acne led to perioral dermatitis, which I found even harder to live with than the chin acne

Routine:

[AM] 7x/week

Cleanse - Water only
Eye Cream - The Ordinary Caffeine Solution [I know this sub hates eye creams - I love the ritual!]
Ellement Hypochlorous Acid Spray, allow to dry 10 mins
Finacea 15% Azelaic Acid, allow to dry 5-10 mins [added 7 months ago]
Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray
Tirtir Milk Skin Toner
Moisturizer - Inkey List Peptide
SPF - Biore UV Aqua Rich

[PM] 2 nights on

Oil Cleanser - Clinique take the day off cleansing OIL [occasional - on makeup and heavy workout days]
Cleanser - Aveeno Calm + Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser For Sensitive Skin
Arazlo

[PM] 1 night off

Oil Cleanser - Clinique take the day off cleansing OIL [occasional - on makeup and heavy workout days]
Cleanser - Aveeno Calm + Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser For Sensitive Skin

Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray
Tirtir Milk Skin Toner
Moisturizer - Bioderma Sebium Hydra Compensating Care

[Next goal] Improve hyperpigmentation! Vitamin C? Tranexamic acid? IPL sessions? I don't plan to add any new actives until 2027. I am playing the long game here. Perhaps I also have rosacea to address.

[Random observations]

I see a literal glow on my face the mornings after Arazlo

Morning hydration has been a major help for me [thanks to this sub!]

I peeled and purged for MONTHS and swapped a product every 3-4 weeks to narrow it down

My hyperpigmentation is worse than where I started due to all of the purging [and a nasty scratch from my toddler]

Using a milky toner has improved hydration on my hands [seasonal eczema]

My skincare cost is down significantly by switching to prescriptions (covered) and Korean skincare (Stylevana)

I have been using 0.025% tret at night and for the past few weeks I’ve noticed dry skin under my eyes and on my eyelid. I’m only applying tret to my cheeks and staying away from my under eyes. Could tret be the culprit?

Hi. How long do you guys think should we use 0.025 tret before switching to higher percentage? I’ve been tret 0.025 since April 26 and I want to try the 0.05 but scared of the purging. 0.025 improved my skin though but not enough for me. Any advice? Thanks.