If you’re thinking about incorporating this tretinoin cream price in your skincare routine, you’ll must ensure you use it properly to prevent any unwelcome side effects. Plus, you’ll should be extra careful when out inside the sun. Read on to learn why.
What is tretinoin?
Tretinoin (also called prescription retinoids or prescription vitamin A) is often a highly potent, medical-grade topical vitamin A cream or gel. It contains retinoic acid, which is regarded as the biologically available active form of vitamin A, and also comes in different formula strengths.
Unlike retinol and other over-the-counter versions of vitamin A, tretinoin is often a prescription-only topical treatment. This means you are only able to purchase it when you have a script from the doctor or dermatologist who has properly assessed the skin and deemed its use appropriate.
Tretinoin vs. Retinol: what is the difference?
Tretinoin and retinol are both classified as retinoids — but there are several key differences between them:
Tretinoin
Synthetic type of vitamin A
Only available which has a prescription (classed like a medical-grade skincare product)
Highly potent
Retinol
Natural kind of vitamin A
Available over-the-counter and discovered in many skincare products
Milder formulation
What is tretinoin used by?
It may seem like tretinoin only has been around the skincare radar in recent times, nevertheless it’s actually a popular topical treatment for acne that’s been used for almost half a century. It continues to be found in reducing inflammation associated with acne, clear existing acne and lower the severity of outbreaks.
But treating acne isn’t tretinoin’s only benefit. A 2012 study indicates it can also be helpful for:
Improving skin tone and texture
Reducing the appearance of wrinkles and wrinkles
Reducing the appearance of dark spots on the skin
Improving premature aging of skin on account of sun damage (photoaging)
Other research about the use of retinoids within the treatment of skin aging found that “amongst the retinoids, tretinoin possibly is the most potent and certainly the most widely investigated retinoid for photoaging therapy.”
How does tretinoin work?
Tretinoin functions speeding the cellular turnover within the skin, making skin cells divide and die faster so that new, healthier cells can replace them. However, to be able to stimulate this technique, tretinoin must ultimately irritate skin. This is why people often experience uncomfortable negative effects when first employing this product.
Most people start noticing a difference inside their skin after two to three weeks utilizing the product, however it can take 6 or higher weeks for that full benefit to wear.
Can tretinoin fade skin spots or sunspots?
Some research suggests tretinoin can fade the appearance of dark spots on your skin. However, everyone’s skin is different as well as a topical treatment alone may not be probably the most effective approach to fade sun spots on the face or body. This is why it’s important to consult having a dermatologist before starting any sun spot removal treatment to get personalised advice about the best approach on your skin.
Likewise, it’s important to have a thorough skin check by a melanographer or dermatologist to confirm whether or not the spots you need to fade are indeed sunspots rather than something more sinister. It can be difficult to spot the difference from your harmless sunspot along with a potential skin cancer or melanoma so be sure you have the skin spots professionally checked before using tretinoin or other prescription retinoids.
What are the unwanted side effects of tretinoin?
Prescription retinoids like tretinoin are extremely powerful. This means you must make use of them properly under the guidance of one's dermatologist or doctor — or you may risk some unpleasant reactions like burning skin or perhaps a damaged skin barrier.
Due to its potency, tretinoin could cause some skin irritation when you first begin using it as the skin needs time for it to adjust to the active ingredients. Some other common negative effects of tretinoin include mild to moderate:
Skin redness or inflammation
Dryness
Peeling or flaking
Itching
However, most people notice a reduction in these unwanted side effects after a few weeks of using the product.
Tretinoin photosensitivity: Why you have to be extra careful within the sun when working with this product
Another unwanted effect associated with the using tretinoin is photosensitisation. This means it makes you more sensitive to the sun’s harmful UV rays and you could burn easily when encountered with sunlight.
From a skin cancer prevention perspective, this is problematic. One of the key risk factors for skin cancer is often a history of sunburn so it’s clear to understand why photosensitivity from tretinoin is concerning. While there is currently no evidence to suggest tretinoin use increases your probability of skin cancer, it’s crucial that you just take extra precautions with sun protection when you use this product.
How to protect your skin layer from the sun when working with tretinoin:
Avoid excessive sun exposure — do not make use of this product if you work outdoors or spend a lot of time out inside the sun
Wear SPF 50+ sunscreen every day — even should you’re only staying indoors as indirect sunlight through windows can still damage or burn your epidermis
Wear sun protective clothing when outdoors
Make regular skin checks part of the skincare routine
At MoleMap, we agree that looking after your skin is a top priority. But when it comes to your skin layer health, we encourage you to definitely think beyond skincare products and initiate making regular skin cancer checks part of the skin wellness routine too.
By having a professional skin check or mole check every 6 to 1 year, you’ll give yourself the very best chance to catch any suspicious spots or lesions early. Plus, you’ll also love peace of mind that you simply’re keeping your skin layer safe — inside and out. Consider scheduling these regular checks at MoleMap Australia Skin Cancer Clinics for expert care and thorough examination.