@curology / Instagram
In This Article
Perhaps you’ve heard of tretinoin in terms of anti-aging ingredients.
As the far more powerful evolution of retinol, its wrinkle-diminishing prowess has gained quite a bit of notoriety.
It’s also starting to gain a reputation amongst a number ofacne treatmentsout there.
@curology / Instagram
Sound too good to be true?
It might be, given that it comes with one very significant caveat: Tretinoin is aprescribedskincareingredient.
Meet the Experts
What Is Tretinoin?
Holly Rhue / Byrdie
Tretinointhe generic ingredient in the brand nameRetin-Ais a topical, perscription-strengthretinoidthat dermatologists prescribe to treat acne.
The Benefits
Holly Rhue / Byrdie
How Does Tretinoin Help With Acne?
If your acne is due to a topical issue, it will typically manifest as whiteheads and blackheads.
How to Use It
Low and slow is the name of the game.
While tretinoin is extremely effective at clearing acne, it can also be fairly irritating to the skin.
Once this is tolerated, they will increase the strength of the treatment.
“I think applying the moisturizer followed by the tretinoin is the easiest way,” adds Karp.
But tretinoin is a “more potent retinoid” and works much,muchmore effectively thannon-prescription retinol.
But if you want maximum results, consider discussing tretinoin with your doctor.
The downside to this epic skin savior?
Tretinoin is only available with a prescription from a healthcare professional.
That means you could’t just swing by a beauty store or click add to cart for a personal trial.
The effects of tretinoin are gradual and may take up to 12 weeks to show results.
Sumita JM, Leonardi GR, Bagatin E.Tretinoin peel: a critical view.An Bras Dermatol.
2012;11(1):64-69.
