Discover the benefits, negative effects and sun safety precautions you need to take when utilizing tretinoin prescription retinoid cream.

Tretinoin has become all the rage in the skincare world recently. Touted for its ability to take care of acne, erase fine lines and wrinkles, and improve sun damaged skin, there’s no wonder it’s so popular. But would it be safe on your skin?

If you’re thinking about incorporating this tretinoin purchase into your skincare routine, you’ll must ensure you use it properly to prevent any unwelcome negative effects. Plus, you’ll must be extra careful when out within the sun. Read on to master why.



What is tretinoin?
Tretinoin (often known as prescription retinoids or prescription vitamin A) can be a highly potent, medical-grade topical vitamin A cream or gel. It contains retinoic acid, which is the most biologically available active kind of vitamin A, and is available in different formula strengths.

Unlike retinol and other over-the-counter versions of vitamin A, tretinoin is a prescription-only topical treatment. This means you is only able to purchase it in case you have a script coming from a doctor or dermatologist who's properly assessed your skin and deemed its use appropriate.

Tretinoin vs. Retinol: exactly what is the difference?
Tretinoin and retinol are both classified as retinoids — but there are a few key differences bewteen barefoot and shoes:

Tretinoin
Synthetic type of vitamin A
Only available with a prescription (classed as being a medical-grade skincare product)
Highly potent
Retinol
Natural way of vitamin A
Available over-the-counter and located in many skincare products
Milder formulation

What is tretinoin used by?
It may seem like tretinoin only has been for the skincare radar in recent years, nonetheless it’s actually a popular topical treatment for acne that’s been used by almost half a century. It continues to be found in lowering inflammation associated with acne, clear existing acne reducing the severity of outbreaks.

But treating acne isn’t tretinoin’s only benefit. A 2012 study indicates it may also be helpful for:

Improving skin tone and texture
Reducing the appearance of wrinkles and wrinkles
Reducing the appearance of liver spots on your skin
Improving premature aging of skin due to sun damage (photoaging)
Other research around the use of retinoids in the treatment of aging found that ​“amongst the retinoids, tretinoin possibly is easily the most potent and certainly one of the most widely investigated retinoid for photoaging therapy.”

How does tretinoin work?
Tretinoin functions by speeding inside the cellular turnover inside the skin, making skin cells divide and die faster to ensure that new, healthier cells can replace them. However, in order to stimulate this procedure, tretinoin must ultimately irritate your skin layer. This is why people often experience uncomfortable side effects when first employing this product.

Most people start observing a difference within their skin after two to three weeks utilizing the product, nonetheless it can take 6 or more weeks for that full benefit to appear.

Can tretinoin fade skin spots or sunspots?
Some research suggests tretinoin can fade the appearance of brown spots on skin. However, everyone’s skin is different along with a topical treatment alone may not be probably the most effective method to fade sun spots on your face or body. This is why it’s important to consult which has a dermatologist before starting any sun spot removal treatment to get personalised advice about the best approach for your skin.

Likewise, it’s important to experience a thorough skin check by a melanographer or dermatologist to confirm if the spots you would like to fade really are sunspots instead of something more sinister. It can be difficult to recognize the difference from your harmless sunspot as well as a potential skin cancer or melanoma so be sure you have your epidermis spots professionally checked before using tretinoin or other prescription retinoids.

What are the side effects of tretinoin?
Prescription retinoids like tretinoin are extremely powerful. This means you must rely on them properly under the guidance of your dermatologist or doctor — or you may risk some unpleasant reactions like burning skin or possibly a damaged skin barrier.

Due to its potency, tretinoin could cause some skin irritation when you first begin using it as your skin needs time for it to adjust towards 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 employing the product.

Tretinoin photosensitivity: Why you'll want to be extra careful in the sun when you use this product
Another side-effect associated with the usage of tretinoin is photosensitisation. This means it makes you more sensitive to sunlight’s harmful UV rays and you may burn easily when exposed to sunlight.

From a skin cancer prevention perspective, this might be problematic. One of the key risk factors for skin cancer can be a history of sunburn so it’s easy to understand why photosensitivity from tretinoin is concerning. While there is currently no evidence to suggest tretinoin use increases your likelihood of skin cancer, it’s crucial which you take extra precautions with sun protection when you use this product.

How to protect your epidermis from the sun when using tretinoin:
Avoid excessive sun exposure — do not employ this product should you work outdoors or spend considerable time out within the sun
Wear SPF 50+ sunscreen every day — even in the event you’re only staying indoors as indirect sunlight through windows can certainly still damage or burn the skin
Wear sun protective clothing when outdoors

Make regular skin checks part of your skin layercare routine
At MoleMap, we agree that looking after your skin can be a top priority. But when it comes to your skin layer health, we encourage one to think beyond skincare products and begin making regular skin cancer checks part of your 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 enjoy peace of mind that you just’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.