Retinoids & Skin Lightening Part 2: Common Questions

The original Retinoids & Skin Lightening article I wrote is actually quite old (written in 2007 on the Bright Skin Forum first). I left a lot of key information out of that post, which would cover a lot of common questions I get from people using retinoids or are thinking about using rx retinoids.

I'll constantly update this particular blog article as I answer more frequently asked retinoid questions, but these are the ones I've gotten several times and I didn't provide answers/information for in the original blog:

1) Are rx retinoids only supposed to be used at night?

Yes. All retinoids (any vitamin A deriviative product - including OTC retinoids like retinol) should never be used during the day as sun light deactivates the retinoid and actually does a lot of harm to the skin (free radical damage attraction, increased absorption of UVA/UVB rays).

Recently the EWG (Enviornmental Working Group) has been coming out with statements urging people to stay away from sunscreens that contain Vitamin A. I'm glad some official statements are being made about this since a lot of sunscreens out there contain retinol and retinyl palmitate. Never use a sunscreen that has vitamin A derivatives in it. All vitamin A (retinoids) are meant to be used at night.

2) Do retinoids lighten skin?

I covered this indirectly in the original post, but retinoids are the supreme anti-aging treatment. Particularily rx retinoids (Retin-A, Tazorac, Differin etc.). They treat and to a degree reverse damaged DNA and sun damage. If majority of your pigmentation issues are from sun damage (freckles, acne marks, dark spots, uneven complexion) then an rx retinoid can definitley create some dramatic changes for you.

Still I would suggest incorporating a botanical based skin lightener to be used alongside your retinoid or somewhere in your regimen to increase the melanin inhibition process. It's been proven in several studies that skin lighteners + rx retinoids are a powerful combination, and excellent approach at treating all pigmentation problems.

3) What is the 'purging' stage of rx retinoid use?

The 'purging' stage occurs in the first 2-3 weeks of initially using the retinoid. The intense, rapid exfoliation process of a retinoid allows comedones and trapped bacteria/sebum to rise to the surface layers of the skin which causes breakouts. It's the whole "it gets worse before it gets better" notion basically.

These breakouts are a good thing, as they are being purged from the skin. They usually last for 2-3 weeks but some people experience it for up to 4 (1 month).  Once the purging stage is over, the skin should start to clear out. Acne should begin to dramatically decrease if used regularily.

4) How much retinoid should I use per application

Less is more. Especially with rx retinoids in a gel form as they can be very drying and can cause extreme dryness/flakiness if you apply too much.

A little more than a pea sized amount or perhaps the size of a dime should suffice for your whole face.

5) How long does it take to see full results from a retinoid?

It varies from person to person, and how damaged their skin is (or degree of acne they have). Typically 1 full year for FULL results.

6) What is the main difference between retinoid creams and retinoid gel versions?

The cream versions are geared towards drier skin types. They are notorious for having pore clogging inactive ingredients and bases. No matter what skin type I would always recommend the gel versions of Retin-A, Tazorac or Differin. If you find them drying, you can always buffer or mix them with a moisturizer or serum to offset dryness.

7) Generic or brand name rx retinoids? Which ones are better?

They are both good. Rx retinoids are rx retinoids, regardless of which company produces them. I personally use the original brand name Retin-A gel by Ortho Dermatological, but other versions like Stieva-A and such are just as good.

8) What is the best online vendor to purchase an rx retinoid?

At this point I do not even know anymore honestly. There used to be several sites much better than AllDayChemist that sold good rx style retinoids but a lot of them do not carry anymore or have limited stock. I would much rather recommend the real thing, since the actual prescription versions are always better due to inactive ingredient/base formulations.

More to come! =D