Discover the benefits, side effects and sun health concerns you need to take when you use tretinoin prescription retinoid cream.

Tretinoin may be all the rage in the skincare world recently. Touted because of its ability to take care of acne, lessen fine lines and wrinkles, and improve sun damaged skin, there’s no wonder it’s so popular. But could it be safe to your skin?

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



What is tretinoin?
Tretinoin (also known as 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 will come 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 if you have a script from your doctor or dermatologist who has properly assessed the skin and deemed its use appropriate.

Tretinoin vs. Retinol: exactly what is the difference?
Tretinoin and retinol are generally classified as retinoids — but there are many key differences together:

Tretinoin
Synthetic kind of vitamin A
Only available which has a prescription (classed as a medical-grade skincare product)
Highly potent
Retinol
Natural type 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 has only been around the skincare radar in recent years, nonetheless it’s actually a popular topical treatment for acne that’s been used for almost half a century. It may be found in lessening 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 that it may also be helpful for:

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

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

Most people start noticing a difference within their skin after two to three weeks of using the product, nonetheless it can take 6 or maybe more weeks for that full benefit to be seen.

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

Likewise, it’s important to have a thorough skin check by way of a melanographer or dermatologist to confirm if the spots you wish to fade truly are sunspots and not something more sinister. It can be difficult to identify the difference between a harmless sunspot plus a potential skin cancer or melanoma so be sure to have your epidermis spots professionally checked before using tretinoin or other prescription retinoids.

What are the negative effects of tretinoin?
Prescription retinoids like tretinoin are extremely powerful. This means you must have used them properly underneath the guidance of your respective dermatologist or doctor — or you can risk some unpleasant reactions like burning skin or possibly a damaged skin barrier.

Due to its potency, tretinoin may cause some skin irritation when you initially begin using it as your skin needs time and energy to adjust to the active ingredients. Some other common unwanted effects of tretinoin include mild to moderate:

Skin redness or inflammation
Dryness
Peeling or flaking
Itching
However, most people notice a reduction in these side effects after a few weeks of employing the product.

Tretinoin photosensitivity: Why you'll want to be extra careful in the sun when working with this product
Another unwanted effect associated with the use of tretinoin is photosensitisation. This means celebrate 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 can be problematic. One of the key risk factors for skin cancer can be a history of sunburn so it’s obvious 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 using this product.

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

Make regular skin checks part of your skincare routine
At MoleMap, we agree that looking after your skin is a top priority. But when it comes to your epidermis health, we encourage that you think beyond skincare products and initiate making regular skin cancer checks part of your skin layer wellness routine too.

By having a professional skin check or mole check every 6 to twelve months, 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.