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

Tretinoin has been all the rage within the skincare world recently. Touted for the ability to deal with acne, lessen fine lines and wrinkles, and improve sun damaged skin, there’s no wonder it’s so popular. But can it be safe to your skin?

If you’re thinking about incorporating this tretinoin purchase to your skincare routine, you’ll must make sure you use it properly to prevent any unwelcome side effects. Plus, you’ll should be extra careful when out inside sun. Read on to find out 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 easily the most biologically available active way 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 for those who have a script coming from a doctor or dermatologist that has properly assessed your epidermis and deemed its use appropriate.

Tretinoin vs. Retinol: what's the difference?
Tretinoin and retinol are classified as retinoids — but there are several key differences with shod and non-shod:

Tretinoin
Synthetic type of vitamin A
Only available which has a prescription (classed as 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 for?
It may seem like tretinoin only has been about the skincare radar these days, however it’s actually a popular topical treatment for acne that’s been useful for almost fifty years. It has become found to help reduce 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 that it may also be helpful for:

Improving complexion and texture
Reducing the appearance of wrinkles and wrinkles
Reducing the appearance of brown spots on skin
Improving premature aging of skin on account of sun damage (photoaging)
Other research for the use of retinoids inside treatment of aging of the skin 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 by speeding up the cellular turnover in the skin, making skin cells divide and die faster so that new, healthier cells can replace them. However, in order to stimulate this process, tretinoin must ultimately irritate your skin layer. This is why people often experience uncomfortable unwanted side effects when first employing this product.

Most people start observing a difference inside their skin after two to three weeks of using the product, but it can take 6 or higher weeks for your full benefit to appear.

Can tretinoin fade skin spots or sunspots?
Some research suggests tretinoin can fade the appearance of dark spots on your skin layer. However, everyone’s skin is different plus a topical treatment alone may not be probably the most effective way 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 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 whether the spots you wish to fade truly are sunspots instead of 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 skin layer 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 make use of them properly under the guidance of one's dermatologist or doctor — or you could risk some unpleasant reactions like burning skin or perhaps a damaged skin barrier.

Due to its potency, tretinoin might cause some skin irritation when you first begin using it as your skin layer needs time to adjust towards the active ingredients. Some other common unwanted side 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 utilizing the product.

Tretinoin photosensitivity: Why you should be extra careful inside sun when using this product
Another side-effect associated with the usage of tretinoin is photosensitisation. This means commemorate you more sensitive to the sun’s harmful UV rays and you can burn easily when confronted with sunlight.

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

How to protect the skin from the sun when utilizing 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 the 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 skin 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 yr, 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 epidermis safe — inside and out. Consider scheduling these regular checks at MoleMap Australia Skin Cancer Clinics for expert care and thorough examination.

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