A Journey in Adulting & Self-Care

 Tretinoin, retinol, Retin A, Differin, adapalane...is your head swimming yet? Chances are you have heard of one of these and maybe even how amazing retinol is but don't know what it does or how to add it to your routine. This mega-post will help you make sense of things and hopefully get you started on this super ingredient. I would like to note, r/tretinoin on Reddit was super helpful and informative on my tret journey. This treasure trove of information and resources made it so easy for me to figure out what to do next and what to expect. What is Tretinoin? Tretinoin is the ingredient in brands such as Retin-A that is an active derivative of Vitamin A. If you've heard of retinol, it is the much weaker version that is available over-the-counter. The way it works is by helping expedite cellular turnover, a process which is as quick as 15 days when we are young and slows down as we get older. This is why our soft, babylike skin becomes dull, tired and wrinkly as we get older.

 Welcome! So you are ready to enter the mystical and magical world of tretinoin. If you are unsure of what tretinoin is, please check out my earlier post about the basics of this wonderful active ingredient. The following post will break down in a week-by-week basis on how to add tret but please know, your skin will determine the speed and number of steps to take. The important thing is that you don't go to slow (otherwise your skin will never get used to it) or too fast (or you risk compromising your skin barrier). Week 1-4:  Your dermatologist will start you at a low strength, something around .01 or .02. If you are getting it with a prescription, go with a low strength so that your skin can get retinized or adjust to this new ingredient. Again, too fast or too furious will mess up your skin unnecessarily and remember, you do not need to purge or have a reaction to know if the tretinoin is working.  Do not apply everyday. You derm or online provider (Curology, Apostrophe, etc.)