tretinoin combos

[tiredpoet]

I read that using other topical meds with tretinoin can actually negate the effects of the tretinoin, but then I keep reading about people who use retin-a at night and another topical in the am, for example.

Can anyone clarify what can be used in combo with tretinoin and how? I want use tretinoin .025% every other day. I'd like to use benzaclin on the off-days, but I don't want to cause the tretinoin to not work. I've read that people do this though, and they don't seem to have a problem.

Also, does using moisturizer immediately after applying tretinoin cause any problems? Should I wait, or only moisturize in the morning?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[MusicElle]

I use tretinoin every night, it makes my skin flake pretty badly when I wake up in the morning. I've tried Duac gel, and clinda gel in the mornings, The cinda gel did nothing, the duac made my face swell and turn red, but I'm alergic to benazole peroxide (I found out the hard way). The best thing for me in the mornings is glycolic acid toner, Salacylic acid stings and dosen't work as well. The glycolic acid sloughs off the peeling skin without causing irritation so that I don't have to walk around with flakes of skin falling off my face. I use 2% glycolic acid more than 5% will burn.

[tiredpoet]

awesome, what brand of glycolic acid product do you use, or is it prescription?

[MusicElle]

Glycolic Acid Renaissance Toner by Reviva 3%glycolic acid I found it online for cheap if you seach you'll find it . honestly I usually look for the cheapest kind that I can find. It can be really expansive and I have found that most work well. Its hard to find at drug stores, most only have SA, Clean and Clear Daily Pore Toner has both Glycolic acid and Salicylic acid, Glycolic is listed before Salicylic so I think it has more glycolic, it was ok when I used it, it did the trick with the flakiness, sometimes it made my skin red/irritated.

[leonidas]

I've been on .05% Tretinoin for about a month now, little longer. It's working great. I had flaking very early on, but only for a day or two and nothing since. The only kind of skin irritation I get is some reddness, and only rarely. I wash with Cetaphil in the morning, Neutrogena Daily Scrub (or something--it has microbeads) in the evening, after work; then Cetaphil again at night. I wait 20 to 30 mins then put on the Tretinoin.

Personally, I'd rather see some flaking, so I know the outer layers of skin are shedding off likey they're supposed to. The Cetaphil really helps moisturize the skin. I tried using regular old soap one day, and my skin was red for two days.

During the day I'll use the Neutrogena on the spot stuff, the 2.5% BP. It makes my skin a little red these days, but, otherwise, I'll get very oily about 4 hours after washing. So, the BP is not negating the Tretinoin, as far as I can tell.