65 replies to this topic

[Fredrik]

(Re-posting from the "skin supplements" thread. This one's more appropriate.)

you´ll experience flaky skin when you apply to much or too often, beacause of increased cell turnover

So... wouldn't that mean it depletes the skin cell chromosomes' telomeres faster and thus fast-forwards the tissue toward its "death"? Isn't it getting the healthy/youthful condition of the skin by... "borrowing it from the future"?

No.

http://www.imminst.o...&...st&p=191942

[donjoe]

No.

http://www.imminst.o...&...st&p=191942

I've already seen that answer, and it looks like you're side-stepping the question. All I see there are these:
- you said chemical peeling makes the skin more beautiful; that's beside the point - I never said it didn't; I asked "is it making the skin more beautiful by fast-forwarding it toward its death?" and you didn't answer that (except, of course, with a simple unwarranted "No", an ipse dixit);
- you said Hayflick's experimental conclusions don't apply to living tissues and quoted a dermatologist saying the same thing; I agree: they don't apply exactly, with numerical values and all, but they still do apply in principle, it remains a valid discovery that normal somatic cells aren't immortal and there is a limit to how many times they can divide, no matter what that number may be for various tissues in vivo; the fact is the limit's there and any time you speed up cell replacement, you're speeding up your journey toward that limit (unless you have some proof that there are skin stem cells somewhere that can be convinced to generate fresh skin indefinitely...);
- and then you went on about the positive effects of skin peels, again ignoring the essence of my question, which is not the immediate result of increasing cell turnover, but the long-term effects.

So, again: does Retin-A speed skin cells toward the end of their reproductive capacity or not? (Please keep in mind that I'm not "demanding" that you give me an answer. I'm only insisting that this is an important question to have an answer for if one's going to commit to long-term use of strong retinoids or frequent peeling.)

Edited by donjoe, 08 February 2008 - 09:32 PM.

[FunkOdyssey]

Good question. I'd like to see this answered too.

[Fredrik]

(unless you have some proof that there are skin stem cells somewhere that can be convinced to generate fresh skin indefinitely...);

So, again: does Retin-A speed skin cells toward the end of their reproductive capacity or not? (Please keep in mind that I'm not "demanding" that you give me an answer. I'm only insisting that this is an important question to have an answer for if one's going to commit to long-term use of strong retinoids or frequent peeling.)

There are skin stem cells so I don´t worry. Retinoids are the only drugs (and natural components of skin) to treat and slow down photoaging.
Retinoids treat a functional vitamin A-deficiency in the skin caused by UV-rays.

"Skin stem cells occur in the basal layer of the epidermis and at the base of hair follicles. The epidermal stem cells give rise to keratinocytes, which migrate to the surface of the skin and form a protective layer. The follicular stem cells can give rise to both the hair follicle and to the epidermis."

http://stemcells.nih...ics/basics4.asp

Since there are no humans that live indefinitely and tretinoin has been used for over 30 years I can guarantee at least 30 years of beautiful skin through enhanced cell repair. If you choose not to supplement your skin with the tretinoin that the UV-rays deplete on a daily basis you will have less healthy skin (less collagen, more pre-cancerous lesions, hyperpigmentation, roughness and sagging).

Tretinoin is endogenously formed in the skin from all-trans retinol by basal keratinocytes. Both all-trans retinoic acid (tretinoin) and all-trans retinol are naturally occurring retinoids. The human body is armed with the proper binding proteins and enzymatic machinery to metabolize these retinoids appropriately (Prystowsky, 2001).

Edited by fredrik, 08 February 2008 - 10:47 PM.

[basho]

Zoolander, did you see any significant results after using this? Apart from helping with fine wrinkles and sun damage, does it help with any other skin conditions such as wide pores or scarring?

[donjoe]

There are skin stem cells so I don´t worry.
[...]
"Skin stem cells occur in the basal layer of the epidermis and at the base of hair follicles. The epidermal stem cells give rise to keratinocytes, which migrate to the surface of the skin and form a protective layer. The follicular stem cells can give rise to both the hair follicle and to the epidermis."

http://stemcells.nih...ics/basics4.asp

Well, that's definitely encouraging. I actually stumbled upon tretinoin while looking for something to resolve an unexpected episode of (increased) acne, but with this knowledge I'll be able to stick to regular use in full confidence even after the acne goes away.

Thanx for the prompt input!

[zoolander]

I did see results. My skin looked and felt thicker. It definitely looked and felt younger.

Unfortunately though I haven't continued use. It doesn't take much time to set up a routine but I'm using every bit of effort to get my sleep apnea issues in order. I'm not doin' to well with that at the moment.

[Fredrik]

I did see results. My skin looked and felt thicker. It definitely looked and felt younger.

Unfortunately though I haven't continued use. It doesn't take much time to set up a routine but I'm using every bit of effort to get my sleep apnea issues in order. I'm not doin' to well with that at the moment.

Good to hear zoolander! I´ve been wondering how those of you who started on a retinoid liked it. Though most of the effects on old skin damage can be seen after 6 months, tretinoin treated subjects show improvement up to a year after initiating treatment. Tazarotene continue to work on photodamage after 52 weeks. After that the retinoid will maintain the benefits and prevent new skin damage.

Edited by fredrik, 09 February 2008 - 12:21 AM.

[woly]

I did see results. My skin looked and felt thicker. It definitely looked and felt younger.

Unfortunately though I haven't continued use. It doesn't take much time to set up a routine but I'm using every bit of effort to get my sleep apnea issues in order. I'm not doin' to well with that at the moment.

Good to hear zoolander! I´ve been wondering how those of you who started on a retinoid liked it. Though most of the effects on old skin damage can be seen after 6 months, tretinoin treated subjects show improvement up to a year after initiating treatment. Tazarotene continue to work on photodamage after 52 weeks. After that the retinoid will maintain the benefits and prevent new skin damage.

i have fairly sensitive skin, would a course of retinoids be likely to aggravate my skin?

[Johan]

I have been using tazarotene for about two months now (thanks to fredrik's advice), and my skin feels a little better - smoother, cleaner. But I'm only 19, so I don't expect to notice as big a difference as you older folks. My skin was a bit irritated in the beginning, but that's disappeared now.

What functional differences are there between tretinoin and tazarotene?

Edited by Johan, 10 February 2008 - 03:27 PM.

[luminous]

Anecdotal--I've used Retin-A on and off--mostly on--for over twenty years. I'm fifty now. When I smile, a few lines appear under my eyes. Other than that, I have no wrinkles or lines on my resting face--NONE. I still get an occasionally pimple whenever I slack off. But when I'm faithful about using the Retin-A (and now, Tazorac as well), my face stays perfectly clear. I get lots of compliments on my skin and youthful appearance.

I will say that when I started using Retin-A in my late twenties (.025 gel), my skin broke out and became very flaky for about two months. It looked pretty bad for a while, but this is not unusual when you first start using Retin-A. Truth be told, I wasn't necessarily waiting twenty minutes after washing and drying my face before applying the Retin-A. Doing so is ultra-important to minimize the irritation, but I was young, didn't necessarily believe it, and thought I didn't have the patience to wait. Nowadays, you can use Retin-A Micro, which has a built-in time release that will minimize irritation if you don't wait the twenty minutes. My skin is so conditioned now that I can use Taz or Retin-A immediately after washing my face.

Anyway, I've had no problem whatsoever using tretinoin almost daily for all those years. I plan to keep using it indefinitely.

[Fredrik]

What functional differences are there between tretinoin and tazarotene?

Hej Johan

Well, tretinoin, retinol and retinaldehyde are natural occuring retinoids. Tazarotene and adapalene is man made pro-drugs. They get converted in the skin and act more receptor specific while tretinoin also activates RXR-receptors. The synthetic retinoids don´t bind to "unnecessary"receptors so adapalene is gentler, have less side effects than tretinoin. I find taz to be stronger with less irritation.

Taz is more anti-inflammatory and comedolytic than tretinoin. I use both though.

Metabolism of synthetic retinoids, however, is somewhat unpredictable, due to the significant structural differences of adapalene and tazarotene, which are not naturally occurring retinoids (Prystowsky, 2001). Retinoids promote a reversal of comedogenesis, leading to a reduction in microcomedos, which is a precursor of both inflammatory and noninflammatory ache lesions (Leyden, 2001). Retinoic acid (tretinoin) reverses thickening of the stratum corneum and the abnormal desquamation of keratinocytes, and has been a mainstay for the treatment of ache for more than 30 years (Verschoore et al., 1993). Topical retinoids reduce hyperkeratinization and allow enhanced penetration of adjunctive topical agents (Berson, 1999). For over 25 years, topical tretinoin has been studied for numerous other conditions. The modulation of epidermal differentiation by retinoids led to its use in premalignant lesions, such as actinic keratoses (Verschoore et al., 1993).

Adapalene is considered to be a second-generation retinoid and the first of its kind. It contains retinoid properties by reason of a synthetic naphtholic acid derivative. It targets abnormal desquamation of the skin, modulates cellular differentiation, and possesses anti-inflammatory properties (Leyden, 2001). Adapalene contains unique pharmacologic properties, which are characterized by a selectivity for the nuclear retinoic acid receptor RAR [beta]/[gamma], and a potent activity on cell differentiation. This selectivity may contribute to an improved tolerance, associated with adapalene (Michel et al., 1998).

Tazarotene (Tazorac[R]) is pharmacologically inactive until metabolic conversion to the active drug transpires (Wolverton, 2001). This pro-drug is hydrolyzed rapidly in tissues to the active metabolite tazarotenic acid. The RAR-[gamma] nuclear receptor is the predominant receptor present in the epidermis, for which tazarotenic acid has a high affinity. Additionally, tazarotenic acid has the ability to bind with RAR-[alpha] and RAR-[gamma], but not to RXRs. Tazarotenic acid modulates the expression of retinoid-responsive genes, including those that regulate cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and inflammation, in view of these binding capacities to various RAR receptors. Tazarotene down-regulates the abnormal expression of keratinocytes, epidermal growth factor receptor, and hyperproliferative keratins (Prystowsky, 2001).

http://goliath.ecnex...-retinoids.html

Edited by fredrik, 10 February 2008 - 06:42 PM.

[Eva Victoria]

Can you use a retinoid to help clear genital warts?

Has been effective in the treatement of warts, though not enough research has been done. You should have a liniment called Verucid (Galderma) prescribed by your doctor spec. for genital warts.

[Eva Victoria]

Retin-A (tretinoin) is obviously a very strong and effective pharmaceutical used to prevent and treat acne as well as photoaging.

I'm sitting here with a tube of 0.025% tretinoin and am confused as to how I can introduce this into my regime without causing cross reactions.

I know that I will be using it at night but can I use a moisturizer or serum with it at night or should I just apply it alone? After about few hours of searching around and reading it appears that I may have to have to use it every other day if I still won't to use my other products.

Here's my current skin care regime.

I might use this regime on Mon, Wed and Fri and then on Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun just use a glycolyic acid face wash in the morning with the Tretinoin in the evening.

Thoughts? Fredrik what are your thoughts on this one?

If you want to have full effect of using a tretinoin product, it should be used every night at a 0,05% concentration to have a progressive effect (see: Photoaging, Darell S Riegel, Robart A Weiss; ISBN-10: 0824754506, ISBN-13:978-0824754501). Using it every othe night will keep the achieved effect only.
First of course you should be acclimatised to tretinoin! (See Fredrik's posts about that).

[happy lemon]

......If you´re very sensitive you can google "short contact therapy" AND "tazarotene" and try that instead. on process everytime......

Here is an article of short contact treatment of taz.

http://www.freepaten...om/6083963.html

[TheFountain]

Retin-A (tretinoin) is obviously a very strong and effective pharmaceutical used to prevent and treat acne as well as photoaging.

I'm sitting here with a tube of 0.025% tretinoin and am confused as to how I can introduce this into my regime without causing cross reactions.

I know that I will be using it at night but can I use a moisturizer or serum with it at night or should I just apply it alone? After about few hours of searching around and reading it appears that I may have to have to use it every other day if I still won't to use my other products.

Here's my current skin care regime.

I might use this regime on Mon, Wed and Fri and then on Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun just use a glycolyic acid face wash in the morning with the Tretinoin in the evening.

Thoughts? Fredrik what are your thoughts on this one?

If you want to have full effect of using a tretinoin product, it should be used every night at a 0,05% concentration to have a progressive effect (see: Photoaging, Darell S Riegel, Robart A Weiss; ISBN-10: 0824754506, ISBN-13:978-0824754501). Using it every othe night will keep the achieved effect only.
First of course you should be acclimatised to tretinoin! (See Fredrik's posts about that).

I read somewhere that using it at 0.025 is no different in terms of its photo-aging effect than using the 0.05.

[immortali457]

Retin-A (tretinoin) is obviously a very strong and effective pharmaceutical used to prevent and treat acne as well as photoaging.

I'm sitting here with a tube of 0.025% tretinoin and am confused as to how I can introduce this into my regime without causing cross reactions.

I know that I will be using it at night but can I use a moisturizer or serum with it at night or should I just apply it alone? After about few hours of searching around and reading it appears that I may have to have to use it every other day if I still won't to use my other products.

Here's my current skin care regime.

I might use this regime on Mon, Wed and Fri and then on Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun just use a glycolyic acid face wash in the morning with the Tretinoin in the evening.

Thoughts? Fredrik what are your thoughts on this one?

If you want to have full effect of using a tretinoin product, it should be used every night at a 0,05% concentration to have a progressive effect (see: Photoaging, Darell S Riegel, Robart A Weiss; ISBN-10: 0824754506, ISBN-13:978-0824754501). Using it every othe night will keep the achieved effect only.
First of course you should be acclimatised to tretinoin! (See Fredrik's posts about that).

I read somewhere that using it at 0.025 is no different in terms of its photo-aging effect than using the 0.05.

Most of what is written says that the 0.1% is no different than the 0.05%
Other than being way too harsh for most people. That strength should be used mainly for acne.

[TheFountain]

Retin-A (tretinoin) is obviously a very strong and effective pharmaceutical used to prevent and treat acne as well as photoaging.

I'm sitting here with a tube of 0.025% tretinoin and am confused as to how I can introduce this into my regime without causing cross reactions.

I know that I will be using it at night but can I use a moisturizer or serum with it at night or should I just apply it alone? After about few hours of searching around and reading it appears that I may have to have to use it every other day if I still won't to use my other products.

Here's my current skin care regime.

I might use this regime on Mon, Wed and Fri and then on Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun just use a glycolyic acid face wash in the morning with the Tretinoin in the evening.

Thoughts? Fredrik what are your thoughts on this one?

If you want to have full effect of using a tretinoin product, it should be used every night at a 0,05% concentration to have a progressive effect (see: Photoaging, Darell S Riegel, Robart A Weiss; ISBN-10: 0824754506, ISBN-13:978-0824754501). Using it every othe night will keep the achieved effect only.
First of course you should be acclimatised to tretinoin! (See Fredrik's posts about that).

I read somewhere that using it at 0.025 is no different in terms of its photo-aging effect than using the 0.05.

Most of what is written says that the 0.1% is no different than the 0.05%
Other than being way too harsh for most people. That strength should be used mainly for acne.

I've read that as well but many people using it for photo-aging are using the 0.025 because they have found that 0.05 causes crinkles around the eye area. 0.025 still activates the receptors in the sub-epidermis. I can't see it not being effective.

[immortali457]

Retin-A (tretinoin) is obviously a very strong and effective pharmaceutical used to prevent and treat acne as well as photoaging.

I'm sitting here with a tube of 0.025% tretinoin and am confused as to how I can introduce this into my regime without causing cross reactions.

I know that I will be using it at night but can I use a moisturizer or serum with it at night or should I just apply it alone? After about few hours of searching around and reading it appears that I may have to have to use it every other day if I still won't to use my other products.

Here's my current skin care regime.

I might use this regime on Mon, Wed and Fri and then on Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun just use a glycolyic acid face wash in the morning with the Tretinoin in the evening.

Thoughts? Fredrik what are your thoughts on this one?

If you want to have full effect of using a tretinoin product, it should be used every night at a 0,05% concentration to have a progressive effect (see: Photoaging, Darell S Riegel, Robart A Weiss; ISBN-10: 0824754506, ISBN-13:978-0824754501). Using it every othe night will keep the achieved effect only.
First of course you should be acclimatised to tretinoin! (See Fredrik's posts about that).

I read somewhere that using it at 0.025 is no different in terms of its photo-aging effect than using the 0.05.

Most of what is written says that the 0.1% is no different than the 0.05%
Other than being way too harsh for most people. That strength should be used mainly for acne.

I've read that as well but many people using it for photo-aging are using the 0.025 because they have found that 0.05 causes crinkles around the eye area. 0.025 still activates the receptors in the sub-epidermis. I can't see it not being effective.

True it's still effective just much slower in results.

[TheFountain]

Retin-A (tretinoin) is obviously a very strong and effective pharmaceutical used to prevent and treat acne as well as photoaging.

I'm sitting here with a tube of 0.025% tretinoin and am confused as to how I can introduce this into my regime without causing cross reactions.

I know that I will be using it at night but can I use a moisturizer or serum with it at night or should I just apply it alone? After about few hours of searching around and reading it appears that I may have to have to use it every other day if I still won't to use my other products.

Here's my current skin care regime.

I might use this regime on Mon, Wed and Fri and then on Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun just use a glycolyic acid face wash in the morning with the Tretinoin in the evening.

Thoughts? Fredrik what are your thoughts on this one?

If you want to have full effect of using a tretinoin product, it should be used every night at a 0,05% concentration to have a progressive effect (see: Photoaging, Darell S Riegel, Robart A Weiss; ISBN-10: 0824754506, ISBN-13:978-0824754501). Using it every othe night will keep the achieved effect only.
First of course you should be acclimatised to tretinoin! (See Fredrik's posts about that).

I read somewhere that using it at 0.025 is no different in terms of its photo-aging effect than using the 0.05.

Most of what is written says that the 0.1% is no different than the 0.05%
Other than being way too harsh for most people. That strength should be used mainly for acne.

I've read that as well but many people using it for photo-aging are using the 0.025 because they have found that 0.05 causes crinkles around the eye area. 0.025 still activates the receptors in the sub-epidermis. I can't see it not being effective.

True it's still effective just much slower in results.

So maybe the best method would be to use 0.05 the first 6 months and then 0.025 to maintain the benefits.

[immortali457]

Retin-A (tretinoin) is obviously a very strong and effective pharmaceutical used to prevent and treat acne as well as photoaging.

I'm sitting here with a tube of 0.025% tretinoin and am confused as to how I can introduce this into my regime without causing cross reactions.

I know that I will be using it at night but can I use a moisturizer or serum with it at night or should I just apply it alone? After about few hours of searching around and reading it appears that I may have to have to use it every other day if I still won't to use my other products.

Here's my current skin care regime.

I might use this regime on Mon, Wed and Fri and then on Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun just use a glycolyic acid face wash in the morning with the Tretinoin in the evening.

Thoughts? Fredrik what are your thoughts on this one?

If you want to have full effect of using a tretinoin product, it should be used every night at a 0,05% concentration to have a progressive effect (see: Photoaging, Darell S Riegel, Robart A Weiss; ISBN-10: 0824754506, ISBN-13:978-0824754501). Using it every othe night will keep the achieved effect only.
First of course you should be acclimatised to tretinoin! (See Fredrik's posts about that).

I read somewhere that using it at 0.025 is no different in terms of its photo-aging effect than using the 0.05.

Most of what is written says that the 0.1% is no different than the 0.05%
Other than being way too harsh for most people. That strength should be used mainly for acne.

I've read that as well but many people using it for photo-aging are using the 0.025 because they have found that 0.05 causes crinkles around the eye area. 0.025 still activates the receptors in the sub-epidermis. I can't see it not being effective.

True it's still effective just much slower in results.

So maybe the best method would be to use 0.05 the first 6 months and then 0.025 to maintain the benefits.

I've never read that is the best method. Stick to the 0.05%

[TheFountain]

Retin-A (tretinoin) is obviously a very strong and effective pharmaceutical used to prevent and treat acne as well as photoaging.

I'm sitting here with a tube of 0.025% tretinoin and am confused as to how I can introduce this into my regime without causing cross reactions.

I know that I will be using it at night but can I use a moisturizer or serum with it at night or should I just apply it alone? After about few hours of searching around and reading it appears that I may have to have to use it every other day if I still won't to use my other products.

Here's my current skin care regime.

I might use this regime on Mon, Wed and Fri and then on Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun just use a glycolyic acid face wash in the morning with the Tretinoin in the evening.

Thoughts? Fredrik what are your thoughts on this one?

If you want to have full effect of using a tretinoin product, it should be used every night at a 0,05% concentration to have a progressive effect (see: Photoaging, Darell S Riegel, Robart A Weiss; ISBN-10: 0824754506, ISBN-13:978-0824754501). Using it every othe night will keep the achieved effect only.
First of course you should be acclimatised to tretinoin! (See Fredrik's posts about that).

I read somewhere that using it at 0.025 is no different in terms of its photo-aging effect than using the 0.05.

Most of what is written says that the 0.1% is no different than the 0.05%
Other than being way too harsh for most people. That strength should be used mainly for acne.

I've read that as well but many people using it for photo-aging are using the 0.025 because they have found that 0.05 causes crinkles around the eye area. 0.025 still activates the receptors in the sub-epidermis. I can't see it not being effective.

True it's still effective just much slower in results.

So maybe the best method would be to use 0.05 the first 6 months and then 0.025 to maintain the benefits.

I've never read that is the best method. Stick to the 0.05%

Ok my problem with it is that it is causing crinkles around my eyes. I have been using it for about 5 months now and I am still experiencing redness that people keep commenting on. What is the general time frame for redness and crinkles to desist? 8 months?

[kismet]

Goodness! Stop repeatedly quoting the same text over and over again. You were having a dialoge ffs!

Now, on topic:
I don't have a clue what crinkles are, but I have a wrinkle-like dent next to my eye. Could this be related to retinoid use? BTW, higher strengths are generally superior when treating striae and scars, so I always assumed that 0.05%+ would also work better on photoaging. And don't forget that anecdotal evidence is almost worthless...

[TheFountain]

BTW, higher strengths are generally superior when treating striae and scars, so I always assumed that 0.05%+ would also work better on photoaging. And don't forget that anecdotal evidence is almost worthless...

Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, USA.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: The efficacy of topical tretinoin (all-trans-retinoic acid) in treating photoaging is well established. Questions that remain are (1) whether irritation causes all or part of the improvement; (2) the concentration of tretinoin that maximizes clinical response with minimal side effects; and (3) the effects of long-term treatment on components of the cutaneous immune system. To address these issues, 99 photoaged patients completed a 48-week study using 0.1% tretinoin cream (n = 32), 0.025% tretinoin (n = 35), or vehicle (n = 32) once daily in a double-blind manner. Before and after treatment, we assessed histologic features, keratinocyte expression of HLA-DR and intercellular adhesion molecule-1, numbers of epidermal Langerhans' cells and epidermal and dermal T lymphocytes, and vascularity as measured by dermal endothelial cell area. RESULTS: Both 0.1% and 0.025% tretinoin produced statistically significant overall improvement in photoaging of the face compared with vehicle; there were no clinically or statistically significant differences in efficacy between the two concentrations of tretinoin. After 48 weeks, 0.1% and 0.025% tretinoin produced similar statistically significant epidermal thickening (by 30% and 28%, respectively) compared with vehicle (11% decrease) and increased vascularity (by 100% and 89%, respectively) compared with vehicle (9% decrease). By various analyses, irritant side effects (erythema and scaling) were statistically significantly greater with 0.1% tretinoin than with 0.025% tretinoin. No significant changes occurred in any immunologic markers when tretinoin and vehicle treatments were compared. CONCLUSIONS: Tretinoin 0.1% and 0.025% produce similar clinical and histologic changes in patients with photoaging, despite significantly greater incidence of irritation with the higher concentration. The separation between clinical improvement and irritation suggests that mechanisms other than irritation dominate tretinoin-induced repair of photoaging in humans.

http://www.ncbi.nlm..../pubmed/7544967

[TheFountain]

And yes, I would say the crinkles are due to the higher more irritable concentration, especially of you have sensitive skin. I would use 0.025 around the eyes.

[kismet]

http://www.ncbi.nlm..../pubmed/7544967

Yep, I think I remember reading that abstract once, but it's strange that striae, acne (?) and scars respond better to higher doses.

Edited by kismet, 09 August 2009 - 06:05 PM.

[TheFountain]

http://www.ncbi.nlm..../pubmed/7544967

Yep, I think I remember reading that abstract once, but it's strange that striae, acne (?) and scars respond better to higher doses.

The important part is that there is no really noticeable difference where photo-aging is concerned. So to me, the logical thing for sensitive skin types to do would be use the 0.025 everywhere but where scars and discolorations are prevalent.

Edited by TheFountain, 10 August 2009 - 03:30 AM.

[JLL]

What does "increased vascularity" on the face mean in practice? Doesn't it mean that veins are more visible?

[TheFountain]

What does "increased vascularity" on the face mean in practice? Doesn't it mean that veins are more visible?

I thought it meant more blood flow to the face.

[luminous]

What does "increased vascularity" on the face mean in practice? Doesn't it mean that veins are more visible?

I thought it meant more blood flow to the face.

If you are experiencing continuous irritation, you might try Retin-A Micro. The URL below shows FAQs about the product. It says says that it "uses an advanced technology called microspheres, which release the active ingredient of RETIN-A MICRO® slowly over time to help minimize irritation and absorb facial shine."

http://www.retinamic...retinamicro/faq

I've had great results with Retin-A Micro.