why do all tretinoin transformations look like this?

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wollet2

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jesus christ. his skin in after is not oily

tretinoin makes your skin look like those nutcracker dolls
1662075952258


i consider dropping it, ive noticed my skin starting to get a similar shine especially around my cheekbones and temples and ive been using it for around 2 years with no exceptional benefit to my acne scars. theyre somehow still there despite my skin starting to get a shell-ish look

i thought people like op used moisturizers and other products on top that made their skin appear oily but apparently it can be dry as a cotton in the touch and the dewy look will still remains. source : other's people experiences and my own

straightcel was right after all that we shouldnt use tret but wrong that it gives u female skin. female skin looks beautiful this just looks like shit
 
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jfl

im litrally laughing at this thread

I was on tretinoin and then arazlo (tazorac) from may 2021 to march 2022 and now my face is super shiny. It has been five months since stopping and I am worried that the shine is permanent.

Some thoughts:

-my face is completely dry in this picture post cleansing with no products on, so the products can't be responsible.

-I am very gentle with my skin and use gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and non shiny spf. The only product that is mildly kerolytic is a benzoyl peroxide 4% wash that I occasionally use. Though I am going to try and limit this.

-This can't be a moisture barrier issue since my skin is well-hydrated and feels good/normal. The only issue is the shine.

-I know this is probably due to tretinoin increasing skin turnover and stripping the matte dead skin cells from the skin surface, but shouldn't this have normalized in the five months since??

-the shine is worse in certain light and in videos

I would really appreciate some help as this is really frustrating. I know some people desire this look, but I think it makes me look oily/weird. Struggling ahhh


:lul:
 
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im on tretinoin since like 6 years (from 22 and onwards) . People really think I'm younger looking. As to the shine , probably the new younger skin at it peels of the skin . Can also be because of collagen growth.
 
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Tret works by removing protective layers of skin from your face which is why your face will melt off if you don't wear sunscreen.
 
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Well, this is what a nice and healthy glowing skin looks like

Also, tretinoin wont do shit for scars. Tret is mainly for aging, hyperpigmentation and post-inflammatory redness, scars are unfixable and only can be moderately improved with peels, lasers or subcision

If you prefer a rugged old skin, is up to you
 
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Tret works but removing protective layers of skin from your face which is why your face will melt off if you don't wear sunscreen.
yea but this is a different thing and seems to be permanent

your skin starts looking like a shell
 
Well, this is what a good glowing healthy skin looks like

Also, tretinoin wont do shit for scars, only for hyperpigmentation and post-inflammatory redness, scars are unfixable and only can be moderately improved with peels, lasers or subcision

If you prefer a rugged old skin, is up to you
come on dude dont act like youthful soft skin that doesnt look oily doesnt exist. look at girls and just any teenagers skin

this is a problem
 
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im on tretinoin since like 6 years (from 22 and onwards) . People really think I'm younger looking. As to the shine , probably the new younger skin at it peels of the skin . Can also be because of collagen growth.
do you have a similar shiny look even when your skin is dry?
 
come on dude dont act like youthful soft skin that doesnt look oily doesnt exist. look at girls and just any teenagers skin

this is a problem
After certain age, it doesnt.

There is usually no moderation between skin types after certain age, or it's dry or it's oily, and people on tretinoin tend to use moisturizer, this is the effect. Im 28 years old and use tret since like 18. I also have this type of skin you complained, is kinda wax, but is better than aged skin of ppl of my age that just went through natural aging process.
 
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come on dude dont act like youthful soft skin that doesnt look oily doesnt exist. look at girls and just any teenagers skin

this is a problem
1662077307497

1662077357239

Alot of people try to force op Into thinking it looks good lol.

It can look good sure but its really excessive I think tbh.
 
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Well, this is what a nice and healthy glowing skin looks like

Also, tretinoin wont do shit for scars, only for hyperpigmentation and post-inflammatory redness, scars are unfixable and only can be moderately improved with peels, lasers or subcision

If you prefer a rugged old skin, is up to you
my scars are not the type of chuckholes, theyre just red spots that wont go away with anything and become more visible when i rub my skin

tret has done almost nothing for them id say. but my skin appears more shell like
 
my scars are not the type of chuckholes, theyre just red spots that wont go away with anything
They arent scars then, they are just post inflammatory redness. They can take up months to a year to fade
 
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i caged at this
Me 2 bro. They dont even offer help. A few comments are decent tho I think from their suggestions a matte finishing powder might help reduce the glow.
 
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Tret works by removing protective layers of skin from your face which is why your face will melt off if you don't wear sunscreen.
tret is basically an exfoliant and tanning while actively using exfoliants is turbo low IQ
 
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They arent scars then, they are just post inflammatory redness. They can take up months to a year to fade
i used to call it that, but lately i just refer to them as scars since theyre not going anywhere tbh. those spots are in my cheeks for years but i also had occasional acne there which might re enforced them. using azelaic acid daily as well but doesnt seem to do anything

thinking about co2 laser in the future. its not much but its there and it stops me from completely clear skin
 
i used to call it that, but lately i just refer to them as scars since theyre not going anywhere tbh. those spots are in my cheeks for years but i also had occasional acne there which might re enforced them. using azelaic acid daily as well but doesnt seem to do anything

thinking about co2 laser in the future. its not much but its there and it stops me from completely clear skin
DM me photos if u want guidance with this, im specially good with skin problems. But if these red marks you have arent fibrotic tissue, they will certainly fade with time.
 
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Me 2 bro. They dont even offer help. A few comments are decent tho I think from their suggestions a matte finishing powder might help reduce the glow.
this comment also

This seems to be everyone's issue (or benefit? Depends on how you attack it lol) with the effects of tret.

I'm between 3 - 4 months in and have been having this prob (or dewy look) since a couple of months ago.

I don't have acne and started tret for the sole purpose of ridding my sun spots, so my 'canvas' was pretty bare to begin with hence the shine 'shines' through earlier Ig.

I've posted this before on another reply, while I started noticing the shine prior to that but didn't really bother me until a month ago when I came out from the shower (and also cleansing my face while in the shower) my partner (who knows zilch about skincare and uses nothing except an occassional scrub when he feels very icky) with a puzzled face asked, "why didn't you wash your face while in the shower? Looks very greasy and oily." My face at that moment was dry as a cotton sheet to the touch but obviously he didn't SEE that. That was the moment that I really started to consciously scrutinize my skin and noticed HOW super shiny it is.

Thing is, my spots are still stubbornly hanging on my skin not moving anywhere despite this glass look.


feels so weird him having the same issue with me and his spots not fading. but my skin in that area has definitely changed
 
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I was going to megadose collagen peptides. And maybe see if there are some solid anti aging things o could take. Thoughts? I
DM me photos if u want guidance with this, im specially good with skin problems. But if these red marks you have arent fibrotic tissue, they will certainly fade with time.
 
do you have a similar shiny look even when your skin is dry?

no, not really after washing my face . But somewhat red/rosy looking face from the new skin.
 
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this comment also

This seems to be everyone's issue (or benefit? Depends on how you attack it lol) with the effects of tret.

I'm between 3 - 4 months in and have been having this prob (or dewy look) since a couple of months ago.

I don't have acne and started tret for the sole purpose of ridding my sun spots, so my 'canvas' was pretty bare to begin with hence the shine 'shines' through earlier Ig.

I've posted this before on another reply, while I started noticing the shine prior to that but didn't really bother me until a month ago when I came out from the shower (and also cleansing my face while in the shower) my partner (who knows zilch about skincare and uses nothing except an occassional scrub when he feels very icky) with a puzzled face asked, "why didn't you wash your face while in the shower? Looks very greasy and oily." My face at that moment was dry as a cotton sheet to the touch but obviously he didn't SEE that. That was the moment that I really started to consciously scrutinize my skin and noticed HOW super shiny it is.

Thing is, my spots are still stubbornly hanging on my skin not moving anywhere despite this glass look.


feels so weird him having the same issue with me and his spots not fading. but my skin in that area has definitely changed
Fuck kinda feeling a bit on the edge now considering I just started using Tret myself. :hnghn:
 
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DM me photos if u want guidance with this, im specially good with skin problems. But if these red marks you have arent fibrotic tissue, they will certainly fade with time.
oh dude, my small area of skin looks fibrotic in that place but the spots are in the surface not sinking into the skin like a chuckhole. theyll get much more red if i rub my skin, when i wake up in the morning theyre barely visible and i used to delude myself that theyre going away. but they lay dormant there, some spots dont even appear red at all until i rub them

ive read that theyre damaged blood vessels from the past inflammation. thank you for being willing to help. i will take some pics later or tommorow and pm you

just quickly tho, what would the treatment be if that was fibrotic tissue, and does tret do anything to combat this

tbh im talking about a shell-ish appearance in my skin because tret seems to be giving me skin like that seen in patients suffering from scleroderma which is overproduction of collagen. what do you think about this
 
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@wollet2 go to acne.org scars subforum for different experiences with scarring issues.
 
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I was going to megadose collagen peptides. And maybe see if there are some solid anti aging things o could take. Thoughts? I
Stack:
Vit D3 2k UI daily minimum
Vit C 1000mg
500mg magnesium
Vit K
Complex B
Zinc
Berberine/Metformin
Pterostilbene
PQQ energy
Fisetin
Coleus Forskholli
Finasteride if hair thinning

Colagen boost:
Daily retin A + Moisturizer/sunscreen
Every 4 - 6 weeks Derminator 1.5mm
1 CO2 fraxel laser session per year
 
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Stack:
Vit D3 2k UI daily minimum
Vit C 1000mg
500mg magnesium
Vit K
Complex B
Zinc
Berberine/Metformin
Pterostilbene
PQQ energy
Fisetin
Coleus Forskholli
Finasteride if hair thinning

Colagen boost:
Daily retin A + Moisturizer/sunscreen
Every 4 - 6 weeks Derminator 1.5mm
1 CO2 fraxel laser session per year
More dermanator = better? Weekly dermanating is what I was thinking.
 
@stressftw ok this guy is also boneless and old

but you can still the difference and that his skin looks shell-ish and sclerodermatic
1662078532894

compared to this girls skin

1662078546993


i also believe that if i touch both their skin it will feel greatly different

whats your opinion on this and can your skin reverse if it starts looking like this?
 
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More dermanator = better? Weekly dermanating is what I was thinking.
No, collagen takes time(weeks) to build up on skin. Never overdoo trauma on your face.

U need to wait atleast 4 weeks minimum before each session on your face otherwise you will damage the process

If u want to use it to induce hair growth on scalp u can do weekly.
 
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No, collagen takes time(weeks) to build up on skin. Never overdoo trauma on your face.

U need to wait atleast 4 weeks minimum before each session on your face otherwise you will damage the process

If u want to use it to induce hair growth on scalp u can do weekly.
in your opinion can you both prevent some aging to your skin and avoid that shiny look tret gives

how can you keep it closer to a teenagers skin for as long as you can?
 
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@stressftw ok this guy is also boneless and old

but you can still the difference and that his skin looks shell-ish and sclerodermatic
View attachment 1848944
compared to this girls skin

View attachment 1848946

i also believe that if i touch both their skin it will feel greatly different

whats your opinion on this and can your skin reverse if it starts looking like this?
His skin looks overly moisturized and give that gay appearence because of the regimen, but if he drop his regimen it will look normal after a while.

The girl skin is naturally youthful, you cant have this past certain age.. The guy above is certainly older.

The guy skin is great btw

in your opinion can you both prevent some aging to your skin and avoid that shiny look tret gives

how can you keep it closer to a teenagers skin for as long as you can?
That shiny skin is typical from regimens with retin A and moisturizer, its unavoidable. Thats the only good alternative to induce collagen and fight skin aging


For many people this "glowing" skin effect is a good thing, specially women. But i agree it looks kinda gay on males, unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about this(that im aware). It's what a induced good skin looks like lol
 
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holy shit I had no idea tret caused this oily look
 
Fuark I don't want this gay look 😢
 
DM me photos if u want guidance with this, im specially good with skin problems. But if these red marks you have arent fibrotic tissue, they will certainly fade with time.
Can I dm too?
 
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In most times it’s from sunscreen you have to wear on tret
Mattifying sunscreen will do the trick and reduce the shininess
 
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