It's amazing stuff, and I think everyone should know about it.

It speeds up the turnover rate of the skin, and builds hardy collagen underneath. Especially great for MtF's on HRT looking to speed up the rate of facial skin change and look younger/prettier.

I've been using a bleaching cream for a bit of hyperpigmentation on my upper lip leftover from laser and bad SPF regimen. It has a little bit of retin-a in it, and after a week I'm already astounded at the results.

Anyone else use Retin-A with success? I'm surprised it's not talked about more.

What is it?

It's present in a lot of anti-aging creams. The before/afters are sometimes incredible.

I think it could especially help to feminize a face!

You basically start off slow, applying just a little bit once every three nights for a week, then every 2 nights for a week, and then finally every night et al. It makes the skin much more sensitive to sunlight as it inhibits melanin production, but this also means that it evens out skin tone. It takes a few weeks for skin to adjust, at first it peels quite a lot.

Seriously though, the skin on my upper lip is now BABY smooth. I'm going to get some of the straight up retin-a cream (not as part of a bleaching cream) and use it on my whole face.

It does build new collagen, and the collagen lasts. It does wonders to keep your skin young and healthy.

Can you post a link to where to get it?

I need all the help I can get!!!

Hi Jennygirl,
This sounds really interesting. Is it an OTC cream or perscription only?
Mary

Lol sure Cindy!

If you want the good stuff, have to talk to a dermatologist- it is prescription only because it is not to be fooled around with. There is an over the counter variant "retinol" that is much weaker.

This page talks about the differences between the two:

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/face/beauty-411-retin-a-vs-retinol

Retin-A or Tretinoin is the one you want!

I've been using it for 2 years. I agree with its anti-ageing properties. I began using it when I started the Obagi skin system. It got rid of all the melasmic patches I had picked up from using high E for many years.

Quote from: Nicolette on December 04, 2013, 03:16:29 AM
I've been using it for 2 years. I agree with its anti-ageing properties. I began using it when I started the Obagi skin system. It got rid of all the melasmic patches I had picked up from using high E for many years.

That's great. I started to notice darkening on my upper lip, it could totally be from high E.

Do you wear sunblock every day? Just curious if you've noticed a difference in sun sensitivity.

I'm white as a ghost as I avoid the sun because of its ageing UV light! For this reason I haven't noticed my skin becoming any more sensitive to the sun. But if I have to, I have some SPF 50. We don't get much sun in the UK, so not much of a problem.

Hmm that looks great....but why cosmetics are so expensive? My wallet is already feeling how expensive is to be a woman and I don't even use cosmetics or make-up, just sun-blockers and some lotions for my skin.

I hate living exactly below the tropic of capricorn...we have mild weather when it is winter but terribly hot days when it is summer. Yesterday it was 32ºC!

I love walking/running on Sundays, but due to it my skin is getting too tanned for my taste, and I really hate being tanned. My upper arms are as really white and my lower arms and hands are like two tones different, as it is my face...

I wish I could find some way to revert this tanning and get back to my natural color. Can this retin-A help with this matter? Any tips, girls? 

Quote from: Natalia on December 04, 2013, 05:09:07 AM
Hmm that looks great....but why cosmetics are so expensive? My wallet is already feeling how expensive is to be a woman and I don't even use cosmetics or make-up, just sun-blockers and some lotions for my skin.

I hate living exactly below the tropic of capricorn...we have mild weather when it is winter but terribly hot days when it is summer. Yesterday it was 32ºC!

I love walking/running on Sundays, but due to it my skin is getting too tanned for my taste, and I really hate being tanned. My upper arms are as really white and my lower arms and hands are like two tones different, as it is my face...

I wish I could find some way to revert this tanning and get back to my natural color. Can this retin-A help with this matter? Any tips, girls? 

The substance hydroquinone will lighten skin by inhibiting melanin production. It's what I often use and I don't go beyond 2% content. Anything higher should be avoided. Careful, hydroquinone is actually carcinogenic in large amounts. Retin-A will also help by accelerating skin turnover and causing you to lose that tan faster.

I use retinol-sa on my eyes every morning.  It's not quite as strong, but it gets the job done. 

Running man and bright sun after laser? Are you mad? Lol. 

I used a cream with retinol in it for a while and it worked well I thought, then the wrinkles I had seemed to go away altogether I think through the skin changes HRT brought on or something?  I'm sure they will be back soon and I will prob go back to it since it seemed to work.

Be careful with Retin A....it's very strong stuff and it actually can ruin your skin when used in a too frequent/too high dosage...

Quote from: Jennygirl on December 04, 2013, 02:55:01 AM
It's amazing stuff, and I think everyone should know about it.

It speeds up the turnover rate of the skin, and builds hardy collagen underneath. Especially great for MtF's on HRT looking to speed up the rate of facial skin change and look younger/prettier.

I've been using a bleaching cream for a bit of hyperpigmentation on my upper lip leftover from laser and bad SPF regimen. It has a little bit of retin-a in it, and after a week I'm already astounded at the results.

Anyone else use Retin-A with success? I'm surprised it's not talked about more.

Just curious, how long did it take before you noticed results?

The reason I used it was for hyperpigmentation on my upper lip from sun damage after E + LHR. Retin-a was part of the bleach cream prescribed to me.

My doctor said I would notice results after 6 weeks, but for me it was much quicker. I think I must have caught the hyperpigmentation when it was still just on the very surface of my skin. I used the stuff every other day for 2 weeks and the problem has been completely corrected.

I noticed a difference after 3-4 uses, and the hyperpigmentation was completely gone after about 8-9 uses and I've since stopped using it.

I'm having a bit of FFS in less than 3 weeks (wohoo!!!) and I think I'm going to include a retin-a cream as part of my recovery... hoping to come out in February looking a few years younger and female from all angles no makeup... That is my goal.

Since retin-a usually causes the skin to peel, it seems to me like using it during the bloody/swollen stage of FFS recovery is an ideal time to be using it and peeling away!

Most things I have read about retin-a suggest that 6 weeks is an appropriate time to see results, with a 2 week initial start period that you actually look worse because your skin has to adjust to it.

Does it do anything for rosacea or under-eye baggage/dark circles?

Quote from: Ashey on December 21, 2013, 01:27:06 AM
Does it do anything
  under-eye baggage/dark circles?

Yes, it makes your under eye skin even worse, by thinning it out making it show the tiny veins more, making it even darker looking 

I get it from my mom but it makes my skin peel like crazy so I always stop. It also makes me break out at first. But I have never tried it long term while on HRT, so maybe I should.

Quote from: Joanna Dark on December 21, 2013, 09:37:11 AM
I get it from my mom but it makes my skin peel like crazy so I always stop. It also makes me break out at first. But I have never tried it long term while on HRT, so maybe I should.

Since it's a prescription only medication, it would probably be best to consult with your doctor?