Retin A irritates the skin and makes the skin cells grow and die rapidly in turn increasing the turnover of cells. It reduces acne follicles and thereby brings down the acne pimples to the surface and therefore acne looks worse in first few weeks of treatment. Again, tretinoin is affective in aging factors by lightening brown sunspots and leads to the disappearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
The effect of increased skin cell turnover can be irritation and flaking. For this reason, people stop using Retin-A aftr a couple of days to weeks, then think that it did not work. Retin A is very effective for whiteheads and blackheads, but it takes at least 6 months to see a noticeable difference in wrinkles. The best result can be seen if Retin A is used for at least a year. Regular use of cream medication Retin A could lead to some side effects among people who have a hypersensitive skin. Such effects could be:
1. Red, puffy or blistered skin
2. Burning, itching, redness of the skin
3. Peeling or chapping of skin
In case, there is an unusual skin darkening that persists for a long time, then the patient should seek immediate medical guidance for further usage of the medicine.
1. Since the gel form of tretinoin is quite flammable, it is better not to smoke while applying it.
2. Retin A cream can easily increase the sensitivity to sunlight, cold or wind therefore while using it, patient need to take protective measures by wearing proper clothes and sunscreen.
3. Pregnant women should use the drug only after proper consultation with the physician.
4. Avoid skin care products that contain high amount of alcohol, astringents or skin care lotions when using Retin A. Other products that are hypersensitive to sun or cause too much drying of the skin should also be avoided.
5. Store the gel or liquid out of reach of children and under a room tempertaure of 30 degrees C.
