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I went to the dermatologist for the first time in my life last week...At the ripe old age of 42, I thought it was about time. I decided it was time to go for several reasons:
- Living in Florida and understanding the seriousness of skin cancer, I thought it was important to have a full body check by a qualified dermatologist.
- I have a mild case of rosacea, but I've been told that the condition often gets worse with age.
- I never seemed to outgrow getting acne, and I figured there must be something better than over the counter stuff.
- I also have what I thought were sun or age spots, but the dermatologist actually said they were probably related to hormones.
- And of course, I was wondering if there was some way to help my skin age more gracefully.
Even though none of my skin problems were very serious, together they were beginning to bother me. Since I had insurance that covered most of the cost of going to a dermatologist, I decided to make the appointment. And I'm really glad I did.
It turns out that at this time I don't have any suspicious signs of skin cancer, and my other problems can apparently all be helped with a prescription for Retin-A Micro Gel 0.10%.
From Jolie Nadine - Beauty Tip: Using Retin-A Without Dryness...
Retin-A is beauty’s closest thing to a miracle product: it clears up breakouts, softens and smooths skin, and is one of the only things on the market (short of Botox, fillers or plastic surgery) that will truly, visibly remove lines and wrinkles and make you look younger.
But it wouldn't be as easy as just going to my local pharmacy and getting my prescription for Retin-A filled. Surprise, surprise...It wasn't covered by my prescription plan. I called around, and the three pharmacies I checked in my area all charged over $200 to get the Retin-A Micro Gel, and only slightly less for the generic (Tretinoin).
Since there was no way I could afford to pay that kind of money, I decided to Google Retin-A and see if I could find it for a better price. What I found were a bunch of Canadian pharmacies offering it for about $50...still expensive, but doable.
I wasn't sure about ordering from one of these Canadian pharmacies, but after I called NorthWestPharmacy and was assured that I would be getting the exact product offered at my local pharmacy, I decided to give it a try. A week later I received my Retin-A Micro Gel from Canada, and sure enough, it is exactly what I ordered.
Even though I just got the prescription today, I have been using samples from the doctor ever since my visit last Monday. And just in this short amount of time, I am noticing my acne beginning to clear up.
But it's not a perfect solution...Retin-A is very drying and there is a prodocal to follow if you want to minimize irritation.
Jen Hill from MythBuster Beauty explains how to use Retin A...
In the PM, after cleansing and allowing your skin to dry, dab a pea-sized amount around face (a little bit goes a long way and this is strong stuff)! You can then proceed with your moisturizer. You should only use this every other night until your skin adjusts to the retin-A (which will take a few weeks), then gradually build up to using it every night. If you notice peeling or irritation, stop using Retin-A for a few days.
If you are using any creams or lotions containing peptides, specifically copper peptides, you will not want to use a retinoid, AHA, or vitamin C cream within 2 hours of use, or rotate using one every other day. I am not a chemist either, but I have read that the copper peptides are not effective if combined with these acidic ingredients.
And most importantly you will need to take particular precautions to protect your skin during the day while using Retin-A. Wear a hat, use sunscreen, and avoiding going outside during the peak sun hours.
BlogHer contributing editor Susan Wagner has written many great posts on skin care and her use of Retin-A. Check out How to Talk to Your Dermatologist and How to be hott at 40...
Wear sunscreen every day, and visit the dermatologist; even if you're not interested in any of the extreme treatments for older skin, like Botox, there are topical treatments that will help your
