Retin-A

[PhiMuLady150]

I recently visited a dermatologist because I have had little breakouts around my chin. I'm 26 and have had pretty good skin most of my life. The dermatologist told me it was a case of adult acne and wrote me a RX for Retin-A and also told me to investigate a birth control pill called Yasmin. I started the Retin A (3x/week for at least the next three months) about a week ago. She (the dermatologst) swear by it even though there are side effects. Right now, I am experiencing a little bit of peeling but she said that would subside in about 3 weeks. Anyone else ever been on Retin-A or taken a BC pill for acne?

[AlethiaSi]

I've never been on Retin- A but i've heard good things about it, but peeling i think is a common side effect.

my skin is so much better on BC, but pills didn't work for me, i was on the patch for 2 years and i absolutely loved it. Apparently, they just took it off the market but I'm going to try the ring, its supposed to be even better with less risks.

Almost all BC's help with acne though, so if you're open to it, that is a definate benefit, along with bigger boobs (but some ppl gain weight, i did... ) and less cramps.

[KSUViolet06]

I'd stick with topical (things that you put ON the skin) stuff for acne. I've never heard anything bad about Retin-A.

I don't recommend taking the pill just for acne. It has some weird side effects that I just don't think are worth it if you don't absolutely NEED the pill for contraception.

My regular family dr started me on the pill for acne, and it didn't help much. I gained weight, had headaches because of the hormones, and got nauseous alot. When I went back to my GYN (to see if maybe she knew what was going on), she told me that taking the pill just wasn't worth it if I didn't need it for it's actual purpose (contraceptive).

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I'd stick with topical (things that you put ON the skin) stuff for acne. I've never heard anything bad about Retin-A.

I don't recommend taking the pill just for acne. It has some weird side effects that I just don't think are worth it if you don't absolutely NEED the pill for contraception.

I agree with KSUViolet06. I used Retin-A Micro for acne (cystic at that ) and I got WONDERFUL results. I did experience peeling for the first 2-3 weeks but after that, nothing. Just be sure to use a good moisturizer (especially if you have dry skin) with sunscreen and you will be fine.

I would not use BC as a way to control acne.

Now, I use pure tea tree oil to treat it. At the first sign of cystic acne I apply it topically twice a day and it works. It will either never form or it will last for only 2 to 3 days (never fulling "forming" and totally gone by day 3). No scarring or peeling either.

[BigRedBeta]

While Retin-A is not on the same level as accutane (which you wouldn't need anyways for pretty minor acne), it is known to cause birth defects in animal models...so to some extent, taking the OCs is precautionary measure.

As far as taking the OC's in general...in my limited knowledge as a second year medical student, there are a lot of benefits and few risks to taking OC's including a reduction in certain cancer risks. But if you are having any side effect that you don't like, tell your doctor - there are so many different preparations available, you could easily do better on a different pill.

[VAgirl18]

i was prescribed retin-a for a different dermatological issue and it severely burned my skin. it hurt to take a shower.

[AKA_Monet]

Retin-A is an old drug now. I remember when it first was released by the company. It was in the 1980's. Then the reports of the side effects were quite significant in the mid-1990's.

Birth control I think provides the "synthetic estrogen" compounds to counter act all the hormonal fluctuations during menstruation. I will get the MD Consult info when I can post it.

I would say, do a WebMD search on your drugs and find the pros and cons.

Now, you will probably grow out of your acne. But what you can do is change your diet to better fit your metabolism. You can try eating more fish that contain omega-3's or 6's. Moreover, you want drink plenty of water during the day and decrease your fried foods and caffeine including ALL chocolate.

Good luck.

[AlphaFrog]

Have you tried something simple, like Proactiv? It works for me when I have breakouts - and it's cheap and doesn't cause the peeling.

[ZTAngel]

A few years ago, I broke out on my forehead. It wasn't too bad but to me it was significant considering I hadn't had acne problems when I was a pre-teen or a teen. I tried Proactiv and it worked for me. It cleared my skin up within a week and I haven't had problems since (knock on wood). Anytime I see a pimple, I'll use Proactiv and it seems to take care of the problem almost immediately.

I have friends that have used Proactiv and had the complete opposite experience from me, though. It all depends on your skin.

[BetteDavisEyes]

Originally Posted by VAgirl18

i was prescribed retin-a for a different dermatological issue and it severely burned my skin. it hurt to take a shower.

Same thing happened to me. It was awful. Imagine being a teenager with acne AND a burned face. At least it was summer so not a lot of people could see me. I had to stop taking it after the burns got bad. The only good thing I got out of Retin-A was minimal scarring from the burns.

[VAgirl18]

Originally Posted by BetteDavisEyes

Same thing happened to me. It was awful. Imagine being a teenager with acne AND a burned face. At least it was summer so not a lot of people could see me. I had to stop taking it after the burns got bad. The only good thing I got out of Retin-A was minimal scarring from the burns.

it was on a less sensitive part of my body and it still hurt like crazy.. and i NEVER have reactions to anything!!