When retinol first burst onto the beauty scene it was something of a Marmite of skincare; some loved it and were happy to suffer the’retinol uglies’, while others found it too drying and irritating. The good news is that retinol’s more powerful big sister tretinoin, is even more effective at unclogging pores and tackling acne, as well as smoothing out skin tone and texture, fading hyperpigmentation and dissolving fine lines and wrinkles.
But is it right for you? It’s worth bearing in mind that tretinoin is prescription-only and you will have to get a consultation first. This can be done through a doctor or dermatologist, but in the UK it is also possible to obtain a Tretinoin prescription online via an online consultation service such as UK Meds.
Your GP will not be able to prescribe you tretinoin, but dermatologists and online dermatology services will. This will involve a video or phone call with a dermatologist who will ask you about your skin, what the issues are you want to treat and make a recommendation as to which product and strength of tretinoin cream uk you should use.
They will also advise you on how often you should apply it, when to start and when to increase the frequency and/or concentration. If you have underlying conditions such as rosacea you may need to be more cautious about using tretinoin as it can cause sensitivity in some people. In this case you will need to apply it to a moisturiser that is gentle and bland with hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, shea butter and panthenol. You will also need to avoid other exfoliants (such as glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids) and ensure you are using a broad spectrum sunscreen when outdoors.
The first time you use tretinoin your skin will probably experience a few side effects, including redness, dryness, scaly and itchy. However, these should disappear as your skin gets used to the cream and your dosage increases. It’s important to stick with the regimen as long as your GP or dermatologist recommends, and to contact them if your skin experiences any changes.
The most common tretinoin cream uk available is 0.025% but you can also find 0.05 and 0.1 tretinoin uk prescription options at Obagi. However, you must remember that these are prescription-only products so you will need to book a virtual consultation with a doctor before you can purchase them online. You can do this through an online dermatologist such as Get Harley, Dermatica or Skin + Me. Alternatively, you can also order tretinoin cream uk from a pharmacy such as Boots. This is not as safe and you should only do this if your doctor has recommended it for you. Alternatively, you can also buy it directly from the manufacturer’s website. tretinoin cream uk