How to use tretinoin for wrinkles

How often should you use it?

Daily bedtime use is the usual schedule, but starting on alternate nights can reduce irritation. Agree your starting schedule with your prescriber rather than changing the prescription yourself. General retinoid guidance favors starting with a less intense formula and gradually increasing frequency. Use the strength prescribed for you; there is no single starting percentage that fits every prescription.134

How to apply tretinoin at night

1. 1Wash your hands and the treatment area with a mild, nonmedicated cleanser and water. Avoid abrasive cleansers or ones that dry the skin.
2. 2Let your skin dry as directed by your prescription or patient leaflet.
3. 3Use clean fingertips to spread enough tretinoin to cover the prescribed treatment area with a thin layer. Keep it away from your eyes, mouth, ears and the corners of your nose. Do not apply it to sunburned skin or areas affected by eczema.
4. 4Wash your hands afterward. Use moisturizer to help manage dryness, following any layering instructions from your prescriber.

Do not apply more tretinoin or use it more often than prescribed. If you miss an application and it is almost time for the next one, skip the missed dose. Never add an extra layer to make up for it.15

What should you use alongside it?

Use moisturizer regularly and sunscreen every day. Tretinoin increases sun sensitivity, so also seek shade and wear protective clothing and a hat. Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. If your skin is sensitive, a sunscreen containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide is an option. Sun protection also helps limit the sunlight exposure that causes early wrinkles, which the phrase sun kissed rather politely leaves out.2456

Avoid abrasive scrubs and drying products containing alcohol. Do not add benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or other topical medicines to the treated area unless your prescriber approves the combination. Tell your care team about all medicines you use, including medicines that increase sun sensitivity, such as tetracycline or sulfa medicines.5

Who should be careful?

Marked dryness, skin allergies or substantial redness make retinoids a less suitable choice without a dermatologist's assessment. Tretinoin can worsen eczema. People with darker skin should watch closely for irritation because it can trigger dark marks, called hyperpigmentation. Creams are generally the least irritating topical retinoid format.24

Do not use retinoids during pregnancy. Tell your prescriber before starting if you are trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while using tretinoin, call your doctor.145

Which side effects need attention?

Mild dryness, redness and irritation are common. Report symptoms that persist or become bothersome, and contact your care team promptly for burning, crusting or peeling. Call your doctor immediately for rash, hives or pain at the treatment area. Seek prompt medical attention for swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat. Ask your prescriber whether treatment needs to be paused or adjusted rather than pushing through a reaction.15

Does tretinoin help with wrinkles?

Tretinoin improves fine and coarse facial wrinkles caused by sun exposure. It increases surface skin cell turnover and boosts collagen, a protein that supports skin structure. Tretinoin has evidence for treating wrinkles, which is a more useful qualification than looking serious in a glass bottle. Long term use beyond 6 months can reduce fine wrinkling, but treatment does not erase wrinkles. If you stop, the improvement can gradually disappear, which is the part a before and after photo has trouble fitting in.1247