Two years later: my skin has finally improved.
Hi Everyone,
(Disclaimer: I cropped the before-and-after photos because I wasn’t comfortable posting my full face online. I also covered my eyes and lips for privacy.)
I’m sharing this because two years ago I genuinely thought my skin was doomed and that nothing would fix it. I spent so much time reading success stories on this sub, hoping I would eventually have one of my own.
Out of nowhere, I started getting a lot of closed comedones on my forehead and cheeks. They were pretty stubborn and just won’t go away, so I went to my university dermatologist and was prescribed tretinoin.
I started with 0.025% tretinoin cream and used it nightly for about four months. Instead of improving, my skin got significantly worse. I developed whiteheads, pustules, papules, and even a few nodules. Since I had never really struggled with acne before, it was honestly pretty upsetting.
My dermatologist then increased me to 0.05% tretinoin cream, but after a few more months I still wasn’t seeing improvement. We also tried adding 15% azelaic acid, but my skin became red, irritated, and sensitive.
At that point I stopped all actives and switched dermatologists.
My new dermatologist started me on 0.3% adapalene gel, which helped reduce my active acne. After about three months, I switched to 0.04% tretinoin microsphere gel (Retin-A Micro).
That ended up being the game changer.
I had a mild purge that lasted about a week, but nothing like what I experienced with tretinoin cream. I’ve now been using tret micro for over seven months, and my skin is dramatically better. Breakouts are rare, and most of my post-acne marks have faded.
A few months later, I reintroduced 15% azelaic acid, and I think the combination of tret micro and azelaic acid helped a lot. Around the same time, I also started using the Omnilux red light therapy mask.
I’m not saying everyone should follow my routine. The biggest lesson I learned is that sometimes it’s not the active ingredient that’s the problem—it’s the formulation. Tretinoin cream never worked for my skin, while tretinoin micro gel made a huge difference.
If you’re struggling right now, don’t lose hope. It took me almost two years to find a routine that worked for my skin, but things eventually got better.
For reference, my skin type is dry/dehydrated.
Current Routine
AM
Tatcha Rice Polish (15-second wash)
Byoma Hydrating Milk Toner
Prequel Multi-Quench Serum
Prequel Vitamin C
Azelaic Acid 15% Micro Gel
Purito Oat-In Gel Cream
Purito Daily Soft Touch SPF
PM
Bioderma Micellar Water
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
Omnilux Red Light Therapy Mask
Tretinoin Micro 0.04% Gel
Purito Oat-In Gel Cream + Purito Dermide Relief Barrier Moisturizer
1–2 drops Rosehip Seed Oil
One thing that also helped was checking products for potentially pore-clogging ingredients before buying them. And if you’re adding new products, introduce them slowly—one at a time—so you can tell what’s actually helping.