Planning pregnancy in 3–3.5 years — should I be worried about using tretinoin/retinol now?
I’ve been considering starting retinol/tretinoin, but I’ve been hesitant because I’ve heard that retinoids can cause pregnancy-related issues.
I’m **not pregnant and don’t plan to be for another 3–3.5 years**, but I’d like to start using retinol now for skincare.
For those who have used tret/retinol and later planned a pregnancy, how did you approach this? Is there any concern about using it years before trying to conceive, or is the concern mainly about use during pregnancy?
For anyone who has spoken to a dermatologist about this: what did they recommend regarding how long before trying to conceive you should stop tretinoin/retinol? Did your dermatologist consider topical retinoids safe to use several years before pregnancy?
TL;DR: I want to start tretinoin/retinol now but plan to try for pregnancy in ~3–3.5 years. Is there any long-term fertility/pregnancy concern, and when did your dermatologist recommend stopping it before trying to conceive?