u/Shamajo

I wanted to share this because the August 2025 photo was taken several months before I really started taking better care of my skin. I wasn’t doing anything particularly consistent or focused at that point.

Things really started to change after I got a red light therapy mask for Christmas.

In January 2026, I started tretinoin 0.025%.

In February, I added prescription azelaic acid 15%.

In March, I added estradiol cream. This is vaginal estrogen, but I use a very small amount topically around the orbital rim/under-eye area, on my “tech neck” lines and on my hands.

In June, I increased tretinoin from 0.025% to 0.05%, which I now use six nights a week. I also added lactic acid once a week using the blue-label AmLactin.

My current routine is:

AM:
Wash with water only.
Red light therapy mask, including neck and chest.
Azelaic acid 15%.
Vanicream Vitamin C serum.
Vanicream moisturizer.
Sunscreen.

PM — six nights a week:
Double cleanse with Prequel Oil Cleanser followed by Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser.
Let my face dry completely.
Tretinoin 0.05%.
A very small amount of estradiol cream around the orbital rim, neck and hands.

PM — one night a week:
Cleanse and use lactic acid instead of tretinoin.

I’ve also had Botox/Jeuveau during this period, so I want to be completely transparent about that. I haven’t had filler.

The August photo is really my “before I started trying” baseline. The February photo was very early in the process, only about a month into tretinoin and around the time I added azelaic acid. The July photo is after roughly six months of consistent prescription skincare, red light therapy and a more intentional routine.

For me, the changes I notice most are in overall texture, firmness, forehead lines, the skin around my eyes and the smoothness of my neck. I also feel like my nasolabial folds are less noticeable. My skin just looks healthier to me.

I’m 54, and I’m also losing a significant amount of weight, so I’m particularly interested in maintaining collagen and skin quality as I continue to lose. I know no topical is going to completely prevent facial volume loss or reverse aging, but I’m genuinely surprised by how much improvement I’ve seen from being consistent.

I’m planning IPL next for redness, pigmentation and sun damage, so I’m curious to see where my skin is another six months from now.

The biggest thing I’ve learned is that I wish I had taken prescription-strength skincare seriously sooner. I spent years looking at OTC anti-aging products when, for me, the combination of tretinoin, azelaic acid, red light therapy, sunscreen and consistency has made a much more noticeable difference.

Still very much a work in progress, but I’m pretty happy with the direction things are going.

As I get older (54F) I am super paranoid about my hooded eyes, and have always disliked how one of my eyes is smaller than the other.

On a whim, I got prescribed Upneeq eye drops.

This is a before and after. I know the light is different, but one was taken early morning and the other mid morning, but I was careful to look at same spot in the mirror in both photos. No makeup in either photo.

I can tell the difference but it is subtle.

The drops are expensive ($5 for each single use) and the effect only lasts 6 to 8 hours according to their website. I will most likely only use when I get photos done to use up the box I was prescribed and not get a new prescription.

Just wanted to share in case others in the community were curious about the results. Maybe I was not a great candidate for this product.

For my sensitive skin peeps using tretinoin.

I have extremely sensitive skin, rosacea prone, vascular.

I am currently phasing in 0.050 tretinoin (from 0.025). I currently use the higher strength 2 nights a week and the other nights the lower strength.

Phasing in the higher strength has sort of reset things, had a couple of purges, and my pores started looking more noticeable (most likely due to increased cell turnover).

I follow Dr Dray and she mentioned using Amlactin on face if you use a retinoid, so I thought I would give it a try.

I skipped tret last night and applied maybe a fingers length to my face and neck. I felt slight tingling and was careful (ready to wash it off because of my skin sensitivity) but it settled quickly.

Next day, glowy skin, less orange peel looking pores. I was pretty stunned.

Dr Dray says to do a patch test first and not to use a retinol and amlactin together, but for sensitive skin this is a great exfoliating treatment that actually made my skin more hydrated.

I will be doing this once a week now.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/people-lost-85-pounds-lillys-experimental-weight-loss-drug-company-say-rcna346172