Shereene IdrissBoard Certified Derm, Founder and Chief Nerd

How to Use Tretinoin/Retinoid #shorts

15 Oct 2023 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:57

A brief YouTube short by board-certified dermatologist Shereene Idriss explaining tretinoin (the active form of retinoid/vitamin A). The speaker warns that many people cannot tolerate tretinoin due to redness and irritation, and emphasizes "consistency over intensity": slow, regular use (often mixed with moisturizer) builds tolerance and yields better long-term skin results than aggressive, intolerable application. The clip ends with an invitation for questions or comments.

Chapters

Reality is not everyone can tolerate tretinoin. What is tretinoin? It is the active form of a retinoid, the active form of a vitamin A. So when it's applied onto your skin, it's gonna go and start working directly. Most people out there will not tolerate tretinoin even if they mix it in with a little bit of moisturizer. Their face will get red, inflamed and angry in the process and they will be too scared to use it in the long run. If you know anything about me, I am a board certified dermatologist and one of the biggest things that I preach is consistency over intensity. Because at the end of the day, it's not about blowing your face off in the process, it's about living your life, hopefully a long life, and having beautiful skin throughout your life. So allowing your skin to tolerate a little bit of an ingredient every single day is going to yield much better results as you get older than trying to use something super strong that your face was never able to tolerate in the first place. If you have any questions or comments, let me know below.