Facial/Skin Care: where to start

[TeaUrchin]

• I'm in my mid 50's and have neglected my skin for about 5-8 years.   I just had a facial and discovered my skin is DRY.

What do I need to take care of it better? What lines would be best? go slow, allow for building up as I'm overwhelmed.  

[quana246]

I will give you a starter routine I think will work for you but you need to find out your skin type(normal, combination, sensitive, oily, dry, acne prone, mature, blemished)

• Cetaphil daily cleanser 
• CeraVe daily moisturizer lotion 
• A retinol or retinal (I recommend using it after a moisturizer and only 2 times a week to get your skin used to it)
• Sunscreen 

[TeaUrchin]

hello.

I like your routine as it is simple and it addresses my needs.

Im told after a recent facial, that i have dry skin although i cant see it.  I don't have acne but I do have a couple of jawline cysts.

What of moisturizers, toners etc.

[quana246]

I don't really have advice for cysts and I don't want to give you the wrong advice. 

I'm not saying that person is wrong but I mean it's you skin, if you don't think you have dry skin but don't know what type of skin you have I would recommend using skin bliss.

I think I was misunderstood. Retinol can be drying for the skin, so that's why I recommended using it after a moisturizer.

I've used two before, resurfacing retinol serum and anti aging retinol cream serum. 

I think the cream serum should be used for dry and the resurfacing retinol serum should be used for oily.

[TeaUrchin]

Retinol is moisturizer.

[beachgirlie6]

hi!!

DO NOT use retinol!! it is very bad for young and old skin, providing a path to damaged skin with bad side effects. use more natural things to get rid of wrinkles. that is always best. for dry skin, get a rich strong morstrizer!! i recommend anything between tatcha and byoma!! 

[WinglessOne]

@beachgirlie6  That’s not true for adult* skin. Retinol does not “provide a path to damaged skin” unless it’s misused. Retinol’s a form of vitamin A (so are tretinoin, retinal/retinaldehyde, adapalene, HPR/“granactive retinoid,” and a few others). Vitamin A increases skin cell turnover and boosts collagen production, resulting in thicker healthier skin. Vitamin A can definitely be drying as a side effect, which is why it’s important to use it correctly: start with just 1-2x a week for a few weeks to see how your skin tolerates it, then increase to 2-3x a week for a while, and keep gradually increasing use until you’re at a comfy-for-you frequency—which doesn’t have to be daily (eh, nightly) unless your doctor/dermatologist says otherwise. 

“More natural things” can be very damaging to skin at any age, depending on the ingredient and the user’s skin sensitivities or allergies. Example: lavender is a natural ingredient that wrecks my facial skin. Some people’s skin won’t tolerate honey, algae, fragrance in general, etc. Some folks’ skin can also be intolerant of retinol and other forms of vitamin A, as well as vitamin C/ascorbic acid, niacinamide, glycolic acid and other active ingredients. You can become sensitive to almost any ingredient, really, be it natural or synthetic. 🤷‍♀️ Natural is not always best. 

A good moisturizer IS a good suggestion for dry skin, though. Especially if that moisturizer’s applied to damp skin to help seal in more hydration. 

*Some teenagers are prescribed vitamin A to treat acne. Retinol’s not regulated as a drug here in the US, but adapalene and tretinoin are, and the FDA considers those 2 safe for acne treatment. Parents of kids trying to treat acne should consult a pediatrician or dermatologist instead of buying an OTC retinol product.  

[beachgirlie6]

nope not true all retinol is terrible for all skin young and old,

[WinglessOne]

@beachgirlie6  What’s the info source for your claim? I doubt it’s a board certified dermatologist or cosmetic chemist, so I’m kinda curious to hear where you’re getting that info from. Or, is it just your personal opinion? Did you have a bad experience with retinol? 

There’s a lot of clinical data on retinol and tretinoin. Have you looked at any scientific studies on the topic? I mean, saying “all retinol is terrible for all skin young and old” is no different from claiming all vitamin C is terrible for all skin, which is also not true. 

[beachgirlie6]

yes, my source is an experienced dermatologist who is truthful and knows a lot. i am saying regional IS BAD. look it up. it has terrible side effects! plz for ur own sake don't use it. to give you some slack, your are correct when you say all vitamin c is bad. BUT IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO IT IT IS BAD mic dropppp 

[Shosh85]

@beachgirlie6  what is your dermatologists name? I have been using retinol for the past 2 years and my skin has never looked/felt better! It sounds like you need to do more research!

[WinglessOne]

@beachgirlie6  Some forms of vitamin A do have side effects, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad for all skin. A common side effect (especially for tretinoin) is very dry flaky skin. That side effect doesn’t usually last forever though, and a good moisturizer (plus sometimes a facial oil) helps resolve it. 

I question the medical expertise of any dermatologist who claims all forms of vitamin A, including retinol, are bad for all skin. That’s like an ophthalmologist or optometrist claiming Rx contact lenses are bad for all eyes. Some people’s eyes are too sensitive for certain types of contacts, but that doesn’t mean contacts are bad for everyone. 

FYI, I’ve been a vitamin A user for the last 5 years. 😉 I started with retinol, then switched to retinaldehyde (aka retinal). My dermatologist is 100% on board with this. In fact, he and I decided together that my particular skin would tolerate retinal much better than retinol and tretinoin, at least for now. My skin has no damage caused by vitamin A. Heck, my skin’s healthier thanks to it.