Applying ointments: 0.025% Retin-A cream and Infadolan

[snappy]

Hi,

I am using the 1.5mm Dermaroller, 1.0mm Deramstamp, Infadolan available from the store. Also [Deleted] Tretinoin 0.025 (which I already had prior to dermarolling).

I am excited but underestimated rolling on the face for the first time. It was tough, and it left residual red spots over my face. I'm hoping in a few days it will go away. I'm too embarrassed to tell colleagues I've been dermarolling, that I say it is some allergic reaction.

I am now following the regimen suggested by Sarah Vaughter in http://forums.owndoc.com/dermarolling-microneedling/Best-Skin-Care-Routine.

I was wondering about a few things:

• Is there a reason that Infadolan is applied in the morning and Vit-C at night?
• Even applying miniscule amounts of Infadolan, my face feels and moreso looks greasy. How soon does it take for the vitamins to be abosrbed? Is it okay to use apply isopropyl rubbing alcohol to clean off the greasy face?
• Similar to the previous question, is it okay to apply isopropyl rubbing alcohol to my face when I want to wipe off greasiness? Will it negate the effects if I perform it after I apply a syrum, lotion, or ointment?

Thanks in advance for the assistance, and good luck to everyone.

[snappy]

I also wanted to clarify question (1) and (3) as it didn't seem clear. When I apply tretinoin, it usually leaves "white dust" on my brown skin. It is very visible, but I can usually wipe it off with isopropyl alcohol. But maybe applying infadolan and tretinoin at night instead of day would be nicer. The vitamin C serum is liquid and doesn't leave any visible marks, leaving me more secure during the day.

By the way - I am keeping pictures of my face for before and after shots, but I am just not ready to disclose until I have some visible progress.

[SarahVaughter]

How long the redness lasts is individual that is why we recommend in our instructions to first do a test patch to see how the skin reacts.

1. Vit. C is light sensitive and an evening application is better. It will stay in the skin for several days.

Infadolan should be applied as aftercare right after microneedling. There is no reason for morning application in case of microneedling aftercare. In the link you have posted, Infadolan is applied (without microneedling) on areas with dry skin - around the eyes and on top of hands as a daily cream to protect and moisturize the skin during the day. That is something different.

2. Apply Infadolan right after dermarolling and you can wipe it off in the morning. Isopropyl alcohol is quite harsh on the skin, especially in high concentrations so I would not recommend using it really frequently.

Yes, you can apply Tretinoin at night. Are you sure the "white dust" is from Tretinoin itself and not from other substances that you cream may contain? I am using our Tretinoin cream and it does not leave any traces. Your cream may for example contain a sun block (titanium dioxide or zinc oxide) which leaves a whitish residue on the skin.

[snappy]

Thanks for the clarification on Infadolan. I have only used it after dermarolling.

Per your suggestion about Vitamin C being sensitive to light, I've decided to use Vitamin C at night and Tretinoin in the morning.

After closer inspection of my face, the white dust is actually skin that is peeling, which is a reaction that I've always had when applying Tretinoin. In the past, I have usually resorted to quickly wiping my face with isopropyl alcohol to remove the peeled skin from my face. It has never been overly harsh, but if there is a safer way to do this, I would prefer that approach.

As for the red spots on my face, they seem to be slowly fading away (on day 4 after rolling). In the past I have rolled on my back (I had to stop, since I was doing it on the shoulder area by myself). On the back I had no noticeable redness, but on the face it was definitely more apparent. I was wondering if this will be better as I continue to dermaroll the face?

The red spots also seem further aggravated due to application of tretinoin. However, I am trying to stick to daily application of both Tretinoin and Vitamin C to improve the efficacy of collagen production; while also taking Vitamin C orally. I would hate to dermaroll in vain.

[SarahVaughter]

>Per your suggestion about Vitamin C being sensitive to light, I've decided
>to use Vitamin C at night >and Tretinoin in the morning

There is no need applying it every day. From the link you posted:

" Vit.C remains in the skin for several days (it has about 4 days tissue half-life) so applying it twice or three times a week is sufficient. Apply vit. C in the evening since it is sensitive to sunlight. Wash it off in the morning."

"Retin A (Tretinoin= Retinoic acid). Application twice or three times a week is sufficient. Apply it in the evening since it is sensitive to sunlight."


You do not have to apply Tretinoin on the days after dermarolling, especially if you use Tretinoin prior to your dermarolling sessions.  Let the red spots heal first (they should be gone in a few days) and then restart with Tretinoin.

[snappy]

If you could evaluate my face in its current condition, it would be appreciated. I will stick to vitamin-C according to the schedule on the posted link, and return to using tretinoin when the red spots in my face have cleared up.

I am hesitant of showing pictures right now, because I am positive that it looks really bad, but things will get better over time. But, to err on the safe side, I should make sure that these red spots are indeed a temporary side-effect of dermarolling due to my facial skin not being ready for it.

This first set of attachments shows my face 2 days prior to dermarolling.

[snappy]

This set of attachments shows my faces 6 days after dermarolling. I forgot to resize the images and compress them in the earlier post, apologies about that.


I didn't take a picture immediately after dermarolling. This picture is my progress so far. These red spots are rather disturbing, and they have been there since after the first day of dermarolling, prior to applying tretinoin.

I was aware what I was getting into prior to dermarolling my face. I had done my back, but it was too uncomfortable to do alone. So I was waiting until I was in the right state of mind for doing my face, because I know it will be worse before it gets better. Furthermore, I am aware that it may take several months before I see any results. However, I am concerned about how long the red spots will last.

[snappy]

Also, I forgot to mention.

I dermarolled the forehead, the cheeks, beneath the orbital bone, and nose. I used a combination of the dermaroller and dermastamp. The dermastamp I used specifically for the nose, beneath the orbital bone, and specfic red areas on my face. For the forehead and cheeks I used the dermaroller.

The aim is to:

• Reduce the very visible and depressed line beneath the left eye, it appears to be some form of wrinkle. I used to squint my eyes a lot due to poor eye sight, but this has been rectified thanks to an eye operation. I believe this line is a consequence of all the heavy stress I had placed on my eyes from squinting frequently.
• I have a red spot beneath the left eye I am trying to reduce.
• My face has a lot of bumps, and a few ice-pick like scars.
• I also have a very visible red spot on my nose, directly between my eyes. This used to be an acne-prone spot growing up, but now it has a visible redness to it. I am ohping to clear that up.
• I have small bumps over the skin that I hope to reduce.
• Lastly, Improve the overall complexion of my face.

I didn't anticipate so many red spots on my face. I am not sure why they are all appearing on my cheek and none of my forehead which I also dermarolled. Are previous acne scares being uncovered from dermarolling?

[SarahVaughter]

Honestly, I do not even think your skin needs dermarolling because apart from the bumps your skin looks good.

Concerning the redness, have you been exposed to the sun shortly after dermarolling?

Tretinoin is a mild acid peel and it makes skin red so it may be due to Tretinoin (or aggravated by it). The redness will disappear.

To avoid redness, you can use just a dermastamp and spot treat a few areas of your concern or dermaroll your forehead and one cheek during the same session. When the redness is gone, do the other cheek.

Do not apply Tretinoin until the skin is healed and use a sunscreen.

Do the bumps get smaller when you shave them with a razor blade? If they do, use regularly a razor blade shaver on your forehead and everywhere where the bumps are. Abrasive methods may work better than dermarolling in this case because the bumps are not really raised scars. Shaving the bumps off will make the skin red so do not shave it all in one go. Do just a small part of the face each time to avoid being red all over.

[snappy]

Honestly, I do not even think your skin needs dermarolling because apart from the bumps your skin looks good.

Thanks. I purchased the dermarolling products a year ago with the intention of doing my back which has a minefield of scars, but I haven't had the courage to ask for assistance from a friend to help roll it. In recent months I have been insecure about my face, specifically because of the bumps, a wrinkle which appears underneath my left eye, that I thought there would be little harm from dermarolling.  I was aware that it may deteriorate the skin, but whatever effects it had will likely be temporary -- and may overall improve the complexion of my skin.

Concerning the redness, have you been exposed to the sun shortly after dermarolling?

I haven't been exposed to the sun much, I work mostly in-doors. I spend probably less than an hour outdoors daily (unfortunately).

To avoid redness, you can use just a dermastamp and spot treat a few areas of your concern or dermaroll your forehead and one cheek during the same session. When the redness is gone, do the other cheek.

In retrospect this would have been a better idea. In future sessions, I think I will only spot-treat and dermastamp for incremental improvement.

Do not apply Tretinoin until the skin is healed and use a sunscreen.

Understood.

Do the bumps get smaller when you shave them with a razor blade? If they do, use regularly a razor blade shaver on your forehead and everywhere where the bumps are. Abrasive methods may work better than dermarolling in this case because the bumps are not really raised scars. Shaving the bumps off will make the skin red so do not shave it all in one go. Do just a small part of the face each time to avoid being red all over.

I have never tried before. I have always been worried that this will leave red marks for a long time. I'm willing to try on my forehead though.

I also purchased a suction pump and cups for handling my back acne. Do you think there would be any benefit to doing suction on my face just before dermastamping? I tried the suction cups on my chest and notice that it leaves a bruise-like mark for  a few days.  I was thinking of doing suction on the right-side of my nose, where there is a very small ice-pick like scar. Hoping this may improve the healing time.

Thanks.

[SarahVaughter]

The redness from dermarolling is only temporary and it will disappear, don't worry.

Shaving the bumps off will temporarily leave red marks but it will most likely get rid of the bumps if they are shaven off regularly. You may have to do it on dry skin to achieve abrading effect.  Use new blade each shaving session.

The suction pump is for scars that are tethered to the underlying structures. It concerns mainly the rolling type of acne scars and surgical or accident scars that got tethered. You do not have tethered scars on your face at all.

A dermaroller and a dermastamp are very suitable for acne scars on the back but you need someone to help you with that.