#113

I’ve started tretinoin 0.05%, is there anything I should know? Does the other skin treatments have any proven effect?

#114

It’s really hard to give advice as the calculus involved is highly subjective. For me personally I wouldn’t do it because I know it takes at least 3 treatments to see real results and since I want real results and can’t roll over the cost of a single treatment into the purchase price of the machine, it just wouldn’t be worth it to me. I’d save up to own the machine. In my experience with RF microneedling I got pretty much ZERO results the first 4 times I did it, but very noticeable results after subsequent sessions. The only reason I kept treating after the 4th time was because I incurred zero marginal cost and even had to “justify” to myself my purchase by using the machine. Had I had to pay for each treatment out of pocket I would have stopped long before reaching 5 — apparently the magic number for me — due to a lack of perceived results.

Tixel is more powerful though and you might start to see results right away. Who knows.

If you opt to buy the machine, you should insist on training from the vendor. They often provide it and/or videos of correct usage etc.

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#115

Sunscreen — use it religiously. Less is more and buffer tret with a good moisturizer

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#116

Do I have to use moisturizer with tret, what does it do?

#117

You don’t have to use moisturizer with it - it comes as a cream typically that you put on at night before bed (don’t put it on during the day as its light sensitive). Medaura is the expert … if she suggests adding moisturizer I would. And be sure to use sunscreen during the day (as it makes your skin more sensitive to sun).

I think one of the key mechanisms of action is that it increases cell turnover on the skin.

#118

I just don’t know what the moisturizer is for. Why didn’t they put it in the cream?

#119

“The effects are cumulative and exponentially increase,” I love that I accidentally stumble upon my favorite type of interventions which are all cumulative and exponential.

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#120

Its not that simple (it rarely is)…

See this post: Highlights from the 2023 Longevity Summit - #5 by RapAdmin

I asked her briefly what her opinion on use of tretinoin/Retin A products and the potential for stem cell exhaustion (because tretinoin ramps up the skin cell turnover) and whether that might be a problem. She said she was concerned about this, and especially among younger women aged 20 or so who might be using it for many decades. She was less concerned about use in older people.

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#128

I’ve had good results with a routine of tretinoin, AHA/BHA, sunscreen and a cleanser. At least I don’t hate myself when looking into the mirror.

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#129

It’s time to become a glower.

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57dc6ceca3afc9679bc3af8b1b04997d1100×1350 114 KB

Six boosters later, tretinoin, finasteride, statins, debunking russian trolls, and whey protein powder.
What else?

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#130

L-citrulline, tadalafil and a diet high in nitrates for veinmaxxing. Women love those.

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#131

b84

On my way to Rapa Nui to pick up some Rapamycin.

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#132

She is selling a competing product and I don’t understand what the problem is.
I don’t want to look old.

There’s always going to be something negative said of something - statins, ezetimibe, PCSK9i, finasteride, SGLT2i, mTORi.

Not doing anything is highly negative.

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#133

If we don’t have any products available in 60 years that can restore stem cells, we are screwed anyway, hence there is no point delaying tretinoin treatment.

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#134

I just don’t believe ‘high impact negative’ side effects that much anymore, based on my experience in researching things.

If someone doesn’t do something because they hear one of those stories, well it’s not going to go well.

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#135

We’re all just making our best guess, but I personally would avoid anything that speeds up the cell cycle.

We know that the cell cycle is an extremely stressful, damage prone process. Like you said, maybe the short-term boost makes this a good idea in older individuals (similar to growth hormone for example), but long term I could see it backfiring.

No thanks tretinoin, I’ll stick with CE ferulic.

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#136

With all the choices we have regarding to longevity therapeutics, the choices are not binary. Everyone can manage dosing levels and schedules to mitigate risk. Of course everyone will choose their own risk/reward trade-off as they decide their course of action.

Can we continuously push through skin renewal without eliciting exhaustion?

As I said before, due to its protective function and need for constant renewal, the epidermis has an extensive stem cell pool that can undergo many cell duplications and yield plenty of new cells throughout our lifetime.

However, stem cells, like other types of cells, also age. Often through certain DNA modifications or epigenetic changes. Besides, we know that even skin stem cells (and not only those in less proliferative organs) can reach exhaustion.

After many divisions (duplications), they may not self-renew: they differentiate and die. Or enter a state of senescence, where they cannot divide anymore.

Indeed, there is proof that in the average human (who does not apply retinol regularly), the number of cutaneous stem cells diminishes with age: the older you get biologically, the less potential for self-renewal and wound healing your skin has.

There is the possibility that, eventually, the uninterrupted use of retinol for extended periods (aka, every day for many years) may lead to significant skin stem cell aging and exhaustion.

That would sooner or later precipitate a cutaneous decline. And compromise the skin barrier function and beauty. Even its ability to heal wounds.

Molecular mechanisms of retinoid actions in the skin. GJ Fisher and JJ Voorhees, FASEB J, 1996; 10(9): 1002-13.

Skin and its regenerative powers: an alliance between stem cells and their niche. KA Uy Gonzales and E Fuchs, Dev Cell, 2017; 43(4): 387-401.

Stem cell aging: mechanisms, regulators and therapeutic opportunities. J Oh et al., Nat Med, 2014; 20(8):870-80.

When stem cells grow old: phenotypes and mechanisms of stem cell aging. MB Schultz and DA Sinclair. Development, 2016; 143(1): 3-14.

#137

I often hear dermatologists say that, for skin anti-aging purposes, once you introduce retinol (or other retinoids) into your skincare routine, you should ideally apply it every day. Here I discuss my viewpoint on why that might not be optimal,

Neither Maria or Allesandra are expert dermatologists, meaning those who have extremely deep knowledge about this, I would rather ask one of them what they think about this since I don’t know anything about this topic.

#138

I started peeling/flaking a lot so now I get it.

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#139

Encourage your skin to adapt gradually. Start with a minimal amount—about the size of a pea—for your face. Begin by using it once or twice a week for several weeks, then gradually increase to three times a week for a period, and eventually incorporate it into your daily routine.
I’ve personally trained also my delicate eye area and later my neck to tolerate daily tretinoin without experiencing peeling, redness, or flaking. It took approximately six months for my eyes and nearly a year for my neck to adjust. I’ve been using tretinoin successfully for over a decade (maybe almost two) without the need for moisturizers.
Remember, avoid applying it immediately after washing your face. Allow at least 15 minutes for reduced irritation, especially in the initial stages.

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