How often to apply Tretinoin

[Skeeter42]

I read this post on another forum. Does this seem pretty accurate?

After you apply the retinoid, it will then be absorbed, quite fast, actually. Once it is safe and protected in your skin, it cannot be washed off. Neither Tretinoic Acid, Tazarotene, Adapalene, Retinol, Retinaldehyde, etc., can be washed off the skin once it has been absorbed. The only way to get it out of the skin, is to let the body itself, metabolize it out, and that will be, on average, in 3-4 days.

The retinoid molecule will work in its maximum capacity from the time it is absorbed until about day 2 or 48 hours. After that it begins to decline. At day 3, there will still be traces of the molecule in the skin, but not at levels to be very therapeutic, which is why one will need to reapply it. This window of time or skin cycle, is just the normal workings of the skin.

You do not need to use a retinoid every day, if you do not wish to or you cannot. The individuals that cannot, are usually the ones that have the more sensitive skin types. Using a retinoid once a day just keeps the load high at all times, which gives the individual the highest impact, in respects to efficacy, but you do not need to use it every night to have the benefits. It's a personal choice, really.

There are so many other great actives out there, that I prefer to use Retin-A every other night so I am able to use those other actives and products on my skin, on the days off.

[Whisper9999]