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Skincare Ingredients
All About The Magical Product, Tretinoin (Acnesol) Part 1
If only I had a penny for the number of times I’ve been asked about this magical cream, I’d have no pending mobile loan right now…
Well, I’m kidding with that, but not about the number of queries I’ve had about this cream. In the next couple of posts, I’ll be talking about tretinoin cream, which you can find locally as Acnesol cream.
If you aren’t good with reading blogs and would much prefer a video (tbh, I wouldn’t blame you!), check out the IGTV video below!
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What is this “Tretinoin” that you speak of?
So, what is tretinoin aka Retin A? It is a Vitamin A that is part of the umbrella term “Retinoids”. Other retinoids include retinol and adapalene, which are easily available over the counter (OTC). Tretinoin, not so much. In fact, in Kenya, the only tretinoin that you can find OTC is Acnesol (afaik).
It can be found in 2 different forms, gel form and cream form.
The cream is generally considered to be suitable for people with dry skin while the gel form is better tolerated by those with oily skin. Why? The gel has alcohol so it can be much much more drying than the cream version. However, some people find that they are sensitive to the base used in the cream formulation. So if you are one of the unlucky ones, opt for the gel version.
Tret also comes in a variety of different strengths, but the most common are 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.1%. Locally, your only bet is the 0.05% cream formulation that comes in Acnesol. Other strengths may be available with a prescription from a dermatologist.
The next couple of posts will detail how you can use this ingredient while minimising any potential irritation, purging or general causation of more issues than are warranted.
Got any questions? Contact me!
Till next time!
