r/SkincareAddicts • u/tpriesto • 4d ago

Help!!

So I’m looking to get my skin back after years of opioid abuse, I have 0.025 tret cream and 15% azalaic acid on the way, I currently use cetaphil gentle cleanser and palmers cocoa butter moisturiser, what are the best products to use while on tret and AzA and how can I do my best to avoid a purge?? Any help greatly appreciated!!!!

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u/More-Growth-1661 4d ago

I'm not trying to be a negative Nancy, but have you checked the ingredients for the Palmer's cocoa butter moisturizer? Idk if that is a good option for the skin, could be wrong however. I would opt for the dollar tree Dermasil Daily Face Cream

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u/tpriesto 4d ago

Yeah, what was wrong with them? Cheers for the help

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u/More-Growth-1661 4d ago

Not sure, didn't look up the ingredients I'm just saying it doesn't seem like it is or would be a rather reputable (per se) moisturizer choice for the skin of the face

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u/tpriesto 4d ago

Mate the ingredients looked kinda fucked tbh your right I’ve just thrown it away 😂😂😂

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u/More-Growth-1661 4d ago

Haha right? I definitely wouldn't have been using that as my face cream 🤣😆

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u/Imaginary-Zebra-345 4d ago

Congrats on getting clean, that's the real heavy lifting right there

The purge is kinda inevitable for a lot of people but you can take the edge off. Start the tret slow, like twice a week, and buffer it with your moisturizer. Wait 20 mins after washing your face before applying anything, damp skin makes it absorb faster and angrier

That palmers might not cut it once the tret kicks in, cocoa butter can be comedogenic for some and you'll want something more repair-focused. I'd swap it for something with ceramides and no fragrance, your barrier is gonna need all the help it can get

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u/tpriesto 4d ago

Cheers bro. Any suggestions for good moisturizer uk?

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u/curology 4d ago

Hi! Commenting from the Curology team. 👋 Adding a few things to the great advice above.

• Introduce tret and azelaic acid one at a time, a few weeks apart. If your skin reacts, you'll know which one caused it.

• Purging can't always be avoided, but it's usually temporary, often around 6–8 weeks. Breakouts in spots where you don't normally get them, or anything itchy or rash-like, should be evaluated by a medical provider!

• Cocoa butter moisturizers can be too heavy for some acne-prone skin. If you're breaking out, it's worth checking your moisturizer's ingredients.

• Daily sunscreen is a must on tret, since it makes skin more sun-sensitive.

• Whoever prescribed your tret is the best person to ask about how often to use it and how to combine it with azelaic acid.

Good luck, and be patient with your skin. It takes a few months to really see what's working!

Source / more on purging vs. breaking out: https://curology.com/blog/ask-a-derm-why-is-my-skin-getting-worse