Prescription Azelaic Acid Retin-A  & Tazorac Tazarotene Cream 

My Experience of using prescription Azelaic Acid Retin-A  & Tazret Tazorac Tazarotene Cream 

  After beginning my adolescents with aggressive cystic acne I was prescribed antibiotics by my GP which were ineffective. I then at a later date was referred to a dermatologist by my GP who prescribed me Roaccutane which briefly cleared up my aggressive cystic acne for 3 months, after several years and 3 courses of Roaccutane I was left with mild acne & very bad scarring which made me feel very conscious of my skin & embarrassed. I went back to my GP & once again I was referred back to my dermatologist. I explained to my dermatologist I was really self-conscious & embarrassed by my acne scarring my dermatologist then told me my scarring was classed as cosmetic & microdermabrasion would only make my skin worse so therefore there was no help available for me from the NHS. My skin condition ruled my life which made me miserable withdrawn & unhappy to make matters worse many strangers would refer to me as the girl with bad skin as you can imagine how this would have such a detrimental negative impact on a young woman in their mid-twenties it affected me really badly. I was severely depressed back then and the internet was not what it is now so I would consult beauty therapists for help & also took a trip to Harley Street to seek advice I was recommended pixel lazer treatment which I had 8 painful treatments of, yet again I felt this only made my skin worse. After branching out and following my pursuit of a new career venture my dream job was cabin crew I got an interview I had been given a job under the condition my skin cleared up this was in the early 2000’s I then began researching again & started using  20% prescription azelaic acid which really helped clear up my acne & I was able to start my new job. My new exciting life began starting out as cabin crew one of my first trips was to GOA India this is where the magic began for me ….  

Retin-A

The bright sunshine shining and the natural vitamin D made me feel so alive swimming in the sea was also great for my skin. We use to spend all day on the beach & then in the evening go shopping & experience Indian culture one of the senior crew members said to me “let’s go to the chemist they have every magical healing potion you can think of only the best-sacred potions & lotions come from India” so I followed her into the chemist. I asked the pharmacist if they had anything that would help clear my acne they recommended Retin-A in the 0.025% concentration cream which I had never used before. They recommended me to begin usage when I returned to my home country where the climate is colder with less sunshine as the Retin-A increases skin cell turn over increasing sun sensitivity & I must be diligent with sun protection and apply SPF 50 in the morning. The pharmacist recommended I begin using Retin-A by applying 3 nights a week after cleansing before bed & gradually build up from there which is exactly what I did, Initially, my skin was irritated and my acne became worse but I just pushed through it and carried on using it when stipulated one month later I began to notice results my acne had almost disappeared and also my uneven skin tone started to even out my skin was brighter clearer more radiant & dewy. I then began to up my dosage of Retin-A & continued to religiously apply it apart from when I was exposed to sunlight for me there were so many benefits out of one small tube of Retin-A It was literally the best inexpensive purchase I ever made on my skincare with the best results after spending thousands on pounds on products & treatments that did not work with continuous usage my acne cleared and my skin just got better and better, I even noticed my smoker’s lines disappear after several years, my skin was still far from perfect but I had come a long way with many years of usage. I honestly did not think there would be anything else on the market to rival Retin-A at this point in my life, me being me I began to research again as several years on the internet is readily available at the touch of a button. I came across reviews for Tazarotene the reviews and studies looked very promising stating that Tazarotene is a more potent retinoid & less irritating than Retin-A. I had been using Retin-A for many many years & my skin had become very tolerant & I wanted to experiment and up my game as Retin-A is only available by Janssen in the 0.025% and the 0.05% in a cream the 0.1% concentration is only available in a gel which I always struggled with. So I ordered the Tazarotene in the 0.1% concentration in the cream on my first application I was very impressed with the consistency as a little goes a long way and it is easily spreadable. I began the process the same as what I did with Retin-A as they are both from the retinoid family my skin went slightly pink and I also had a little peeling which I did not mind I soldiered on to get the benefits of the product I was alternating Tazaotene with Retin-A.  

Tazret Tazorac Tazarotene Cream 

First of all, I noticed improvement on a small scar on my brow line which I have hated for years and it has already begun to shrink which is very promising for me, also my other scarring which is visible on my jawline and is still prominent till this day is fading more & more & as the weeks go on, in general, my skin is a lot smoother my discolouration & fine lines I have accumulated over my sun damage years are fading away. I am currently using a routine of alternate nights of Retin-A & Tanzorac cream which is suiting me just fine & in the morning I use the 20% Azelaic acid. I do not think my scarring will ever go away completely but these wonder products are unbeatable at an affordable price & I will never stop using them. There is less research on Tazorac than Retin-A so I am very excited to reassess my results in 6 months’ time and write another blog that I really hope can be of some help to people like myself who have suffered terribly with aggressive skin conditions. I certainly recommend you seek advice from a professional & try out these life-changing products.