Question: I’ve been on Retin-A therapy for about a year. I’d like to know if I can undergo microdermabrasion or if I need to be off Retin-A first.
Answer: As long as the Retin-A is not irritating your skin, you can safely undergo a microdermabrasion while still using that product. In fact, the far majority of our patients that we see for skin care are on Retin-A on a virtually daily basis. If the concentration is appropriate for their skin type, they really should not have any significant irritation to the skin and, therefore, these patients can undergo routine microdermabrasion on a regular basis.
What is Retin-A?
Retin-A is a topical medication, available by prescription only. It’s derived from vitamin A and can be used to improve the appearance of the skin. It treats the outer layer of the skin, causing shedding and exposing more beautiful, smoother and better pigmented skin. It also treats your skin below the surface, causing epidermal cells to replicate more quickly. It also spurs collagen to firm the skin and reduce lines and wrinkles.