What It Does
A vitamin A derivative that speeds skin cell turnover, unclogs pores, boosts collagen and fades pigment. It is the active ingredient dermatologists use for acne and for aging skin, with decades of data.
How to Start
A pea-sized amount for the whole face, at night, on dry skin, two or three nights a week for the first month, then nightly. Moisturizer on top. Sunscreen every morning, no exceptions.
Purging
Weeks two to six: more breakouts, dryness, flaking, redness. This is pores clearing out and skin adjusting. It passes. Reduce frequency rather than stopping.
Results
Acne improves by eight to twelve weeks. Texture and tone by three months. Fine lines and collagen by six to twelve months and keep improving.
Strengths and Cost
0.025, 0.05 and 0.1 percent. We start low. Prescription tretinoin is $39 a month. Every prescription at Zen IV Spa is written by a licensed provider under our medical director after a free video consultation. Medication ships to your door anywhere in New York or New Jersey, and a nurse can come to your home for labs or a first dose.
Common Questions
Can I use it with retinol?+
No need; tretinoin is the stronger version.
Can I use it in pregnancy?+
No.
Can I use vitamin C with it?+
Vitamin C in the morning, tretinoin at night.
All treatments are medical services. Every guest is screened, and every treatment is provided only under the clearance, prescription or standing protocol of a licensed medical provider. Nothing on this page is a diagnosis or a promise of results. For an emergency, call 911.