Just to recap, when I turned about 35 or 36 I started breaking out like a teenage dude on a diet of Munchos and Snickers. I went to the dermatologist late in January. She gave me a prescription for Renova (cosmetic strength tretinoin) and Finacea (azelaic acid). Both are topical creams that I use once a day. The Renova was EXPENSIVE but with a $50 rebate and putting it through our flex savings plan it wasn't so bad, and it's lasted a long time (and I still have quite a bit left).
At first, my face looked like ass. It got really dry and even kind of scaly in places. I only use the Finacea on my "problem" areas (around the mouth, side of the face) because it exacerbates the dryness. But I kept with it because it seemed like it was making the breakouts less severe. When I do get a zit, it's not as cystic feeling, it's more on the surface.
But just recently, I've actually been looking in the mirror and thinking "hey, my skin doesn't look like ass!" The little twist with Renova is that along with helping the zit factor, it's also one of the only proven wrinkle reducers. That's not what my doctor prescribed it for, but um, I'm not complaining. My skin regimen also includes washing my face with Aveda "Enbrightenment" cleanser and I really like Oil of Olay Regenerist with a Touch of Foundation in the morning. If it's a sunny day I also use MAC prep & prime moisturizer (SPF 50).
If you have sensitive skin, Renova may be too harsh, especially for everyday use. You also have to be diligent with the sunscreen.
Now of course after writing all of this I'm going to wake up with a volcanic eruption between my eyebrows tomorrow morning. JINXED!
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