What is Retrieve/Stieva ?
Congratulations on taking a step towards improved skin. Retrieve/Stieva is a prescription-only cream containing a type of vitamin A called tretinoin. Tretinoin is an active form of retinoid. Retinol and retinaldehyde need to be converted to tretinoin in the skin to make meaningful changes. Tretinoin can work in a few ways to regenerate photodamaged skin.
- Allowing new skin cells to rise to the surface more efficiently, stimulating collagen production
- Reduce pigmentation, resulting in brighter skin
- Reducing wrinkles associated with sun damage
How to use Retrieve/Stieva?
As these are strong ingredients, we need to be careful with application to avoid irritation.
- Only use pea size amount at night
- Sunscreen, SPF50+ broadspectrum must be used to protect your skin during the day
- Gradual increase to develop tolerance
- Do not exfoliate before putting Retrieve/Stieva
- Avoid contact with your eyes, mouth, lips angles of the nose. You can use thicker cream as barrier if needed.
- Do not use on sunburnt, irritated skin, open wounds, or infected skin
- If your skin is irritated from Retrieve/Stieva, take a break from applying any active ingredients until your skin recovers
- During recovery, you can use Avene cicalfate, La roche posay cicaplast baum or E45 cream instead of your moisturiser.
- If your skin is inflamed, use cold compress or water spray to cool the skin
- If irritation is severe, please let the clinic know, we can use steroid cream to settle the skin or organise LED treatment to soothe the skin
- You can also use steroid cream to settle the skin irritation
Example of how you can introduce Retrieve/Stieva to your routine:
- Gradual increase. Wash off after designated time with gentle oil cleanser. Ie) CeraVe hydrating foaming oil cleanser, Bioderma atoderm cleansing oil or La Roche-Posay Lipikar Cleansing Oil
- 1st night- leave on for 5 minutes then wash off with gentle oil cleanser
- 2nd night -leave on for 10 minutes then wash off with gentle oil cleanser
- 3rd night -leave on for 30 minutes then wash off with gentle oil cleanser
- 4th night -leave on for 1 hour then wash off with gentle oil cleanser
- 5th night- leave on for 1.5 hours then wash off with gentle oil cleanser
- 6th night – leave on for 2 hours then wash off with gentle oil cleanser
- If your skin is not irritated, red or flakey after the 6th night, you can leave on Retrieve cream overnight and wash it off in the morning
- Apply Retrieve/ Stieva once a week, leave on overnight, for a few weeks. If your skin tolerates, increase to twice a week for a month. If that travels well, increase to 3 times a week for a month and so on
- As a general guide, if you are in 20s, aim to have retinoid twice a week. If you are in 30s, three times a week. If you are in 40s, 4 times a week
- If you are starting with Stieva, once you can apply Stieva every night, we can change to Retrieve. Retrieve is double the strength of Stieva.
- Sandwich method
- After washing your face, apply your moisturiser. Put your Retrieve/Stieva cream. Apply another layer of moisturiser.
Side effects Retrieve/Stieva
- Pregnancy: If you are planning pregnancy or pregnant, please stop using retinoid. Retinoid may cause birth defects. We can discuss alternative pregnancy safe creams for your skin concerns
- Waxing- if you are considering waxing, please stop retinoid 1 week before scheduled waxing appointment.
- Skin dryness- retinoid reduces sebum production and can cause dryness.
- Dermatitis from retinoid
What if I have sensitive skin?
If you have very sensitive skin, we may need to use cosmetic strength retinoid. Cosmetic retinoids are often not as irritating as it is weaker strength and it takes time to be converted to retinoid. We can slowly build up tolerance with cosmetic retinoid first. This can take differing lengths of times for each case.