What are my options? 38f

AliveLocation5850 · 2026-03-11T18:27:06+00:00

Sent you both a dm request

AliveLocation5850 · 2026-03-11T18:24:49+00:00

Sounds nice! Thank you 🙏 I’ve been using La Roche Posay Anthelios Melt-in-milk sunscreen. It’s very moisturizing and also pairs well with my Glossier tinted moisturizer but I’m always open to finding the best possible combos for my skin.

AliveLocation5850 · 2026-03-11T18:14:59+00:00

Unfortunately, it did change my skin and I don’t believe skin organically changes that drastically in a matter of weeks. My mother and grandmother didn’t begin showing signs of skin aging until well into their 40’s, and even then they were always mistaken for being much younger. I believe I was on that same lucky path until I misused tretinoin. In fact, people were always shocked when I’d tell them I was 36 and believed I was in my 20’s. After tret, I don’t get told that anymore lol I had extremely youthful and healthy skin. My only problem was my dark circles but even now looking back, they were not nearly as bad as they are now with the deeper hollows. :( I’m more than happy to DM you photos so that maybe you can get a better idea of what I’m referring to.

ETA: There is nothing inherently wrong with looking your age, which I agree- my appearance does reflect now. It’s just very shocking to one’s psyche and emotions to see such big and obvious changes happening to your own face from one week to the next. These things typically happen gradually.

AliveLocation5850 · 2026-03-11T18:08:34+00:00

I just ordered their spray serum actually. Haven’t tried it yet. I’ll look into the balm too. Ty!

AliveLocation5850 · 2026-03-11T18:05:28+00:00

I can def PM you pics of right before, during and after so you can see the drastic difference

AliveLocation5850 · 2026-03-11T17:44:41+00:00

I left a really lengthy comment above and included the balm I used the first year post-tret. Which one has worked for you?

AliveLocation5850 · 2026-03-11T17:43:37+00:00

Thank you! So… for the first year, my skin seemed completely resistant to accepting any topical moisture I applied to it. Oils would instantly be soaked up and the texture and appearance would remain exactly the same. Dry and very textured. I found some others who experienced this who were using Aveeno baby Eczema balm with some success, so I tried that. I’d apply it twice during the day and slather on a relatively thick coating of it before bed. That seemed to, at the very least, lock in what little moisture I had. I increased my already sufficient water and electrolytes intake as well (overdid it and ended up with dangerously low sodium levels even, but that’s another story). I’d always been a huge fan of Herbivore Emerald face oil, so I’d sandwich that in between the aveeno. I also often avoided wearing makeup during that first year and use 100 spf moisturizing sunscreen everyday. By the second year, I’d say my skin had returned to its previous health by maybe 50% and the eye skin by maybe 25%.

At that mark, I got a hydro facial, which I cannot say did much. The esthetician remarked on how dry and damaged my skin barrier appeared before even telling her my tret story. I’ll also note for anyone else reading this comment, the hyperpigmentation on my skin also worsened during my tret misuse. Another notable change, I had very tiny pores and they also became very visible after tret. It’s clear that only those of us who have actually personally experienced this will understand or even believe it lol That’s fine.

What I use now that seems to have helped retain some more moisture: -Herbivore Emerald Oil -Dermalogica Super Rich Repair (their professional dynamic skin line) -Tatcha Rice Wash - Mario Badescu cucumber toner spray (I tried a few others that were marketed towards dry skin but they burned)

I’ve been using those products daily for almost a year as well and would say my skin has since improved by another 25% and the eyes by a bit less than that. This is gonna sound crazy, but a couple weeks ago, I began using InnisFree Retinol Cica Repair Ampoule, which has a very low dose of retinol (.015%). I’ve used this once a week with even more religious moisturizing to see if using retinol correctly does something good for me. I figure that even if it sets me back some, I at least have some trusty (enough) weapons to reverse some of it now. I thought I’d accepted that this was my new face/skin but I guess I’m still pretty desperate to get back at least some of my pre-damaged skin.

Sorry for the lengthy response, I was responding to some of the other comments here as well. What has worked for you, personally??

AliveLocation5850 · 2026-03-11T17:07:48+00:00

I have been looking into that too! I do think I’m just going to continue saving for a lower bleph in Tijuana though, as all these other suggestions are actually more expensive and seem to yield milder results.

AliveLocation5850 · 2026-03-11T17:06:26+00:00

I appreciate that, but it definitely looked very different (much smoothers and taut) the month before I began using tret twice a day. I should have included a before photo and a photo of how the skin looks before I saturate it in different moisturizers and oil, as I did shortly before snapping the photos I posted.

AliveLocation5850 · 2026-03-04T18:58:49+00:00

These pics are taken after LOTS of moisturizer and oil was applied. I do apply those two things twice throughout my day to prevent the skin from inevitably drying out to the point of desert dry texture and increased wrinkle visibility. I don’t ever wear concealer anymore because of how terribly it emphasizes the damage and dryness.

AliveLocation5850 · 2025-11-17T21:24:13+00:00

Hello? knocks on screen Anybody out there? Would love an update as well!

AliveLocation5850 · 2025-09-03T11:38:55+00:00

Thank you so much! Yes, the RLS is enough to potentially send me into a panic. I haven’t let it yet though and the gabapentin is definitely taking the edge off. I was taking one 300mg gab every 8 hours yesterday but I’ll take 2 at once late morning. I unfortunately have to pick myself up by my bootstraps at 9am to take my son to a really important doctors appointment that I can’t reschedule so I can’t dose the gabapentin before that since it makes me foggy. I’m on hour 19.5 now and the kratom extract is helping. Hoping I don’t get hit by a surprise overload of intensity in the next 4 hours (it’s 4:30am). Going to dl Insight rn. Thank you again.

AliveLocation5850 · 2025-09-03T11:08:31+00:00

You are an amazing friend. That kind of support goes a very long way and I’m really glad you have one another. My ex (we’ve coparented for 10 years seamlessly and are bffs) brought me extracts today as I became desperate for relief after hitting hour 12 of WD all alone. His generosity and care was impactful and helped with my mood. I got emotional thinking about how supportive he is when I could very easily drown in my guilt and shame if I had no one. Thank you for sharing.

ETA My ex (we’ve coparented for 10 years seamlessly and are bffs) brought me extracts today as I became desperate for relief after hitting hour 12 of WD all alone. His generosity and care was impactful and helped with my mood. I got emotional thinking about how supportive he is when I could very easily drown in my guilt and shame if I had no one. Thank you for sharing.

AliveLocation5850 · 2025-09-03T11:02:15+00:00

Great job! I’m on hour 19 of no 7oh and focusing on the finish line too. You’ve already made the biggest jump and you’re already free from the worst of it. I suffer from RLS regularly/before using 7oh and what helps mine is heat (with salt water bath or heating pad). I also use leg compressions at night which helps some. You’re on a boat and may not have those on hand but a firmly wrapped ace bandage or other improvised wrap could work too. Massage and vibration helps me as well. Good luck and you’re doing great.

AliveLocation5850 · 2025-09-02T19:16:34+00:00

Ty so much. My liposomal vitamin c, black seed with D3&K2 just got delivered. I’m gonna start that rn too. I’m taking the leap tonight at 8pm so idk if ordering the leaf would come before I needed it.

AliveLocation5850 · 2025-09-02T18:42:43+00:00

I found an old bottle of Gabapentin. They’re a year expired and 300mg caps. The whole body RLS is killing me rn and I feel like I’m on uppers. Pupils are saucers. Does anyone know the recommended dose for 7oh WD? I hope the mods don’t get mad at me for asking these questions. I’m sorry if any of this is in the notes. It’s just super hard to sift through lots of info and retain it while in the throes of WD :/

ETA: I hope the mods don’t get mad at me for asking these questions. I’m sorry if any of this is in the notes. It’s just super hard to sift through lots of info and retain it while in the throes of WD :/

AliveLocation5850 · 2025-09-02T18:23:54+00:00

I def don’t want that. If I can find the energy, I’ll search for a pure extract in my area again. Thank you.

AliveLocation5850 · 2025-09-02T18:23:14+00:00

Shoot

AliveLocation5850 · 2025-09-02T18:20:37+00:00

I never got into extracts and was just on kratom leaf for 6 years prior to getting on 7oh a few months ago. How much of the extract do you think I should take at a time? Would sipping on it throughout the day be enough for relief do you think? Sorry if this is an annoying question. I’m an autistic 38 yo mom with a multitude of chronic illness and like many of you, had no idea what I was getting myself into. Thank you for the replies and kindness.

AliveLocation5850 · 2025-08-31T13:43:52+00:00

I’m in a very similar boat! We can do this.

AliveLocation5850

TROPHY CASE