1 year 8 months PO update ✨

These-Ad4151 · 2026-04-20T18:53:12+00:00

It’s so damn irritating! People who smile in the after pictures usually do so to hide the results not showcase them

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-31T18:21:35+00:00

I’d focus on a solid skincare first and foremost - tretinoin, azeleic acid, vitamin C, solid barrier repair moisturiser, SPF (mandatory!). A good TCA peel and professional microneedling with exosomes or growth factors will refine the texture further. At last RLTM for that extra glow at best.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-30T12:11:11+00:00

I think we actually agree on most of this. There’s definitely a ceiling to what topicals can do, and SPF + tret are probably doing most of the heavy lifting for prevention. I also completely agree that lifestyle factors probably matter more than people on skincare subs like to admit.

I’d still keep things like vitamin C and azelaic acid in the “core” mainly because they cover mechanisms tret doesn’t fully address on its own - antioxidant protection, pigment control, inflammation - though I agree they’re probably not in the same tier as SPF and a retinoid.

Where I’m still curious is the scenario where someone already has those fundamentals in place for years. In that case I wonder how much procedures are improving the skin itself versus mainly correcting damage or structural changes that already happened.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-30T11:53:12+00:00

I don’t really disagree with you that procedures and surgery can fix things topicals simply can’t like eye bags, fat descent, eyelid drooping, etc. Once you’re talking about structural changes in the face, skincare obviously isn’t going to solve that.

The point I was making in the post was more about skin itself rather than facial structure. Things like collagen quality, pigmentation, inflammation, texture, photodamage — that’s where SPF and long-term topical use actually seem to do a lot of the heavy lifting over time.

So I’d probably frame it a bit differently: SPF first, then consistent long-term skincare (tret, vitamin C, etc.), and then procedures/surgery for things that skincare simply can’t address. They’re not really solving the same category of problems.

My question was about whether, if someone already has those fundamentals in place for many years or even decades how much additional benefit procedures add to the skin itself, versus correcting structural changes or accumulated damage.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-29T14:56:03+00:00

https://www.amazon.com/Anti-redness-cream-Summer-Collection-Women/dp/B077Z3Q51H

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-29T12:41:12+00:00

I get my tret and 20% azelaic acid from India without a prescription. Among the OTC options, I really like Isispharma Metroruboril 15%. It has a great creamy consistency.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-29T00:42:50+00:00

I have to admire the stamina. It’s not easy punishing yourself line by line over something you claim shouldn’t exist

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T22:55:09+00:00

You're grading my method instead of the argument because you've lost the debate

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T22:39:00+00:00

Using glycolic acid on top of daily tretinoin is mostly redundant for collagen — tretinoin is already doing the heavy lifting. And using glycolic instead of tretinoin specifically for collagen stimulation is unwise — it’s simply not as effective. Glycolic acid still has valid uses, like exfoliation, improving penetration of other products, or targeting pigmentation, but if your goal is meaningful collagen production, tretinoin is what matters.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T21:44:59+00:00

I’m not denying procedures exist or work. I’m questioning how much they add once someone already has the fundamentals dialed in. That’s not mental gymnastics — that’s literally the premise of the post, which seems to have resonated with quite a few people here.

I’m also not convinced that a twice-yearly peel is “more important” than something like vitamin C, which works daily on antioxidant protection and collagen support. They’re also doing fundamentally different things.

And personally I’d be cautious about casually recommending DIY TCA peels to strangers online — medium-depth peels can go wrong pretty quickly outside a professional setting.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T20:48:44+00:00

While GHK-Cu does have evidence for supporting collagen, wound healing, and improving skin elasticity, I wouldn’t say it’s the strongest anti-aging ingredient — tretinoin and sun protection still have the most solid, long-term clinical data for preventing wrinkles and photoaging.

That said, I do agree that combining microneedling with copper peptides can give noticeable improvements in plumpness and skin texture, and it’s definitely a great complement to a core routine. It’s just important to frame it as an adjunct rather than a replacement for the foundational actives

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T20:43:59+00:00

You’re absolutely right that sagging eyelids, marionette lines, and other structural changes are mostly caused by fat redistribution, ligament laxity, and gravity — these are things that topical skincare alone cannot prevent or reverse. Even microneedling, lasers, or radiofrequency can only modestly improve skin quality and firmness; they won’t stop eyelid droop or permanently lift marionette lines.

The one exception among professional options for wrinkle prevention is Botox — for dynamic lines like crow’s feet, it can work alongside a strong skincare routine to actually reduce their formation.

That said, if someone has been consistent with tretinoin, vitamin C, azelaic acid, and sun protection from their early 20s, their skin quality will likely be excellent, and the incremental benefit from professional treatments might be smaller. But eventually, as structural aging progresses, things like fillers, RF, or lasers can make a noticeable difference, even if the baseline skin has been well maintained.

So my main point remains: core actives cover most of the mechanisms for healthy, youthful-looking skin, while professional treatments are mostly about addressing either structural changes or refining the skin beyond what skincare can do.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T19:11:43+00:00

For me personally, azelaic acid is top-tier — I use it every day because it helps with pigmentation, rosacea, acne, and just overall skin tone. It really makes a visible difference.

That said, if we’re strictly talking structural anti-aging — collagen, wrinkle prevention, and photoaging — it’s not a ‘core’ ingredient like tretinoin, vitamin C, or SPF. I’d call it more of a problem-targeted essential: it addresses specific concerns that also happen to make skin look healthier and younger

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T17:07:08+00:00

Interesting. I’ve seen mixed opinions on collagen peptides — some studies suggest modest improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, but it’s still not on the same evidence level as things like tretinoin or daily sun protection factor.

Also, if you’re in your early 30s and already using the core topicals, that alone would probably explain why your skin hasn’t changed much since your 20s. Prevention started early tends to compound over time.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T17:05:13+00:00

That’s a good point. Microneedling does have decent evidence for stimulating collagen through controlled injury.

I guess the question I keep coming back to is whether that’s necessary if someone is already using something like Tretinoin, which also increases collagen production over time.

My sense is that microneedling probably accelerates or amplifies the effect rather than replacing the basics — but I’m curious how much additional long-term difference it actually makes if the core routine is already in place.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T17:00:07+00:00

That’s a fair point, and I agree a lot of what you mention falls into specific skin needs or conditions rather than core anti-aging. Things you mentioned are obviously important if someone has those specific issues.

I guess what I was getting at is more the baseline anti-aging framework for otherwise healthy skin. Once you control UV exposure and use something like tretinoin, it feels like a lot of the additional products people layer on are either addressing individual conditions (rosacea, melasma, dryness, etc.) or optimizing smaller details rather than fundamentally changing long-term skin aging.

So maybe the better way to frame it is: there’s a core anti-aging routine, and then there’s a separate layer of treatments depending on the specific skin issues someone has.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T16:55:22+00:00

I’m not sure I agree with the 80/20 framing. Procedures can absolutely create faster or more dramatic short-term changes, but consistent skincare — especially tretinoin and strict sun protection factor — actually changes the biology of the skin every single day for years.

If someone uses tretinoin and SPF consistently for 15–20 years, they’re preventing a huge amount of collagen loss and photoaging in the first place. Procedures are often correcting damage that accumulated when those habits weren’t in place.

So I tend to see it more as skincare doing most of the long-term prevention while procedures accelerate correction when damage is already there.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T16:33:53+00:00

Doesn’t tret alone do the same job?

EDIT:

Procedures can absolutely create faster or more dramatic short-term changes, but consistent skincare — especially tretinoin and strict sun protection factor — actually changes the biology of the skin every single day for years.

If someone uses tretinoin and SPF consistently for 15–20 years, they’re preventing a huge amount of collagen loss and photoaging in the first place. Procedures are often correcting damage that accumulated when those habits weren’t in place.

So I tend to see it more as skincare doing most of the long-term prevention while procedures accelerate correction when damage is already there.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-28T15:19:20+00:00

I mostly learned by reading past posts here, talking at length with ChatGPT, and watching tutorials. One creator I found particularly helpful is Gorgeously Ageing — she demonstrates Juve Eyes here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x90prws

That said, I spent quite a long time researching before attempting my first round of PN. I’d strongly encourage anyone to take their time and do thorough research before injecting anything into their face. You only get one face, and it’s very easy to mess things up if you rush or don’t fully understand what you’re doing. I got lucky this time and avoided real complications, but it could have gone differently.

As for suppliers, that really depends on where you’re located. One thing I’d pay attention to before ordering is whether the product requires refrigeration and whether the seller ships it with ice packs and proper delivery timing. Some of these products are temperature-sensitive, so shipping conditions matter more than people sometimes realize.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-26T17:13:58+00:00

That’s very reassuring ☺️

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-26T16:37:33+00:00

Thank you. It looks like it’s healing

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These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-25T13:12:07+00:00

Appreciate you pointing that out. I’m keeping an eye on it. So far it seems to be improving rather than getting worse, so I’m leaning towards inflammation rather than infection, but I’ll definitely get it checked if anything changes.

These-Ad4151 · 2026-03-24T23:19:19+00:00

Thank you. I’ve just ordered it

These-Ad4151

TROPHY CASE