It’s our goal to make sure that we have all of your beauty questions answered. And knowing that we all often turn to powerful products to keep aging and adult acne at bay, we want to make sure that it’s done in a safe way. So when one of our readers asked if it was OK to use vitamin C with Retin-A, we went straight to an expert to find out.
“Yes, it is safe to use Retin-A and vitamin C products at the same time,” says Prospect, KY, dermatologist Tami Cassis, MD.
Dr. Cassis says there are no real contradictions with vitamin C and Retin-A and any other product. But sometimes using Retin-A with other over-the-counter anti-aging products, like those that contain retinol, can be a little too much to tolerate. So depending on your skin type, be careful when mixing and matching products.
“You can use both products at the same time following the regimen of Retin-A in the morning and vitamin C in the evening,” says West Palm Beach, FL, dermatologist, Kenneth R. Beer, MD.
Also, using both products together can cause increased dryness, especially if you already have dry or sensitive skin to begin with. “If irritation or scaling were to occur, limit the Retin-A to every other day,” says Dr. Beer.
