My 6-month tret progress — dark spots gone
Documenting my progress because I know these kinds of updates are useful for people on the fence about starting.
Background: I had post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from acne at 19-21. By 22 the acne was under control but I had dark spots on both cheeks and my forehead that didn't fade. I tried vitamin C serums, AHA chemical exfoliants, niacinamide — all helped slightly but none made a dramatic difference.
Started tretinoin 0.05% cream at 23. First 6 weeks were rough — peeling, dryness, a few new breakouts that resolved quickly. I stuck with it because I'd read enough to know what to expect.
Month 3: texture improved significantly. Skin was smoother, pores looked smaller, the spots hadn't faded much yet but the overall quality was better.
Month 6 (now): the dark spots are genuinely almost gone. Two of the larger ones I'd had for 2 years are down to maybe 20% of their original intensity. The smaller ones have completely disappeared. Skin tone is the most even it's been since I was 17.
What worked for me alongside tret: 10% niacinamide serum every morning, LRP Anthelios SPF50+ every morning without exception, Vanicream as my moisturiser at night. That's it. I resisted the urge to add more products.
If you're 2 months in and your skin still looks bad, I promise the results come. Keep going.
This is the kind of update that makes the effort of writing detailed posts worth it. Congrats on the progress. Niacinamide + tret + SPF is genuinely the ideal triad for PIH — you're essentially hitting the problem from three different angles simultaneously.
This is so motivating. I'm at month 2 and I hate my skin right now. Saving this post to re-read when I want to quit.
This kind of consistent documentation is exactly what this community needs. Skin clarity makes a significant difference to overall facial aesthetics even if people don't always put it first — even skin tone reads as healthier and more attractive across every study that's looked at it.
Six months of consistency is what gets results in basically every area of looksmaxxing. Same with mewing, same with fin, same with the gym. People want 30-day results and then quit. Great post.