ForumDosing & Titration

Struggling with unexpected skin issues on reta

7 replies6 peopleJun 28, 2026☆ Follow
Summary

why is my skin breaking out with acne and dryness after starting retatrutide and what might help

The original poster reports severe acne, dry sore skin, an infected tooth and overall fatigue while on 4 mg weekly retatrutide after titration, despite staying hydrated. Replies point to possible allodynia or dysesthesia as a side effect, hormone shifts, vitamin shortfalls or food intolerances, with some users noting they quit the drug or switched to tirzepatide. Others suggest waiting for acclimation, adding electrolytes or low-dose tirzepatide, and checking bloodwork.

What this discussion establishesWhere people disagree

whether continuing retatrutide is worth the side effects or if quitting is the better choice

Still open

exact reason for the acne and dryness in this case

Nothing here is advice.

7 replies · 6 people
QuietCinder90archiveopening postJun 28

Everything feels overwhelming right now after all the stress I've had, and my main goal is still dropping weight. At 32 I'm suddenly dealing with a bad acne flare plus an infected tooth and skin that's extremely dry and painful. I only use 4 mg of reta each week after slowly raising the dose, yet I have no clue why the skin problems started once I began the medication even though I drink plenty of water and take hydration tablets. Anyone got ideas or just want to share what's going on with them too?

GreenMarble65archiveJun 28

This might be allodynia or dysesthesia as a reaction to the reta. It hit me once I added an extra dose midweek because I thought the first one wasn't doing anything. For the acne maybe KPV or GHKcu could ease it. Beyond that, some of these effects just come with trying these compounds. Wish I had more to suggest.

PatientFenwick91archiveJun 28

Sorry to hear how rough this is for you. I don't know much about the tooth infection or acne, but skin sensitivity does show up as a side effect for many, and it hits some people harder than others. Still, reta isn't the only option out there. I dealt with bad effects myself and stopped after six months since it wasn't worth it anymore. Other GLP-1 choices like tirz are available to try instead.

SteadySparrow75archiveJun 28
↳ replying to @PatientFenwick91

Right? Tirz has been working well for me so far. I keep some reta around but haven't used it yet.

GreyAlder39archiveJun 28

Several people have shared similar experiences on a subreddit for women using reta that tends to have less nonsense than other spots. It looks like reta can shift sex hormones such as testosterone or estrogens, so getting those levels checked could be useful. A basic vitamin A shortage might also be behind it and is straightforward to correct. Another possibility is that it brings out a food intolerance that wasn't obvious before.

NorthThistle87archiveJun 28

Keep up with supplements and electrolytes, and keep something sweet nearby in case blood sugar drops and energy tanks. Most of all, just give it time. I got used to the effects after about two months and now have no issues at 6 mg. I also added 1.5 mg of tirz each week to help with hunger.

QuietCinder90archiveJul 2
↳ replying to @GreyAlder39

Appreciate the suggestion. I'll look into the topic more and arrange lab tests to check for any shortfalls I might have.

QuietCinder90archiveJul 2
↳ replying to @NorthThistle87

I'm currently on sem and reta and curious whether cag might ease those hunger signals.

Related discussions

Add your experience

If you have tried it, this topic is still open. Sign in to reply — it takes a minute.