Hello, I am new here and this last week I started using Retin-A and BenzaClin (a mix of benzoyl peroxide and a topical antibiotic). I would like to be able to use this webpage/board as a resource, as well as a log for my improvement.

In this first week, my skin is drying out like mad. I imagine due to the Retin-A. My face is extremely flaky in the mornings and I end up gently buffing with a damp towel. I must say though, my acne has already started to improve. I don't have it terrible, but I have a lot of little breakouts on my forehead, chin, and temples, that give me a very uneven texture. As of today, my skin is very smooth, but I have a lot of redness and redmarks. Then since I am still flaking, makeup to cover the redness is out of the question.

I am hoping to be brave enough to start a gallery so I can watch the progress too. I am happy so far. Hoping for the best.

Good luck! Try an alcohol free toner (neutrogena blue bottle) to get rid of the flakiness and a gentle moisturizer that wont burn your face too much. I remember my initial month.

I am starting my second week of Retin A at .025%. My face is still very sore most mornings. I have yet to find a moisturizer that doesn't burn. I found it isn't the medication that hurts, but the moisturizer. I have tried Eucerin and Cetaphil, both with not good results.

Last night I put a little bit of moisturizer on after my shower, and about 45 minutes later I applied the Retin A. This morning my skin was practically glowing. It was still a bit flaky, but after my shower I didn't put on anything. This afternoon my face looks better than it has in a long time. I am supposed to be using the Benzaclin the the morning, but I think I will only do that a few times a week to prevent more irritation.

So far so good. I am not sure if I should expect the dreaded initial breakout or not. I don't have any new blemishes forming. However, I am very surprised at the fast results.

Going in to my second month on the treatment. My cheeks are breaking out, as well as my jaw line. My skin doesn't burn anymore, but I am still very flaky and super super super oily. I go through a pack of oi blotters a week. I am not sure what is causing it. My skin is generally oily, yes, but this is just ridiculous.

My forehead is also breaking out a bit again, and lots of redness. Perhaps this is the "initial break out"? My derm said to give it time, about 3 months. I hope I start to see improvement again soon. I am trying to stay positive, but I am dreading another failed product. And my acne isn't "bad enough" for accutane again. If anyone reads this who has had good and long term success with retin a, please let me know. Hope would be much appreciated.

I'm on my third month of using Retin A Tretinion,And seriously i broke out like crazy the first two months but now on my third and its all calm down i barely get little break outs and thats cool.But i do have red marks but they fade as well... I think its a great product just TAKES TIME!

Thank you for replying. I am being patient, but it is mighty hard. I am glad to hear there may be light at the end of the tunnel though. Hooray!

Last night I started using moisturizer before the applying Retin A again. I had stopped due to the crazy oiliness. It seems to have helped a bit to continue it. It's so nice not to have my face feel like it is on fire anymore now that is has adjusted somewhat to the onslaught of medications. My poor face.

I am also going to try to adjust my diet. I don't eat bad, but I have my days of soda binges and greezy sugary goodness. But mainly I stick to water, fruits, whole grains, some milk (I love it, I can never stop completely), veggies, and meats every now and then on a sandwich. I don't think I am going to do anything drastic and go vegan or anything. I may start drinking green tea, and saying no to sweets more often. Although how it is now, I rarely let myself have anything. Oh Twix, I miss you so.

I suppose I should view my situation right now as progress. I do have a bit of a breakout going on, but it is only a little after a month of Retin A use. And no cysts or anything like that. Just annoying little red things that travel in packs.

I have still been using the Benzaclin, just not as often. Probably about 3 times per week in the morning.

On another random side note, I suppose adding exercise wouldn't hurt. I got a new job about 3 months ago and went from running around frantically in a pet shop to sitting at a computer all day. I am sure a sluggish body doesn't help anything get better.

The second month on Retin A is smoothing out nicely. My face is hardly dry and peely at all. Just a bit flaky on my cheeks. Redness has gone down considerably as well. Almost all tiny breakouts on my chin and cheeks are gone. My face hasn't felt this smooth in possibly ever. And my forehead which was my problem area has no active acne AT ALL. It's a miracle.

I still get crazy oily during the day. But thank goodness for blotting paper. I have been drinking tons of water, and eating fruit and nuts for snacks (except on Christmas. I was so bad I don't even want to talk about it.)

I am glad I have stuck with it so far.

My face is so happy today. A bit shiny, but wow. The flakiness on my cheeks is almost gone, redness is hardly there at all anymore (aside from red marks from previous breakout that are fading). I got a few little pimple on my forehead/eyebrow area but I think that is my fault. I have been working with charcoal and conte for art stuff and have a bad habit or brushing my hair out of my face thus smearing myself with dirty fingers. And I don't bother to wash it off for several hours as I will just do it again anyways. But who knows, maybe it is just my skin still cycling through too.

My chin/jawline is almost flawless, as well as my temple area (again, aside from a few red marks). My skin is becoming so smooth that I feel like a vain idiot because I catch myself running a finger across my forehead just because (I know I know, bad to touch my face). It may seem silly, but it has been so long since I have had any smoothness to my face I have to make sure it is real.

While I have hardly any pimples anymore, I am just hoping I can improve the overall tone and texture of my skin. Promising results so far and only a little over a month in.

Day 46 (I went back and did the math finally)

Every year while I had acne , my new year's resolution was to have clear skin by the end of the next year. I think this year I may finally be able to do it.

I have started using the Benzaclin every morning, instead of just a few times a week. I have also been using Retin A at least 5 nights a week as well. I am getting flakiness, but not nearly as bad as it was. I don't look like a shedding snake anymore. I am still very surprised at the quick results.

One tiny pimple on my chin, and my forehead is also a bit uneven but no active acne. My cheeks are a bit rough to the touch, but otherwise staying clear.

I don't know if I need to go back to my derm and ask for a higher dosage, if this low dosage is working? Is this something where to results will stop being as effective over time?

Day 50

Today my skin is all flaky again. Totally gross. But the redness is still continuing to fade. Horray!

Temples broke out a bit, 2-3 small spots on either side, but not too bad.

The tip of my nose is dry as well, which has never happened to me before and I can see it while I look at my screen at work and it is distracting. In a gross sort of way.