Tazorotene (Tazorac, Avage)

Overall rating: 3.41 / 5
(based on 926 votes)

Recommended by 78% of visitors

Average price: $45.66


         
  
By on

I've been using this stuff for years and out of everything I've tried, tazorac was the only thing that helped. Since I've been using it for so long that after a while I can go a month without touching the stuff. My skin does peel at times and I know that's something a lot of people have a problem with but my docter said that your skin is suppose to do that. Bottom line-tazorac works.

Pros

  • Acne clears up fast and usually stays away for a month.

Cons

  • Peeling, itching, and dryness
  • moderate
  • for more than a year
  • $ 10
  • I recommend using this treatment.


32 out of 62 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?    add comment (0)



  
By on

This product has been working great for me so far! I am using tazorac 0.05% and well i love it. Mainly my face is 90-95% clear from this. The only problem is the red marks from acne. Hope they clear up soon!

Pros

  • Cleared up skin!
  • Skin looks healthier
  • Skin is glowing

Cons

  • hyperpigmentaion
  • oily skin
  • pricy paid 60 dollars!
  • moderately severe
  • for a few months
  • $ 60
  • I recommend using this treatment.


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Not good for individuals with light to moderate acne. This is the topical form of Accutane.

Pros

  • May help people with more severe acne like cystic acne.

Cons

  • Severe reaction to this product!! Severe dryness and irritation!! Made my skin peel and left me with open sores on my face!!
  • moderate
  • for about a week
  • I do not recommend using this treatment.


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Ive had acne since the age of 14, i am now 41, ive tried everything and have even been on accutane twice in my lifetime. 12 years ago my derm perscribed me Retin-a 01% gel and it worked wonders but unfortunetly it stopped working, my derm has now given me Tazorac .05% cream which i have been using for 6 weeks and its working!!!! The inital break out in week 3 was aweful but knew i had to stick with it to see results and so far im happy with the results! Now into my 6th week my acne is calming down and my skin has a nice healthy glow. Tazorac will bring all the acne to the surface but i find that the pimples heal much faster. I use it at night only and havent used any moisturizer before applying it but i do however moisturize my face before applying my makeup in the morning. Seriously i never imagined having acne at my age and believe me when i say acne has taken its toll on me emotionally so im hoping that tazorac will keep working for me years to come. Good luck to everyone!

Pros

  • Makes skin smooth, clears up existing acne, shrinks pores,gives skin a healthy glow

Cons

  • Drys skin, inital breakout is horrible!
  • moderately severe
  • for about a month
  • $ 30
  • I recommend using this treatment.


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By on

I used Tazorac gel 0.05 for 1 month and my really SEVERE blackheads were almost all gone and my enlarged pores were also significantly reduced. However, my skin was really really dry and peeling. It even cracked because of all the dryness!!! Just juse a good cream with it to combat the flakes (like CeraVe).

Pros

  • CLEARS BLACKHEADS
  • helps with pore size!

Cons

  • drying !!!
  • light
  • for about a month
  • $ 250
  • I recommend using this treatment.


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I LOVED THIS PRODUCT AS SOON AS IT FINALLY BEGAN TO WORK. MY DOC GAVE IT TO ME WHEN I HAD LIKE 4 HUGE I MEAN ENORMOUS CYSTS SEPT. 2010. THE CYSTS TOOK A COUPLE MONTHS TO CLEAR UP THEY WERE SO BAD BUT THE REST OF MY SKIN WAS REALLY NICE AFTER ABOUT A MONTH OF USING THE PRODUCT IN COMBINATION WITH ORAL ANTIBIOTIC AND CLINDYMAYCIN LOTION WHICH IS AN EXTERNAL ANTIBIOTIC. IT WORKED AMAZING FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS BUT THEN MY ACNE BEGAN TO FLARE UP GRADUALLY STARTING IN JULY 2011 AND BECAME MORE WORSE UNTIL I JUST ENTIRELY STOPPED USING IT IN OCTOBER 2011. I ALSO CHANGED MY FACE WASH FROM AVEENO TO MURAD BIGGEST MISTAKE WHICH COULD OF WORSENED MY ACNE TOO AT THE TIME OF SEPTEMBER 2011. IM DISAPPOINTED TAZORAC STOPPED WORKING. IF I DIDN'T LOSE MY INSURANCE I WOULD SWITCH TO .1% FROM .05% WHICH WAS THE TAZORAC I INITIALLY USED TO CLEAR UP. NATURALLY I BUILD TOLERANCE AND I WOULD DEFINITLY STAY WITH THIS BRAND IF I UPGRADED THE DOSAGE BUT RIGHT NOW I CANT

Pros

  • CLEARS SKIN AFTER THREE MONTHS
  • MAKES COMPLEXION FLAWLESS
  • LIKE YOUR WEARING MAKE UP EXCEPT FOR PARTS THAT ARE PIGMENTED

Cons

  • STOPS WORKING AFTER 9 MONTHS
  • PURGING PERIOD SUCKS
  • EXPENSIVE W/OUT INSURANCE
  • NO GENERIC
  • moderately severe
  • for about a year
  • $ 10
  • I recommend using this treatment.


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By on

Bottom line: Tazorac works for me. Today people at my work place said, "You're just glowing!" And I was not wearing any makeup. That's called the Taz Effect.

But I went through hell to get here, I kid you not. My face was just littered with even more acne, whiteheads, blackheads, etc. during the purging period. It was so horrific that I couldn't even put on makeup. No amount will cover the bumpiness and might aggravate it, so I just stuck out the ugly phase...unfortunately for me, it was so much longer than I expected. And for you pickers, DO NOT PICK YOUR FACE ON THIS MEDICATION!! No really, get your picking under control and stop before you even start using Taz. The urge to pick will be very very strong when you're purging and waking up to multiple new uglies everyday. Go to [link removed] for support. Your skin is an organ and should be treated with respect. Think about it, do you go squeezing at your liver daily? There are so many reasons to stop picking, but especially important on retinoids because your skin is so thin. I've got a few scars to prove it, and hoping they'll fade more over time.

I hate to sound dramatic, but Tazorac gave me my life back. To be able to live and focus on yourself and your happiness and enjoy life without giving a second thought to acne. To be one of those "normal" people without spots all over. It's simply amazing.

Pros

  • Teaches you patience, haha
  • It will work, trust in the Taz
  • Pimples go away quickly
  • Evens out your skin tone, fades post-acne marks
  • Gives you back freedom
  • Taz Effect, aka glow
  • Shrinks pores
  • Anti-aging over the long run

Cons

  • Takes up to 12 weeks to see actual changes (so you can't just give up at week 7 because it's "not working"); you have to complete the 3 months to accurately assess if it's the right product for you.
  • Probably you will have the purging period. I have to be honest, it really sucks. I recommend sleeping a lot to help time pass faster. It lasted all the way until the 8th or 9th week for me because my pores were so clogged.
  • Dry, flaky skin, burnt sensation. At times hard to even smile!
  • moderate
  • for a few months
  • $ 15
  • I recommend using this treatment.


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By on

Been using this for 10 weeks. The first week I was on this topical was brutal. I wanted to quit, my skin was so sensitive. But I stuck with it and it's worked really well for my acne so far. However, I am on antibiotics(Doxycycline Hyclate) for my acne as well so I haven't experienced a horrible initial breakout like others. I do still breakout here and there but the pimples are very small and gone within a few days. It will make your skin really smooth. That's probably the best thing I've experienced so far. Still waiting for the hyper-pigmentation to fade but patience is a virtue. Highly recommend this product.

Pros

  • Smooth skin
  • Dries out new acne
  • Cleans pores
  • Easy to apply
  • Removes dead skin cells

Cons

  • Intense burning and itching during first week
  • Leaves skin oily
  • Doesn't 100% prevent new acne
  • Does nothing for blackheads
  • Expensive without insurance
  • $ 24


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I had developed lots of cluster acne on my cheeks and a moderate amount on my chin as well as tiny little bumps all over my face after having a facial with dermaplaning. Apparently it caused the bacteria from some of the pimples I had to spread to the rest of my face. I tried peels and facials to try to get rid of the problems but it all made it worse. I finally went to the derm. I was placed on a pretty hardcore regimin. Tazorac, Doryx and Spironolactone. I started at the end of Oct 2011. I am in absolute shock with how well I've responded. Prior to the facial I had been getting more breakouts than usual and blackheads which I never had before. Most likely hormonal changes since hitting my 30's. The first month on the Tazorac was so awful. My face peeled terribly and my breakouts were so bad that I didn't even want to leave the house. I'd smile and my face would crack by my mouth and start bleeding. After about 5-6wks I started seeing some improvement. I decided to make an adjustment to my regimin. Again, I started peeling and breaking out but I stuck with it. I'm about to go on my 11th week of treatment and I can't even begin to describe how happy I am. I have to admit that I picked at them which of course led to scars but the med is helping to fade them and my skin is so incredibly smooth and soft. Yay! In case you'd like to know here is my regimin:

am: Wash with Panoxyl with my Clairisonic brush (ok'd by derm to use) Moisturize with Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Soothing Lotion SPF 15.

pm: Wash with CeraVe foaming face wash. Very important: Be sure to dry your face completely before applying Tazorac. If you do not wait then you apply it will burn your skin which will cause terrible peeling for at least a week on top of the regular peeling. After the Tazorac I used the Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Soothing Cream.

Patience is the key!. Good luck to you all and thank you for all the posts. This really helped me to continue the med when all I wanted to do

Pros

  • smoother, softer skin
  • acne scars and fine lines fading
  • acne cleared
  • Free samples from my derm

Cons

  • horrible peeling
  • initial mass of breakouts
  • redness
  • burns
  • Very expensive
  • moderately severe
  • for a few months
  • I recommend using this treatment.


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By on

I haven't used it the full 12 weeks but I'm on week nine and seeing results. I do feel as though my skin is softer and more even toned. The breakout started a little over a week and it was pretty bad. But if you suffer from moderate to severe acne you may not even notice. I had always been prone to cystic acne and with the IB I did get a few but the cleared up much faster than they normally would have. It has taken me a little longer to see results but I think that's just because my pores were so clogged. The redness and burning was mild and only lasted a few weeks 2 at the most. The odd thing about this medication is that my derm had been prescribing it to me for years on and off so I pretty much always had a tube in the cabinet. But what they never told me was how to use it. I always thought I had to lather it on and when it Burned or irritated my skin I always stopped bc I thought. It was just too strong. No one ever said start slow or use a pea size amount. No one ever said moisturizer or even GIVE IT TIME!!! It wasnt until i say an esthitician that i knew the propper way to use it. This medication does take at least 12 weeks to work and at nine weeks i have almost no new acne just clearing up the IB. When I tell you I have used everything and spend a DISGUSTING AMOUNT OF MONEY AND TIME OBSESSING OVER HOW TO GET CLEAR I'm not kidding. If I wasn't spending money and time looking for a cure it was spent looking for a way to cover it up (tinted moisturizers makeup etc)

Just know that this medication is very possibly going to make you look worse before better.If you are using this or even consider it know that acne does effect most of us emotionally as well as physically and you have to prepare urself for both. Be ready for the IB and think "patience" also I have been on every antibiotic for acne and have gained a tolererance so I didn't have the option of using one to help with the IB. BEST OF LUCK TO ALL. THIS FORUM WAS THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME A

Pros

  • Clears up acne faster
  • Smooths out skin
  • Fades acne marks
  • Helps wrinkles

Cons

  • Bad IB
  • Very slightly burning/itching
  • Peeling
  • Redness (short lived)
  • Takes at least 12 weeks to see results
  • moderately severe
  • for a few months
  • $ 150
  • I recommend using this treatment.


110 out of 218 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?    add comment (0)




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