I have been using the .025 for about one month now. Two days after I started using it I got a rash all along my jaw line and it was so itchy. I stopped using it until the rash cleared and the itchy feeling went away and I haven't had a problem since.

I was scared of using it at first because the derm said that it would make your skin worse before it gets better, but I never really noticed a significant difference. My skin never became dry and peel-y.

I don't get any of the big pimples that I used to have, but I do still have a few small pimples on my cheeks. I'm hoping that they will be gone in time for my graduation which is in 3 weeks. :D

It's a slow working product, but if I could only give one small piece of advice it would be DON'T PICK!! As hard as it is, you'll just be upset at the scar that you will leave on your face and this cream, doesn't help fade them.

I've used Retin-A on and off for 15 years (now 31). I've had really bad acne (including cystic under jaw) at different points in my life and strangely when my skin is clear, people say I have beautiful skin ... I attribute this to Retin-A and vitamins and a good diet/lifestyle with lots of exercise. It has helped me lose the sun freckles I got from living in Asia and it's hot sun for three years, and it makes my skin smoother, pores tighter, etc. But, there is no real cure for acne (not even Accutane... tried it three times) so just look for an improvement not a miracle and remember that your skin might have been worse without these products. I do go really easy on it (once every three days to avoid the flakiness) and use moisturizer. I still have some red marks from last nasty outbreaks of acne and I know with Retin-A these will clear in time.

On my 7th week using Tretinoin and I am now over the bad itchy and pealing face .... as others have posted I found myself scratching at night, and sometimes some blood on my pillow... but if you bare with it your skin does start to get better. I have stopped erupting as bad, and healing faster. My acne has dramaically changed, when I do get a pimple its small and heals fast, unlike the huge scarring painful ones I was getting before. I am still beaking out badly on my neck, but I am giving the cream more time and hope to keep seeing improvement.

I just went to the dermatoligst today and was perscribed this. She told me to expect that my face will get worse before it gets better and this the sh*t out of me. I want my face to clear up, but I am so scared of what it will look like before it gets better. I guess I will have to take a chance on it.



In the past I have used CLINDOXYL GEL and I must say that it works wonderfully! I can't use it now however, because it gave me stomach cramos the second time around.

this is the only thing that has worked for me, i have tried pretty much everything and i cna see improvement in pretty much 2 days with this. sometimes i quit then my acne comes back, if you can deal with flaky skin for about a week then this stuff is amazing

Hate this stuff. It's horrible. My acne didn't get any better, and my face was dry, flaky, and peeling. And yes I know that it takes 6 weeks to get used to it, but after 9 weeks my acne was still bad, and my face was still red, dry, and flaky.

I'm just about over the horrible honeymoon period with Retin A Micro--that is, the first few weeks when your skin feels like it's going to crawl right off your face in a peeling red mess. I've been on it for about four weeks now and after that TERRIBLE first month--I was almost too embarrassed to hang out with my boyfriend because of all the peeling, redness, and blistering--my skin is finally beginning to clear up. The other day my mom commented on how my face wasn't so red anymore, and how all of my previous red scars were clearing up. So that was great to hear. But be warned--it's not easy, and I don't know if it ever becomes a totally painless treatment. You have to be super-duper careful to apply SPF every day--usually more than once a day--otherwise you'll get a horrible weeping sore/blistering effect. Ugh. Also, sometimes your face will itch so bad you feel like you want to scratch all the skin right off. I've even caught myself scratching while I was asleep...or at least dreaming about scratching! Especially at the end of the day, my face gets particularly itchy and I end up washing it and putting the Retin A on (long before bedtime) just to get some relief.

I wouldn't recommend wearing makeup to cover up the redness at first. I tried that and it only made the peeling stand out even more. Just moisturize, moisturize, moisturize--I use Aveeno Calming Lotion with SPF 15, plus a little hydrocortisone mixed in sometimes if I'm really itchy.

Give this med the chance to work. I used Retin-A .01 gel a couple years ago with clindmycin and it did wonders for my skin. I was completely clear- and I was stupid to then stop using it. Well, one year later my skin was looking bad again and I finally went back to the derm to request another perscription. Its been 3.5 months now, and this is a big improvement. I have brown skin, so I cant relate to a lot of ads for med. because they ussually dont apply to me. So with that in consideration, and the fact that I never had peeling or any extreme reactions to .01 I just upped to .025 gel to get max results with the left over marks on my face. I was patient this time around, and I think that helps. Everyone will react differently, but you have to give this at least 3-4 months to know if its going to work or not. And retin-a is known for evening skin tone and texture so thats an added plus with the acne thing

I have been on a combination of Retin-A Micro, Suphera mask(sulfur and sodium sulfacetimide) and Finacea (azelaic acid) for about 9 weeks.

I had perfect skin until I was 24 and then out of the blue I started getting pimples. 7 months later I had moderate acne all over my cheeks, cheekbones, temples, forehead and chin.

Finally, after 7 months of frustration I saw a dermatologist who prescribed the RAM, Suphera, Finecea and Duac. - What a combination! I use everything now but the Duac which burned my face a LOT.

Here's what I do...

Morning:
Wash - Purpose face wash
Suphera - as a 5 min mask every other day
Finacea - every day
Moisturizer - (no Sunscreen)
Foundation - SPF 15

Night:
Wash - Purpose
RAM
Moisturizer

The initial breakout was really bad... worse than anything I had had before, but I think the Finacea and Suphera helped clear it up (they are antibacterial). I also had peeling and irritation for the first 3 weeks. But, after that, the side effects went away, and finally after about 6-7 weeks the acne cleared up completely and I only have 3 pimples on my face right now. However, I do have a lot of hyperpigmentation left on my face and a few scars.

I am curious to see if this treatment will last long-term, because I have read some posts saying that it doesn't. Right now, I am happy, because my skin is smooth again, but also dissapointed at some of the scars that are left. But, I am hoping the combination of these prescriptions helps keep my adult acne at bay.

My brother (Who has severe, but light acne) has gone to the derm for along time.
He has tried this junk with 5% BP but it was too diluted and felt like watery mud. It also came with a small tube of SA that you would blot on.
2 thumbs down.

Then he tried the Retin-A. 1/2 tube gone and just acne, zits, and blackheads. No,no for that one too.

AND FINALLY along came Tretinoin. He just recently got it with some capsules and my mom is complaining that im paying too much money on my acne products while he gets his for free.
Hes used it for acouple of months now.
Theres another differance between the price of our products.
My brothers acne is still sticking while my face is getting clearer and is smooth.