Tretinoin (Retin-A, Retisol-A) Reviews
Reviews home, or write a review for this item.
Prescription summary (741 votes) |
How well it works

     3.2/5 |
 |
Agreeability

     2.9/5 |
 |
Affordability

     3.5/5 |
|
|
Common brand names:
Retin-A,
Retin-A Micro,
Retisol-A,
Stieva-A,
Avita,
Renova |
Read reviews
72 pages
Jenna, San Diego, Ca Jul 11th, 2008 |
 |
How well it works
     |
 |
Agreeability
     |
 |
Affordability
     |
|
|
| Pros: | Softer, younger looking skin. Fading acne scars. |
| Cons: | Severe outbreaks, super sensitive skin, peeling, flaking, irritation. |
| Bottom Line: | I've only been using this product for a week but after the first "big reveal" aka peeling took place, my skin underneath was softer and the scars were a lot less noticable. I've been breaking out a lot more but that's to be expected. I am just hoping my face starts clearing up soon. |
| Recommended: | Yes |
| Usage: | Jenna has used this item for about a week. |
| Price Paid: | 8.00 |
| Acne severity: | moderate |
|
1 of 1 visitors found the following comment helpful.
Jess, Canada Jul 10th, 2008 |
 |
How well it works
     |
 |
Agreeability
     |
 |
Affordability
     |
|
|
| Pros: | Dramatic improvement with continued and consistent use; soft skin; reduces shallow scars and wrinkles |
| Cons: | Flaking, redness, irritation if used improperly |
| Bottom Line: | This product TAKES TIME to work. Your acne will clear, but you will not notice any major improvement for at least 6 weeks. Follow your doctor's instructions! Apply the solution sparingly. Apply for a short time every other night to start, then increase duration and frequency of application--this will help you avoid redness and irritation. I have increased the strength of the preparation I am using and I find it very easy to tolerate now that my skin has grown accustomed to the regular strength.
I have tried both the gel and cream preparations. I prefer the cream because it is less messy and it stays on my skin longer. The gel can be more cooling and drying for people with very oily skin.
Bottom line: be patient! Your acne is being resolved from beneath your skin. |
| Recommended: | Yes |
| Usage: | Jess has used this item for about a year. |
| Price Paid: | 15.00 |
| Acne severity: | moderate |
|
Skin Doc, AZ Jul 9th, 2008 |
 |
How well it works
     |
 |
Agreeability
     |
 |
Affordability
     |
|
|
| Pros: | Less fine lines and wrinkles, collagen production, normalization of the skin, less acne, improved texture |
| Cons: | Redness, peeling, flaking, irritation, increased acne for a period of time, it takes time to really start working it's magic |
| Bottom Line: | The stuff works. But with any product, it needs time to normalize the skin. This could take up to 40 days. But once you are there, you will notice all of the Pros listed above. It is a tried and true product. That is why it is still on the market and so widely used. with continued use your skin will normalize. That means it will create it's own moisture and decrease excess oily. Bottom Line: give it a chance and you will see improvements. |
| Recommended: | Yes |
| Price Paid: | 15.00 |
| Acne severity: | moderate |
|
1 of 1 visitors found the following comment helpful.
Paige:), Hesperia, CA Jul 9th, 2008 |
 |
How well it works
     |
 |
Agreeability
     |
 |
Affordability
     |
|
|
| Pros: | his product has helped erase my hyperpigmentation and old acne scars. |
| Cons: | You must have patience through the 4-6 weeks of hell. Excessive peeling lots of new pimples. |
| Bottom Line: | If you are patient good things come from this product. I am on the .1% for the past 3 months and can tell you it's was well worth the wait. This stuff is peeling layers of skin off to get to the heathiest skin way underneath. I have read alot of complaints that it causes horrible breakouts but these pimples would have come out eventually. You must wait at least a month to see any improvement. |
| Recommended: | Yes |
| Usage: | Paige:) has used this item for a few months. |
| Price Paid: | 20.00 |
| Acne severity: | moderate |
|
0 of 1 visitors found the following comment helpful.
Tiffany, Malibu Jul 8th, 2008 |
 |
How well it works
     |
 |
Agreeability
     |
 |
Affordability
     |
|
|
| Pros: | none... |
| Cons: | made my acne 10 times worse. bumps, redness, flakes, dryness, huge pimples, little pimples, roughness |
| Bottom Line: | don't use unless you have severe acne. |
| Recommended: | No |
| Price Paid: | 5.00 |
| Acne severity: | light |
|
Joe, Boston, MA Jul 7th, 2008 |
 |
How well it works
     |
 |
Agreeability
     |
 |
Affordability
     |
|
|
| Pros: | I did not really experience any good things from Retin-A |
| Cons: | Face gets really red In the first 2 weeks face gets overly dry and peels. I have used it for about 3 and a 1/2 months and my face hasnt changed, if anything the complexion looks worse because of the redness |
| Bottom Line: | It might work for some people but it does not work for me |
| Recommended: | No |
| Usage: | Joe has used this item for a few months. |
| Price Paid: | 49.99 |
| Acne severity: | moderate |
|
Chelly, SC Jul 5th, 2008 |
 |
How well it works
     |
 |
Agreeability
     |
 |
Affordability
     |
|
|
| Pros: | clearer skin, forehead completely clear, blackheads gone, smoother skin |
| Cons: | It takes a while to work, and like others have said, I too experienced a bad breakout in the beginning. |
| Bottom Line: | I've been using the cream plus an antibiotic for a little over 2 months. I still have a little bit of acne on my cheeks, but it is nothing like it was in the beginning. My overall skin tone looks better, and I rarely get new pimples. It has been the only thing I have tried that has caused improvement in my skin. |
| Recommended: | Yes |
| Usage: | Chelly has used this item for a few months. |
| Price Paid: | 30.00 |
| Acne severity: | moderate |
|
1 of 1 visitors found the following comment helpful.
Jane, Orlando, FL Jul 4th, 2008 |
 |
How well it works
     |
 |
Agreeability
     |
 |
Affordability
     |
|
|
| Pros: | Clears skin, shrinks pores, fades post-acne marks |
| Cons: | Takes a lot of time to work, skin breaks out A LOT in the beginning, may make skin oily if using the cream, increases sun sensitivity |
| Bottom Line: | You need to be patient if you want this to work. It took about 5 months before my skin was clear, but after a year, i almost never get a pimple and my red marks are starting to fade. However, in the beginning my skin broke out like crazy, which is how it's supposed to work. Retin A pushes all of the comedones under your skin's surface up through your pores to clean them out. Please don't write a review on this product if you've only been using it for a few weeks or a month or so. You're just misleading others about a product that can actually help heal acne if used correctly and with patience. Everyone should talk with a doctor to see if Retin A will be best for them. |
| Recommended: | Yes |
| Price Paid: | 3.00 |
| Acne severity: | moderate |
|
Anonymous Jul 3rd, 2008 |
 |
How well it works
     |
 |
Agreeability
     |
 |
Affordability
     |
|
|
| Pros: | - most of acne is gone - skin feels smooth and soft - very cheap |
| Cons: | -makes my skin pink or sometimes red |
| Bottom Line: | I KNOW THIS REVIEW IS LONG BUT READ IT!
This product for the first 2 weeks did make my acne worst but my facial acne isnt that bad anyway so i didnt mind that. After about 5 weeks my skin looked flawless and i was in love with the product. After about 8 weeks my skin was clear but redish pink. im still using but dont know if i should i mean like my face is red!! always wear sunscreen. overall its pretty good my only problem is im red. It great for post acne marks too.
If you have body acne then this is amazing. The best thing for body acne out thier!!!!!!!! |
| Recommended: | Yes |
| Usage: | Reviewer has used this item for a few months. |
| Price Paid: | 5.00 |
| Acne severity: | moderate |
|
0 of 1 visitors found the following comment helpful.
Anonymous Jul 2nd, 2008 |
 |
How well it works
     |
 |
Agreeability
     |
 |
Affordability
     |
|
|
| Pros: | my forehead has cleared up quite a bit |
| Cons: | i had acne just on my forhead but it spread to cheeks and other areas. |
| Bottom Line: | if u have mild acne dont use!!! |
| Recommended: | No |
| Usage: | Reviewer has used this item for about a month. |
| Price Paid: | 89.99 |
| Acne severity: | moderate |
|
72 pages
Write a review
If you have a question about "Tretinoin (Retin-A, Retisol-A)", please visit our message boards. If you have tried "Tretinoin (Retin-A, Retisol-A)" and wish to review it, please do so below.
Rate from 1 (worst) to 5 (best) in the colored boxes below. Hover your mouse over each box for details. You may also optionally fill in your name, location, and additional fields below. Please check for accuracy before submitting your rating.
We welcome your
feedback for the reviews page.