Hi all! I am new to this forum and came across it when google-ing info about atralin. I'll try and make my story brief. I have always had flawless skin. I got a job at a spa over Christmas last year and started using this soap called cor silver soap. I heard it would purge you because it gets deep in your pores so I was expecting it. It did make me break out a little bit, not bad, but more blemishes on my skin than usual. I ran out of the soap and decided I didn't want to use it again. My skin calmed down, but I feel like it was never as flawless as it use to be so I decided to go to the dermatologist and she gave me atralin. I got a permanent job at this spa in August where I learned a lot about skin care and got sucked into all these products. I then decided I would try the atralin as I hadn't gotten it filled when I went to the dermatologists three months before. I know there is an initial break out period but I mean my skin has never looked this bad! It isn't even bad compared to some people's skin I'm sure but since I'm use to pretty much flawless skin, this is really lowering my self esteem. My dad has been telling me to go to a dermatologist and do has my boyfriend. They don't understand that atralin will purge your skin and it has to get worse before it gets better. A lot of the aesticians at work have been helping me because at one point I was doing way too much to my skin and it was getting really irritated. I'm not sure if I have been using atralin long enough, but I am stopping it. I didn't jump into it every night like the dermatologist told me because the aesticians at the spa I work at said to start it slow and use it every Sunday for four weeks, then Sunday and Wednesday for four weeks, then every other night for four weeks, and then every night when you feel ready. I guess I started it in September but didn't listen and jumped into to too quickly and was raw and irritated so I stopped it and then started over and did it correctly. I used it correctly and made it to every other night and have been doing it for four weeks but some of the people at work have been telling me to stop everything as my skin should be clearer now. They are well educated in skin care and retinol and all this so I'm not sure if they are right and maybe it's too much for my skin (since before I didn't have a routine, I simply washed my face in the shower at night and maybe in the morning sometimes). I have stopped everything but I am wondering if what I was going through was normal or if it really was too much for my skin. I am only 22 and wonder if retinol is too much for my skin at a young age since my skin was fine to begin with. I know a good bit about skin care from working with aesticians and I have researched a lot about this, but I don't know what I should do. Right now I backed off everything and am washing my face with a gentle cleanser (dermaware pure and gentle) in the morning and a harsher one at night (dermaware deep and clear). I'd love some opinions. I just want my flawless skin back!!!!
You might not like my opinion but here it goes. Quit Atralin. Stop using soap to wash your fash. Wash your face with water and a washcloth instead. A new clean washcloth everytime. Go on some antibiotics in the short term. Let your skin calm down again and clear up. For pesky breakouts, go to your doctor and get a script for finacea. It kills bacteria just as good as bp without the irritation. Been down this road before. I have a world of experience. Sometimes hitting the local pool helps. Indoor at the YMCA. Stop using makeup except for eyeliner and lipstick for a while. Ide bet money youd clear up like a champ.......if you need help pm me. Healthy lifestlye with fruits veggies and lots of water. Break a sweat etc.....
oh yeah i forgot to say........my advice is golden.....
You can ask your dermatologist for a prescription for a topical clindamycin formulation. This will help mitigate the initial breakout caused by tretinoin. Use a sunscreen, drink water (tretinoin thins the epidermis before eventually thickening the dermis, causing some trans-dermal water loss), and moisturize like there's no tomorrow. You can only do so much with a retinoid, but you also need to give it time. A couple weeks - or even 2 months - isn't enough time for the retinoid to take full effect. Often, it'll take upwards of 12 weeks to experience complete clearance, and not in a gradual, systematic manner.
Thanks for both of yalls help! I decided after I posted this to stop EVERYTHING since before my job at this spa, I washed me face once in the shower and maybe in the morning if I felt like it and my skin was flawless! My skin has completely cleared up except for some red marks from me picking 
I'm taking it easy for now and may decide to go back to the derm about getting on another retinol or if I should even be on one. I feel like 22 is a little young to be doing anything like that since my skin is young and repairing itself and all that on its own so I don't THINK i necessarily need anything like that now but we will see. Thanks again!!
Im a 29 year old female using atralin and onexton. Onexton in the am and atralin in the pm. I've been using these for 2 months now and the last past 2 weeks have been horrible. I read a lot about products that I use and this stuff has its ups and downs. For one I have very mild acne. The most pimples I had on my face is maybe 5 at once but I brake up almost every other day with this stuff. I was on epidio for a year and the stuff just stopped working. When my dermatologist gave me atralin and onexton I had high hopes. My skin now has been breaking out in place where I never get pimples and some out very painful. I know my case isn't bad but it's not me and I'm getting very depressed because of this and I wanna give up. I guess I just needs some advice. Is atralin suppose to do this? I heard it has a purge period but I thought that's in the first 2 weeks. I'm 2 months in and terribly confused. Is it too strong for my face? And I keep cracking. My face looks like a cracked doll. Mostly around my nose and my chin. Just any answers r helpful. Thank you.
I am in the exact same boat although I'm only a month in. I am 25... My skin wasn't even bad before just very oily and would get a few zits (mostly around my time of the month). I'm on spironalactone once a day and Atralin at night. Right when I began Atralin my face was covered with little bumps and zits literally on every square whereas a month ago I was almost clear. Just wanted something for maintenance and now I'm like should I stick it out the full 3 months since I've come this far and then my skin will suddenly be amazing or just quit now. I wish I'd never started as the cons outweigh the pros and I'm not even sure if this will end up working.