So, Ive been to the dermatologist and he provided TAZORAC for my breakouts. The doctor told me to apply at night and only once at night... and that my face will turn red and peel. Ive seen posts where woman refer to the Tazorac as a "Chemical Peel" Is this what I have to look forward to? Please post any of your experiences with TAZORAC....I was also given TETRACYCALINE... for a month only. I did ask the doctor if I was a candidate for Laser Dermatology and she didnt think so. She thought that I may have had an allergic reaction when I switched from Proactiv to NUSKIN.... Oh and she did say, that I wont see any difference for about 2 months and during the day I am to apply Hydrocortisone to the face...... during the daybefore applying makeup..
Please give me your information......
ahhh taz... i heard good and bad reviews on it. personally, it didn't work all that great for me. my face broke into a rash like crazy after using it for a couple of days. instructions told me to stick with it (which i did) for a couple of weeks. however, after a month or so my acne was still the same and had the same rash. 
my derm finally told me to stop using it and i got on the tane.
So, Ive been to the dermatologist and he provided TAZORAC for my breakouts. The doctor told me to apply at night and only once at night... and that my face will turn red and peel. Ive seen posts where woman refer to the Tazorac as a "Chemical Peel" Is this what I have to look forward to? Please post any of your experiences with TAZORAC....I was also given TETRACYCALINE... for a month only. I did ask the doctor if I was a candidate for Laser Dermatology and she didnt think so. She thought that I may have had an allergic reaction when I switched from Proactiv to NUSKIN.... Oh and she did say, that I wont see any difference for about 2 months and during the day I am to apply Hydrocortisone to the face...... during the daybefore applying makeup..
Please give me your information......
Well, I used Tazorac for about 1 year. When you start using tazorac, if you read the directions, it will tell you to start once every couple of days, to once a day, then to twice a day. If you try to do it to fast, your skin will get this burned look. While using it, your skin will feel like it is burning if you are using any type of astringent or toners. Like the last post, it is like a chemical peel and it will peel your skin. I have severe acne that I've been fighting since I was 12, so tazorac was just another medication I was trying. It took about 2 months for me to see improvement. It did work, but once I saw that it worked, I stopped using it and my acne came back. Currently, I haven't used it in about 2 weeks and am trying a different regimen. Someone suggested to me sea salt scrubs so I'm currently trying that.
I posted the results of a Tazorac study where they had success in treating acne by having subjects leave the taz on every night for 5 min or less. They indicated that the reduction in acne was similar to studies where subjects left the Taz on all night. The post is under the acne research section. If you are getting too much irritation, you might ask your derm about using the short application method.
I was on Tazorac cream when I first when to a derm. I was onlt on it for no more than a year. That was 4 years ago. I still have a reddish face from it. It's red along my jawline but not on my neck, of course, and white right around my mouth, because you're not supposed to put it on your lips. It's horrible and other people cansee it. It's slowly becoming less noticeable, but there's absolutely NO WAY to cover up the redness. I've tried everything and it's like it refuses to hide...
I was on Tazorac cream when I first when to a derm. I was onlt on it for no more than a year. That was 4 years ago. I still have a reddish face from it. It's red along my jawline but not on my neck, of course, and white right around my mouth, because you're not supposed to put it on your lips. It's horrible and other people cansee it. It's slowly becoming less noticeable, but there's absolutely NO WAY to cover up the redness. I've tried everything and it's like it refuses to hide...
Yep. The redness that just won't die! It sux. I think Taz, Dif... are especially rough on fair skin types. The chemical burn look can linger for many MANY months and, yes, nothing will cover it up short of a full face spackle treatment. 
Do peopel with darker skin usually do better with Taz? My daughter has pretty "tough" skin in that it doesn't sunburn, doesn't flake, is oily, and thick. This will make her acne more stubborn, but I think she can handle the Taz anyway. She is on the short application method. I will have to watch and see how it works. I don't want her to have negative side effects since her acne is not that bad yet, but she's had a cyst and the derm is trying to be proactive (LOL).
Do peopel with darker skin usually do better with Taz? My daughter has pretty "tough" skin in that it doesn't sunburn, doesn't flake, is oily, and thick. This will make her acne more stubborn, but I think she can handle the Taz anyway. She is on the short application method. I will have to watch and see how it works. I don't want her to have negative side effects since her acne is not that bad yet, but she's had a cyst and the derm is trying to be proactive (LOL).
I have fairly tough skin and tazorac did not really fry it like others have said. If it did irritate, it was around sensitive spots such as the mouth and nose.
I loved tazorac and found it to be one of the most effective topicals I have used. However, I stopped using it once my acne went cystic!
Do peopel with darker skin usually do better with Taz? My daughter has pretty "tough" skin in that it doesn't sunburn, doesn't flake, is oily, and thick. This will make her acne more stubborn, but I think she can handle the Taz anyway. She is on the short application method. I will have to watch and see how it works. I don't want her to have negative side effects since her acne is not that bad yet, but she's had a cyst and the derm is trying to be proactive (LOL).
MeredithC, I'm a 26 year old, African American woman who is brown skinned (middle of the road coloring). Tazorac is definitely beneficial, but, just because you have darker skin or tougher skin, doesn't mean that it won't burn. If you go to fast with the application usage, the skin will burn. That's what it is made to do. Your best bet is to start once every COUPLE days, then once every other day, then once a day. The time period between each should be about 2 - 3 weeks.
Hopefully, this is helpful
Hi, I have been using taz for about a week and a half (I switched from RAM .04%)-so far it's seems less irritating for me then RAM. I will use it two nights in a row and then give a rest, which seems to work fine so far. My skin is fair and sensitive, so it's strange that taz should give me so few problems, at least so far-**knock on wood**. I have a few small pimples but nothing large or concerning at this point. I am also using finacea (azelaic acid) to help with redness. So good luck with it-my only advice is to listen to your skin-if it gets to irritated give it a night off and be really slow about increasing application!
Hi, I have been using taz for about a week and a half (I switched from RAM .04%)-so far it's seems less irritating for me then RAM. I will use it two nights in a row and then give a rest, which seems to work fine so far. My skin is fair and sensitive, so it's strange that taz should give me so few problems, at least so far-**knock on wood**. I have a few small pimples but nothing large or concerning at this point. I am also using finacea (azelaic acid) to help with redness. So good luck with it-my only advice is to listen to your skin-if it gets to irritated give it a night off and be really slow about increasing application!
Hi Queen -
So you've switched to Taz, huh? Its interesting that you aren't getting as much irritation as you did with RAM. Are you still using the mandelic in your regimen? Good luck with the new routine!!
Hey Willow, Thanks for the response:) I need to update my journal but work is so busy that I just haven't had time to spend on it. How is your routine going?
Yeah, I've switched to Taz and Finacea as well as spironolactone-lots of stuff:) The RAM and Mandelic acid were working but I wanted to be completly clear (which could just be too high expectations-i don't know)
Anyways I went to the derm and she said that Taz was much better then RAM and she thought it would work better for me. It seems less irritating-I don't know why?! But it seems to help with the hyperpigmentation more then the ram and doesn't me make me as red. I haven't been using the Mandellic acid since starting this new routine as it seems too much. So far so good:)
Been using the .05% cream every night for the past week and a half. I like it because it hasn't screwed up my nose and made it worse, but my blackheads are still prevalent and oil production hasn't slowed down. Sticking with this for another four and a half weeks until I see my derm again.
I've used Taz for 3 months on specific areas of my face. I didn't use it on my whole face b/c I wanted to see whether it really caused improvements or it was just natural waxing and waning.
I didn't get any bad side effects. i peel a little, but not bad. No redness.
As expected I got a really bad initial breakout at first that lasted a couple weeks. Now 3 months in i see a real improvement compared to the rest of my face. It has especially helped in red marks.
Do peopel with darker skin usually do better with Taz? My daughter has pretty "tough" skin in that it doesn't sunburn, doesn't flake, is oily, and thick. This will make her acne more stubborn, but I think she can handle the Taz anyway. She is on the short application method. I will have to watch and see how it works. I don't want her to have negative side effects since her acne is not that bad yet, but she's had a cyst and the derm is trying to be proactive (LOL).
I have fairly tough skin and tazorac did not really fry it like others have said. If it did irritate, it was around sensitive spots such as the mouth and nose.
I loved tazorac and found it to be one of the most effective topicals I have used. However, I stopped using it once my acne went cystic!
So does this not help cystic acne? My daughter is only using it because of cysts... well, really to prevent the small pimples from going cystic.
My advice would be to moisturize if you must use this. I owe this lovely cream thanks for a scar on my face. I'm thankful it isn't a pitted scar or anything (looks like a small "oh crap I just fell and something went in my skin, but now it has healed" everyday scar. 
), but a scar is a scar.
It made my skin pretty smooth, if I remember, and I'll say that it did make my acne better though not much...And in the end I just feel like it ruined my skin more than anything.
So like I said, moisturize or somethin'. It's a rough drug.
I just started using this med a week ago and I can tell the difference already. I have cystic acne and its improving already. My derm told me to only put it on for 15 minutes at night and then wash off. Immediately after I put on a lot of Cera Ve lotion (OTC). I can tell the clarity of my skin is improving as well. We'll see how it progresses...
I have used it on and off, both in a low and less low dose. My derm says to put it on every other day. I have damn oily skin and this caused some dryness, slight peeling - but no chemical peel-like issues. Just don't overuse - the dryness takes a bit to develop so don't be fooled.
Hi everyone,
I have been using taz .1% for almost 3 months after using ram.04% and differin prior to that. Both the differin and RAM worked but not well enough. At this point using the Taz has been really frustrating for me. Right now my skin has a lot of little bumps and redness. Prior to this I had mild to moderate acne with very oily skin and clogged pores. I have also added mandellic acid for peely skin but i recently stopped because i think it's too irritating. anyway, has anyone taken longer then 3 months to be clear? I'm not sure if I should just give it up or give it longer. I was fairly clear previously, so this new break out is frustrating-i'm still getting surfacing of clogged pores. It's so great to be able to read other people's experiences-it helps to not feel so alone! I hope everyone is having a good day!