Adapalene / Benzoyl Peroxide (Epiduo®)
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Usually known by its brand name Epidu®, this topical treatment is a combination of adapalene, which is a type of medication called a...

Usually known by its brand name Epidu®, this topical treatment is a combination of adapalene, which is a type of medication called a retinoid that reduces inflammation in the skin and helps promote skin cell turnover, along with benzoyl peroxide, which kills acne bacteria and dries/peels the skin. 

It is usually applied once a day before going to bed.

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3.7
496
Read All About Adapalene / Benzoyl Peroxide (Epiduo®)
Compare To Other Treatments
5
39.1%
4
29.2%
3
10.3%
2
7.9%
1
13.5%

Used Adapalene / Benzoyl Peroxide (Epiduo®)? Rate It:

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June 29, 2013
Epiduo is horable

Pros:

it cleared whiteheads

Cons:

cleared in blotches
overdried
too concentrated

I am a 14 year old girl who lives in San Francisco and has the skin type comb/oily. When I used Epiduo I was perscribed by my doctor to only use it at night with about a pea size and put it all over my face, that was one of the huge problems right there is that for me it was so concentrated that I could barely cover half my face with it. When I used enough to cover my whole face it completely overdried my face and it became flakey and gross. In additiion the the drying out of my face it only cleared in blotches and didn't do anything for cystic acne that I had. Other miner things that I hated about it was I was told to use it with the cetaphil oil control cleanser that did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL it says oil control and my face was as oily as before I used it. I was also told not to use it with anything else but the cleanser and cream and that drove me nuts because when I went to an actual dermatologist they told me that what ever I use should have exfoliation step to take away dead skin cells before treatment and after cleansing and it didn't have that. This cream is also very expensive. All in all the whole thing was a bust!
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June 24, 2013
effective to an extent, in reality broke our after stop using it. just wait out acne or get on the accutane

Pros:

cleared 70% of acne within 2 months
skin felt less oily
effectively cleared all acne on cheeks and forehead

Cons:

dry red irritated skin hurt to apply for first 2 weeks
did not completly clear acne
slow but effective to an extent

got given it by my doctor, first few weeks it burnt like hell for the first 5 minutes i put it on (maybe i put to much on ), then i started breaking out for the next 2 weeks, by the first month my face was dry irritated and red permanently, was quite embarrassing to go to school. after my acne improved and cleared up everywhere but my chin i was still getting persistent white heads in certain areas of my chin, no amount of epidou could prevent this. after 6 months with constant chin acne and red and dry skin, i decided to give up and give my skin a break took like 2 months for my skin to return to normal skin colour and still troubled by acne but its not too bad, just learnt to deal with it and its slowly clearing up with age as im am 17 now and have had acne since 12.
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June 22, 2013
I might have really stubborn pimples

Pros:

might help a little bit in combination with the right antibiotic
worked best when I was taking Aldactone

Cons:

dries skin (not too much, at least for me)
somewhat expensive (with insurance copay not-so-great)

I have been on Epiduo for years in combination with different antibiotics and Aczone. Definitely doesn't work on its own, but for me it is not doing anything with the antibiotics. My dermatologist told me to put it on my whole face to help clear the small pimples. I put it on after moisturizer because it dries my skin and I don't see any improvements or if I do, the small pimples (that eventually become big ugly ones) come back. I am at my wits end.
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June 22, 2013
Patience test

Pros:

clear face

Cons:

takes time

I started to see results after 6-8 months, I don't remember well. They were hell....but it was totally worth it! I do not regret waiting for the results! ALWAYS USE A MOISTURIZER ..when i started to use a moisturizer, my face showed great improvement. Apply the moisturizer at least in the morning, and apply epiduo at night ..that's what I did, please be patient ...pretty please ...at first the acne gets really bad, then worse , then you have a panic attack, then you learn not to care ...then it completely clears up....now i don't use because i don't need to ,,,,but I have a clear face!
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June 16, 2013
Epiduo for hormonal acne

Pros:

Will clear acne if you give it time

Cons:

Extremely drying

I suffered an intense hormonal breakout with cystic acne 8 months ago after messing around with BCP. I had severe cystic acne on my chin, neck and jawline. My doctor gave me a bunch of Epiduo samples, and I started using them after the acne didn't go away after 3 months (I had perfectly clear skin all my life, before this breakout). I used Epiduo for about 4-6 weeks before I gave up. It is incredibly drying and makes your skin feel dead and horrible. I couldn't wear makeup because my skin looked like it was literally peeling off, despite using layers of moisturiser. A month later and I decided to give it another go. You must give it time to work and fight the negative symptoms! I started using Jojoba oil at night after cleansing, allowing it to sink into my skin (an hour or more), then apply Epiduo just to active acne before going to bed. THIS WORKS. My skin is clearing up significantly and my skin isn't dry or flaky. Epiduo works if you can manage its negative symptoms, and for me, using Jojoba oil as my nightly moisturiser did this. I also use AHA lotion during the day, to manage the dryness. Stick with Epiduo, and use products to counter the dryness, and you should see results.
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June 12, 2013
HORRIBLE

Cons:

Break outs

I went to the dermatologist for moderate hormonal breakouts and she prescribed me this, along with an antibiotic. The first couple days I was really happy with the results, then around the 4-6 day mark my face and chest looked TERRIBLE. 20 times worse than before. I've never had problems with breakouts on my forehead until I used this. I broke out EVERYWHERE. I stopped using it and my face is clearing up. I know it is part of the ''initial breakout'' period, but I am not game for having terrible looking skin for a few months, especially my face. I'm not buying the whole ''it pushes the impurities out'' line either. Instead I went and switched birth control and that seems to be helping. I would NOT recommend this, unless you want to stay hidden for a few months before your skin clears up.
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June 4, 2013
Recommend

Pros:

Clearing my skin!
Preventing new breakouts

Cons:

Initial breakout
Takes patience
Can make skin dry

I've been using epiduo for just over two months now & I highly recommend it! However, during the 2-3 week stage I definitely felt like giving up. The initial breakout was TERRIBLE. I've never had any cysts before in my life & then suddenly day 16 hit & my face exploded. I basically saw no improved from that day onwards right until around day 50, & so I was disappointed as I began feeling like it was just yet another benzoyl peroxide product that doesn't work for me. I decided to stick with it & by day 66 I was hardly getting any new spots forming. At the moment (day 70), although my old scars are still there (which I'm praying will fade over time), I only have three active spots on my chin, which considering I used to have millions over my forehead & around my mouth & nose, it's a definite achievement in my eyes! My one & only criticism would be that I now have both dry AND oily skin. I've always ridiculously oily skin, but now I sometimes get dry patches as well which is a little awkward when knowing how much/what moisturiser to apply (when using epiduo I'd always recommend apply moisturiser day & night). I did experience a little bit of burning for the first week or so with a slight red tint to my skin, but nothing too major, & also my skin did become very dry for the first two weeks. I'm glad I persevered though! I also really recommend the epiduo app if you have an iPhone :-) p.s apologies for the lengthy review!
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May 30, 2013
Pretty Effective

Pros:

Clears some acne
Effective
Fast results

Cons:

Dryness/ burning
Flakiness
Expensive

I think that Epiduo was really effective, and it cleared my acne a little, but slowly and not completely. I felt that it was a but too dry and harsh on my skin, because my skin burned a lot at times. It made me skin flake, but it did clear up the acne. It did not prevent future breakouts for me. The reason why I stopped using the product was, because it was causing hyperpigmentation on my tan skin, and because it was very irritating and drying for my skin. It worked pretty well for my friends skin. She had terrible acne and after using epiduo her skin cleared up within a few months.
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May 30, 2013
Bad

Pros:

Zits that u have=gone

Cons:

Prevent? Hell no

I used epiduo for a year and a half. It couldnt prevent my breakouts becuz wen i wuld put it on skin without zits.....it wuld dry me out and make myface burn! But wen you do have a zit....its perf!
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May 23, 2013

Pros:

Minimizes redness
Drys out pores

Cons:

Takes awhile to work
Leaves acne scars behind
Burns skin when you first use it

I have been dealing with moderate-severe since I was 13 know at 18 my acne is worse then ever, got prescribed tactuo with minocycline been on it for 7 weeks and had very little improvement the tactuo is great for drying out pimples & minimizes the redness completely.
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.
Find a Doctor Using The American Acacemy of Dermatology Website

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.
Find a Doctor Using the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Website