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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2
7.9%
1
13.5%

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February 7, 2016
Didn't work very well
This irritated my skin quite a bit, however I believe it was due to the benzoyl peroxide and the fact that my skin has a slight sensitivity to it which I have experienced with other treatments containing benzoyl peroxide. This caused me to breakout A LOT at around the 3 week mark, effectively making my acne worse. While I intended to stick it out, the treatment just made my skin very, very irritated even after using it for over one month. I didn't really notice any improvement on my inflammatory acne, however it did work on my non-inflammatory acne. Nonetheless, as soon as I discontinued treatment, my closed comedones and non-inflammatory acne came back. However, I think that it is worth a try as it may work better for you than it did for me! :)
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January 12, 2016
would NOT recommend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, I read reviews before I bought this and decided that many people seem to have found success. I have used a number of topical treatments before and found things to be drying, but I can put up with that!!! I started using this and hated it, but still gave it a chance. For the first 2 weeks it stung. so bad. It would sting when I would apply the medication, but also when I would exercise and sweat, when I showered or swam in a pool...ect...ouch! It also made my face really red. As everyone else said, it makes you skin flake and peel. But it was way worse than anyone warned. It got to the point where wind would move dead skin off my face!! I couldnt apply makeup because it was flaking so much. My face had an AWFUL texture and I look 100000x worse than with cystic acne. no thanks! but i continued with it (oh no...) by week 3 the peeling had yet to cease. it was bad. I reapplied the thickest moisturiser I could find 10+ times a day, and it was no help! felt so emabarrassed! WHY HAD I DONE THIS TO MYSELF!! My acne didnt clear up AND now, after a pimple would go away, the epiduo left a red mark where the pimple used to be!!!? this never happened to me before. but now not only do i have acne, but i also have a very uneven skin tone. needless to say, at the end of week 3 i gave up. overall, i wouldnt reccommend, not a good prouduct! However, it did help get rid of some acne (hardly, but a bit)
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December 3, 2015
DO NOT USE I BEG YOU
horrible.. ruined my entire face. im a 17 year old boy and have always have 100% flawless skin and got a couple zits on my cheeks from over drying it swimming everyday during the summer and i wanted them gone cause it was annoying. so i read some good reviews on this, had a friend who used it and worked for him and also saw the commercials and stuff., so i had my dad (whos a family doctor) prescribe it for me. it did nothing at first then turned my mild acne into giant cysts all over my face. its been 5 months and im still working to clear the horrible scarring and other zits that formed from trying other crappy products in an attempt to clear the acne that epiduo started.
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mdlnt
January 15, 2016
Maybe you should've made a smart choice and gone to a dermatologist who actually knows what they're doing, instead of assuming you know everything. You should've at least done some research into who it's meant for and what to expect, because it's definitely not meant for people with very mild acne.
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August 20, 2015
Teenage Acne
Hello, I'm 16 and have had acne since the beginning of high school, which is about 2 years for me. I'm going into grade 11 now and have had consistent and worsening acne while trying a number of different products. To debrief, I began using Epiduo in March and was very disappointed by the results I received after around 3 weeks to a month. I experienced an initial clearing of skin in the first week and then began to break out dramatically for weeks that followed. I put the product down after about a month and tried other methods. None of the products that I purchased seemed to better my skin, so after around 4 months I returned to my dermatologist in July with frustration and intentions to begin Accutane because the acne on my chin, though not severe, had not cleared for months and I had become extremely depressed with my failure to clear up. Reluctantly, I chose to take doxycycline and Epiduo from my dermatologist for a three month period. I'm on week five of this treatment and am not impressed with my results. I feel as though I may be in the same place as I was when I was prescribed and am growing impatient. I have had dryness, redness, and initial break outs but by week 5, my skin is continuing to have small break outs and hyper pigmentation. I'm wondering when I'll see dramatic results.
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soutera
August 21, 2015
comment with your help please?
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soutera
October 11, 2015
I'm on the eleventh week of this treatment and I've been moderately to completely clear for the past week. It's taken a very long time to have consistency in terms of getting no new pimples but I think that I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!!!
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Lucymariexoxo
November 30, 2015
Hi, did you wear any makeup during the treatment process?
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August 16, 2015
BE CAREFUL
I'm the type of person who never worries about treatments drying out my skin because it's just so damn oily you could cook an egg on it, and nothing ever dries out my skin. Except this bloody cream. It sucked all the moisture out of my skin like a death eater, I had dried up itchy red skin and flaking scaley skin on the corners of my mouth from where my whole face was dried out. It was horrific. The saddest part about my red lizard face is that I still had acne. So please use this with caution and use the smallest amount only on the places you need it and don't use it all the time.
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January 12, 2015
works for some people but not for me DONT USE TWICE A DAY
used it for a year and diddnt work whatsoever stopped using it and my face was better but it works with some people but i started using it again after my doctor told me used it 2 a day and ended up with chemical like burns
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January 7, 2015
Nahh
My dermatologist made me use Epiduo for over a year, I would put it on almost every zit every single night for a very long time and literally, it did NOTHING. I'm happy to read that it helped for some people here but when I used it it didn't do a thing. She gave me some other gel but doesn't seem to do much as well. I have very cystic, red, big zits and a lot of blackheads so yeah.. still same old skin, nothing changed.
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November 15, 2014
expensive and left me with scars
I've used Epiduo for 7months. I suffer from cystic acne and didn't see much improvement, on the contrary, after I started using this medicine my skin is now full of indented scars, they look like holes pockmarks and I never got scars from my acne before using epiduo. These scars can't be concealed with make-up, my skin is ruined. The only thing I can say positive about this drug and will give 2 stars is that it helped me to get rid of black spots mainly on the nose and chin but it did nothing for my cystic acne and it was very expensive. Unfortunately it didn't work for me but it might help you.
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July 18, 2014
Just started using it
I have acne all over my face. Mostly on my right cheek which is covered and I also have tiny bumps all over my forehead. I also have a lot of whiteheads. I got prescribed epiduo and I'm on my fourth day of using it and tbh I think my acne has gotten worse but I think that's because I have a lot of whiteheads which I'm always popping. After reading all these reviews I'm focused on carrying on for at least 3 months so my acne can finally go away. When I apply it, it doesn't really sting that much. Only mildly. And my skin gets really dry and flakey too so I'm wondering which moisturiser to use? I was thinking on getting aveeno moisturising cream?? I will be back with an update on how things are but so far it's not too bad I guess.
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December 16, 2013
Worst benzoyl peroxide product ever

Pros:

clears some acne

Cons:

burns
stings
redness

Epiduo works to clear some acne but does not completely clear your face. It also burns like nothing else. My skin never adjusted to the burning, every night was like my face was on fire. And I only used a pea-sized amount.
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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