Adapalene / Benzoyl Peroxide (Epiduo®)
Results
Side Effects

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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October 28, 2009

Pros:

It's affordable

Cons:

Severe drying, burning, redness

I've been using this product for almost 2 weeks and I have been experiencing the worst effects that I have ever experienced. I've tried nearly everything on the market, including prescripton products, so this is just another try. It really dries out my skin and makes it burn which moisturizer seems to only make worse. My skin also appears inflamed because it is so red. I also haven't noticed any improvement with my acne. If anything, I see more pimples on my face than before and they are large and painful. I might continue to use it to see if there's a light at the end of this torturous tunnel, but I might not. BEWARE TO THOSE WHO HAVE SENSITIVE SKIN!
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February 25, 2013

Pros:

clears pimples

Cons:

you grow out of this product
dries skins
irritations

This product is very harsh! it burned my face a lot. i used this product for 3 year, and the first 2 years were great, my acne cleared up, but i guess as soon as i hit 21 i grew out of this product.
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May 18, 2012

Pros:

None

Cons:

Doesn't do anything. Maybe made it worse and left scars

Didn't work on my south asian skin and I've been using it for about 7 weeks for some sudden breakouts. Still have dark marks from where it caused me to break out. Didn't work for me, but still could work for you if you're not prone to PIH
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April 5, 2012

Pros:

Cleared up all my stubborn hormonal acne in TWO DAYS! :D

Cons:

Didn't work at all on whiteheads :(

My dermatologist prescribed this for me a long time ago and I never used it. I came across it one day when I was cleaning out my medicine cabinet and decided to try it. After just one application, it cleared up almost all the acne on my chin! Unfortunately, it didn't do anything for the whiteheads on my forehead :( Overall though, a great product. DEFINITELY recommend, especially for people with hormonal acne.
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January 8, 2012

Pros:

does dry out pimples and prevents them from getting bigger and uglier
works on very pale asian sensitive skin
did not have any major breakouts since started using it
easy to use, dries fast

Cons:

can make your skin very dry and pill off

I am using it for about 1 months now and it does help. I have very pale asian skin and my acne is moderate. When I started using it I got 3 new breakouts which disappeared very quickly and felt for about 1 week as if I had a sunburn on my face. My skin did improve quite quickly and I am looking forward to see if it clears me completely. I was told by my doctor to use it for 3 months to see the results. I would recommend it because nothing worked so far in the past. and I have tried everything except accutane.
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December 25, 2011

Pros:

Works semi-quickly
Skin gets used to it
Goes on/dries clear
Can wear under/over makeup

Cons:

1st week of use=HELL!!!! (details below)
Peely, flaky, dry skin
Redness
Irritation

So..... My first week using this (let's call it the "initiation" week) was to introduce it to my skin and make my skin get used to it. My skin was red as a firetruck and dry as a desert. We're talking cracked, peeling, flaky, DISGUSTING skin. I had to exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. This hurt very bad because you will experience extreme sensitivity on your face. These symptoms will get milder and milder and disappear after approx 1 month. Hang in there. Anyway, on to the good: After about a week, i noticed my acne (mostly my whiteheads) had gone down! However, after about 3 months of use, my acne started to appear again. Thennn, after some intense use for about 3 wks my acne started to fade completely and I am seeing BABY SMOOTH skin!
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March 18, 2011

Pros:

got rid of some blackheads

Cons:

creates dry and red skin
causes burning
turns blemishes to scabs.

My acne was never very bad. But it started getting worse and I figured I should do something about it. My dermatologist prescribed Epiduo. I started using it and didn't see any differences for the first week. Then, my skin got very dry and I found myself using much more lotion than usual. It also stung and burned my face to wash it. That went away after a few more weeks, however. Nothing really changed until I tried to pop this one pimple as usual, the skin peeled around the pimple, which had never happened before, and the blemish turned into a scab. Even pounds of cover up wouldn't cover this thing up. I couldn't even go to school it was so bad. Then, it happened again in another spot. After that cleared up, I noticed that this was happening on a weekly basis. I have decided to stop epiduo until my next dermatologist appointment. The only thing it did was clear up tiny little blackheads on my nose. Bottom line, only use this product if you have severe acne. It's not worth it if you just have a very light case. I. Hate. Epiduo.
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September 20, 2013
Not Very Effective

Pros:

Cleared blackheads
Subdued Oily Skin

Cons:

Itchiness
Redness

I think Epiduo is very overrated. This was my second prescription topical gel I was given by my doctor. I used it religiously and hoped against all hope. I even used Cetaphil face wash like they recommend and used moisturizer. All I got from Epiduo was itchy, blotchy skin. I really thought this would work on my moderately severe acne, but unfortunately it struck out. Luckily I was able to get it with the coupon, so it was fairly cheap.
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July 12, 2012

Pros:

-Burns acne away in a couple of days

Cons:

- REDNESS
-BURNING

DONT RECOMMEND. I had a mild amount of acne. Although it did clear the acne in the short run, it didnt clear it in the long term. So i used this product for a while and acne kept returning. My face became very blotchy, with red spots. I am currently on Roaccutane (Accutane) and it has cleared my acne. BUT the redness is not disappearing. All because i tried epiduo. DONT RECOMMEND
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February 20, 2012

Pros:

-Works fast
-Dries out any existing blemishes quickly
-Lightens hyper pigmentation
-Easy to use

Cons:

-Burning/scaling/redness the first week or so
-May cause initial breakout within the first few weeks (but goes away and gets much better)

I am so happy with this product. I got a little frustrated at first with the burning during the first week and on the third week I had a pretty bad breakout on my chin. However, both these side effects were to be expected, so I toughed it out and am completely COMPLETELY happy I stuck with it! It has lightened a lot of my red/hyper pigmented scars and dries out the occasional pimple really fast (like within a few days or so). I've seen such an improvement in only the one month I've been using it that I'm super excited to see what kind of results I can get in 3+ months! I'm only worried about it possibly losing its effectiveness for me, but according to many of these reviews a lot of people have been using this product for a longgg time and it still seems to do the trick :) I only had to pay $12.00 for my tube since my insurance is pretty decent, but your dermatologist/doctor usually gives you a discount coupon/card thingy so that you won't pay more than $35. Bottom line is I honestly recommend this product :D
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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