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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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 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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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 21, 2013

Cons:

burned, stings, redness
very drying (my skin is crazy oily!!)
breakouts continued

My doctor gave me this for my cystic acne........should have never purchased this!!! I used it like he said for 6 months and my skin had awful cysts and big pimples that didn't go away until a month after I stopped. I finally looked at the ingredients in it to see what was causing this and I found sorbitan oleate. This ingredient is known for causing big acne problems. It also stung my face after every apllication and made it crazy red. People asked me if I had been out in the sun lately. I have very oily, greasy skin and this caused my skin to flake up and peel which was annoying. I do NOT recommend this at all!! Especialy for acne-prone people!!
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September 23, 2012

Pros:

Within the first few weeks it did clear my acne, then it all changed --- look at the con's....

Cons:

- Dried up skin so bad
- Burned my skin for the first few weeks
- soar-ness of skin and burning sensation.
- Made my acne 10 times worse!...
- not worth it!.

I went to my GP about my acne, i was getting down about having 10 spots roughly.. I was prescribed this treatment i regret the day i purchased this. The first couple of weeks i did see a massive improvement then the 2 week in initial break out occurred and i thought ok..fine!...then i thought it would go away and it did sort of but then 4 weeks in i went from 10acne spots roughly to 40!...left me with horrific scarring and my skin has been thinned out so much. I went back to my gp and she told me to use it still so i did for another 4 weeks and each morning i would wake up to another new spot that would only add to the scars. To me this product is not worth it anymore, it might be great for others but for my skin is was not... it made my acne 10 times worse then before, left with scarring and little open pores on my cheeks. I use this product only once a day and within 2 months my skin feels destroyed.
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September 9, 2012

Pros:

No redness
No peeling

Cons:

Oily skin
Breakouts worse

I had success with Benzaclin for about 7 years. When I was 22, I started noticing "bumps" under the skin on my cheeks. No amount of exfoliating I did could get rid of them. I went to the dermatologist. She prescribed me Epiduo. I was happy with this choice, as I new I needed a retinoid to solve my skin issues. The first 2 months my skin broke out pretty horribly. Like, worse than I've ever seen. But I research everything and was well aware that this was going to happen initially. Well, I've now been on Epiduo for 5 months. The "initial breakout" never stopped. My skin is bumpy all over, oily (my skin is usually dry), and a complete mess. It NEVER looked this bad before using Epiduo. I know Epiduo helps some people. I have friends with beautiful skin because of it. However, Epiduo is not for everyone. I hate that I have used this for so long, as I know it's going to take a long time to repair the damage that has been done.
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September 1, 2012

Pros:

light, clear, not that expensive

Cons:

has not cleared my acne

I use a gentle wash, and light moisturizer afterward every day before going to sleep. It doesn't work for me.
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July 28, 2012

Pros:

-Works (For a While)
-Dries quickly
-No smell
-Cheap with coupon
-No purging for me.
-Spot treatment for back acne.

Cons:

-Causes some irritation. (i.e. Itching, Redness, Sun sensitivity, Extreme dryness)
-Sadly my skin got used to it.
-If you forget to use it once, you break out.
-Can bleach towels if you don't was it off your fingers completely.
-Does nothing for the scars acne can leave behind.

I was put on Epiduo in November 2011. It is now July 2012. Epiduo worked wonders for me and I thought I found the cure. It cleared my face up about 95% in about a month. Sadly, in June 2012, for some reason I broke out terribly (Worse than my face was before Epiduo) and it stayed until now. I also had EXTREME dryness, like if I got out of the shower or a pool, it was time to bring out the moisturizer. It also made my face extremely sensitive to the sun, and my face wont get an even tan. I have to use a ton of moisturizer, even with my oily skin. I went back to my Derm. Two days ago and he put me on Tazorac and Aczone. This is my last option because I am now on some list for Accutane.
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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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June 8, 2012

Pros:

Eventually will clear skin

Cons:

burning
itching
PAINFUL
redness

My younger sister bought this product and she LOVED it! I really don't have "bad" acne; my skin is actually really good. About 3 months ago my skin spazzed out on me! i didn't know what I was doing wrong: I didn't sleep with my makeup on, I always washed my face, etc... The only thing i can remember changing was I wasn't using my Clinque 3 Step System. My sister let me use her Epiduo, and by the second day of wearing it, my skin felt like it was on fire! My sister assured my that it was only temporary. I toughed it out, and it felt like it wasn't serving any purpose. After a month of torture, my acne cleared up slightly. I did not continue to use it after that, but I did switch back to my Clinque and my skin looks awesome!
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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