I never take the time to write reviews on products but I felt the need to write about this. I'm 20 and I've been struggling with acne for about 5 years. It has never been severe, but definitely noticeable and ongoing. I've tried everything. Every drug store product, home remedies, popular acne systems. Nothing made a big difference. Acne has prevented me from having a lot of self confidence. It SUCKS. About two weeks ago I went to my general doctor to ask for a referral to a dermatologist because I had finally had enough. She prescribed me Epiduo so I would have something until I could actually visit the dermatologist. I started using the Epiduo twice daily - once in the morning and once at night. My pimples starting to go away but I quickly learned that twice a day is entirely too much. My face started burning and becoming dry (I have sensitive, dry skin as it is.) so I stopped using it for a day and then I continued to only use it at night. All of my existing pimples AND blackheads are becoming non existent. My skin hasn't been this clear in years. Along with Epiduo, I drink a lot of water daily, and I use Cetaphil as a moisturizer. You MUST moisturize with a lotion such as this so your pores don't get clogged. Yes, burning and dried out skin will occur because of how strong this product is. Do not over use it and if your skin burns too much and gets too red, stop using it for a day or so and then begin again but maybe use less. Don't forget moisturizing is so important, as well as exfoliating. I use an apricot scrub from CVS every 3 days. Thank you Epiduo!! And good luck to the rest of you users.

Okay, so I've been struggling with acne for 7 years. Technically 9 years, but that doesnt matter. I tried everything. I learned my skin was allergic to salicylic acid which stinks because a lot of treatments use it. My skin would be so oily because it made my skin so dry... I bought expensive treatments, I bought cheap treatments, AND I used natural alternatives. (I always start with natural because I hate western medicine) Nothing ever worked. I changed my eating habits, my sleeping patterns, everything you would read in a magazine and a book... I swear I tried everything. Sometimes it would work for a week then get really bad. I went to the dermatologist once and it never helped, so I refused to go and just tried to live with it, which was a bad idea because my face was covered with bumps and scars and blackheads. So so so embarrassing, especially surrounded by people who have actual flawless skin. The pressure is so high these days, so one thing I learned is thag you can't ever judge a person on the outside because they usually can't help it! Anyways- My mom took my sister to the dermatologist because her acne was pretty bad as well. I refused to go, but my mom told the doctor about me and he prescribed my sister EpiDuo. He said I could just it if I wanted to. Knowing stubborn old me, I didn't want to use it. Weeks passed, and my sister' skin started to clear up. She just did the instructions and her skin was flawless. I was so jealous. And of course, my mom bugged me everyday how I should use it. So one night, I was so tired if my embarrassing acne that I had everywhere and I had been dealing with it for SO long, that I gave in. I used it. And I washed my face with Cetaphil every morning and night and applied EpiDuo every night. I think I started in November. I also stopped wearing makeup, because I'm a ballet dancer and I have no need to wear it because it just settles in my pores... SO, I've used it basically every single day and it's January now, and my skin is changed! It's BEAUTIFUL. It started out very dry- My skin is very sensitive. I think my acne made it even more sensitive. It was never "worse before it gets better" (which is strange because that's how I always was) Also, DO NOT APPLY AT THE BEACH BECAUSE YOUR SKIN IS ASKING FOR A BURN. I applied it at the beach, only once, at night, and the next day my skin fried. It was awful. I couldn't even make facial expressions because it was so sore. I learned to use a lighter cleanser (Cetaphil) and moisturize with the Heavy Cetaphil moustrizer. Now, my skin is clear and I can run my hand over my forehead and not feel bumps! I haven't had that in such a long time. It's also not as oily which is rare for me. I am so grateful it has worked for me. I can't even tell you how much more confident I feel in myself now. The only thing is, I had awful blackheads and they're better because they come out easily, but they're still there.... But I can't complain because it's cleared up my skin!

I've only just started using epiduo, I'm on my fourth day and I can already see a difference with my acne. Although my skin is very very dry and itchy. After reading lots and lots of other reviews this is normal and usually goes after a month or so. I've been on birth control pills, three courses of different antibiotics and used thousands of over the counter and branded products, which unfortunately none have improved my skin. I finally went back to the doctors after a few weeks of a really bad breakout which wasn't helping my anxiety at all. I went to the doctors wanting to come out with a referral to a dermotolitist but my doctor said we have to try at least another course of antibiotics before the dermotolitist even considers something like accutane. This is when she prescribed me Epiduo, which was very hard to get hold of in my local pharmacies. After my first night of applying the gel, I saw a difference the morning after with my acne. My problem areas weren't as aggravated but were very dry, which I'm sure can be helped my a good moisturiser. I keep telling myself to stick to using epiduo as it obviously helps acne prone skin. Would defiantly recommend even after 4 days! Stay positive!

I read sooo many reviews before I tried this! I was so desperate I was a total pizza face! I had around 60-80 zits on the jaw area, Can't count and it was very cystic! I used it the first two days and I woke up and my face was COVERED in white heads. Counted 32 just on one side of my jaw and was horrified and how bad it had made my acne! You have to realize this medicine pulls out ALL of the bad things in your skin so it really does get worse before it gets better. After about a week, I'd say I had about 15 zits new zits left and all the others were healing (still looked nasty!!) Then week 2-4 was just all healing. By week 4 (my 21st birthday) all that was left were some bad scars! I'd say for all the scaring to completely go away it took about 6 months. But it was easy to put cover-up and you could not even notice! PLEASE DO THIS: After all the white heads come up, get a steaming rag and keep in on your problem area, I would do this for about 10 minutes (make sure it stays hot/warm) most of the zits will open up and all ooze out and then clean and put the cream over it (Gross, I know). I think this is key to speed up the healing process (watched a youtube video on this process)

I never had any problems with my skin until my early 20's. I didn't get large pimples, but rather really small bumps, kind of like a rash, all over my chin and jawline. I thought it was due to an allergy or makeup, but nothing that I did worked. I tried so many products and they just made it worse. Eventually, after about 18 months of trying to make it go away, I saw my dermatologist. I wish I had've gone earlier! I didn't realise how easy it would be to get rid of this problem. I was prescribed Epiduo and, like everyone else seems to have done, I used too much at first. My skin was flaky and dry and it tingled when I put it on and hurt a little. I used it every 2-3 days until my skin got used to it, and since then I've been able to use it daily. It does take a while to work. My skin initially got worse before it got better, but I read reviews saying to stick to it and I'm glad that I did. This product doesn't clear existing acne (apparently), but just prevents new acne from developing, hence why it takes a while. I still have some small bumps, but nothing noticeable at all. Everybody is commenting on how nice my skin is, and now when I wash my face it feels smooth - finally! My dermatologist told me to use Dove soap and no moisturiser, and it left my skin really really dry. So now that it's all cleared up I've moved onto some good products just for nourishing. It's important to not use an acne cleanser with an acne product like this. Now my skin is supple and smooth. I use Epiduo every few days now, and sometimes when I get slack my skin starts going crappy again so I step up the routine. I'm trying to stick to a consistent routine for the next month or so to see how that goes. I'd love to have flawless skin and not have to wear any makeup. Anyway, definitely recommend! Even if your skin isn't extremely bad it's still worth using. My self esteem is so much better.

So basically no OTC products worked, steivamycin worked for a short period but then became immune, benzaclin was an absolute disaster, ziana was the worst product i've ever used... So that left me with Epiduo (Tactuo where i'm from in Canada). My last chance at clear skin. Began using it, complete disaster. Bright red, dry, peeling skin. So I stopped using it after about 2 weeks. Acne got so bad that I had to force myself to go back on it. Turns out I was using it improperly the first time. Was putting way too much on the first time. PEA SIZED AMOUNT. Breakout has finally cleared and I only get about 1 or 2 spots every week now. Still gives skin a reddish tinge which I don't really like but hey it's better than a face full of acne Regimine Morning- wash face with cetaphil gentle cleansing bar, moisturize with Neutrogena oil free moisturizer Night- Wash face with gentle cleansing bar, wet my finger and apply pea sized amount of epiduo all over my face, moiturize with oil free moisturizer, apply vaseline to lips and corner of mouth THIS SAVED ME. Let's hope it keeps up. Stick the first couple weeks of Epiduo out and you're gold!!

I was obsessed with this site while I struggled with my adult acne so I wanted to leave a review for the product that ultimately saved my skin. I never had acne as a teenager but for some reason around 25 years old I began having problems with my skin. At 27 I was mortified to still have this problem. I work in a very professional setting and its difficult to feel confident when my face was covered in painful blemishes. I tried every over the counter option I could get my hands on and nothing worked. After two years of trying to fix this issue myself, I finally went to a dermatologist. Frankly, I wish I had just admitted I needed professional help with my acne in the first place. It would have saved me so much heart ache. Anyway, she proscribed me epiduo along with a three month round of oral antibiotic (to help with the first few weeks when epiduo may cause flare ups). My acne did not get worse in the beginning (I think this was due to the antibiotic). My face did feel raw during the first month and the skin where my acne was the worst (chin/mouth) would get flaky and peel. I used cetaphil gentle cleanser and moisturizing lotion and this really helped alleviate those initial symptoms. I started noticing actual improvement around week four and by week eight my confidence was already coming back. My acne had really diminished and what bumps I did have could be covered with bare-minerals foundation. Finally I am at week 16 and I don't have a single blemish on my face. I haven't been blemish-free in two years but today my face is totally clear and has been for a couple weeks now. This product isn't an overnight cure...those don't exist and anyone who tells you they do is lying/selling something. I tried too many products with those promises and wasted so much time/money/disappointment. My advice to those of you searching this site for answers: go to your dermatologist. Go. Seriously. Now. Get your regimen and stick to it. No it won't work overnight but it will work in time if you keep up with it. You'll be so glad you did.

I'm a teenaged girl with mild-moderate, yet persistent and painful acne consisting of papules and pustules, as well as open and closed comedons, and this has significantly cleared my skin up. I have been using Tactuo (as Epiduo is known here in Canada) for 5 months and my acne has been reduced by a good 90% which I find incredible as nothing else that I've tried has helped without damaging my skin. It's important to note that while I have extremely sensitive skin and for that reason I cannot use many popular products, including Cetephil and Dove, along with Neutrogena, Aveeno, Clean and Clear, and other similar brands, I have not had any stinging, itching or purging, as others have mentioned. I did, however, notice some mild flaking in the areas of application for the first week, as others have also mentioned, but that subsided once my skin adjusted to the medication. It is also noteworthy to mention that I used Tactuo (AKA Epiduo) bi-daily, then daily, for a good month before I noticed major results. This products is a godsend, and as I have not noticed any adverse reactions, I will continue to use it as needed until I no longer feel like my skin needs. For reference, I have had luck with using, lush skincare (Tea Tree Oil as the main active acne-fighting ingredient), Murad skincare (salicylic and glycolic acid based), and Spectro jel as a gentle, non-medicated cleanser.

The first few days were so painful using this, my skin was bright red, flaky, blotchy, itchy, inflamed, and sore. It really was painful and a few months in my skin was still purging and I came out in the worst breakout I've had for a long time. The first few days I slapped it on which was why it was so sore so I DO NOT recommend doing that. Stick to the instructions. I then reduced the application to every other day because I was so scared about how my skin was turning out, however I was keen to get results and so after my skin started to get use to this cream I religiously applied this every night after washing my face with Cetaphil cleansers and then applied Cetaphil moisturiser. I made the mistake of putting the moisturiser on straight after applying the epiduo which was dangerous because I rubbed it all over my face even my eyelids! They went swollen and red and itchy, so my advice is to apply moisturiser either an hour after or wait until the morning after washing. Epiduo took from the end of March to August to see some impressive results, I still have scars and the odd pimple but I was not in as much pain and embarrassment as I was before, I can often leave the house with little make up on, just concealer and mascara and actually feel confident. My acne was one of the triggers for my depression, however Epiduo has saved me my sanity! I would recommend it to anybody who has tried countless topical treatments. I also took Erythromycin as my doctor thought I had acne/rosacea which is why my spots were so inflamed and this has defiantly improved them. If I do get a spot, it's nowhere near as painful as it use to be, I apply a bit of epiduo and before I know it is gone! Love love love this product, don't know where I would be without it to be honest! If anybody is debating weather to use this or worried about it then don't hesitate to contact me. I use to look at this website religiously before becoming a member to see other people's experiences and I probably wouldn't have stuck with it without other people saying to stick with it so I give the same advice !

The first week it felt very harsh on my skin. It was red and looked a little sunburned. After the frst week it stopped burning and you could start to see a difference in my skin. This was the ONLY thing that ever worked for my skin. My face has been clear for 7 months now.