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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December 9, 2019
after 20 years I have clear skin!

Im 34 and have had acne for at least 20 years. Ive tried many things including birth control pills, salicylic acid, oil cleansing regimens, benzoyl peroxide, essential oil blends, just all kinds of stuff. I settled on the acne.org regimen with the benzoyl peroxide, and that was the most helpful thing, it kept my acne fairly low but I would still have a zit or two at least at all times as well as many small blackheads and white heads. sometimes it would become very bad, such as it did this past summer when I was almost embarassed to show my face in public. it was bumpy and had sore spots.

I started this medication in July 2019, and my face has gradually gotten better and better, my breakouts less severe. At this point in early December, I have no active zits at all! my skin feels smooth when i run my fingers over it to wash it, and my old spots are healing and lightening. Im so excited that finally I get to have clear skin. I dont know why my skin never got better after my teen years, but Im glad Ive finally found a solution.

It's important to note that I didnt see a significant improvement for about 3-4 months. Also I have very light skin, I see some darker skinned people have had trouble with bleaching, but this isnt an issue for my skin tone.

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March 6, 2019
Excellent!

I recommend Epiduo for mild and severe acne. I suffered adult acne for almost 1 year and this medication really works for me. I've noticed my scars are fading too.

I started to use Epiduo last November 2018 and I've experienced acne breakout for 2 months then after that my face started to get clear. Today, I have mild acne scars and I'm planning to undergo Dermabrasion procedure. You need to be patient and you will be satisfied with the result.

Everytime I have acne breakout, I applied clindamycin solution.

This medication was prescribed by  dermatologist.

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October 7, 2018
Life saver!
I've been suffering from mild-moderate acne. I broke out severely after going through some health issues so I decided to see a dermatologist who recommended Epiduo. I started noticing my acne clearing within a few weeks! It's been 5 years I've been using Epido which I can't live without. I do get a pimple here and there but for the most part my skin looks so good and radiant. I would highly recommend this drug.
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July 11, 2018
Not for all skin types but is definitely worth a try
When I say different skin types I mean varied dry skin types or sensitive skin types it could work for someone with oily skin and leave a rash on someone who also has oily skin, one time it may leave a rash, burn or dry skin if it does then stop using it but before u give up on it a couple months later try it again just to be sure if it still leaves a bad reaction don't use it again. At first when I used it it left a rash so I left it for a while now âges later I've started using it again and it is great for small forehead bumps and can even make a spot smaller overnight for me and I have really sensitive skin on my brothers face it burnt him so he moved on to something a little harsh so it really is not for everyone or even depending on ur skin type but it could be worth a try
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March 1, 2018
Really effective for stubborn mild acne
I've had acne all my life and as a teenager it got so severe that I eventually went on Roaccutane (which worked amazing, but came with a lot of side effects). 4 years after finishing accutane my skin started breaking out again, which was worsened by changing contraceptive pill. I didn't develop deep cystic acne again but had constant stubborn whiteheads and small bumps all over my t-zone. I especially had a breakout of bumps under the skin on my forehead that wouldn't clear. I was almost ready to beg my doctor for Roaccutane again but she said to try Epiduo as my case was still 'mild'. The first few weeks my skin was dry, red and flaky. It itched and looked pretty gross (so I wouldn't try it before a big event, I waited until I had study period for exams and wasn't seeing many people). I managed the dryness using Cetaphil moisturising cream which is amazing, as well as jojoba oil at night, and my skin eventually adapted. The key is to moisturise with it! Within a few weeks my skin had dramatically cleared and now I only need to use it every few days on new spots, and it dries them up really quickly and stops them becoming any bigger or inflamed. I'm not sure if it would work well with deep cystic acne, but for mild surface breakouts and whiteheads it has worked really well for me. Warning: if you use too much this will make your skin crusty and dry - use a sparing amount and make sure you moisturise with it and exfoliate dead skin regularly.
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January 8, 2018
best acne treatment there is. WILL SEE RESULTS.
If you're reading this and you're debating whether or not to go on epiduo. Just do it. I've used this on 3 separate occasions, once for 5 months, once for a year and once for one month (currently still on this third time)... The thing about epiduo is that it WORKS. Look at your forearm right now and how smooth it is... thats what my red, painful acne turned into after exactly 12 weeks of using epiduo (both times). You HAVE to use cetaphil gentle cleanser and moisturizer otherwise it wont work as well (cera v made the process longer the second time i took it). It will get worse before it gets better. Your skin will be beautiful one week and hell the next. But when it's over you have clear skin. What do you have to lose? NOTHING. it WILL work. I can almost promise it to everyone. I find that it is very emotionally taxing to keep on desperately trying new things becuase you think that next thing, the one thing that youre "missing" is going to cure your acne but that is total bullsh*t. This will give you clear skin guarenteed. If the burning sensation is unbearable you are using too much, simple as that. The only thing I regret is not starting it right away and wasting so much time on guessing and checking and wasting hundreds of dollar on pointless methods and products. DO IT. Im posting my week by week review of this on my third time taking this (this time i will not be dumb and stop using it EVER lol). Please check it out! I also have a bunch of tips on there for anyone interested. You have to be mentally strong and push through this. 12 weeks for a LIFE of clear skin (if you sparingly maintain it) is plenty worth it to me.
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a91
February 18, 2018
Hello, in your experience does epiduo stop working/ having any effect after a while? Thanks!
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TallJet
July 11, 2018
Amen! Me too!!
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December 21, 2017
IT WORKS!!!
So this is the only treatment that worked for me 100%.It is true,the first 3 months are definitely hard,but I can say,worth the effort.After 5 months of using Epiduo,I HAD NO ACNE,it heals even the marks in the skin.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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a91
February 18, 2018
Hello,
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a91
February 18, 2018
Hello, are it still using epiduo and does it continue to work for you?
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December 3, 2017
Hopeful
I'm on my week two of epiduo and my acne was like worse than ever. Bumps keep coming up my face even on spots I don't normally get them. (So saaadd) but, but, I heard that this is the initial purging stage and yes! I could feel my bumps drying up and flattening. Yay! As for my skin, i have sensitive and oily type but srsly, it never dried up my face. I'm still oily. Hoping for better skin sooner!
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Hopeful74
December 29, 2017
How is your acne now with this Epiduo?
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sereingirl
December 30, 2017
Hi @Hopeful74 I am now 1 month and 10 days using this Epiduo and most of my bumps had flatten. I still have active ones on the hairline (side of my face) that I think, is the latest part to experience purging. But I'm not giving up hope. Lot of people have been here and tells me to wait patiently (says the reviews I read lol) I have a few more weeks to be patient of. Have a good day! Haha.
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November 30, 2017
Give it some time
I started using Epiduo this August after fighting my acne for about 5 years. It was the typical teenage acne, and when I look back at pictures I feel bad because I didn't realize how bad my skin actually was. It got better with the years, but never really completely clear which bugged me. When I got a huge breakout in August I felt that I'd had enough (as so many times before) and contacted the doctor. He prescribed me Epiduo, and I was a little doubtful because of the fact that it was a topical. At this point I never thought a topical could do something about preventing pimples, only treat the ones that are already on the surface. But, I started using it, and spent hours on looking on reviews of it. In many reviews it said to give it a good 3-4 months, and I remember feeling inpatient, I couldn't wait that long? After the first month there was really no change. I got dry, but used masks and moisturizers to help that. Month 2, still no change. I started losing hope of the product but remembered the reviews that told me to keep using it. Today, three months later, my skin is clear almost all the time. The times that I have gotten a pimple is when I stopped using Epiduo because my skin was clear, which shows that you have to be persistent. By now, I use Epiduo about every other night and it still keeps my skin good. As a summary - try Epiduo because it works! Be persistent and don't give up even after one to two months. The dryness will also disappear after a while, I now that can be a struggle. I was bright red for the first few weeks haha. Good Luck dear acne-friends!
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September 5, 2017
Patience is key
I never ever write reviews for anything...but I feel like I should share my experience with epiduo. I started in June of 2017 and immediately experienced the purging. Unfortunately for me, I started to get acne in places that I had never gotten before due to this purging phase. It was extremely irritating and embarrassing because my face was nowhere near as bad before as it was during the purging phase. For me, the purging lasted about 2 months (I know this sounds really bad, but you have to be patient). I live in Florida, so I'm constantly sweating (terrible for acne!). I almost gave up around the 2 month mark, but I kept reading reviews about how I need to stick it out until month 3. I'm currently on week 12 (one week away from the 3 month mark) and my face has improved exponentially. Throughout all of August, I had non-elevated red marks all over my face, but those are fading very quickly right now. My face is not 100% clear, but I can definitely see it heading in that direction. I'm so glad that I didn't give up on this product. As awful as it may be to have to wait 10-12 to see results, it's totally worth it. It's very upsetting to read reviews about how people stopped after like 6 weeks. This just isn't enough time. For someone that is extremely acne prone, I was so excited to see this product start working. Once my face clears completely, I will probably only apply the epiduo every other night to maintain. Long story short: not everyone will see results quickly because everybody responds differently and at different intervals. Stick it out and you should see good results. Besides, the acne that you are getting as a result of beginning epiduo (the purging) would have come anyways at some point in the future. I highly recommend!
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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