before differin, I was using clean and clear (the wash and the moisturizer) and it cleared up my face. had a pimple and here and there but nothing to severe. during the summer, I really didn't keep up with the wash and one day, I looked in the mirror and my face was full of pimples on my forehead and cheeks. I went back to the wash and basically my forehead only cleared up. I was suppose to go to a dermatologist long time ago but I finally went. the doctor prescribed me differin and told me peeling and burning may occur. and it sure did. the first night I used it, my face felt dry and tight. just smiling would hurt. in the morning I wash my face with clean and clear because I refuse to have dry skin all day. the second night I used differin, my skin burned so badly. I couldn't take it. dried it out and the peeling occurred. the worst part is school starts in just a few days. I wait about 20 minutes before applying moisturizer and it helps a bit. I have peeling around my mouth, corner of my eyes and on my eyelids and I DONT apply it there but it's starting to die down. it's mostly just dry and flaky skin on the corner of mouth which I hope goes away within the next two days. the third night was actually better. my face felt dry but nothing moisturizer can't fix. I'm going to keep updating hoping that things get better and I see some results within the next week or so.

On this site it says it is used to treat 'severe' acne. This is incorrect as the leaflet clearly says used to treat 'mild to moderate acne'. I have seen some improvement. I am optimistic as this is day 5 for me. I have been combining with steaming my face about twice a week, prior to application every night . It works for me that way. I have had no adverse effects. Perhaps because I was using DUAC cream (5% benzoyl peroxide) prior to this to which my skin developed a tolerance, so was proving ineffective even though initially it was great. Hence the change. I would recommend this product as so far, I find it gentle and seems to be working.

After using this religiously for almost an entire year (in combination with occasional use of 5% benzoyl peroxide) and doxycycline oral, I quit it and the doxycycline pill completely, as I saw improvements from a horrible break out after about 3 weeks when I first began... however, over time the improvements in my "monthly" flareup around my period were less significant and I found myself wondering if either medicine was doing anything to help at all anymore or if my hormones were the culprit for both making my skin less red and pimply or more. I would say this treatment isn't a long-term fix-all for acne, but works for an immediate fix - at least this is my experience!

So i have used Differin for about 2 weeks and i already see A HUGE difference i had suffered 4 years with acne and THIS WORKS. IF you wear in the sunlight you are very likly to get sunburnt so put it on when you Go to bed make sure ITS right before you go to bed and make sure its a really thin layer.

I was prescribed Differin 0.1% gel, as well as being prescribed lymecycline tablets (1 a day).. Been on both prescriptions about 2/3 weeks and my skin has all cleared, literally only about 2 spots on my face!!! Obviously I can't say which treatment is doing the magic but as a combination all I can say is AMAAAZING!!! Really recommend it! Also, I've read that some people experience irritation and itching with this gel but so far I've had no side effects!

I have been on Differin .03% for four months and 2 days and today I am experiencing one of the worst breakouts to date. I had seen improvement but nothing consistent. Looking at my face today, one would never guess I was taking care of my skin. My entire right side mouth/jaw/chin area has several inflamed pus filled acne that is hard to the touch. It looks disgusting. I choose not to wear makeup so everything is out there for the world to see. I usually go through a breakout and then a clear up cycle but I can't foresee this getting any better. The pros I suppose is that Differin is the gentlest retinoid of the lot and will last you forever. I recommend people give it 3-6 months before throwing in the towel just so that they can mark it off their list if it doesn't work. I am going to stick it out until the 6 month mark and will update if my review changes. Hopefully this will not discourage anyone from trying this as different people react differently to different retinoids.

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum but came across it last night in a fit of desperation about my skin! To give the context, I'm 29 and live in the UK. I don't have severe acne, but I suffer from large, very sore and inflamed papules around my jawline and mouth. I was prescribed Zineryt about 3 years and to begin with, it worked brilliantly. However it eventually stopped working, primarily because Zineryt is an antibiotic -based medicine, and I have become resistant to it, as many of you probably have if you've used it or something similar. After getting very fed up, I called my GP again and was prescribed Differin (over the phone, without actually seeing my face, I will add...). I'm on week 3, and although I haven't noticed any dramatic changes, it doesn't seem to be getting any worse, which is positive. I've got a few little bumps but none of the enlarged papules around my jaw line as before. My GP said it would take about 4-6 weeks to see a difference and to stick with it. I have a few things to say to give you all some advice which may give you all a little hope: Firstly, don't be tempted to put on more than necessary - it won't get rid of the acne any quicker. For those who have experienced intense redness, itching, irritation, try using less product to see whether this will make a difference. If it doesn't help and you still have upset skin, go back to the GP/dermatologist. Perhaps it's just not suitable for your skin. I personally am allergic to Quinoderm and Duac, because of the actives in it. That's the main reason I was put on Differin and Zineryt, because of the strong reaction I have had to Benzoyl Peroxide products. Second, for those worried about scarring. You need to let the acne heal before you can treat the scars. I have attended a couple of dermatology conferences due the nature of my job, and I have heard time and time again that the acne has to be treated and healed before the scarring can be tackled. There are many options out there but it's a question of waiting and being patient. I'll give an update in a few weeks to see where I am with the Differin. Like you guys, I really hope it works too. To answer the question a lot of you are asking, it definitely makes the skin dry and flaky. It's mainly noticeable when applying make-up in the morning (I apply my Differin at night). The key here is moisturising and gentle exfoliating. This also applies to those with oily skin. Don't be tempted to skip the moisturiser because you have oily skin. You need to keep the skin lubricated so it won't over compensate and produce extra sebum. Good luck, everyone.

If you like what you're about to read, please vote up to help others. Trial & Error: This stuff is strong. VERY STRONG! I am guessing that people who say that it doesn't work immediately for them are using a milder formula (0.05% or 0.025%). 0.1% Differin works very well. You only apply a tiiiiiny amount on the acne locations at night time (rub it in). Do this every other night and do it only twice initially. And then stop. You'll see that within a week of stopping, your skin will start to peel like none other. Now you need to leave your skin alone and let it work its magic over the next few weeks. Stay out of the sun (especially during the times of 10am and 2pm when the sun is strongest) and apply the following moisturizers as necessary (basically whenever you feel that your skin is really dry): non-clogging facial moisturizer, eye cream, and non-clogging facial sunscreen (Neutrogena makes products for all these situations). You must apply FACIAL moisturizers b/c your face's skin is so different from the rest of your body (and your eyes have a different type of skin than the rest of your face). Apply these whenever you feel your skin is dry. As your skin is peeling, your skin is becoming more sensitive and you will inevitably feel a STRONG BURN when you apply moisturizers to your face. To reduce the burn but still moisturize, you can purchase Neutrogena's alcohol-free/oil-free facial moisturizer (if you see the ingredients of lotions, almost ALL of them include some type of alcohol which is what causes the burning sensation)! You also want to use a facial wash twice a day; YOU MUST WASH YOUR FACE GENTLY TWICE A DAY! Why? B/c as your skin sheds, it releases oils associated with the acne that may get into pores on other parts of your face (this happened to me. I had acne on my forehead and even though my forehead cleared up, my nose got acne b/c I didn't wash my face twice daily). Avoid excessive sweating, too as this can wreak havoc for your acne, too during the shedding process. If you do sweat, please please please wash your face immediately after you workout (otherwise the nose problem will happen here, too b/c your pores open up when you sweat and bacteria can get in). If your eyelids flare up (mine did) then take 2 Ibuprofen to help the swelling go down. You shouldn't take Advil consistently for more than three consecutive days b/c it's not good for your liver. Wear Sunglasses. After your skin has rehealed and stopped shedding, evaluate your acne again and see whether you need to go through another cycle of Differin. One cycle for me takes 4-5 weeks. I was also taking Minocycline (100 mg twice a day) in conjunction with my Adapalene treatment.

this has worked magic for me for the last 6 months. from day 1 it worked, i used it with cetaphil oily skin cleanser. however it has sadly lost its effectiveness and now i'm on Isotrex Gel which i'm dreading

I have had mild acne for over a year, my dermatologist prescribed adapalene, it has cleared up my skin quite a bit, although the excessive peeling. I knew that there would be dry skin and I'm trying to cope with it by exfoliating and moisturizing. It hasn't cleared up my skin complete but it is getting better.