Acne.org Products
Topical Retinoid
Efficacy
54%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Note: Prescription and over-the-counter adapalene share the same efficacy percentage due to non-specific research, but prescription strength likely performs better.
Topical Retinoid
Acne.org’s Real World Take
This topical retinoid medication provides partial relief at higher prescription dosages, but don’t look for complete clearing, especially at over-the-counter strength. Relatively affordable and comes with less side effects than tretinoin, the other affordable topical retinoid. As a bonus, it improves the look of skin and reduces fine lines and wrinkles a bit too.
Topical Retinoid
How to Get It
This is an over-the-counter treatment. Here are some places you can find it online.
Used Adapalene (Non-prescription)? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
July 10, 2008
Cons:
Makes it worse. causes itching, burning and redness.
It doesn't do anything good. I got it hoping it would help and it just made it worse. don't use this product. it's horrible
July 8, 2008
Pros:
My Derm prescribed it to me
Cons:
Didnt clear acne; EXTREME dryness; Constant Burn; Hard to apply
Ive never cared much about dryness of skin but this was so intense even with moisturizer....i was like drying so much my face went from tan to pale within days wtf.............its burns everytime u touch ur face with water now...if u take a shower ur skin will proly fall off.....didnt help pimples either...KINDA helped scabs.....hard to apply pea amount to whole face y did my derm prescribe this???to make things worse so id be a longterm patient??? I told her my regime was workin but NOOOO i hadda use differin and kill myself
May 9, 2008
Pros:
Has stopped major breakouts, and acne I do get clears up a lot quicker.
Cons:
Is a bit pricey (I paid $35) but I use only a very small amount each day, so I think it will last a while. Dried my skin, but was able to balance the moisture in my skin with sorbelene cream.
Has been great, no longer gettin the large sore pimples I used to get. If I don't apply it everyday I do get small breakouts, but nothing like what I had. I still get blackheads, but I am just pleased that my skin has cleared. My skin did get worse before it got better with this product, but after a few weeks, it really made a difference. Moisturiser is essential when using this though.
April 10, 2008
Pros:
none really.
Cons:
it just didn't work at all. there was no change in my skin.
It didn't irritate or anything, but my skin was exactly the same and i stuck with it for months. i'm using retin-a now and it's amazing. my skin is pretty much clear.
April 4, 2008
Pros:
works for a while
Cons:
stops working after long term use
major redness and peeling
still get some pimples even when working
I have tried both differin .1% and .3% for my mild acne. Using the .1% it took about 2-3 months to see results. I never had any peeling, but even when I cleared up some I'd still get some acne. Once I went off antibiotics it went back to how it was before even though I was still using differin. I went back to the derm and got the .3%. It made me extremely dry. I was peeling bad, even with a lot of moisturizer. I'd still get zits. I've been on it for about 4 months now and my pimples are worse then ever, though the dryness subsided about a month ago. My acne is now very large, red, sore, and under the skin and it a pimple seems to last 2 or more months. My skin was not nearly this bad when I started using differin initially 2 years ago. I've been on it regularly since then and am going to quit using it because it has turned my skin into a nightmare and I'm in my mid-20s when acne should be clearing up! Going to try Clinique or Proactiv instead.
March 15, 2008
Pros:
Useless
Cons:
I have tried both Erythromycin and differin. Former has been much better and works from first day. Differin does not help anything
Ask your doctor if you can see him/her within two weeks if she happens to prescribe differin so that the medication gets changed before you have been affected beyond control
February 26, 2008
Pros:
I'm using Differin 0.3%. I have cystic acne on my cheeks. It's day 20 and it's clearing up great. No new pimples/zits have formed since I started using this. Helps fade the red marks/scars. Non-irritating.
Cons:
None for me.
I've had pimples since I was 11 and I'm 30 now. My acne seems to have gotten worse as I got older. I've tried everything: OTC meds, all prescription meds except accutane. I've tried Differin 0.1% gel two years ago,it worked well but seemed to stop after a while. Recently I broke out on the right side of my cheek which left red marks/scars and I was so embarrassed and self-conscious that I went back to my Dermatologist and I was against using Accutne so she prescribed Differin 0.3% gel, Doryx, and Klaron. My face is clearing up so well and my scars are fading. No new pimples have surfaced since I've been on this regimen. Differin does not irritate my skin at all.
January 18, 2008
Pros:
None yet
Cons:
Acne is getting worse ,really dry skin
Just started using, gonna stick it out for at least a month to see what happens
January 4, 2008
Pros:
cleared acne
Cons:
made my skin itch, dry, and acne got really REALLY bad before it worked
I hated the product at first that I actually stopped using it. Then after weeks of not using it, I went back and tried it again but this time I used it very VERY lightly every night(after 15 minutes of applying clindamycin gel. I still have dark spots but acne almost all gone! Don't use too much! Be patient and apply only little amount and it will actually work!!!
December 26, 2007
Pros:
Worked better than expected! Used differin at night (alternated with AHA 15 night cream) and duac in the morning. Now I just have to deal with the dark spots left by old acne.
Cons:
Initial breakout - about 2 cysts and a few smaller ones
After two months, no more cystic acne! Dramatic difference.
Pros:
None at all