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
June 18, 2009
Cons:
Made acne go from mild to moderate
Waste of time and money, if you are looking for a solution to your acne look somewhere else because differin is not the answer.
May 2, 2009
Pros:
Makes pimples come and go quickly.
Cons:
Pretty much everything.
I had light to moderate acne before I began using this product. After using this my acne is the worst it has even been. I know Differin is supposed to make you break out for the first 2 weeks or so, but it made me break out the entire 8 weeks I was on it. It made my skin extremely oily and made me scar very badly. I saw no signs of improvement after 8 weeks so I decided to quit using it for good. Since I've stopped using Differin my acne has gotten a little better, but it is going to take a long time to fix what Differin did to me. This is the worst product I have ever used for my acne. This was a waste of money and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
January 15, 2009
Pros:
_It's clear_little goes a long way_actually works if you give it time_night use only
Cons:
_too much can cause peeling of skin. _EXPENSIVE_for some reason i drys your eyelids.
I'm only 14 and have severe acne. I now use Dirfferin at night everyday and take a pill, Tetracycline.I've been using it for about 3-5 months. It really works for me. My forehead cleared up and not many new pimples are appearing. just little ones. I still have scars from previous popping. Besides the Differin clearing up, it causes skin to peel. The skin on my temples peel so i put like 3 layers of clean and clear dual-action moisturizer. It really moisturizes but does not have SPF. I think it ended up hurting some people because of the amount used and how often. Some nights I would not put some of the DIfferin on so that my skin can relax.
How I put it on: Wash my face, rub on toner, then put on one layer of MOISTURIZER so that my skin doesnt fully peel or dry up. On top of the moisturizrt I put the Differin on. I think people who used it and ended up getting EXTREMELY dry should try using it like how I use it.
January 9, 2009
Pros:
Only 1x daily application
Cons:
Didn't seem to do anything except possibly making my skin worse.
I'm glad it's working for so many people but not me. I have tried Differin (the cream and the gel) at two 3-4 month periods in the last three years and it didn't work. I applied the ultra thin layer every night and I always woke up with a layer of grease on my face that I normally don't have. I know it isn't supposed to do much about the existing acne, but it didn't seem to be preventing anything either, even after three months of using it religiously. I had the worst breakout of my life about a month into using it and I still have the red marks. I was trying to be patient about it because I know it can take months to work, but I've put in the time and seen no results twice now.
November 7, 2008
Pros:
none
Cons:
.3% made it worse and wierd patches to form on my skin, and extreme dryness
use only at night
October 12, 2008
Pros:
Cleared my skin moderately, didn't overdry.
Cons:
Impossible to get off in the morning, hard to spread over face, expensive, made my skin oily.
I was on Differin from May to August 08. I hated it. It took me 15 minutes of scrubbing to get it off in the morning. I tried to apply the amount required, but trying to cover a full-face beak out with a pea-sized drop isn't easy. When I would wake up, my face would be oily. I'd have to wash it three times just to get it off. I hated it and will never use it again.
August 16, 2008
Pros:
clears acne, greatly reduces redness, makes skin soft and smooth
Cons:
somewhat drying, i don't know how much it was because my mom paid for it :/
I have always gotten big deep cyst-like zits. I don't get scattered whiteheads or thick acne. My skin is sensitive and sometimes gets pretty oily. Washing my face in the shower was all that I did to take care of my skin. I would also randomly apply some over the counter spot treatment to large problem zits, which never worked too well. I'm also a picker. I pick at my zits a lot. I've always had big red marks and scabs as a result. When my dermatologist prescribed me Differin (lowest strength because of my sensitive skin), I decided to stop picking and actually follow the directions and apply Differin every day. Over the past few weeks most of my red marks are gone, my skin is much more even toned and smooth, and no new zits are sprouting. I've been using the Differin at night before bed and using aloe gel in the morning to help with the slight dryness.
June 14, 2008
Pros:
Excellent, with no drying or redness.
Cons:
Takes four months to work.
Works better than any product I have tried in the last few years. To see results you have to be persitant, use it EVERY evening for four months. I am extremly impressed, I have the odd tiny spot now and again coming up to my peroid. But thats it.
May 31, 2008
Pros:
It took some of my more inflammatory acne away
Cons:
Did not see any great results even after continually staying on it for over 2 months.
My first dermatologist prescribed this for me after I had tried countless OTC medications. At first, it cleared up some of my really bad acne but after almost two months it completely stopped working for me. The thing is, if I go a few days without applying any to my face, I get really horrible breakouts. It might work for you but I could never see any great results. Stupid acne! haha
May 14, 2008
Pros:
Clears up SOME of your breakouts. Will dry out pimples, making them disappear faster than they normally would with just washing your face.
Cons:
SUPER and embarrassing dry, flaky skin ALL the time. Moisturizer is a must. Extremely expensive without insurance.
This stuff sort of works. True, it has helped my acne, but I still have blackheads and battle breakouts. Plus it is embarrassing when you have flaky skin all the time. I wash my face once in the morning and once at night and moisturize every morning with a spf moisturizer. I take care of my skin, but still i have to deal with acne. It definitely doesn't cure it.. but it helps a little bit. It would be nice to have something that worked better.. I hate having skin that is flakier than a pillsbury dough boy biscuit. I hope you've got a good moisturizer.
Pros:
None