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
February 24, 2007
Cons:
EXPENSIVE!!!! My insurance did not cover this and it costed me 130$! Try online pharmacies though, they are cheaper.
If benzoyl peroxide hasn't worked for you or you have gotten resistant to it, defiantly try differin. I have been getting moderate-severe acne since i ve been 8 years old and for it to clear my face so well now at 18 years old is amazing.
November 6, 2006
Pros:
None.
Cons:
It made my acne worse. Also it totally dried out my skin. (To the point where it hurt to smile! I felt like I had just gotten Botox or something... Lotion didn't really help this problem either. Might have been my lotion though.)
Bleck. I hate this stuff. It made me break out in places I've never broken out before! I only used it for a week and a half so maybe if I had stuck with it...just maybe...it might have cleared up my skin. However, I wasn't willing to take that risk. This is one of those products that either works for you, or it doesn't. And I could tell right off the bat that this wasn't going to work for me. Luckily I didn't spend any money on this product (my dermatologist let me have a few samples). If you're thinking about trying this product I'd suggest sampling it first to make sure that this is the right product for you. BOTTOM LINE: It didn't work for me...but that doesn't mean it couldn't work for you.
January 4, 2013
Pros:
Easy to apply
Works great as a spot treatment for my cousin
Easy to use bottle
Cons:
Drying
Peeling
Didn't work for me
Works for people with an occasional pimple not for people with full on acne.
July 14, 2011
Pros:
-Clear
-No scent
-Comes in a tube, easy to apply
Cons:
-Watch out folks, it doesn't work for everybody
After two weeks of using this product I am getting the kind of breakouts I've never experienced in my life, even in my teenage years! When I started using Differin my skin was already on its way to recovery but I got this just to speed things up a little... and boy was that a bad call. I know it will work on some of you, but if you experience bad breakouts, then don't bother. Walk away and try something else. In the first three days of use my zits got so big they needed their own phone numbers.
November 29, 2009
Pros:
makes swelling go down a little.
Cons:
drys out skin terribly.
its okay. doesn't sting.
August 19, 2009
Pros:
None
Cons:
It doesn't work at all and I spent $75 on this tube.
I've been using it for six weeks and I am breaking out worse then ever. It has not done anything good for my skin. I am so upset I wasted so much money on yet another treatment that does NOTHING!
July 9, 2009
Pros:
no smell
Cons:
has made my skin about 3x worse than before.
i expected an initial breakout, but i've been using this product for 12 weeks and my skin continues to worsen every day. not only do i have more acne than before, my skin is dry, red, flaky, burning... just terrible.
May 22, 2009
Pros:
Absolutely nothing
Cons:
made my breakouts worse, my face got incredibly irritated
I would never recommend this product to anybody. I've been using it for months and my acne is worse. I was hoping that this would be the product that finally worked, but it failed.n
April 28, 2009
Pros:
you get suicided thoughts , redness ,
Cons:
it does work. .
ive been on this cream about 3 mouths and i have noticed how clear my face was.. but than.. i had suicided thoughts and i got depressed easy , not good if you like the sun or if you go in a sweat lodge your face will buuurn!..
March 24, 2009
Pros:
amazing
Cons:
none
super results super fast!
Pros:
Clears skin up REAL quick. Way better than benzoyl peroxide. Did not seem to dry out my skin as bad as BP did, it actually seems to exfoliate.