Adapalene (Non-prescription)
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Adapalene is a vitamin A derivative called a topical retinoid. It helps clear acne by promoting skin cell turnover and reducing inflammation in...

Adapalene is a vitamin A derivative called a topical retinoid. It helps clear acne by promoting skin cell turnover and reducing inflammation in the skin.

Non-prescription adapalene is available only in 0.1% strength.

Adapalene is topically applied usually once a day before going to bed to all acne-affected areas of the skin, and not just on individual pimples themselves.

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3.3
1633
5
17.9%
4
31.4%
3
23%
2
16.4%
1
11.3%

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December 3, 2008

Pros:

I honestly can't see any pros. I honestly wouldnt try this because you may get the reaction I got, and its just not worth it.

Cons:

Causes horrible cystic acne on my jawline and cheeks that I have never experienced in my entire life. I started using it at the start of october and its the beginning of december and my face is finally back to normal. Still have tons of red marks:(

I am 19 and had occasional acne, nothing bad and only around my mouth, none on cheeks or jawline. I took this medicine and within 2 weeks my face broke with cystic acne along my jawline and cheeks!! These were in places that I have never, ever gotten acne, and to a severity that I have never experienced. Ever. I didnt even get acne until I was 17 and it has always been 1 or 2 pimples here or there, nothing else. I figured I would get rid of those few pimples for good, man was I wrong. I started the "treatment" at the beginnign of october and used it until nov 1st when I went to the derm and he was shocked at what this had done to my face. My face is finally getting back to normal but I am still suffering from tons of red marks and I may have permanent scarring :( From a person that never really had ACNE, this product gave me it.
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November 23, 2008

Pros:

I was having issues with simultaneous dryness and cystic acne in 4 or 5 places at a time, so my derm prescribed this in conjunction with an oral and topical antibiotic. During about week 2, the dryness was gone, but the cysts still remained.

Cons:

It is week 8 now and my skin has never been worse. The dryness is back, and I would say I have around 20-30 cysts and inflamed whiteheads all over my cheeks (where I have NEVER broken out before.)

This has not worked for me. My skin is fair, sensitive, and I try to take good care of it (daily sunscreen, mineral makeup, etc), and the small issue with acne that I attempted to fix with Differin only turned the problem into a catastrophe. I've tried to give this medicine the benefit of the doubt, but unfortunately there has been no improvement at all.
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November 7, 2008

Pros:

None

Cons:

DIdn't work at all for me. I used it for 4 months and it was working decently with the Minocycline i was prescribed alongside it until i stopped taking that because it was making me dizzy.

Do not buy it. It worsened my acne a lot it may work for you but one thing I know is that it sure as hell did not work for me.
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November 2, 2008

Pros:

none

Cons:

doesn't clear my skin

Do not buy.
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October 31, 2008

Pros:

no smell

Cons:

made my very mild acne horrible. used this product so far for about 3 months and no improvement whatsoever. it just keeps getting worse and worse.

im going to give it another few weeks, but im tired of looking disgusting and having the worst skin i've had in my entire life
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October 27, 2008

Pros:

Lightweight

Cons:

Caused an increase in breakouts.

I don't recommend this product. I was having light - moderate hormonal acne before I tried this product. After 3 weeks, my face is an absolute mess. I give up.
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October 23, 2008

Pros:

none

Cons:

Caused painful burning and dryness as well as my acne to become10x worse than it was before I began using it. I've never had such bad acne until using this product. Wish I never used it because now I'm worse off.

I don't recommend this product for anyone with even remotely sensitive skin. Everyone's different, but this is my experience and I wouldn't want anyone to have to go through what I did.
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October 16, 2008

Pros:

None for me

Cons:

Made acne terribly worse, I wish I hadn't gone to the doctor in the first place. Also burned my skin several times no matter how little cream I put on.

I used to have some painful large spots all over my face, and when my doctor reccomended this, I thought it might improve. My acne is mainly on my forhead, but I used to apply differin all over my face as prescribed. First two weeks went okay, I saw a slight improvement, but after two months I have started breaking out heavily on my cheeks, even though I never used to have acne on my cheeks at all before! Very bad scarring. Also never cleared my forhead, it has exaccerbated the problem there too. I am gutted, I wish I were happy with my skin before because it's even worse now. Not sure what I should do. (Literally exact same problem as person below I know) Don't use if you only have mild acne!
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October 15, 2008

Pros:

None

Cons:

Differin is like miracle grow for acne on your cheeks!!! Don't get tempted by their fancy tv commercials and magazine advertistments! This product is a waste of money and waste of my time.

My dermatologist perscribed me Differin to control my hormonal acne. I started applying Differin everynight starting 7/1/08. For the first 2 months, I developing blackheads and whiteheads all over my cheeks. I decided to stick with Differin because I thought the blackheads and whiteheads would eventually go away. After 2 1/2 months, all of those whiteheads on my cheeks developed into cystic acne! I only used to breakout on my forehead but after applying Differin, both of my cheeks and my temples were breaking out like crazy! It's been 3 months and both sides of my cheeks are still breaking out like crazy. Cystic acne leaves scars on your face. So not only do I have cystic acne, I have scars on both sides of my cheeks. Unless you want to experience an initial breakout on both sides of your cheeks, I would definitely NOT recommend this product to anyone. I simply wanted a product to control the maximum of 5 pimples I would get before my period but I ended up with 20+ breakouts.
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October 13, 2008

Pros:

One application a day is great. Is starting to dry out skin..Using cetaphil.Hoping this works

Cons:

After just 6 days Ive never seen my skin so bad, I cant even look at myself in the mirror. Having to pay $230 for Derm and another $48 for script, One would pray this works

Used Isotene twice with excellent results but acne re-occurs, Have had severe acne since 11 and now 31. 20years of misery, Its been a week, Im not happy with the breakout, honestly its the worst ive ever experienced, but staying optimistic and will stick it out for as long as i can bare, or until next derm appt in dec. reading other reviews helps, so im going to be positive, Despite feeling depressed about the condition my skins currently in.I dont want to go to work tomorrow its that bad.
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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