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. 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
Adapalene is available in strengths up to 0.3% by prescription. Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one. Adapalene is also available over-the-counter in 0.1% strength. Here are some places you can find it online.
Used Adapalene? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
August 20, 2009
Cons:
My acne has started to come back even though I have been using differin daily for months. I'm considering adding Benzac AC 2.5% during daytime in addition with Differin since I'm starting to fear my acne will return.
Very effective and I highly recommend it if you can put up with the side effects for a while (it took me 6 weeks for the redness and peeling to go away completely). The redness and burning will get better in a week or two. I will however use a combination of Differin at night time and Benzac AC during the day.
August 10, 2009
Pros:
i have read that it will bring out, at first, all the possible pimples that will eventually surface. it will clear the deeper part of your skin, which is the mode of action of this medication.
Cons:
break-outs at first. long time of healing, usually 8-12 weeks. redness, itching and stinging sensation.
i have only used it for 2 weeks now and i am having initial breakouts. it is really irritating because what i expect is otherwise. but that's really how the medication works. it'll surface all your pimples and then clear it up. WE JUST HAVE TO BE PATIENT. DON"T EVER STOP. this might be the answer to our prayers. ACNE SUCKS!!!!
August 10, 2009
Pros:
Invisible, can't even tell I have it on. Odorless. Tube lasts forever.
Cons:
If I use it with other cleansers my skin gets horribly dry!!
But by itself it's fab..i dont even wash my face before using it.
Awesome product. I never had horrible acne, but i did get a few on my forehead and chin. My doctor prescribed Differin about a year ago, and now I can't live without it. My skin gets dry very easily, but this product did not dry my skin out at all. I dont use it every day anymore, cause I just get lazy, but if I start breaking out again, I'll put it on and within two days I'm back to almost clear. I love it and you should definetly try it!
August 8, 2009
Pros:
Easy to apply, very minimal drying effect, no scent, tube lasts a long time, makes pimples go away faster, really cleared whiteheads-nothing has worked as well as differin, works well with clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide, affordable with insurance
Cons:
Took 2-3 months to see results, made me very sensitive to the sun- have to use lots of SPF, initial breakout was horrible but just means it works & it went away in a week or so. Does not work well with Salicylic Acid, made acne worse for a few days
This product really works! It does take time but be patient, it is well worth it. I have mild acne but it is the one and only thing that has cleared my resistant whiteheads! I apply it at night after cleansing with mild, non-soap cleanser and then apply clindamycin lotion after differin. In the morning I do the same thing but in Differin's place I use Benzoyl peroxide and then clindamycin, then SPF moisturizer. The initial breakout was probably the worst thing about it but that goes away quickly. Again, this product really works but you HAVE to stick with it and be patient. You will love the results!
August 6, 2009
Pros:
Clears up most blemishes pretty quickly.
Covered by my insurance.
Lightens dark marks left by old acne, and lightens new acne (my skin lightens and clears up on a nightly basis - every morning, the first thing I do is look and compare to yester
Cons:
Severe drying in the first week - DO NOT cry. There's a lot that will hurt your face during this time. Stick it out.
It isn't the miracle cure most people think it is - it REALLY takes its time.
Bad flare-up, but at least the zits come and go f
Buy it. The flare up, for me, lasted between two and two and a half weeks. I looked worse than usual, and my skin was extremely dry at the creases near my eyes (even though I didn't PUT anything there), the corners of my mouth, and the insides of my eyebrows. At first, everything hurts your face: lotion, water, sunscreen - you name it! Then it gets better and better. It takes a long time to get rid of some zits, perhaps because as they're leaving, they're leaving red marks that are gradually being removed. I have been using a combination of Differin and Stievamycin for a month, and the sudden acne that plagued me after my first year of university (which was possibly catalyzed by applying a brand of sunscreen to which I am allergic) has nearly cleared up. My skin doesn't feel oily anymore, but like it's reached a great balance. It's a good feeling.
August 4, 2009
Pros:
gets rid of most of my acne, no scent to it
Cons:
doesnt prevent future acne, at first my skin broke out but not a lot and it turned my face red often but maybe thats just me because my face turns red a lot
I really hate products that make my face very red because my face turns red really easily but that happened with every prduct ive tried already. Ive tried acnefree before i tried differin and i loved it until it just stopped working. I heard somewhere that after a while some products will stop wrking for you after a certain period of time. Ive used differin for about 2-3 months now and i love it. Hopefully this one wont stop working for me within some time.
July 30, 2009
Pros:
my face has cleared up really well since i started using differin
Cons:
it takes awhile for the medication to work. gets worse before it gets better. at first i was using a face wash with salicylic acid in it and the combination was really bad on my skin.
before i started using this i had severe acne, now i just get a pimple every now and then. it is true that it will get worse before it gets better, but that is just the medication pulling out all the dirt and oil.
July 22, 2009
Pros:
makes my skin as close to perfect as it has ever been!
Cons:
dry skin, very sensitive to sun, burn very easy
it is worth it to have clear skin. not as drying as some other benzoyl peroxide products i've tried before.
July 20, 2009
Pros:
Cleared up my skin perfectly
No visable side effects (dry skin, peeling, etc)
Cons:
Expensive
Takes awhile to work
Cannot wax eyebrows
After using Differin every night for a month, I called my doctor upset. I had paid $150 and it was not working. I suffered not so much from acne, but from a lot of bumps and bumpy skin. The doctor told me to give it another month, as it takes awhile to work. I was skeptical, but truly, after 2 months my skin was perfect! Didn't have any side effects. No peeling, dry skin, etc. Only side effects was a little burning.
July 19, 2009
Pros:
It help to clean up all my acne and easy to use . I used it once a day on night time.
Cons:
i found [link removed] So, it help me from deduct for doctor prescription. It's work, by no need to pay that much
I recommend it because compared to how my face looked like before the treatment, I saw a big difference, and felt comfortable again when going out in public.
Pros:
I've used Differin for about five months and it have seen a huge improvement in skin clarity. My face is less greasy and it's almost clear save for the new bumps that have arisen recently. I'd definitely recommend it, but have patience!