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
January 27, 2013
Cons:
Horrible initial breakouts after a week or two of using this product.
I have been using adapalene for about a year now, and my skin is basically clear with a few pimples occasionally. My dermatologist did perscribe me Minocycline 100mg with adapalene 0.1% so it did help a little more than just using adapalene by itself. After a week or two of using adapalene with mynocycline I had HORRIBLE break outs for about a month. These were the worst break outs of my life, but I persisted. Now I'm very happy with my skin and swear by this product!
October 23, 2012
Pros:
-Helps reduce pimples
-Overall appearance of skin
-Reduces severity of acne
-Helps with both whiteheads and blackheads
-IMMEDIATE results
-Not really irritating like Retin-A
Cons:
-Don't know yet if it helps with discoloration and acne scars
-Can be pretty drying at first
-First couple outbreaks can be bad, but my skin was so bad before that the initial breakout was nothing
I really like this product so far! I have been using it for a month and it has helped my skin so much! First off, I previously used Retin-A about a year ago, and it irritated my face so much that I had dry patches all over my face and constant redness. Someone actually ask me if I was wearing makeup (im a guy) because the redness was so apparent :/ Though now I use differin along with clindamycin phosphate gel, and it has helped reduce my acne greatly. I consider my skin to be moderately severe, though now it is getting closer to moderate. The thing is, I have ALOT more discoloration than any acne, so hopefully this helps it. Overall, it is a great product IF YOU STICK WITH IT. I tried it about a year ago, and i quit after a couple weeks because it did nothing. Please people, just stick with it, you won't regret it.
July 29, 2012
Pros:
Cleared Skin
Clearing Acne Marks/Scars
Cons:
First Four Weeks:
-Horrible Initial Breakout
-Dried Skin
-Made Skin Peely
Takes time and patience
Expensive
The first time I used Differin was about a year ago, and I didn't have any side effects. I stopped using it for about a year... until my face broke out like hell in May of this year. It was horrible. I went to my dermatologist, and he prescribed me Differin again with an antibiotic. He also recommended me Cetaphil's Oil Control Foaming Face Wash. The first three weeks were terrible. My face was WORSE. However, I decided to stick with it because it was summer; I didn't have to go out much. After four weeks of hell, my face started to clear up :) I was using a moisturizing cream after I applied the Differin. However, I realized that maybe it wasn't a good idea. Instead, now I wash my face with Oatmeal every night before I apply the Differin. I thought that this was a better idea so that the Differin can work more effectively and the Oatmeal can make my skin soft, which they both did! My antibiotic ran out two weeks ago, and my face is still clear! I still have the acne marks/scars, but I can tell that the Differin is helping them fade away. This product is expensive, but my dermatologist gave me a coupon, so I didn't have to pay anything. Again, I consistently use the Differin every night along with the Oatmeal wash (to moisturize) before applying the gel. I also wash my face with Cetaphil Oil Control Face Wash twice a day. The face wash is great also! It really cleans out my skin, cleaning off my make-up and dirt. In addition, about once a week I exfoliate with St. Ives Apricot Scrub. I gave this 4/5 stars because of the time and the initial break out. I have never been happier with my skin!
July 24, 2012
Pros:
Cleared my skin
Cons:
Initial breakout
Expensive
Terribly drying to skin
Makes skin a little shiny
Takes about 2 months before u she results
This product worked/is working for me. I am an African-American female late twenties who suffers from moderate acne on my forehead, cheeks and nose, mostly blackheads and a pimple or two around my period. I have been using DIFFERIN .3% for about 3 months now and the change in my skin has been wonderful! 85% of acne has cleared and the hyper pigmentation from old acne is dissipating... Slowly.
Recommendation: BUFFER THIS MEDICATION. (30% moisturizer 70% Differin and only a pea size amount total)
I made the mistake of applying differin to my bare skin after cleansing and experienced horrible dryness and sensitivity on my eyelids and corners of my nose. Then I read other posts and begin mixing the differin w olay sensitive skin moisturizer and applying it after cleansing at night and my skin did not have that same reaction to the differin. Dryness and sensitivity went away but my skin broke out like crazy within the first month!!! So I started to apply clindamycin 1% gel in the morning underneath a moisturizer and that helped w that. I can now apply differin without buffering to my skin because it has gotten used to it. overall, differin works but u have to figure out the routine that works best for you skin.
June 22, 2012
Pros:
Really cleared my acne within a month
No harsh reactions (like redness, dryness, or peeling)
Cons:
Horrible initial break out
My dermatologist perscribed me Differin Gel 0.1 and Minocycline. Nothing had ever worked for me in the past and my acne was somewhat severe. I almost gave up because of the initial purge of acne, but after 3 weeks my face became clear. I accidentally skipped a day, however, and got one little zit, but other than that I am extremely happy with the results! I still have a lot of acne scars though, but the dermotoligist said the gel would help with scaring. Anyway, I'm so overjoyed and my new clear face and I have so much more confidence in myself, and it's only been 4 and a half weeks! I really reccomend this product.(:
April 23, 2012
Pros:
Makes my skin softer
Helps fade acne scars
Got rid of my cystic acne
Cons:
Itchy, sometimes burning feeling in the beginning
Love this product! I have been using it for 3 weeks now in conjuction with 5% topical benzoyl peroxide applied during the day. As a teen, my skin was perfect and I never had acne. However, in my mid 20s, I started getting these terrible, painful cyst-like zits on my cheeks and chin. Even without touching them, they would leave horrible scars.
This cream is worth trying!
April 12, 2012
Pros:
-Cleared up my skin
Cons:
-Redness
-Peeling
-Skin becomes Flakes
-Takes time to work.
I have never suffered from acne but about a month ago I started breaking out and it freaked me out because its not normal for me to get acne. Anyways I go to the dermatologist and she prescribed differin along with clindamycin and minocycline. For the first two weeks my skin got worse. It was awful I started breaking out worse than ever. It looked like I had sunburn all over my face and after that passed my skin started peeling and it was extreamly dry. Thats why you have to use moustrizers but just to warn you it will burn when you put on moustrizers. Ok so for the first two weeks I was really unhappy about this product but I remember my doctor telling me it will take about a month for me to start seeing results I was about to stop using differin but I stuck to it and I'm glad I did because it does work it just takes some time and consistency. Thats why this product doesnt have many good reviews because people stop using it when ther skin starts getting worse. But dont give up your skin will get better. I am very satisfied with this product my skin is better than before,
November 27, 2011
Pros:
It works. It works. It works.
Cons:
You have to know how to use it otherwise you will get frustrated and stop the treatment.
As a looong time acne sufferer, I have tried everything but accutane. Here is how to use Differin successfully - it has changed my life. Beginning: super small amount on forehead, cheeks, and chin at bedtime ONLY. Do not apply on nose or between nose and lips. Do not apply to wet skin. Day one - you'll probably notice your face isn't so greasy but burns a little when you wash your face. Next night: apply same amounts to face the before bed. Next day you'll notice face getting red and maybe even peeling. Next night: do NOT use Differin. Skip one or 2 days. Then restart treatment. Your face needs time to acclimate. Give your skin a chance to recover and then restart Differin treatment. Trust me - it works!! ** I also take 10 mg of Progesterone b/c of my heavy periods. I noticed that as soon as I started taking the progesterone, my cystic acne stopped, but I still not got the break outs weekly. That's when I tried Differin again. Everytime I tried Differin in the past I got frustrated and quit - but this last time I took a small break in between to give my face a break and it worked :))
September 20, 2011
Pros:
*Helped somewhat fade existing blemishes.
*Makes the skin that's not affected by acne much nicer - smoother, more radiant, glowing. The skintone looks more even.
*I rarely ever get whiteheads now, I used to get them every day.
*Affordable with insurance.
Cons:
*Doesn't really prevent cystic acne.
*The initial breakout was pretty bad for me and took about 3 weeks to clear up. At the worst point I had 15 really red and big cystic pimples on my face.
*The first month of using this I wasn't able to use any other products on my face, including makeup. The skin was really dry, irritated and somewhat itchy. It's not nearly as bad now, but the dryness persist on the eyelids and in the crease of the nose even though I don't apply the product to those
I have been using it for about 10 weeks so far. I still have some acne but my skin looks much better than before. I would recommend trying it if you have patience, because this product needs to be used at least 8-12 weeks or so to see results. I recommend getting the gel version of this, if possible. I used the cream at first and it was incredibly greasy and felt icky on my skin. I believe the greasiness of the cream actually clogged my pores and somewhat contributed to developing the initial breakout. The gel feels much nicer, it sinks into the skin fast and leaves it feeling soft.
September 19, 2011
Pros:
Black heads are smaller, chances of white heads reduced, clearer skin in general, works on back and chest!
Cons:
You must wait through the break out phase in order to see the result of clear skin
I was skeptical when I first started using this because of the increased break-outs, but after about a month and a half, my chest and back started clearing up. It also helps the process if you DO NOT pick at any of your acne. You have to let the medicine do its job.
Pros:
Great results if you stick to it.
No side effects for me at all.
Easy to use.
Cleared up moderately fast (for me).