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
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1
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Used Adapalene (Non-prescription)? Rate It:

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July 10, 2012

Pros:

Easy to use

Cons:

Made my skin 1000x worse. Thought it would help but could not deal with it and now am left with spots ALL OVER my face. Terrible. I am so depressed.

Do not use this product.
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June 29, 2012

Pros:

Decreases the life of the pimple (dries it up)
Fades hyper-pigemntation quickly (4 weeks) after 12 weeks
Makes skin glow
Makes skin baby soft smooth

Cons:

Makes face sensitive
Takes a long time to work requires a lot of patience

It works, just give it time...some days you may feel like its not working but it actually is you just can see it YET ...Then one day you'll wake up and VOILA ...the skin is there and anew but that's obviously after weeeks and weeks and weeeks...but you will get the usual 1 or 2 or 4 pimples but it's better than having FULL BLOWN ACNE...
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June 29, 2012

Pros:

Clears light acne
Makes skin a little softer

Cons:

Not very effective
Not much change seen (I've used it for about 5-6 months now)
Flaky and dry skin in the beginning

In the beginning, as with any other acne cream, it dries out your skin. Use a moisturizer every day. I used Neutrogena Healthy Defense spf 50, and in the first few weeks, I applied it multiple times a day. It is a good product if you have light acne problems. If you have severe breakouts, this product will show you no results. I would consider myself light-moderate, and occasionally it would clear my skin, but then I would get more breakouts. After 5 months of using Differin, I saw little results or change from where I started, so I saw my dermatologist and now I'm using a stronger product. I would recommend it for people with light breakouts, it pairs nicely with Clindamycin in the morning. That was my initial routine. I hope this helped.
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June 29, 2012

Pros:

+ Rids face of acne without leaving scars
+ Keeps oil at bay
+ Depending on what state you live in and your insurance, you can get up to a $200 rebate on this

Cons:

- Very pricey (even with insurance)
- Dries skin out
- Stings a little if you put on too much

It does work if you use it consistently. A big point of this cream is that a little goes a long way, this stuff is no joke! I wash my face with Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash, let it completely dry, and put a pea size dollop of the cream on my fingers. I use it on only the areas of my face that need it most. After letting it completely dry, I finish up with Philosophy's Hope w/ SPF 30. This regimen, along with Sprironolacone has greatly helped my skin. I suffered from large and painful cystic acne along and under my jaw which was caused when I stopped taking my Lutera birth control after using it for 4 years. I've been cystic acne free for about 6 months. Couldn't be happier!
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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.(:
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June 17, 2012

Pros:

Cleared minor acne flaws
Refines skin
Tighten pores
Fades scars
Smooth application
Wears well under makeup

Cons:

Major breakout within first few weeks
Takes awhile to really work (2 months)
Still get some horrible pimples
Didn't do anything for clogged pores
Initial flaking
Didn't dry my oily skin to the extent I wanted
Won't do anything for major acne (cystic, nodules)

I was really excited about using this product. I have horribly oily skin, get bad acne on my t-zone, and occasional painful pimples on the rest of my face. After the first week or so of application, I got a horrible breakout that was all over my face. It was so bad that I didn't even go to school for a week, and it was painful acne that was under the skin. It took about 6 weeks for it to clear. Luckily, the scars quickly faded, which I attribute to the Differin. The next month or so, my skin was the clearest it had ever been. Then, I started to get lone pimples. Not majorly, but there were still pimples on my face, enough that I went back to the dermatologist and requested a new topical. This product would be great for someone with light acne, as it's gentle on the skin and quite refining, but if you have more severe acne, I wouldn't even bother wasting your money.
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May 31, 2012

Pros:

- still waiting for pros, maybe spots are less frequent
- no initial breakout, although I was on Retinol A before this, so maybe that is why

Cons:

- if you have dry skin, this just dries it out to a new level
- red, flaky skin - halfway through the day my skin starts to peel even under tonnes of moisturizer
- if Retinol/Retinol A was too strong for you and your dermatologist thinks this will be more gentle, it probably won't
-

If you have dry and sensitive skin, this is probably not your best bet. I'm sorry! I really wanted this to work for me - I'll still give it a couple more weeks and - if any noticeable changes, improvement or absolute horror - I will do a second review. Applying it exactly as my derm suggested - once only at night, no other cosmetics (i.e. toner, cream...) - was not best for me. I ended up washing my face, applying toner, then cream, and then Differin. Slight improvement. The dots are less frequent - at least this week - but overall, my complexion is a mess. Not because I have more acne!! It's just you want clear, healthy, skin. Not less acne different skin disorder ... skin. Basically, without makeup my skin is dry and flaky and red because it's so dry - not because of the initial burning irritation. OH! Something I have read is that you should apply benzyl peroxide in the morning alongside this product - I don't have that, but I have been using Salicylic acid and that is also what has been helping with the very minor improvement. - NEITHER ON THEIR OWN WORKED, COMBO HAS BEEN OK.
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May 29, 2012

Pros:

Easy to remember to apply once a night.

Cons:

* Caused extremely dry skin, my neck and earlobes are a total mess, and I didn't even apply it there!

* Made acne much, much worse.

I had such high hopes, but 7 weeks on my skin is worse than before I started. I am going to stop using it and see if there is an improvement. I regret using this cream as my face really is a mess now.
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May 28, 2012

Pros:

Easy to apply
Soaks into skin fast
Great for pustular acne
Works fairly fast

Cons:

Intial breakout
Initial redness
Dries out skin

I was on Accutane for 6 months 40 mg/day. Accutane worked really well, but after 3 months my acne started to come back. Thankfully it only came back in a moderate form, because before I had severe acne. I've now been using Adapelene twice a day (once in the morning and once at night) because I didn't want to go back on Accutane. I've been using it now for 2 weeks and I've already noticed that I'm getting less and less breakouts and my initial acne/redness is starting to fade. Acne does suck, but I think this is my solution to control and hopefully get rid of it.
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May 26, 2012

Pros:

- it helps the painful blind pimples go down a bit.

Cons:

- burning when i wash my face or put water on it. mainly under my eyes.
- dried side of my nose
- initiral break out

I've only been on Differin for 3 weeks now, the first few days were awesome. The first week i used it my skin felt so good. Then i broke out and have not stopped breaking out since. It's like everything just came to the surface. I have read there is an initial break out so id say its from that. i have used it after i wash my face at night/before bed. only use a pea size. but i really shouldnt have got straight into it. I should have only started off slow with it because my skin is going crazy. not sure if this could also be because of hormonal reasons as well. Ill write another review in about a month or two. i am giving differin a chance, so ignore my rating. its too soon to review its effectiveness.
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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