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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October 9, 2011
I had relatively clear skin, except terrible break outs about once a year. And when I say terrible, I mean BAD. Cystic, pustules, everything. But I'd always recover quite well with limited scarring. However, this past summer, the break out I experienced was unbearable. It was all over my face and I was afraid to leave the house without make up and was even self conscious around my own family. I finally agreed to see a dermatologist who recommended Differin along with Duac. I've been on Differin for 2 months and have seen remarkable results. The first month/month and a half or so was pretty brutal with continuous break outs that became increasingly difficult to cover with make up, but just these past 2 weeks my face has just been getting clearer and clearer. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of scars and hyperpigmentation left over, but these fade over time and Differin seems to be fading them at an even faster rate because of the quickened skin turn over. My skin was extremely dry and flaky the first few weeks, but this is only because the medication is sloughing off the dead skin on top to renew your overall skin tone and texture. Don't expect this stuff to work in a couple weeks or even a couple months. It's different for everyone. This product requires patience and endurance. Please stick with it. With all the initial breakouts and dry skin, there comes remarkably improved acne and skin. I am not so self conscious about my skin anymore and soon I know I will be confident enough to go out without makeup. Hope this was helpful for any acne sufferers.
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October 9, 2011

Pros:

Made a great improvement on my acne and continues to do so.

Made my skin glowy and the nicest it's been for years.

Cleared my skin up, also evened my skin tone.

Cons:

First few weeks:
-You have to wear suncream every day, or your skin will feel very sunburnt.
-Skin went super red.
-Made my skin peel so much.
-Stings when you use certain creams/makeup over it

This product did what it was supposed to, but it took a while for my skin to get used to it; the first few weeks were a nightmare, though I saw results quickly. It's been 2 months now and my skin is great, I haven't had any new acne and my old acne is nearly gone. My skin is soooo good now! I had the gel version and applied it every night. It dries out your skin. If you're patient this will pay off. The only thing is it doesn't take away all of the redness, I also found it doesn't fix blackheads. It's great with everything else though I had light/mild acne
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October 5, 2011

Pros:

- slightly improved cystic acne for a little while
- made skin smooth
- didn't experience flaking/dryness/irritation etc.

Cons:

- did not completely clear acne
- slight redness
- took about 3 months to see results
- bad initial break out
- stopped working after a few months of slightly helping
- not worth the expensive price

i used this for just over a year in combination with Minocycline. there was a bad initial break out with it, and it took about 3 months to see any results at all. in terms of the results i did see: my skin was slightly improved for several months, meaning that my pimples were less inflamed and painful. the Differin did also help my pimples go away more quickly. key point here is that i WAS still breaking out. after a few months of this slight improvement, however, it stopped working at all. i continued using it with the Mino for several months afterwards, and my cystic acne went back to being just as bad as it was before beginning this treatment. eventually i gave up and stopped using both, switched to something else. bottom line, don't waste your time with Differin; it doesn't clear acne, and you only get a slight improvement that doesn't even continue for the entire period of time you're using it.
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September 26, 2011

Pros:

- Clears up acne quickly, even cystic acne.
- Prevents new acne.
- Seems to make pores smaller.

Cons:

- Causes facial redness.

I came off antibiotics a while ago, and my acne started to come back almost straight away. I had tried other retinoid gels before but they were far too harsh and made my hair fall out (it's true! see other reviews on here). This is much milder because it's cream and only 1%, and I only use it once a day at night. So far it has cleared up all my acne and I haven't had a new spot for weeks. Sometimes I get the beginnings of a spot, but this stops it in its tracks. I got rid of a cystic spot in only a few days, and there is almost no scar. The only con is that it makes your skin look quite flushed, but that is a small price to pay for clear skin. Love it, love it, and only £8.00 for a big tube on the NHS. Two points I should mention - my acne had been controlled first by the antibiotics, so it was only mild when I started the cream. Also, go carefully with any retinoid as hair loss is a danger that isn't mentioned in the leaflets.
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September 20, 2011

Pros:

Cleared skin up instantly

Cons:

Made my hair fall out and thin

Make sure you check the side affects! There was nothing mentinoned about hair loss untill I looked it up online. Many people experience hair loss or thining when using. I almost cried after handfuls of hair started falling out and thin spots occured. I have been off of it for almost a month and my hair is starting to grow back and my acne is coming back. Just be careful, it's not for everyone. I think I might have a reaction to retinoids which this is in a cream base.
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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.
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September 20, 2011

Pros:

Seems to work a little bit, but not very effective.
Easy to apply, doesn't hurt or burn
comes in enormous bottle that'll last you AGES

Cons:

Didn't help my acne

I started using this stuff 4 1/2 months ago. The initial breakout (IB) came a week after using it, which was pretty bad. I have light to moderate acne. I waited this long because the review said it would likely take at least 3 months to work. I patiently waited but ultimately it didn't work for me. There have been occasional patches of clearness recently but I always end up breaking out again. Try Dan's regimen first, or find something more reliable/ that takes less time before it works.
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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.
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September 15, 2011

Pros:

Does greeeeeat work to clear ur acne its wonderfuul amazing gel

Cons:

Bad breakouts first 3 or 4 weeks only

Hi evybdy OMG its great i m using it for last 3 months for my cyctic and other acne problems first few weeks bad breakouts but i did nt leave to use and after that it ll b clearing ur acne faster n u ll completly clear after 3 months the people who left it for initial breakouts i request dont leave to use this it ll work wonderfuuul m so happy with results very amazing product
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September 9, 2011

Pros:

none

Cons:

make my acne way worse, and easy to get scars. Be careful with this product, it will not work on some people.

I only had little problems with acne, nothing major. I tried this product just to get my face completely clear, but I believe it was a big mistake!!! the first few weeks, this medication worked wonderful. make my skin looks smooth and clear. Then, the nightmare came. I began to have break outs all over my face which I never experineced in my life. Also, this medication doesn't help your skin heal that well. I am left with few depressed scars after the acne was gone. Now, everytime I look at my face, I feel like crying, I really should never use this medication. It may work on your skin, but be careful, there maybe side effects you do not want to face.
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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