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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4
31.4%
3
23%
2
16.4%
1
11.3%

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April 8, 2011

Pros:

may help if you have light acne

Cons:

did not work for me

some days were good, most weren't, but then again my acne is hereditary so i get cysts and my face is pretty pumpy. i used it for a year and did not notice any improvment. BUT if your acne isn't so bad then try it. now im on Retin-A, uses it for 3 months now and my face is hell!
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April 8, 2011

Pros:

Does the job just takes a little time.
I live in Alaska, which means winters are DRY and I am able to use this every night without having to worry about it drying to skin out too much.

Cons:

Sometimes (not is all cases) bad breakout at first.

I used this way back when I was a sophmore in high school and was stunned how fast this stuff worked to clear up the small bumps on my forehead. Now as a sophmore in college I have acne on my cheeks and have been using it again. It was helping, however I was using a foundation that I didn't know until recently which I am allergic to one of the ingrediants in it that helped keep bringing up those pimples. I stopped using the foundation and my skin is clearing up faster than ever. So, my advice is when using this (or any kind of acne treatment) be concious of what else you put on your face.
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April 7, 2011

Pros:

-Great on sensitive skin
-Odorless
-Significantly decreases the size of pimples/decreases redness

Cons:

None really

As a longtime sufferer of acne, I feel like I have tried every product on the market, including an unsuccessful chemical peel treatment. I have very sensitive skin and tend to scar easily every time I break out. I highly recommend Differin for breakouts-it does not irritate my overly sensitive skin, and greatly reduces the size/redness of my pimples in a short amount of time-safe to say overnight as well! I use this consistently whenever I have breakouts and it never lets me down.
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April 6, 2011

Cons:

UNPREDICTABLE

MADE MY MODERATE TEEN ACNE TURN TO SEVERE -VERY ,VERY BAD .I STAYED ON IT FOR 8 MONTHS WAITING FOR IT TO GO IN TO REVERSE BUT NEVER DID .MADE THINGS SO BAD THAT NOW I NEED TO SEE A DERMATOLOGIST AND MY FACE IS BADLY SCARED !
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March 29, 2011

Pros:

Renew your skins gradually
Clear most of my whiteheads and blackheads
Fade away dark spots

Cons:

Skin gets really dry (you need plenty of moisturizing for your face, including masks and cream)
It gets really worse before it gets better. You have to be very patient. You need a gentle cleanser for your skin when you use that medicine.
Occasionally you do experience breakouts. Try to avoid picking them. (but obviously i cant which made some small wounds on my face)

I am on the third week of this treatment. I guess I still need to wait for a further few weeks before the actual result can be seen. Hopefully this is a final treatment for me as I have tried numerous treatments from AHA/BHA and Duac to isotretinoin and antibiotics. I didn't ask for a taller nose or bigger eyes. I just want a clear face!
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March 22, 2011

Pros:

Too away the majority of my acne.

Cons:

Dried out my skin.

I tried Proactive, it didn't help, I tried all kinds of facial washed, they didn't help. Adapalene, which I am using with Clindamycin, an antibacterial, gave me results almost immediately, and I am very glad I started using it.
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March 22, 2011

Pros:

-Gets rid of the majority of acne

Cons:

-Dries your face out a bit
-Makes your face red
-Makes your skin sensitive to the sun's rays
-Makes your skin (more) sensitive period

All of you guys freaking out about breaking out horribly for like the first month need to realize that that's how this works. It brings everything to the surface first. I was on Differin for 3 years and it worked very well. It got rid of almost all of my acne. Of course I would still get some around that time of the month, but I've yet to find anything that gets rid of every last zit for the rest of your life.
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March 21, 2011

Pros:

Not Sure Yet

Cons:

Broke me out hella bad after the 1st week

I hope that this will heal my skin my acne is not very bad and the fact that i am breaking out is horrifing to me... definitely try it but i hope that its one of those things where it gets worse before it gets better ... i have also changed my diet beacuse of the break outs im hoping to like make milder the initial bad effects of the um adapalene or differin
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March 19, 2011

Pros:

soothing, easy to apply, simple dispensing design

Cons:

...heard it works really slow and that my acne will get much more worse before it can better... umm how is that?!

So I've only been on this gel for about 5 days now. I'm an adult and was sick of seeing my face look so ugly. As a teen, I used Proactiv and had great results. So autumn last year, I decided to go back to it. Well it was horrible! the regular stuff didnt help, so cust. svc advised me to use their "extra strength" version, which I did. It dried my face so bad I stopped using it. and 6 weeks after I stopped using it, my face was just peeling worse! It is so bad I would rather live with the Acne then this flaking, which also made my face very red and sore. Not to mention the scarring that I'm seeing :( Ok anyway, my doctor has now prescribed me the Gel Diffiren. So she warned that it will get worse before it gets better. So far it feels warm when I put it on. but in a way, it soothes my dry & sore skin. Then I just put a moisterizer on top. I have noticed that the white heads increased. but when I researched online about the medicine, it confirms that this will do exactly that. It will bring all the nasty stuff up to the surface of the skin... and that's why the process will take so long. So I will try this and so we'll see what I see in 8 weeks (my next dr. follow-up is in 8 weeks) ;)
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March 18, 2011

Pros:

May work on some...

Cons:

Did not work on me....

I found this site helpful for me when I was questioning whether Differin was working for me or not. I was told like many others to give it at least 3 months to start working. Inititially, I think people think it is working because it is so drying so everything on your skin kinda goes away. Eventually that drying turned into extreme dryness for me to the point of discomfort. After about 4 weeks into Differin, my skin got significantly worse and again, like others, I was told this was going to make my skin get worse b4 it got better. So I sucked it up. Long story short, I had breakouts that were not typical 4 me (not the normal areas I would break out, nor the type of breakout; it almost looked like a rash). I kept up the Differin though bc I had hope until about 1 week ago when I couldnt take it anymore. I looked way worse than when I started! (That was 2 weeks b4 my 3 months of trying were up). Bottom line is... 1 week later my skin looks way better! The Differin was definitely irritating it. I started using OXY Clinical which was way more soothing than the Differin. I am still taking Doxy 4 my hormonal breakouts too. I just wanted to share my story in case someone else is wondering if it is making their skin worse too. You know your skin the best! If you feel it isn't working the way it should; STOP! My other advice is, since most of us spend a ton of $ anyways on acne treatments, try investing in a Clarisonic. It really helps any acne treaments get into the skin better and reallys helps get rid of dead pore clogging skin cells. Best investment for my skin yet, and girls, it helps get rid of any traces of makeup left on your skin. I hope this helps someone!!!!!!
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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