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
November 5, 2013
"works"
Cons:
didn't work to get rid of all of it completely
this is a good product. i started using it about 6 months ago. i still get acne, but definitely not as bad as i would get it if i wasn't using it. I am pretty bummed that it doesn't get rid of all of it, but it does get rid of a large portion of it, and as long as you're using a good cleanser along with it.
September 15, 2013
I sort of recommend.
I used Differin twice in my life. The first time was in high school when Differin still came in little swabs (like wet wipes) that you put over your face. It dried my face out but seemed to work. Since those days it's now a liquid form in a tube. I have to admit it works but takes around 12 weeks to do so. I think for me it took about 16. I got better results from Finacea, so perhaps it just depends on how your skin reacts.
June 18, 2013
Mild retinoid
Pros:
Inexpensive
Effective for light acne
Differin is a starter topical in my opinion. I started using this right when I started to get acne. It worked for awhile and when I quit using it my very light acne came back with a vengeance and was now moderate to severe acne. When I started differin again it wasn't able to clear me up so I had to switch over to retin a and oral antibiotics.
December 7, 2017
Acne will come back if you stop the treatment, this isn't a cure it's a temporary relief until you grow out of acne by natural means.
December 7, 2017
Acne will come back if you stop the treatment, this isn't a cure it's a temporary relief until you grow out of acne by natural means.
May 30, 2013
Kept Breaking OUT
Pros:
Glossy skin
Cheap
Cons:
Dryness
Inflammed Skin
Slow Improvement
When I first tried this product, I was breaking out terribly in the first week. I applied it on a pimple that I got on the right side of my mouth cheek area, and after a week I started getting tons of pimples in that area like 5. A pimple takes forever to go away, like about a week. By using the medication I got so many scars and hyperpigmentation that I now have to wear makeup to cover it all up. It is sad that my acne has gotten worse. I decided to try this after Tetrinoin didnt work out for me, but I guess this didnt work either. I realized my acne was even more inflammed and soo much redder when I used this. If you are reading this review right now you should go buy a mask called the aztec indian healing clay which actually cleared my skin and now I do not have acne at all. If you do not believe me then please search up the reviews for it. They all are positive. Well anyways im glad i am done with this adapalene. I havent seen Any improvements with adapalene, I have been using for 8 months trying not to lose hope but I guess it wasnt for me :(
May 14, 2013
Pros:
turns skin over fast
pushes acne to surface
anti-aging
Cons:
Must commit to SUN FREE LIFE - you are exposing new baby skin - be very careful or at 40 you will have TONS of sunspots and scaring
Constant windburn feeling
Doesn't work on inflamed acne AT ALL
My skin: Dry, very sensitive, prone to scarring, moderate acne with hormonal cysts. Now that I cant use BP my skin sucks. I was prescribed differin lotion 1% in conjunction with monocycline. First 3 days, awesome, things drying up and coming to the surface. But my skin was so so dry. Now this isnt differins fault, but since it was working SO well I started to use the moisturizer cerave pm (aka the WORST THING in the world) and my skin FLIPPED. Maybe it was just accelerated the purging or whatever, who knows but my skin got bumpy and horrible. I changed everything to be simple and kept on with the differin. My experience with it is that yea, it turned over my cells quickly and pushed stuff to the surface. I can't go in the sun or get my eye brows waxed and I really dont like the long term costs associated with this as a permanent solution. I have stopped using it now for 3 days and my skin is getting better. I just love the dark purple scars this has given me which is the whole damn reason I started using it. I just dont see the use for this because, long term it's goin to a) stop working and you just have to keep increasing the harshness b) thins your skin and expose very vulnerable new skin to sun damage even with SPF, don't fool yourself c) skin become dependent on it which is such a vicious cycle I have experienced with BP it is NOT worth it. I really don't think the long term risks are worth the short term benefits.. Maybe in a decade in my late 30s ill reconsider. Going to try rosehip oil for scarring instead...
May 3, 2013
Pros:
Nothing
Cons:
Diddnt do Anything.
I am only 14 and have had acne since the third grade... I have tried sooo many things this,benzoyl peroxide ,proactive , various creams from my dermatologist and doctor etc)and I Am on epiduo now and it's really not doing Any thing, this absolutely did nothing and I would say I used it for 6 months or so. Also I have moderate to severe acne
March 15, 2013
Pros:
-Keeps pores small
-Face seems smoother
-Overall increase in how good my skin looks
Cons:
-Initial breakout
The reason this product is getting a low rating is because people think that it's supposed to be used to clear up acne. It doesn't clear acne up like benzoyl peroxide--it simply makes your skin look nicer overall by reducing pore size and makes it easier to fight acne in the long run. My skin got worse for about a month, but if it doesn't clear up after that, the problem lies in whatever antibacterial you're using. I used Acanya with it (and recently Monodox) and my skin looks much better.
December 12, 2012
Pros:
--Clears Skin
--Reduces Redness
--Works Quickly
--Fades PIH
Cons:
--0.1% does nothing
--Takes some time
I took accutane before this. Before accutane, I had severe acne; after accutane, I had marks. Unfortunately, my skin hasn't ever been "perfectly" clear -- I've always had marks and a few pimples. I asked my doctor for some Differin. He gave me 0.1%, and it didn't do too much for my skin. In fact, it seemed like my skin was in a constant purging phase which wasn't cool. 0.3% is much better in the fact that your skin isn't stuck in the "purging phase," your PIH fades faster and it is more effective all around. Please request the 0.3% :)
August 6, 2012
Pros:
Got rid of acne
Improved overall skin tone
Made skin glow
Cons:
Initial breakout
Took 5 weeks to clear skin
Initially made skin very greasy
This product is amazing. Although it caused an initial breakout, it was clear that it was simply bringing all the crap under my skin to the surface. 6 weeks on I have clear skin, and really even skin tone. I was at my wits end.. topical antibiotics and dalicin t didn't work for me at all. I had a stubborn patch of spots on my cheek that kept spreading. I also had spots under the skin on my chin. I combined differin cream with neutrogena on the spot in the day, which i left on stubborn spots all day. I'm really happy with the results. My advise would be to stick with this product.. it takes time, but it does work!
July 22, 2012
Pros:
None
Cons:
Didn't work
I used this for about 3 years along with doxy. I'm not sure why I used it for 3 years maybe because I went from dermatologist to dermatologist they all saw me for months and kept me on this even though my skin stayed the same! Idiots! When I used this most of my acne was on my forehead. I used doxy 1st and then my derm that I was seeing at the time prescribed me this and it did nothing. Waste of time. Didnt make things worse or better just made my skin sensitive to cold weather.
Pros:
effective on acne