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
September 3, 2010
Cons:
first week = embarrassing.
I've never seen my face so splattered with acne before.
do NOT put on non-acne areas. ONLY ON AFFECTED AREAS. I accidentally applied it all over my face like Benzol Peroxide and I had VERY dry peeling skin the next day that took a week to recover.
redness, hyper-pigmentation is annoying. I looked like I have the ASIAN glow 24/7
if you apply to NON-acne areas (or even near it, because it spreads at night), your skin will be very thin and weak th
I've only been on it for a month, but I've seen incredible improvements. I am an Asian young adult male and proactive, sulfur, all other face washes, benzo, didn't work for me. For a time, jojoba oil worked but it wasn't perfect. Now I use Differin .3% at night,
then I apply Clyndamicine 1% in the morning. There are VERY FEW acne bumps on my face. I had moderate/severe acne before. The only thing I hate about it right now is the hyper-pigmentation and redness it causes.
I look like I have the Asian glow 24/7 and if it gets NEAR non-affected places on your face, it will make that area VERY sensitive and prone to "bleeding." For instance, near my chin, I don't have acne but sometimes I put differin near there and everytime I rub my face to wash it, I rub that area of the chin and now I have these thin scabs in that area because I basically rubbed off the layer of skin there too much. Differin definitely helps ACNE and I saw improvements in 2-3 weeks though the redness was misleading. If I'm in a club and it's slightly dark, you can't see the bumps haha but I definitely look wasted (redness).
March 18, 2010
Pros:
Completely got rid of my acne. I had pretty moderate acne and from time to time got a cyst. After using this product for around 5-6 months all my acne was gone. I was lucky and did not get dry, or have an initial breakout.
Cons:
Costs alot without plan
Takes along time to work (5-6 months for me)
After I stopped taking it my acne came back really bad
I would recommend it aslong as you keep going with it and don't give up.
January 5, 2010
Pros:
No pros.
Cons:
Made my skin very dry.
After 6 months using this product, it still did not work.
I dont have severe acne, although my dermatoolgist subscribed it to me and said that it takes time to see the results. The first week I had so bad rash, I could not go out. My face burned and was very itchy and no cream helped to make the situation even a little bit better. So I went to my family doctor, who helped to get my face better with some kind of salve. And said that my dermatologist likes to write differin to everyone who walks in with acne. Still I continued to use it. Because all these products what dermatologist subscribed me costed pretty much.
So I used it with uriega washing gel(before differin) and sebamed cream(after). And even with the cream my face started to peel. It was like I go out and after half and hour my face was very dry, inflexible and peeling. But I still thought that okey, it takes time so no whining. And after 6 months I had enough with that product. Because I could not stand the peeling and that my face was very very very inflexible and dry ALL the time.
And my face was never dry before. I had comedons ,that I hated. And after six months my face was not improved in any way.
January 19, 2014
Patience pays off
Pros:
Great results
Not too expensive
Cons:
Gets worse before it gets better
Results take 3 months minumum
peeling, dryness, and oiliness
I'm 16. I've always had clear skin until this past summer. I started breaking out on my forehead with little bumps and the occasional big red cystic blemish. It was incredibly frustrating because I was keeping my skin clean, eating right, and taking care of myself, yet I had all this acne. I went to the dermatologis and they prescribed Differin in October. I used it for 3 months and saw almost no difference. It was extremely discouraging. But I kept going. It is now January 19th and I have a completely clear complexion and I could not be happier with my results. I currently use Clinique foaming cleanser, my clarisonic, and Clinique dramatically different moisturizer. I cannot stress enough that you need to KEEP USING THIS PRODUCT FOR IT TO WORK! Stick with it and you will feel amazing soon! I know how hard it is to suffer from acne :( keep your head up everyone, it's not forever, and you are beautiful with or without your acne. You're not alone.
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.
July 6, 2011
Pros:
In combination with Duac and Antibiotics cleared my skin within about 2/3 weeks
Non drying
Free on prescription
Fairly lenient - I've missed a good few applications and even survived a festival without getting spots.
Cons:
Only that when I'm on a night out and go back to people's houses I can't just pass out, I have to mooch home so that I can put it on.
I finished my antibiotics about a week and a half into Differin, and I was using Duac as well. I'd been on the Antibiotics (Tetracycline - nasty side effects) and the Duac for nearly 3 months with very little effect. I went a bit overboard with the new combination at first and my skin got mega dry, but my spots did go. I chilled out a bit and now I rarely ever use Duac, only on the very rare spot that I get. If I can be bothered that is - one spot does not phase me now! I've been using Differin for a little over 2 months and my scars have gone down, but nothing dramatic really. I've also swapped a moisturizer for jojoba oil, which was weird at first and I really didn't like it, but it's really grown on me.
I completely freaked out reading these reviews, this whole I.B. thing is really intimidating. But I spoke to my Doctor and about 4 friends of mine using/that have used Differin and none have them suffered an initial break out. I'm really glad I did it as well because I didn't get one even a little bit. I think the best thing about this for me is that I'm no longer obsessing over my skin, and it's wonderfully refreshing.
Defiantly recommend it, I give my skin a good hammering as far as alcohol and bad food goes and it's really holding out. Good luck everyone.
April 11, 2011
Pros:
None
Cons:
Bright red spots, acne worse
The dermatologist put my 13 year old daughter on this. She had an initial breakout which she is still recovering from after 5 months. She kept with it because they said it would get worse before it got better. After 5 months we have seen no improvement at all and now she has bright red spots on her face that she never had before. May be worth a shot but didn't work for her at all.
November 5, 2010
Pros:
Keeps the cysts at bay
Brings existing acne to the surface to heal quickly
Is effective a sole acne treatment
Gives a great "glow" and evenness to the skin
Cons:
Cannot be used around eyes, nose, or mouth
Does not prevent hormone-related breakouts
Must use consistently - even taking a week off means dealing with more breakouts
Can possibly lose effectiveness after a while
I've been using Differin gel as my sole acne medicine for about 2 years. Before that, I used it in combination with a external Clindimycin treatment (which was horrible). I've had acne for about 22 years. I would say to those who are just starting treatment to be patient. Adapalene is a retin-A variant that essentially causes your skin cells to turn over faster. So, initially, as it is "bringing up the acne" to the surface, your acne will worsen and your skin might flake. This might take several months. I experience this (especially along with the antibiotic), but I no longer have these side effects (and didn't after the first few months). I don't use any lotions, even in the harsh Indiana winters. Because you are turning over skin cells more rapidly, you'll get that "Differin glow," and to be truthful, look a little younger (retin-A is used to treat wrinkles after all). My concern, as I return to the dermatologist this week, is that Differin alone (after about 5 years of total use) is likely no longer working for me. The cysts are back, though these could also be stress-related or hair product-related or even hormone-changing related (eek!). I'll likely request that I keep using it, but ask for something internal to control my hormonal acne (possibly Spirolactone as an anti-androgen or Zinc as an anti-inflammatory). I would say that everyone's acne is caused by different things - finding those is the real challenge. But Differin has worked wonders for me . . . and I'm actually considered attractive now. It's always a good feeling. :)
March 26, 2010
Pros:
(for the .1% gel)
-works well when used properly
-does not sting or burn
-a single tube can last you months
Cons:
-outrageously expensive without insurance
-can severely worsen acne if too much is used at once
-may dry out your skin
-requires 8-12 weeks for real results, according to their website
I first used Differin over a year ago, for a total of eight weeks, during which time my acne only worsened to a horrifying degree. Before use my acne was light. After use, my skin became incredibly tender and began to peel and scale over, and the pimples multiplied and multiplied with each week. I did not see a dermatologist for this but rather was mailed the medicine with an informational packet through Kaiser. After halting that treatment I started to take a doxycycline antibiotic first once and then twice daily to repair the damage. Months later after my skin was more in control, a separate dermatologist recommended I use Differin again while continuing with the antibiotic. They stressed the importance of starting with a small amount to allow sensitive skin to adjust. Following those instructions, I washed my face every night with Cetaphil and applied a miniscule amount at first. Over two weeks I built up to the pea-sized amount you are usually told to start with. If your skin is sensitive at all, DO NOT start with a pea sized amount. This was the amount that make my face explode the first time. Be careful, be patient, and let it go to work. I am now about 3 months into my second round of Differin and still taking doxycyline twice daily. Though I still get fresh pimples, they are white and blackheads, few in number, and not the painful swollen ones I used to have. The many dark spots left by past breakouts have paled significantly, and some have completely disappeared. My skin feels smoother. The Differin does dry me out a bit, but I apply a moisturizer/sunscreen every morning and the problem is easily solved. Though results take time, I am confident that my acne is slowly getting better. Patience is key when using Differin, but if applied in the right amounts, it works very well.
December 29, 2009
Pros:
skin feels softer, a very small "glow-ness" factor that you can tell it looks a slightly better, perhaps an even tone on the cheek areas that has improved
Cons:
takes a LONG time, break outs never seem to be under control, you don't really see any progress, I don't know if anybody really has that kind of real world time to wait for this stuff to work.
It's not worth it if its going to take this long. I've been using this for about 4 months on a consistent basis. The good news is that my skin feels softer, there is a slight clarity in my skin, a "glow" that is slightly detectable in comparison to my previous skin before. And I do see that around my cheeks, it's been beneficial. BUT overall, I would not recommend this. I broke out, on my forehead leaving scarring which defeats the whole purpose. And I've broken out around my nose, and chin. And I used to only get small zits here and there, now it's just so much more. And they have been painful acne bumps. Not horrible horrible skin as I've seen others with raised bumps and dents in their skin, but it's enough that is not particularly attractive and can't be covered up with makeup because the acne bumps are so large and big. But since I've been using it for about 4 months long and still have a whole tube to go, I'm going to continue with it. Basically, it's not been worth it for the length of time it's taken to get where I'm at. We will see how it looks several more months here on out. Wouldn't recommend it. Takes too long and the acne that comes out is painful. And no real progress in treatment. Can people really go around with painful zits popping everywhere for months on end? I'm giving it a 2 for the slight improvement on my cheeks and even tone around my nose area.
Pros:
when all else fails, this COULD help.
clears acne BUMPS
not much discomfort if applied at night
improvements in 4 weeks!