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
August 29, 2009
Cons:
Stops working after a month or two.
Ive used this for like 5 months, it was making it clear up at first but now all it does is make me break out more.
August 20, 2009
Pros:
I've used Differin for about five months and it have seen a huge improvement in skin clarity. My face is less greasy and it's almost clear save for the new bumps that have arisen recently. I'd definitely recommend it, but have patience!
Cons:
My acne has started to come back even though I have been using differin daily for months. I'm considering adding Benzac AC 2.5% during daytime in addition with Differin since I'm starting to fear my acne will return.
Very effective and I highly recommend it if you can put up with the side effects for a while (it took me 6 weeks for the redness and peeling to go away completely). The redness and burning will get better in a week or two. I will however use a combination of Differin at night time and Benzac AC during the day.
August 14, 2009
Pros:
Is works for like a week
Cons:
In the beginning it made it worse then it got better and now im neutral too it it doesnt make it better or worse and youll still have acne
I wouldnt get it if you want acne permanantly gone
August 12, 2009
Pros:
none
Cons:
creates scars! even after you stop using it, future pimples cause scars probably d/t the thinness of the skin!
DO NOT USE! my daughters acne used to heal well, now everything turns into an indented scar!
August 6, 2009
Pros:
Clears up most blemishes pretty quickly.
Covered by my insurance.
Lightens dark marks left by old acne, and lightens new acne (my skin lightens and clears up on a nightly basis - every morning, the first thing I do is look and compare to yester
Cons:
Severe drying in the first week - DO NOT cry. There's a lot that will hurt your face during this time. Stick it out.
It isn't the miracle cure most people think it is - it REALLY takes its time.
Bad flare-up, but at least the zits come and go f
Buy it. The flare up, for me, lasted between two and two and a half weeks. I looked worse than usual, and my skin was extremely dry at the creases near my eyes (even though I didn't PUT anything there), the corners of my mouth, and the insides of my eyebrows. At first, everything hurts your face: lotion, water, sunscreen - you name it! Then it gets better and better. It takes a long time to get rid of some zits, perhaps because as they're leaving, they're leaving red marks that are gradually being removed. I have been using a combination of Differin and Stievamycin for a month, and the sudden acne that plagued me after my first year of university (which was possibly catalyzed by applying a brand of sunscreen to which I am allergic) has nearly cleared up. My skin doesn't feel oily anymore, but like it's reached a great balance. It's a good feeling.
August 4, 2009
Pros:
gets rid of most of my acne, no scent to it
Cons:
doesnt prevent future acne, at first my skin broke out but not a lot and it turned my face red often but maybe thats just me because my face turns red a lot
I really hate products that make my face very red because my face turns red really easily but that happened with every prduct ive tried already. Ive tried acnefree before i tried differin and i loved it until it just stopped working. I heard somewhere that after a while some products will stop wrking for you after a certain period of time. Ive used differin for about 2-3 months now and i love it. Hopefully this one wont stop working for me within some time.
July 22, 2009
Pros:
makes my skin as close to perfect as it has ever been!
Cons:
dry skin, very sensitive to sun, burn very easy
it is worth it to have clear skin. not as drying as some other benzoyl peroxide products i've tried before.
July 5, 2009
Pros:
its really light and easy to use.
Cons:
its dries out your face after a few minutes but if you just use some deep eucerin cream then youll be fine
It definately works for me, I have been using it with benzamycin and it has cleared up my skin maginificatly. best thing i have ever used.
July 3, 2009
Pros:
It is easy to put on. You don't need much so a bottle last a long time. It doesn't leave any stains of any sort.
Cons:
Not easy to apply to the back area if needed.
I went in the sun without enough sunscreen. Normally having strong skin, I was entirely burned and looked as if I had alligator skin.
The medication did help though didn't make my skin entirely clean. As Diane (birth control) clears my skin entirely I decided to just stick to Diane instead.
May 12, 2009
Pros:
Goes on smoothly, makes skin less oily.
Cons:
BAD SIDE EFFECTS. It made me face red, itchy, sensitive, and irritated to everything, and it gets worse for months.
I had moderate acne before I used this product, and now it is severe. I've been using it for 2 months, and all it is doing is making it worse, with bad side effects, and if you're out in the sun for more than 5 minutes, you'll burn like crazy. Also, it's been leaving really bad scars that DON'T go away, not even after 2 month, and even if you use a LITTLE bit more than you're supposed to, your skin will get easily irritated. Bottom line, this just made my skin SO much worse!
Pros:
Clears it up for about a month