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 27, 2008
Cons:
redness, when used with other products it really dried my skin out
i have used clindoxyl, differin and tazorac and this was definitely my favorite. i was using clindoxyl and differin on alternating days and i found that differin cleared up my skin better than clindoxyl did
November 19, 2008
Pros:
Read the bottom line
Cons:
None, really
This is the real deal. The doctor told me it would take up to 6 months to clear everything, and sure enough, it did. I still have the occasional break out, but Differin keeps it under control. The only problem is, I use a little too much of it. They say that can be bad for your skin and that it'll make it worse, but I haven't had any problems. I use it on my forehead, chin, sides of my nose every night before I go to bed, because that's where i notice breakouts the most. It is definitely worth a try, especially for those who haven't had luck with store products.
November 17, 2008
Pros:
Makes acne go away & new one's from forming.
Cons:
A little peeling & makes face sensitive.
Thus far I love this stuff. Well I am using with BP and the combo is working great. I was on Retin-A for about 7 wks and that stuff stayed on the IB so when I got on Differin I had very little IB. I have no pimples forming except bumps on the forehead which go away w/ in a day or so. I think this is really working and my face is getting smooth again. I think, again, "think" it's even helping w/ my scarring. But I'm going to give it more time to see if that's it. I'm not sure about the cost yet because the derm gave me samples to use first.
October 31, 2008
Pros:
Cleared my skin completely, made it look healthier, easy to use.
Cons:
none. except for price (some people probably have better health care then me so don't let my brokenness stop you) and waiting forever in doctors office. but it was definitely worth it.
I tried almost everything out there over the counter to stop my acne, but in order for this to work you must follow these steps: 1. Use an exfoliate (salicylic acid most likely) in the morning along with benzoyl peroxide (the doctor told me you will get the best results because of the chemical structure or something). But don't over do it. If you do get dryness make sure to use an oil free lotion. Make sure to use only a pea-size amount of differin. Keep away from your cheeks and the ridges beside your nose. 2. Don't be bummed all day about your acne, just live life to the fullest. 3. Don't smoke weed. It messes with your hormones and it turned me into a dumbass, but I've been clean forever and it's one of the best decisions I've made I've never written a review about anything expect for this, but i felt people need to know that if you use it correctly it will work.
October 30, 2008
Pros:
Reduces the amount of oil produced by the skin. More effective when used in combination with other acne treatments such as Benzoyl Peroxide and Antibiotics.
Cons:
Acne will get worse during initial 2 weeks of treatment. Not exactly an overnight spot treatment for sudden breakouts. Probably does not work for nodular or cystic acne.
Before I begin I am using a variety of products to treat my acne. I wash my face in the morning with Cetaphil, put on a thin layer of Duac for the day, wash my face at night with a 4% Benzoyl Wash, and finally put on a thin layer of 0.3% Differin at night; all this in addition to taking Doxycycline.
However I think the biggest contributor to getting my acne under control and finally getting clear is Differin Gel. Basically this works like Accutane but from the outside, so there are none of the side effects associated with Accutane.In combination with other acne treatments it is a powerful force.
Just a note your skin will break out in the beginning because this medication brings up all the formed acne hiding under your skin. These blemishes were already formed they just haven't surfaced yet. Differin brings these blemishes up to your skin at a faster rate than before so it seems like you suddenly broke out. Keep using it and you will notice a difference.
October 28, 2008
Pros:
In conjunction with other products it has worked well to clear up minor acne problems.
Cons:
Took a lon time to figure out the best routine, and how much to use
I'm trained as a beauty therapist and have tried many different 'over the counter' creams in the last 5 years, and didn't want to use accutane as I know the side effects are dangerous. I only use Differin 2 or 3 times a week while still using an exfoliant and mask. I've found that when I over used the product I would break out even more than before.
October 27, 2008
Pros:
Only apply once a day at night. Is working
Cons:
Does make skin dry, but use a good moisturiser in the morning
I posted a few weeks ago when I had used this product for a week, and it is now 4 weeks. Differin definatley pulls all of your spots out! I had lots of tiny blocked pores under my skin, and this cream pulls them out- turned some of them into blackheads, and others into whiteheads, but after a pretty bad 4 weeks of looking worse than I did before, nearly all of the spots under my skin have come out and it is starting to look better.
I am going to the derm tomorrow and will ask for a course of accutane as I have 2 courses in the past and it works great, but if he recommends sticking with differin for a few more months, then I will do as I am fairly pleased with this product.
October 23, 2008
Pros:
It doesn't smell and it goes on clear. It doesn't burn if you use a very small amount.
Cons:
It hasn't cleared anything away even after 4 months, used with a topical antibiotic.
I have acne on my T zone, especially on my cheeks. Small red bumps and white heads. The differin gel makes new ones appear every evening but they go away withing 1-2 days. It's a fast cycle, but constant redness and new small bumps. I use one pea size amount (even though the package says to use 4 of them, I found it was way too intense) every evening for about 5-7 hours. After I wash it off, all the bumps are super red and there's more of them. When I wake up in the morning the redness has gone down and my skin looks better until the evening again. At least I can cover the small bumps and redness with makeup so it's not so obvious.
I started using it 4 months ago, and I use a topical antibiotic in the mornings. My doctor said it would take around 7 months to work. There's definitely NO improvement so far, and it's much worse during stress and before my period.
October 22, 2008
Pros:
It really does clear pimples on face.
Cons:
Doesn't help so much with back acne.
I don't think it prevents future breakouts.
Differin helps... but doesn't cure. :(
October 15, 2008
Pros:
None
Cons:
Differin is like miracle grow for acne on your cheeks!!! Don't get tempted by their fancy tv commercials and magazine advertistments! This product is a waste of money and waste of my time.
My dermatologist perscribed me Differin to control my hormonal acne. I started applying Differin everynight starting 7/1/08. For the first 2 months, I developing blackheads and whiteheads all over my cheeks. I decided to stick with Differin because I thought the blackheads and whiteheads would eventually go away. After 2 1/2 months, all of those whiteheads on my cheeks developed into cystic acne! I only used to breakout on my forehead but after applying Differin, both of my cheeks and my temples were breaking out like crazy! It's been 3 months and both sides of my cheeks are still breaking out like crazy. Cystic acne leaves scars on your face. So not only do I have cystic acne, I have scars on both sides of my cheeks. Unless you want to experience an initial breakout on both sides of your cheeks, I would definitely NOT recommend this product to anyone. I simply wanted a product to control the maximum of 5 pimples I would get before my period but I ended up with 20+ breakouts.
Pros:
cleared up my skin, was pretty consistent