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. 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
Adapalene is available in strengths up to 0.3% by prescription. Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one. Adapalene is also available over-the-counter in 0.1% strength. Here are some places you can find it online.
Used Adapalene? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
October 18, 2012
Cons:
available on by prescription- not sold over the counter.
I started using this product last month and I really love the results so far. My skin did not have an initial breakout and my pimples started to clear up from the very first day that I started. I use the Differin Lotion 1% and it has helped my skin from drying out. While adapalene is known for being very abrasive on the skin, the lotion is the way to go. It also has not stained my clothes or pillow cases when I go to sleep. i will continue to use this product and update you on my acne journey.
August 30, 2012
Pros:
Makes my oily face not SOOO oily .. But it still is on my nose .
Works on mild acne and popped acne
Cons:
Skin turns into a Sensitive skin!
flaky skin .
Used it for 1 month now. I used to get like one spot at a time b4 but i recently just started getting a lot acne,m 18. It works for mr since my acne is probably considered mild since it's mostly around my cheeks and a lot of whiteheadson my forhead . It worked on my bumpy acne only cheeks but for my small white heads, idk ... I take lymecycline with the gel so im thinking my whitehead decreased Caz ov the pill and not the cream . Sadly I still get some ocational acne and have acne pigmentations on my face .. But I feel like it's ok Caz the cream helped me to get rid ov the bumpy pussfilled acne on my cheeks it only take 2 over nights to dry up my my new fresh pimples :D Will recommend for teens with mild acne ! Tho it works , i got it off a pharmacy so it was cheaper then asking a doc for it . :)
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 29, 2012
Pros:
Cleared Skin
Clearing Acne Marks/Scars
Cons:
First Four Weeks:
-Horrible Initial Breakout
-Dried Skin
-Made Skin Peely
Takes time and patience
Expensive
The first time I used Differin was about a year ago, and I didn't have any side effects. I stopped using it for about a year... until my face broke out like hell in May of this year. It was horrible. I went to my dermatologist, and he prescribed me Differin again with an antibiotic. He also recommended me Cetaphil's Oil Control Foaming Face Wash. The first three weeks were terrible. My face was WORSE. However, I decided to stick with it because it was summer; I didn't have to go out much. After four weeks of hell, my face started to clear up :) I was using a moisturizing cream after I applied the Differin. However, I realized that maybe it wasn't a good idea. Instead, now I wash my face with Oatmeal every night before I apply the Differin. I thought that this was a better idea so that the Differin can work more effectively and the Oatmeal can make my skin soft, which they both did! My antibiotic ran out two weeks ago, and my face is still clear! I still have the acne marks/scars, but I can tell that the Differin is helping them fade away. This product is expensive, but my dermatologist gave me a coupon, so I didn't have to pay anything. Again, I consistently use the Differin every night along with the Oatmeal wash (to moisturize) before applying the gel. I also wash my face with Cetaphil Oil Control Face Wash twice a day. The face wash is great also! It really cleans out my skin, cleaning off my make-up and dirt. In addition, about once a week I exfoliate with St. Ives Apricot Scrub. I gave this 4/5 stars because of the time and the initial break out. I have never been happier with my skin!
July 22, 2012
Pros:
Odorless, fast acting, not drying, effective
Cons:
You have to ease yourself into this product, applying too much too frequently can break you out
I am using the .1% prescription, which has worked wonderfully to clear up my acne on my face, chest, and back. The key to success with this product is STARTING SLOW. My dermatologist told me to begin by applying a small amount every other day for the first two weeks, and gradually increase my application as time went on. I followed her advice, and I only experienced a minor breakout when I first starting using Differin--a painful (but singular) nodule on my cheek. It's been about 6 weeks since I started, and my skin has been responding wonderfully! My hyperpigmentation is fading fast, and I haven't had a new set of pimples in about 3 weeks. In addition to differin, I am applying Duac (5%) to my face, chest, and back as well once a day. I alternate between the two of them every other day.
June 29, 2012
Pros:
+ Rids face of acne without leaving scars
+ Keeps oil at bay
+ Depending on what state you live in and your insurance, you can get up to a $200 rebate on this
Cons:
- Very pricey (even with insurance)
- Dries skin out
- Stings a little if you put on too much
It does work if you use it consistently. A big point of this cream is that a little goes a long way, this stuff is no joke! I wash my face with Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash, let it completely dry, and put a pea size dollop of the cream on my fingers. I use it on only the areas of my face that need it most. After letting it completely dry, I finish up with Philosophy's Hope w/ SPF 30. This regimen, along with Sprironolacone has greatly helped my skin. I suffered from large and painful cystic acne along and under my jaw which was caused when I stopped taking my Lutera birth control after using it for 4 years. I've been cystic acne free for about 6 months. Couldn't be happier!
June 22, 2012
Pros:
Really cleared my acne within a month
No harsh reactions (like redness, dryness, or peeling)
Cons:
Horrible initial break out
My dermatologist perscribed me Differin Gel 0.1 and Minocycline. Nothing had ever worked for me in the past and my acne was somewhat severe. I almost gave up because of the initial purge of acne, but after 3 weeks my face became clear. I accidentally skipped a day, however, and got one little zit, but other than that I am extremely happy with the results! I still have a lot of acne scars though, but the dermotoligist said the gel would help with scaring. Anyway, I'm so overjoyed and my new clear face and I have so much more confidence in myself, and it's only been 4 and a half weeks! I really reccomend this product.(:
May 6, 2012
Pros:
See results instantly
Cons:
Face gets Hot, Red, and Itchy if you over use
This stuff works! Sure, I have good days and bad days I'm a 19 year old girl ! I break out during my cycle but not as bad now that I've started using Differin gel. I've been using the gel for 2 months and finally figured out how to not over use it. PUTTING ON A LOT DOESN'T CLEAR YOUR ACNE FASTER TRUST ME. I over used it and I felt like my insides were burning. Start off using it every other night and have your body get use to it. good-luck!
April 30, 2012
Pros:
Clears up acne like no other
Cons:
May dry skin
It works! I am African American so my acne scars were really dark and nothing worked, not proactive, clean & clear, soaps etc. I was really wasting money until i brought this, my entire face was covered in acne now you can barely notice any acne on my face and i've used it for less than a month.
April 26, 2012
Pros:
has cleared 75% of my acne
got rid of most of my scars
Cons:
initial redness but that goes away:)
initial breakout but it wasn't that bad
skin can get sensitive and dry but that fades
I think Differin is excellent. This is the one product that has actually worked for me. My skin is quite oily and it works extremely well with my face. You must! give this product time! I have been using it for two months and people have noticed a very good change in my face:).And so have I. before i started using Differin i had about 15-16 acne scars and normally more than 6-7 noticeable pimples on my face. Now i only have about 4 with only 2 barely noticeable pimples. within 2 and a half months of using this product ''properly'' :). I definitely recommend this to people with oily skin:)
Pros:
works!
light weight
lotion 1% does not dry skin