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
July 3, 2007
Cons:
Leave the skin very very dry, though I think this might be because I'm taking accutane
I recommend it. My skin gets very very dry, it's completely cracking, but it's only in some areas, and I thinks I might have found a way around it. I think I was putting too much product in one area. I'm being more gentle now, and it is improving when it comes to dryness. But it helps with scars, at least with little ones like mines. It clears them very well. Also reduces blackheads, wich were my main problem.
June 18, 2007
Pros:
I had no luck with the gel.
Cons:
Burnt my skin and made it look worse then it did before.
I don't like it at all. I actually break out on my chest and shoulders. It made my skin look worse then it already did. It burnt my skin so bad that it was red for a week. I used it in the past and it didn't help then either. I used it for a couple weeks and my skin stayed broke out.
May 26, 2007
Pros:
clears skin up really well after first week
Cons:
dries skin up, peeling,flaking,redness, burning. lots of discomfort for the 1st week
i have mild pimples and blackheads. ive just started using this product and for the 1 st week my skin was really dry and uncomfortable. i put tons of cetaphil moisturizer on but it was still really dry and peeling was really abvious espicially around the mouth. but after a week i feel that my skin has definately improved. im also taking oral antiobiotics which DONT work. i would say just keep at it and everything will eventually go away
May 23, 2007
Pros:
Cleared up acne and minimized scars with application in both morning and evening.
Cons:
If I was even 8-10 hours off of my normal application schedule, I paid for it with nasty breakouts for the following week.
3 weeks ago I switched from differin 2X daily to Ziana 1X daily, and my skin is much worse. I was looking for something that didn't need such a strict and consistent regimen to be effective, and I don't think that i made the right choice. I'm trying to wait it out to see if it gets better, but I'm tempted to can the Ziana and go back to Differin.
May 13, 2007
Pros:
umm not really any.
Cons:
face is always red. didnt even help acne.
this dosent work for me at all. no visable reduction of acne.
May 2, 2007
Pros:
can dry up some pimples overnight
Cons:
dryness, redness
this product is great! It didn't clear up my acne completely, but my skin is much clearer now. I use differing during the day and duac at night.
April 6, 2007
Pros:
Gets rid of pimples, clears up skin, helps with scars
Cons:
Takes a while to work
I had terrible acne which included pimples, blackheads, and cysts that just wouldn't go away. I have used every acne product ever. I have been on many antibiotics, and many topical acne products all with no results. I was on my last limb, and the only thing left I hadn't done was Accutane which I defiantly didn't want to do. So my dermotologist recommended BP in the morning, and Differin at night. I use 5% benzoyl peroxide (not Benzaclin it dried my skin and made it burn, just generic 5% BP) in the morning and Differin at night time. In the first 3 weeks I saw a noticeable improvement. Then my acne kinda flared and got a little worse which sometimes can happen with this medicine. I am now around 8 weeks and my acne looks better than ever. I have just a few pimples hear and there but my skin so much clearer. The only thing really left is some acne scars which will eventually go away. Differin takes time but defiantly works. I recommend it greatly!!!
March 24, 2007
I'm 28 years old and i'v had acne on and off since jr highschool... i had great skin until i got into 10th grade and that's when the hormones got to me... mysteriously it all went away within months without treatment.. it never came back didn't have a spot on my face till about 3 years ago and it's slowly been getting worse and worse... went to derm 3 weeks ago and he put me on mino benzoyle and differin... it's cleared about 85 percent of the face but for me it can't work fast enough... acne is hell and i can't believe my skin got this bad... it's made my life into a jail cell and i hate it... i pray to god everyday to heal my face... i hope god is listening... it's been working well so far and i hope i can finally get passed me for good... good luck to ya'll...
March 13, 2007
Pros:
Prevents new pimples from coming out. Dry up pimples fast
Cons:
none
EXCELLENT PRODUCT!! I TRIED EVERYTHING BUT DIFFERIN IS THE BEST
February 26, 2007
Pros:
gel is clear so you cant see it when its on, doesnt burn, works really well!
Cons:
usually takes ages to work, can stop working after a while
i used differin gel 4 yrs ago to clear up my acne. it cleared it up 90% but stopped working after about 6 months. i eventually went on the dianette pill and that cleared my skin up 100% for about 2 years. about 4 weeks ago.. much to my disgust, my acne came back. only very slightly though (it looked like a rash on my cheeks) i originally tried honey and cinnamon for 2 weeks to try and get rid of it that way. it did work as it brought the pimples to the surface, so the bumps felt slightly more raised. since then ive been using differin gel for 2 weeks and its worked wonders! the bumps have almost all gone and my skin does feel healthy (i put this down to jojoba oil though). im the most impatient person in the world, so take it from me it does take a while to work, but results are definately worth it! this time round its taken a lot quicker to get rid of the bumps, but as i said before my acne was bad when i was younger and it definitely worked! give it time and good luck!
Pros:
Removes a lot of skin, wich impoves scar treatment and also helps reducing the blackhead, wich were a huge deal for me