Adapalene (Non-prescription)
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Adapalene is a vitamin A derivative called a topical retinoid. It helps clear acne by promoting skin cell turnover and reducing inflammation in...

Adapalene is a vitamin A derivative called a topical retinoid. It helps clear acne by promoting skin cell turnover and reducing inflammation in the skin.

Non-prescription adapalene is available only in 0.1% strength.

Adapalene is topically applied usually once a day before going to bed to all acne-affected areas of the skin, and not just on individual pimples themselves.

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3
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2
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1
11.3%

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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.
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October 27, 2008

Pros:

Lightweight

Cons:

Caused an increase in breakouts.

I don't recommend this product. I was having light - moderate hormonal acne before I tried this product. After 3 weeks, my face is an absolute mess. I give up.
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October 24, 2008

Pros:

It helped clear away smaller breakout

Cons:

Caused large breakouts, more redness and didnt clear my skin

Differin didn't really help anything, and it made my breakouts worse and more severe
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October 23, 2008

Pros:

it doesnt smell

Cons:

increases breakouts like cyistic acne

i have had acne for 8 yrs.. ive tried almost everything. u name it. accutane worked the best on my skin for 3 months, i had severe depression, and horrible nosebleeds i dont reccomend it. plus nw i have acne AGAIN. im trying differin but it got worse! and it isnt getting better... honestly, birth control pills work marvels compared to all these "miracle" creams. and some work for some. skins are all different.
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October 23, 2008

Pros:

none

Cons:

Caused painful burning and dryness as well as my acne to become10x worse than it was before I began using it. I've never had such bad acne until using this product. Wish I never used it because now I'm worse off.

I don't recommend this product for anyone with even remotely sensitive skin. Everyone's different, but this is my experience and I wouldn't want anyone to have to go through what I did.
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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.
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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. :(
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October 22, 2008

Pros:

Brought all my acne down flat and stopped new acne from coming up, but only for a little bit.

Cons:

made my skin disgusting for 2 weeks, i assumed it was bringing all my acne in the future up. Then only after my skin being nice for about a week, my skin got terrible again. My skin must have become immune like it does with all other acne treatments.

After 2 weeks of making my skin 100x worse, my skin was nice for a week only to return to completely covered in acne, but i continued to use it for another week. I'm sure it must work for some people long turn... but my skin became immune:[
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October 20, 2008

Pros:

the first 2 weeks i saw my acne get a little better but after that most of it went within the next 4 weeks. got it free from a prescription

Cons:

redness increases in the first week. some scars visible.

use it with another acne treatment product and it works great. use it by itself and it works ok but not that good.
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October 16, 2008

Pros:

None for me

Cons:

Made acne terribly worse, I wish I hadn't gone to the doctor in the first place. Also burned my skin several times no matter how little cream I put on.

I used to have some painful large spots all over my face, and when my doctor reccomended this, I thought it might improve. My acne is mainly on my forhead, but I used to apply differin all over my face as prescribed. First two weeks went okay, I saw a slight improvement, but after two months I have started breaking out heavily on my cheeks, even though I never used to have acne on my cheeks at all before! Very bad scarring. Also never cleared my forhead, it has exaccerbated the problem there too. I am gutted, I wish I were happy with my skin before because it's even worse now. Not sure what I should do. (Literally exact same problem as person below I know) Don't use if you only have mild acne!
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.
Find a Doctor Using The American Acacemy of Dermatology Website

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.
Find a Doctor Using the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Website