Topical Retinoid
Reviews
3.2
1910 Reviews
Topical Retinoid
Efficacy
54%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
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
Side Effects
Low
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.
Read All About Adapalene (Non-prescription)
Compare To Other Treatments
5
17.5%
4
30.4%
3
22.6%
2
17.1%
1
12.4%

Used Adapalene (Non-prescription)? Rate It:

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December 6, 2006

Cons:

super dry skin.

It worsen's before it get's better. it also makes your skin super dry. so watch out.
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November 20, 2006

Cons:

expensive

I have been on this product at night and clindamycin in the am for only 2 weeks and there is a huge improvement. I am 33 and was suffering from acne under my ching and on my cheeks that got so bad!! at my period. This has helped so much and I did not get dry at all. Finally I have some relief! I would try it...what do you have to lose?
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October 27, 2006

Pros:

affordable, non irratating, shrinks poors and makes complextion look more even

Cons:

causes burried acne to come out initially.

im 24 and have tried everything. i think a lot of comments im hearing about this drug making you skin look horrible are coming from people who were never really that bad off to begin with. my derm has me on this stuff an nicotinamide which is an anti inflamatory. this stuff is working better than acutane so far. im about 2 weeks in. it has brought out the deep acne and i did get some cysts. however the nicomide brings it down real quick. im still not completly clear but what i love about this stuff is that it has removed some of my scars and made my face a more uniform color (and no that color is not red lol). no redness or irratation to report. like i said my face has been ravaged by harsher products before so this relatively light adopalene drug has felt as mild as baby lotion to me. i highly recommend this with nicomide and not for people who could easily be treated with antibiotics like some of the posts ive read.
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October 17, 2006

Cons:

1. it will get A LOT worse before it gets better, and you cannot expect results quickly - at least 2 months are reccomended to see effects

2. will dry out, redden, irritate, scalify your skin - and my derm told me to avoid cream moisturizers

I had moderate acne on the cheeks and occasionally on forehead and chin - I am indian and that comes with a lot of oily food and very oily skin! I waited (i'm stupid) about 3-4 months during which time i basically did everything from pick at it to use alcohol (please don't try any of these things!) and made it worse. I went to my derm and he put on a 5% benozyl peroxide 2X daily wash - and differin gel. He said it would get worse before it gets better b/c it brings out the pimples you cant see yet and he was right - but after the 4-5th weeks, i noticed that my left cheek was almost clear 0 all I have are some spots, which may be just remnant hyperpigmentation, I have to go for a revisit and i'll see what he says but i'd say that it worked pretty well. i've used for about 1.5 months now and am fairly happy - though shaving is a bit of a problem b/c of the skin irritation. if the sun cannot be avoided, use gel based moisturizers and sunscreen - avoid any other severe treatme
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October 5, 2020
No funcionó para mi

Durante julio comence un tratamiento contra el acné (leve a moderado), la dermatologa me recetó 100mg de doxicilina por día, y un tratamiento tópico de adapleno 0,1%, 3 veces por semanas.  Al principio sentía que si me estaba funcionando, de hecho redujo la inflamación de mis lesiones.  el primer mes me llene de granos gigantes, eran muy dolorosos y mi piel estaba muy sensible, pensé que estaba en la fase de purga, de la que la mayoría de las personas hablaban. sin importar seguí con el tratamiento y mi piel se puso aun peor. Ya en el segundo mes comence a tener dolores de estomago y se hicieron mas frecuentes, mi piel seguia igual, se supone que el tratamiento era por 3 meses, ya cumpli los tres meses pero no veo ninguna mejora, de hecho siento que me dejo peor mi piel en comparación a como estaba en el inicio. 

Es verdad que ya casi a los 3 meses mi rostro estaba mejor en comparación al mes 1 o el mes 2, pero siguen saliendome granos y tengo un montón de hiperpigmentación, de verdad solo usenlo si su acne ya es moderado a severo, porque a mi que tenía acné leve me empeoró el estado de mi piel. Ahora creo que empezaré el tratamiento con isotretionina, asi que espero que eso sea mucho mejor que este antiguo tratamiento 

April 7, 2020
Recommended for Infantile Acne

My daughter is going through Infantile Acne. 

For the parents who don't know what to do in that situation, maybe my experience can help:

I live in Beijing, China. I brought my daughter to many dermatologists, even the BEST child dermatologist of the WHOLE CHINA. All of them gave me this cream: Differin (Adapalene 0.1%). Coming from doctors who see tons and tons of skin problems in kids everyday (you should see the crazy queues to get an appointment), I can say that this medecine is the GO TO MEDECINE for infantile acne. 

 

Very very sad that I used it late on my daughter, because scars had time to form on her face. 

But Differin will help diminish scarring if used early enough, and get the acne under control. And you can use it everyday for many months. I wish I had known this earlier. I hope this will help any parent who might not know what to do.

 

 

January 13, 2020
Prefer the Epidue (Adapalene + BP) But not a cure

One of my worst IB on this product when I first tried it. I remember seeing nodules pop up not knowing about IB and was thinking what is going on. It's a really slow burner. I think you are best getting the one with benzoyl peroxide which will be more beneficial for your initial break out and if you clear then go back to the retinoid alone. Epiduo did clear my skins for around 6 months but it came back as it always does. After long use it will probably reduce acne as it keeps your skin turning over preventing blocked pores but depending on how sever your acne is it probably won't be a solution on its own. Retinoids are also great long term products to use as it promotes collagen growth and helps pigmentation etc so I would really like to re introduce but I am really scared of IB.

June 9, 2019
Takes Time

To get the main points out of the way, this product is best suited for light to moderate acne, and it takes many weeks to see improvement. This is kind of the "first defense" a derm will suggest if you're starting out seeking treatments, as it is generally well-tolerated and not too harsh (although there are some side effects). 

Time. Time is a huge factor. This is not like benzoyl peroxide as this product needs to be used consistently, preferably on a daily basis (at least for 6 weeks, then you can adjust). During that time, yes your skin MAY purge (see an increase in legions), but really it depends on your skin (my skin has always tolerated the product well enough to not go haywire when its being used but again, everybody is different) 

Another possible side effect, one that even my skin still battles with is the dryness. I think if you have thicker or non-dry skin you will probably be fine. But for those with a bit more on the sensitive brittle side you absolutely need a good sturdy moisturizer that goes on at night and during the day (in addition to hydrating from the inside). 

Ultimately, this product DOES help, and even if the acne itself doesnt go down 100% you will notice things like glowing skin and smoother skin (this product makes the dull layers shed). 

But alas, know that if youre going to give this a shot, you have to look at it in the long run, because things may get a bit worse in the beginning. And again, this is not a miracle treatment and it really is best for those with some light superficial acne types. 

 

December 29, 2018
Week 1 adapalene

I have clear skin during in my teens; however,  things fucked up when I reached my 20s. I have cyclic acne. When I say cyclic,  I get acne every one or 2 years and they seem to be getting stronger averytime they hit my face.  They are in the form of open and closed comodones,  but they appear in my entire face which is kinda bothering.  And I pick,  that's the main problem.  Can't help it. I'm currently hating myself right now.  After nine years of constant battle with acne,  here I am again, covered with blackheads and hyperpigmentations. I recently went to my dermatologist and she prescribed me with Klenzit-CMS.  Its .1 adapalene and 1% clindamycin.  This worked for me before; however,  I stopped using it thinking that I have finally outgrown my acne.  I was wrong. Anyway,  she also prescribed me with a toner called dermskin which is a salycilic acid toner and a soap which I prefer not to use because it contains coconut oil.  Coconut oil has a very bad reputation in clogging pores, so I'm very much afraid to use it.  

This is my routine:

AM

 Papaya soap

Dermskin toner

PM

Papaya Soap

Dermskin toner

Klenzit

 

Development so far:

Day 1: This is also the day after extraction so my face has a lot of scars which will eventually fade. I have a lot of blackheads and whiteheads,  and one under the skin pimple.  Hyperpigmentations due to picking are still very prominent. General feeling: very frustrated. 

Week 1: I noticed that my open and closed comodones increased,  maybe due to purging.  I popped two pimples which resulted to PIH. I know,  I hate my self for doing that.  I still have a lot of hyperpigmentation,  and there are 3 underthe skin pimples. One in my forehead and two in my left cheek.  Ican say that there is zero to little improvement but I'm optimistic because I believe that my skin is in the purging process. General feeling: still very frustrated. 

 

I'll be posting my weekly update. My second week will be on Jan 2. I'm hoping for the best. 

August 29, 2018
Im allergic to it. Meh
Didnt work for me. Broke out in hives and scratchy neck even though I didnt apply it there. Apparently Im allergic to differin. Time to change derms again...

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.

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.