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
September 5, 2012
Cons:
No major results
Pretty ineffective. If you have cycstic acne or puss nodules this product will not work a stronger cream or preferably oral medication is necessary. However that said it can be useful in helping to clear some acne. But the bottom line is that I wouldn't recommend it! Benzyol peroxide is better.
July 5, 2012
Pros:
Easy to use
Cons:
Makes you breakout like crazy.
Try something else. I wanted to try it to eliminate my breakouts and help with wrinkles. Used it everyday for 7 weeks and just couldn't handle the resulting breakout, so I stopped and am hoping this clears up relatively quickly as my forehead seemed to explode with bumps and spots overnight. I am back to clindoxyl.
May 31, 2012
Pros:
- still waiting for pros, maybe spots are less frequent
- no initial breakout, although I was on Retinol A before this, so maybe that is why
Cons:
- if you have dry skin, this just dries it out to a new level
- red, flaky skin - halfway through the day my skin starts to peel even under tonnes of moisturizer
- if Retinol/Retinol A was too strong for you and your dermatologist thinks this will be more gentle, it probably won't
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If you have dry and sensitive skin, this is probably not your best bet. I'm sorry! I really wanted this to work for me - I'll still give it a couple more weeks and - if any noticeable changes, improvement or absolute horror - I will do a second review. Applying it exactly as my derm suggested - once only at night, no other cosmetics (i.e. toner, cream...) - was not best for me. I ended up washing my face, applying toner, then cream, and then Differin. Slight improvement. The dots are less frequent - at least this week - but overall, my complexion is a mess. Not because I have more acne!! It's just you want clear, healthy, skin. Not less acne different skin disorder ... skin. Basically, without makeup my skin is dry and flaky and red because it's so dry - not because of the initial burning irritation. OH! Something I have read is that you should apply benzyl peroxide in the morning alongside this product - I don't have that, but I have been using Salicylic acid and that is also what has been helping with the very minor improvement. - NEITHER ON THEIR OWN WORKED, COMBO HAS BEEN OK.
May 23, 2012
Pros:
Gets rid of oil on face
Cons:
Creates flakes of skin all over your face, doesn't work.
I have used differin .3 for 3 years. It never did anything for me except dry my face out to the point where it was constantly red, itchy, and flaky. I was too afraid to stop using it because I thought I would break out more severely if I gave it up. Once I did my skin thankfully went back to a normal non-red shade and my acne stayed the same as it had been for the past 3 years. All in all, differin does NOTHING to help your skin except dry it out to the point where you have no moisture left on your face.
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 27, 2012
Pros:
Clears skin
Gets rid of red scaring
Smooths skin
Cons:
Slight initial break out
My regime is
Oxytetracyclin 2 tablets twice daily
Primrose eve oil capsule 1 daily
Vitiman d capsule 1 daily
Differin 1% applied at nyt
Panoxyl 2.5% applied in morning
Simple clear skin face wash with zinc morning and night
No 7 mouse make up I have stuck to this for 5 weeks and I've gone from having small acne bumps all over face and forhead, along with red raised acne and white heads on my cheeks to now I have no white heads old scars have faded and the bumps are very slowly dissappearing. But I feel great I even went to town today with no make up n didn't feel hidious or try hiding my face I'm really pleased I've had acne since age 11 and I'm now 26 this is finally helping and I know there will be UPS n downs n I will prob get break outs here n there but I'm happy its helping so anyone out there considering differing and benoxyl go for it keep to the low strength tho as I have found I've had no side effects which makes it easier to stick to going to high strength doesn't always increase effectiveness but just increases irritation, good luck will repost in few weeks if any changes x
April 22, 2012
Pros:
Mostly cleared my acne up
Did not irritate my skin
Gave my skin a nice glow, and made popped zits heal faster.
Cons:
Did not seem to be strong enough
Did not clear my face completely
I would recommend this product for anyone who has mild-moderate acne, but for more severe acne, I don't think it has the power.
March 23, 2012
Pros:
Clears Skin!
Cons:
Drying
Clears Most Acne in 3 Months Of Use! You need to stick with it ti'l the end! It's worth it!
February 16, 2012
Pros:
It works
easy to apply
Cons:
Expensive
It works,ive been using this for about two months. I didnt get any dryness or peeling but my skin did burn when I washed it. My acne has cleared up I would say about 70 percent, my skin has become alot more smooth.will continue to use this product
February 6, 2012
Pros:
Dries out the excessive oil on the skin
Cons:
Doesn't work!
Makes acne worse
Excessive redness
This product did not work in my case - it actually made it worse.I used it sparingly, as recommended, and it still caused my skin to be excessively red and dry. My acne became worse almost immediately and did not improve at all over time. I have now switched to a benzoyl peroxide cream (10%) and have found that to much more effective and cheaper. I would not recommend people to waste their time and money on Differin.
Pros:
Cheap