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
September 6, 2011
Cons:
You have to avoid sunlight
You can only use peasize amounts when putting it on your skin
No change in acne
Didn't work for me. Used it for 6 weeks.
August 4, 2011
Pros:
Cheap with insurance.
Cons:
No change in acne.
Plain and simple, this did nothing for my skin as a teen and did nothing when I was once again put on it.
June 27, 2011
Pros:
None
Cons:
More breakouts, scars, redness, and more brackouts
I usted this for 2 months and at the beggining it looked like it was working but then my acne got worst than ever. It was horrible to see how my face was full of purple scars (Redness + Dryness = Purple scars ). And yes, this happened in my senior year so I was so sad about tnot been able to enjoy my last year at school. I stopped using this crap and then I change my whole treatment for the Vitamin E capsules. I don't have acne no more, my skin is soft, nice, and clean.
Good luck guys and also i use South American 5% OXY Spot Treatment. I make my orders every month and Its working really good. (Don't use the American one, It made my face dry and my pimples just got worse)
May 29, 2011
Pros:
First week was amazing...no oil and acne started to disappear.
Cons:
After my skin cleared up - IT GOT WORSE THAN EVER BEFORE!
I started using Differin Gel after telling my doctor - at 42, I am still breaking out! She prescribed Differin Gel.
I started to use it at the beginning of Jan 2011. My first week was wonderful. I noticed immediate results! Skin wasn't as oily, and my problem areas seem to shrink and started to flake away. Then I got into the 3rd week with this product. I started to break out horribly! Worse than when I was a teenager. The product started to burn my skin, make it red and start to peel, as well as bring every other zit I would have IN A YEAR to the surface at the same time. It was BAD! At one point I counted 28-30 zits that were truly visible. Huge blind zits, massive oil pockets. I didn't want to leave the house, I didn't want to make eye contact with people at work because I thought they were all looking at me thinking - what the hell happened to her skin!?? I googled the side effects so I knew about the "initial breakout".., I just never thought it would be that bad!
Every website says when it does start working, you'll have the best skin ever...so I kept using it everyday thinking the next day would get better....it didn't. I used the product up until May 9th, so over 17 weeks.
When I went off it I started to use Benzamycin Gel to try to clear up the problem spots, which at this point was my whole face!
The moment I stopped using it I noticed an improvement. My face stopped peeling and breaking out for no reason...now it's May 20th and I have 3 small remaining issues that can easily be covered with makeup. I could actually go to the store without makeup (not that I would want to) but I would be able to hold my head up high and not be embarrassed!
I am not sure why this didn't work for me...others have had success. I just want to let you know that the initial breakout is HORRIBLE! so be ready. If you have success with this product, congrats. If you try it and by month 4 your still breaking out like crazy, GET OFF IT! and
May 20, 2011
Pros:
Unclear whether it helped with renewing skin.
It's unclear whether my red marks healed more with or without this product.
The cream helped non-inflamed, non-red acne on my forehead.
Cons:
My skin rejected this cream. I put it on and it formed disgusting white inflamed pimples. I have never had white pimples before so I am the white sh*t is from this cream.
Definitely do not use on existing inflamed pimples, it will make them bigger and then they will fall off and make your face bleed and mark.
It's not worth it to use on post inflammatory pigmentation even if it increases cell proliferation because new pimples will form as a result of this cream.
I should have read the reviews. I have been through 5 months of misery with this sh*t. Use a very little amount on non-inflamed acne. Otherwise, stay away from this sh*t!
April 30, 2011
Pros:
Easy to apply
Cons:
Expensive
Caused my acne to get worse
Made skin more sensitive to the sun/scaring
I was prescribed this product by my dermatologist due to my mild/moderate acne. At that time, I had been using benzol peroxide and my face was fairly clear, but I wanted to to be 100% clear. My doctor told me this was the answer and I stared using it the next day. I followed the instructions carefully and put on plenty of moisturizer daily. MY skin began to get worse after the first week and became gradually worse over the course of 12 weeks. I stayed positive, as my derm. said it takes 3 months for it to work. Well, after 3 months my face was MUCH worse than it was when I started. I wasted 3 months of my life feeling self-conscious and will face another few months trying to get my face back to normal using benzol peroxide (again). STAY AWAY!!!! Waste of time and money.
April 12, 2011
Pros:
Easy to put on, was easy on my skin, no side effects.
Cons:
Didn't improve acne at all.
I went on this for about 5 months and while on it my acne actually managed to get worse.
April 11, 2011
Pros:
None
Cons:
Bright red spots, acne worse
The dermatologist put my 13 year old daughter on this. She had an initial breakout which she is still recovering from after 5 months. She kept with it because they said it would get worse before it got better. After 5 months we have seen no improvement at all and now she has bright red spots on her face that she never had before. May be worth a shot but didn't work for her at all.
April 6, 2011
Cons:
UNPREDICTABLE
MADE MY MODERATE TEEN ACNE TURN TO SEVERE -VERY ,VERY BAD .I STAYED ON IT FOR 8 MONTHS WAITING FOR IT TO GO IN TO REVERSE BUT NEVER DID .MADE THINGS SO BAD THAT NOW I NEED TO SEE A DERMATOLOGIST AND MY FACE IS BADLY SCARED !
March 18, 2011
Pros:
May work on some...
Cons:
Did not work on me....
I found this site helpful for me when I was questioning whether Differin was working for me or not. I was told like many others to give it at least 3 months to start working. Inititially, I think people think it is working because it is so drying so everything on your skin kinda goes away. Eventually that drying turned into extreme dryness for me to the point of discomfort. After about 4 weeks into Differin, my skin got significantly worse and again, like others, I was told this was going to make my skin get worse b4 it got better. So I sucked it up. Long story short, I had breakouts that were not typical 4 me (not the normal areas I would break out, nor the type of breakout; it almost looked like a rash). I kept up the Differin though bc I had hope until about 1 week ago when I couldnt take it anymore. I looked way worse than when I started! (That was 2 weeks b4 my 3 months of trying were up). Bottom line is... 1 week later my skin looks way better! The Differin was definitely irritating it. I started using OXY Clinical which was way more soothing than the Differin. I am still taking Doxy 4 my hormonal breakouts too. I just wanted to share my story in case someone else is wondering if it is making their skin worse too. You know your skin the best! If you feel it isn't working the way it should; STOP! My other advice is, since most of us spend a ton of $ anyways on acne treatments, try investing in a Clarisonic. It really helps any acne treaments get into the skin better and reallys helps get rid of dead pore clogging skin cells. Best investment for my skin yet, and girls, it helps get rid of any traces of makeup left on your skin. I hope this helps someone!!!!!!
Pros:
Doesn't make your skin worse