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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July 29, 2016
In terms of retinoids - just ok
I used this on and off for years - ended up on Accutane. Used this post Accutane and relapsed 8 months after Accutane. I have found more success with Isotrex gel. After my second course of Accutane I used that and it kept me clear for 1 year 2 months.
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July 24, 2016
So far so good
I suffer from hormonal acne, and have for a couple years now. It's probably one of the most stressful things ever, I hate looking at myself in the mirror and I would LOVE to be able to walk out of the house with no make up on and feel completely comfortable. However, that is not the case. I went to see my dermatologist a little over a month ago and she recommended this to me. I started off using it every other day and only in my problem areas because I read that it can be extremely drying and cause breakouts in the beginning and I wanted to avoid this as much as possible. Luckily, I did not experience any drying and only had about one or two more pimples show up. Now, a month and a half later I'm pleased to say I experience far less breakouts than before, and most of them occur around my time of the month. My advice is to start slow with this, only apply in problem areas, and do not use too much! Most importantly, moisturize when using this product to help offset some of the drying that can occur. The only reason I did not give this product a full five stars is because I wish I could see more progress now, but I know that it takes around 3 months to see any real improvement. I will update again then. Sidenote, I am also taking spironolactone once a day, and applying Aczone in the mornings after washing my face.
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June 27, 2016
Beyond Awful
When I started Differin I only had mild acne, about 3-4 spots at a time. I used the product religiously for 12 weeks (the instructions say you should see significant improvement by 12 weeks) and over the course of this time my skin got progressively worse. I initially put it down to an initial breakout but this lasted for the entire 12 weeks. By the end of 12 weeks I had gone from 3-4 spots to 15-20 spots. My cheeks, chin, jaw, and temples were completely covered in inflamed pustules and painful 'under the skin' spots. I went to my doctor and he diagnosed me as having moderately-severe acne, after trying various pills to no avail, I have been referred to a dermatologist for accutane. This product completely ruined my skin and 6 months down the line I am still suffering from its effects.
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alyleiii
October 21, 2016
How are you doing right now? I used it for a little under 2 weeks and it also irritated me, so I stopped immediately as soon as I noticed unusual papules appearing in places where I'm always clear...it's ridiculous that someone would tell you that it's helping purge you when the 'acne' that appears from Differin is probably some kind of reaction, if bumps are appearing in areas with clear skin. Interestingly, 2 people I now know also tried Differin and had the same experience -- instant formation of 'acne' after just a few uses [for one of them] when they'd never had acne before. So how was Differin helping "purge" them if they'd never had acne? LOL...such a joke!
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June 22, 2016
AMAZING!!!
I used this in combination with Clindoxyl gel, and the results have been incredible! I used to get horrible acne on my chin and around my mouth, but I can't even remember the last time I've had a single pimple, and I've been on the cream for about 8-9 months. When you first start, use the cream only twice a week, then gradually move to 3x, 4x, etc. until you are able to use it daily. Differin cream is so moisturizing, and makes my skin feel incredible. It noticeably diminishes the size of your pimples, and when they do come, they stay for much less time (coming from someone who used to get cystic acne that would last 2+ weeks, I now have 0 pimples, and when they do come, they last a day or two). I get compliments on my skin all the time now, and am totally in love with Differin. 10/10 would recommend. My only advice is to stick with it!! If at first it doesn't work, don't give up, just let it take its time. Took me 5-6 months to start seeing perfect results.
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June 17, 2016
WAIT for results!
Background: I'm twenty years old and I've never had a problem with acne leading up to this. I would get the occasional spot, with one nagging cluster on my forehead because I rub there when I'm stressed. Then I had a massive cystic acne breakout. In January 2016 I started a new medication, which worked great except for it started to cause acne. This medication is known for doing that. It saved my life, but over the course of several months cause me to have a moderate to severe cystic acne breakout. I'd never had a cyst before, and four months later this was all over my cheeks and chin, overlapping each other and bright red. I've never worn make up before, but had to start in order to feel ok leaving the house. When my doctor saw me in March, we switched to a new medication that wouldn't cause acne, but we still had to deal with the fall out. He prescribed minocycline and told me to stick with my sacylic acid face wash. This did nothing by mid-April, so I started doing my own research. I found out that Epsom salt is really helpful for some, and gave it a shot. It worked like magic and drew up and drained almost all my cysts, but they were still not completely healed and were always threatening to flare up, I also had a few persistent ones that refused to drain. When I saw my doctor earlier this month, June, he put me on doxycycline and Adapalene 0.1%. I saw results within a couple of days, it was amazing. My cysts have almost all gone completely flat, a lot of them are completely healed except for scarring and that is starting to fade. I've only been on it a week and a half, which isn't normal at all. I think the reason why it's so accelerated is because I was using the Epsom salt religiously and it drew out so much of the infection that my face was already very primed to heal. You have to give this medication time to kick in. My face is peeling a little but that's how this medication works, my scarred skin is peeling away. I'll post a follow-up in a couple of weeks, I hope it'll be cleared completely by then.
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June 12, 2016
Recommend it!
Been struggling with acne for a long time, and this stuff has been one of the few things that have worked. Highly recommend.
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June 10, 2016
Don't know what to think
OK so I started using this in conjunction with Zineryt after Retin A seemingly stopped working. I am currently 1.5 weeks into treatment (which as I know from former experience with a retinoid is very little time) However I am having the worst breakout ever, even worse than when I had the initial breakout from Retin A. My left cheek is covered in huge red spots and now my forehead is also starting to act up. My social life is taking a hit as I feel reluctant to leave the house looking like the mess I am right now. I'm really having my doubts about this. However I will keep using this as they say it takes a month to see some results. I'll update when I reach the one month mark.
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June 7, 2016
DONT DO IT!!!

Ok so for the past two weeks I have been addicted to this forum and I fee like I've learned a lot and feel motivated to help others. I went off of birth control for the first time in 12 years and my skin went CRAZY!!! Me being me, I immediately went to see a doctor and then a dermatologist. I was prescribed Differin 0.1% and it made my acne SO MUCH WORSE. I have very sensitive skin and am prone to post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Every time I used this product it either gave me more acne or caused such severe redness that it made my mild acne look like severe acne. I'm a nurse and PhD student and thus have a medical background. As a result, I always lean on the evidence based approaches. But holy sweet jesus I am learning SO SO much about diet and natural remedies and how they are so much better for treating acne than any harsh topical chemical. I do 100% believe in birth control for the management of hormonal acne and am also giving doxycycline a try. In my opinion, the best approaches to treat acute acne are a) GREEN TEA- I've only been using it for 2 days and already my skin looks less red. Although this could also be due to the fact that I've ditched the Differin, there are legitimate scientific studies that reveal why green tea is great for acne and skin in general.... b) ICE- please try icing inflamed pimples before putting harsh chemicals on your skin...especially if it's sensitive like mine. This has drastically helped to reduce my inflammation and can even reduce the size of the pimples. c) ELIMINATE DAIRY- eliminate it completely for one month and see what happens. I am only on day 3 of this so I will post an update. I know that this may not work for everyone, however, if you have a dairy intolerance or are willing to give it up for a month to see what happens PLEASE give this a shot before spending tons and tons of money on useless topicals and shedding lots of tears. I ate a bowl of ice cream and had a slice of cheese on Saturday and by Sunday morning I woke up with three more HUGE pimples. There are also various scientific studies on how dairy aggravates acne. Just type in Google Scholar: "Acne and dairy". I will be posting updates over the next few weeks. d) TRY CETAPHIL- gentle cleanser, not many ingredients, cheap. e) EAT LOTS OF VEGETABLES, FRUIT (but not an excessive amount due to the sugar), and foods with a LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX. Again, I only just started this and will post updates with my progress....but as mentioned, I've been obsessively researching this stuff and these are the safest, most cost effective, and healthiest ways to tackle this problem. So to summarize, YES birth control helps acne (especially Dianne 35 but you'll eventually want to transition to a less harsh birth control once things are under control because it is an intense birth control with risks) and MAYBE oral antibiotics like doxycycline can help SOME people. The key is to not only treat the symptoms of acne but to get at the underlying cause. Hormones, stress, genetics, and food intolerances appear to be the main culprits. From my own experience and from a lot of the reviews I've read, AVOID DIFFERIN AND TREAT YOUR SKIN AS SENSITIVE AND YOUR ACNE AS A WARNING SIGN THAT YOUR BODY IS OUT OF BALANCE. Don't make my mistakes by going the harsh chemical route right off the bat! I had to go to the hospital last week because my face was so inflamed!! (I combined Differin, Retin A, and glycolic acid.....ya dumb, I know. Don't make my mistake!) If anyone needs some moral support plz feel free to shoot me an e mail at [Removed]. I know how depressing and anxiety provoking this can be and it's important to get the social support you need! Good luck beautiful people! xox

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May 16, 2016
good
I've struggled with acne for over 10 years and this has been one of the best prescription products I have tried. I have literally tried everything. Differin has not only helped my acne but I noticed it helps the acne scars fade.
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May 16, 2016
Works great!
I was feeling depressed because of a very bad sudden breakout, especially on my forehead and left cheek. For a whole week, I avoided meeting people including friends and family members. I went to the doctor and got prescribed some antibiotics, BP to apply every morning and Differin to apply at night. Not sure if it was because I took all 3 prescriptions together or just because of the Differin, but within a week the red bumps on my forehead and left cheek really cleared up. There are only red little marks left but it is definitely fading as days goes by. The Differin works great for me and I hope that all of you will soon find something that will be able to help cure your acne problems!
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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