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
April 1, 2009
Cons:
Like any other retonoid, it dries out your face and makes your skin more sun sensitive, often resulting in "red face".
My daughter (12) tried this from doctor. Benzoyl Peroxide 10% wash 3 times a week and Differin after cleansing every night. Acne worse before better. 3 weeks before skin cleared and was beautiful ... for about a week. Then big breakout that lasted 2 weeks. Clear for a week, bad for two. The agony of a teenager. We've been on 2 1/2 months and will see the doctor in 3 weeks to determine if we'll stay on it or not. As an adult I use Obaji retonoid and have great results - little acne or dryness but very sun sensitive. I don't care what the costs are, I just want my baby girl's face to clear up and help her self esteem. She wants to try Pro Active like her friends but that's 1/4th the benzoyl peroxide level we're using already - it can't possibly work better.
March 31, 2009
Pros:
it gets rid of pimples and tones your skin within a week of using
Cons:
red at first and dry skin for more sensitive skin and at first, stinging
Great product. Only use on target acne spots or it will really dry out your skin. IT MADE ME BEAUTIFUL AND I PWN NOOBS ON A DAILY DIESEL BASIS.
March 28, 2009
Pros:
made the non-pimpled skin look great
Cons:
after 3 months still worse acne! Different types (noduled-and superficial). Instead of taking 3-5 days for a zits to start healing would take 3 weeks.
I couldn't take it any longer than 3 months. Only used it once a day.
March 20, 2009
Pros:
none
Cons:
didn't help my acne one bit, made my skin sensitive, dry
I know this has worked for many people, but I used it for 3 months and didn't see any results at all. That sucked! So I was switched to retin-a micro and that has given me some real results.
February 12, 2009
Pros:
Skin is alot smoother and the pimples seem to have become smaller and less inflammed.
Cons:
Within the first few days of use my skin became red , peely and dry. But although this disappeared within a few days it still meant that my self esteem had a hit when i went to school with a red face.
Good for clearing acne if you are preapared for the side effects.
February 4, 2009
Pros:
It initially cleared up my skin
Cons:
makes skin oily and shiny, and acne comes back often
I've been using differin since i was in the SEVENTH grade, and now im a junior in high school. I was prescribed differin by my previous derm. and it really changed my life. I had severe acne, and in about seven months it was moderate and i could handle it. Now i have a different derm., but he still gave me differin, along with the oral med. solodyn, which did nothing. Now he switched me the Doryx twice daily, and that helps...SOMETIMES. I feel like the my skin has become immune to Differin....i mean it def reduces the size and redness of my pimples, but my face is stilll covered with the unsightly marks.
But, then again, I have extremely stubborn skin.
I would reccomend it to anyone with light, moderate, and moderately severe acne, because it will def clear up your face.
unfortunately for me, it has stopped working. lol
oh and it is EXTREMELY expensive, but thankgod my insurance only has a copay of 1$ =)
January 31, 2009
Cons:
I'VE BEEN USING DIFFEREN FOR ABOUT 10 WEEKS AND HAVE SEEN ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE TO MY MODERATE ACNE ASIDE FROM OVERDRYING ON TOP OF THE ACNE,
I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND DIFFEREN. VERY DEPRESSING RESULTS. I WOULD THINK AFTER OVER 10 WEEKS OF USING THIS PRODUCT THERE WOULD BE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGE BUT I AM STILL WAITING.
January 29, 2009
Pros:
Didnt Dry. Non Oily. No Odour. No Staining.
Cons:
Didnt clear up ALL of my face.
Expensive. Takes long time to work
I had this product prescribed to me two weeks ago.
BEFORE: Acne as following : White heads on cheek and chin. Black head on nose. Very Oily Skin NOW: While it DOES take a long time to see results, Differin stopped my big breakouts. For two months it wasnt getting worse. Just the same. IT DID GET WORSE ONCE. I did break out realllly badly on my chin.
Getting Better: Has def. helped. Pores smaller. Face not as oily. A couple of pimpels. BUT compared to my old acne. This is god.
January 27, 2009
Cons:
expensive
Its my first time to use it, and a little surprised to read that most of the users have to wait months before adapelene will shows its effect.. Now im not sure if i have to continue using it. Im bothered if my face will have to get worst or it will never look better again.. hays!
January 23, 2009
Pros:
Nothing.
Cons:
Causes red, dry skin initially. Skin becomes extremely oily after the dryness has begun to cease.
I found that this product had a great effect on my acne, but not in a good way. I had light acne before treatment but during treatment I developed terrible breakouts that didn't stop until I refrained from using Differin. So, after using Differin for about 2 months and seeing no results, I stopped using it. I was extremely disappointed with what Differin had done to my skin because it caused me to have more acne than I ever had and it left some scarring. I am currently using Benzoyl Peroxide and an antibacterial wash to help clean up my face.So far this is working way better than any prescription I have ever had. I would never recommend Differin to anyone for use.
Pros:
Inexpensive, with insurance only $35 (dr. gave us three $35 off coupons from the company)