Tazarotene
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Tazarotene is a vitamin A derivative called a topical retinoid. It helps clear acne by promoting skin cell turnover and reducing inflammation in...

Tazarotene is a vitamin A derivative called a topical retinoid. It helps clear acne by promoting skin cell turnover and reducing inflammation in the skin.

Tazarotene is usually applied once a day around bedtime.

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June 20, 2011

Pros:

Made skin much smoother
Greatly reduced amount of pimples
Only need a pea-sized amount for whole face

Cons:

Takes a long time to work
Somewhat greasy
Got worse before it got better
Pricey

I've had mild acne since I was 14, but this year it turned severe for some odd reason (I'm 25). It was terrible--big white postules all over my face and neck. I was desperate so I told my dermatologist to be aggressive with treatment without resorting to Accutane. Here is my regimen: Morning-- Wash face with Cetaphil mild cleansing bar Wait 10 minutes for face to dry Apply CeraVe moisturizer (important to prep your skin with lotion before Tazorac) Apply Tazorac Apply Neutrogena coverup and mineral foundation (which lessens the greasiness/redness) Evening-- Wash face with Cetaphil bar Wait 10 minutes for face to dry Apply Acanya gel Apply CeraVe I also take Solodyn (antibiotic) and Spironolactone. Things stayed the same for the first three weeks of treatment. By the fourth week, my acne became much worse. I was very embarrassed, but I knew that I needed to stick with the treatment. I began to notice improvement by about 7 weeks. It has now been 12 weeks and my skin feels much smoother and most of the acne has subsided (I just have a few pimples around my mouth). I am also left with red scars, but my doc said they would fade eventually. You will probably become discouraged with this medicine because it makes your face much worse after a few weeks. But don't give up--you will eventually see results!
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June 18, 2011

Pros:

Great exfoliant
Helps reduce the problem of acne
Has helped clear me up
Helps acne reduction which is a HUGE pro

Cons:

Cost depending on insurance
Does cause an initial breakout
Can make you peel frequently
Does not work well with moisture
Creates sun sensitivity

Tazorac is one of those products people may hate because of its unfun start. It will most likely cause people to shed for the first few weeks to possibly a month. I reccomend getting the gel and NOT the cream. The gel will dry people out more, but the cream is designed for people fighting wrinkles and not acne. Retinoids are great for exfoliating the skin and reducing the amount of oil production in the skin. For products like Benzoyl peroxide or any acne medication for that matter.... it is important that they penetrate the skin, into the deepest layers of your epidermis. Tazorac, since it is a chemical exfoliant, sheds away all of the dead skin so that acne medications can penetrate better. I do not believe using tazorac alone will clear up acne since it doesnt exactly "treat" acne itself, so you really need to be put on either a topical antibiotic, benzoyl peroxide, or both (Acanya contains clindamycin phosphate and BP 2.5%) If going on all these products it is best to use taz every other night or every two nights cause the over exfoliation will make your skin extremely irritated. I love this combination and am 100% clear after 10 years of having persistant cystic acne.
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June 8, 2011

Pros:

-not sure

Cons:

-worst initial breakout!!
-more acne scars
-takes forever to work
-dry skin
-sun sensitive

my doctor gave me this medicine along with an antibiotic and so far i have been on this for 9 weeks!! And i still have about 20 active pimples and a bunch of acne scars. i am still waiting for tht day i wake up and my face is clear. the first week i went on this medicine my face started to breakout (before that i was on taz .05 for the whole 3 months) then after that i just kept breaking out. after about 6 weeks my horrible breakout finally stopped but pimples still kept on coming. i dont think i would recommend tazorac .1% to anyone because it takes so long to work and u cant go to the beach without having to wear a hat and alot of suncreen! i seriously think there is better treatments out there. i seriously think my acne became worse with this medicine. 2 months is way to long for me to not be able to go out and be able to have fun liike i used to. well anyways i have 3 more weeks left and hopefully it would finally work!!
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June 3, 2011

Pros:

None

Cons:

Initial breakout
Doesn't work
Skin extremely sun-sensitive
Flaking

I started this medication beginning of last year (2010) when I was 18. I had struggled with acne since I was 14 but was managing to keep it at bay. Then a couple months before I started tazorac I started having mild/moderate breakouts. The dermatologist I saw was really uninterested in having any real conversation with me about my experiences so far with acne, she just wanted to fill out a perscription and send me on my way. I went on the medication anyway and it was just like all the other failed stories - breakouts went from bad to terrifying pretty quickly. Hoped it would get better but 2-3 months later things just continued to get worse. AVOID THIS MEDICATION. There are better alternatives that will clear you up without having to put yourself through the anxiety of the initial breakout - and the very real possibility that it's just not going to get better.
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May 30, 2011

Pros:

-leaves skin soft
-gets rid of acne
-best form of retinoid cream out there
-didn't make it worse in the beginning

Cons:

-drying
-redness
-may take time to work
-costs a lot without insurance

It works stick with it! the best facial treatment I have ever tried. This works even faster in combination with tetracycline or any other form of oral antibiotic. So far its working already and I'm on my second week. The combination of antibiotics and tazorac really does work faster to clear up your acne. Ill tell you why, well antibiotics reduce swelling and gets rid of the bacteria and the tazorac speeds up the cell turnover and removes dead skin cells and therefore renews the skin and also fades scars and hyperpigmentation. (Tip- USE A MOISTURIZER BEFORE USE!) Its absolutely vital that you get a gentle cleanser and a moisturizer. Those are the three steps to this regimen for this product to really work!
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May 29, 2011

Pros:

Shiny skin
Clearer skin
Acne disappearing

Cons:

Flakiness
Dry skin patches
Slightly painful face

I love this product! I suffer from eczema on my face AND acne. So I have suffered through a cycle of using acne meds, my eczema breaking out, applying eczema meds which cause more breakouts then applying, well you get my vicious cycle. I found moisturizing BEFORE putting on Tazorac and then mixing it with Azone works well for me. My skin did dry out somewhat, but I have not had an eczema outbreak, which are extremely painful. My first week did not come with a breakout, but I was broken out when I started so maybe that is why? I love this product and my dermatologist. I have been fighing acne for a long time!
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May 29, 2011

Pros:

Gets rid of acne.
Helps with hyperpigmentation and acne scars.
Helps PREVENT new breakouts! :)

Cons:

Does take a while to work - about 5 months for me.
Will make skin break out and become very flaky.

This product is AMAZING! I started using it in January 2011 after I began using birth control to help with my acne. The birth control made me break out incredibly bad at first! My gyno then prescribed me Tazorac because I had used it while in High School. It works wonders for spot treating! You will have to moisturize like crazy! If you read what the paper says that comes in the box, this product is rejuvenating the skin underneath the acne, basically causing it to, eventually, peel off. For my skin, I use a Neutrogena transparent facial bar. Just the normal one, not the one for acne prone skin. I, then, moisturize with Eucerin Calming Cream and apply Taz to individual pimples. For when my skin gets really dry, I apply Eucerin's Aquaphor to my skin to protect it from becoming dry to the point that my face feels like it's going to crack or if it's going to peel. It is also important to keep a gentle scrub on hand as well. I have used Neutrogena's Pink Grapefruit facial scrub about once every two weeks to get the dead skin off that was left over. Too many people think that you don't have to moisturize your skin when you have acne, when in fact, you do! Tazorac is great stuff, but like any acne medication, you have to let it work before you jump to conclusions. I'm glad it worked because my doctor said if it didn't, I would have to try Accutane! :( Good luck to everyone with their "journey" with Tazorac! It's yielded great results for me!
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May 21, 2011

Pros:

+ 100% clear after 5 months
+ No side effects for me
+ Free with insurance

Cons:

none!

My acne before Taz: moderate pustules/papules on forehead and jawline with the occasional cyst on cheeks. My doctor prescribed me 0.1% tazorac gel. I apply it once a night followed by 1% Clindamycin (an antibiotic gel to kill off the bacteria that's exfoliated to the surface from the retinol in Taz). I've only ever experienced very mild peeling while on Taz (which was expected), but definitely no purging side effects or any of the other negative effects described by other reviews. My theory is that this may have to do with me using an antibiotic cream (clindamycin is one, but hydrocortisone, or even manuka honey, also works) right after Taz, which help kill off the bacteria that's pushed up to the surface and would have caused comedones if left unattended. It's been 5 months and I am 100% acne free. I've used just clindamycin before and even though it cleared me the effect would wane over time and my acne would always come back. So I know it's the Tazorac that's the real star here. For those people who are still on the fence, give tazorac a try, even if you think it might be too harsh for your skin. I certainly thought my skin would not be able to handle Taz since it wouldn't even take AHA, but I was very surprised at how gentle Taz was. Tip: 1) dont forget to apply a very thin layer of moisturizer BEFORE applying taz as well as a thick layer AFTER applying taz (I use organic shea butter for this) 2) Like i mention an antibiotic cream right on top of taz should help a lot with purging 3) follow the directions in the little manual that comes with tube. apply only a small amount of the gel on the problem areas at first. Then slowly, over time, work your way into covering your whole cheeks with the gel.
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May 18, 2011

Pros:

-mild improvement

Cons:

-skin flakes
-horrible initial breakout!!
-takes FOREVER for it work

I have been using the .1% cream for about 5 weeks and i still don't see much improvement. My doctor perscribed me solodyn and aczone, which dont help much either. the "taz effect" said u should be able to see improvement after a month of use, but so far i only saw some improvement from that horrible initial breakout it gave me. basically you have to be really really patient with this medicine and hope it works. And you also have to be prepared for the worst breakout ever! the first week using this product i broke out like crazy!! and it got worse, i had a bunch of whiteheads and redpimples everywhere in my face. my acne changed from moderate to severe! it was the worst experience i ever had i felt so bad, i couldnt do anything. of course i tried to stay positive but it didnt help. the breakout lasted for about 3 weeks and now my face has a bunch of acne scars (more than before) that are slowly disappearing. After going through that horrible breakout i just hope that my acne would improve with some noticable results! so i have another month until i actually see improvements and i will write another review as a follow up and hopefully i can write a super postive review. and good luck to you!!
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May 6, 2011

Pros:

Clears up acne within the first couple weeks.

Cons:

Makes your skin very dry and flaky
Lots of whiteheads at first.

It can take time for it to start making a difference. At first your skins gets very dry and flaky but if you make sure to moisturize every morning and before going to bed you should be good. Also skin tends to get greasy throughout the day. During the first weeks I got a lot of whitehead. But I believe that all that is really worth it especially once you start noticing the difference. It's totally worth it! I love it!
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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