Topical Retinoid
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Produces similar results to the two other topical retinoids, tretinoin and adapalene, which means only partial clearing, and comes with far more sensitivity and side effects when you first start using it. It probably won’t be a total game changer and don’t be surprised if it’s too much for your skin to take.
Topical Retinoid
How to Get It
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.
Used Tazarotene? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
February 8, 2012
Cons:
drying !!!
I used Tazorac gel 0.05 for 1 month and my really SEVERE blackheads were almost all gone and my enlarged pores were also significantly reduced. However, my skin was really really dry and peeling. It even cracked because of all the dryness!!! Just juse a good cream with it to combat the flakes (like CeraVe).
January 26, 2012
Pros:
Teaches you patience, haha
It will work, trust in the Taz
Pimples go away quickly
Evens out your skin tone, fades post-acne marks
Gives you back freedom
Taz Effect, aka glow
Shrinks pores
Anti-aging over the long run
Cons:
Takes up to 12 weeks to see actual changes (so you can't just give up at week 7 because it's "not working"); you have to complete the 3 months to accurately assess if it's the right product for you.
Probably you will have the purging period. I have to be honest, it really sucks. I recommend sleeping a lot to help time pass faster. It lasted all the way until the 8th or 9th week for me because my pores were so clogged.
Dry, flaky skin, burnt sensation. At times hard to even smile!
Bottom line: Tazorac works for me. Today people at my work place said, "You're just glowing!" And I was not wearing any makeup. That's called the Taz Effect. But I went through hell to get here, I kid you not. My face was just littered with even more acne, whiteheads, blackheads, etc. during the purging period. It was so horrific that I couldn't even put on makeup. No amount will cover the bumpiness and might aggravate it, so I just stuck out the ugly phase...unfortunately for me, it was so much longer than I expected. And for you pickers, DO NOT PICK YOUR FACE ON THIS MEDICATION!! No really, get your picking under control and stop before you even start using Taz. The urge to pick will be very very strong when you're purging and waking up to multiple new uglies everyday. Go to [link removed] for support. Your skin is an organ and should be treated with respect. Think about it, do you go squeezing at your liver daily? There are so many reasons to stop picking, but especially important on retinoids because your skin is so thin. I've got a few scars to prove it, and hoping they'll fade more over time. I hate to sound dramatic, but Tazorac gave me my life back. To be able to live and focus on yourself and your happiness and enjoy life without giving a second thought to acne. To be one of those "normal" people without spots all over. It's simply amazing.
January 10, 2012
Pros:
smoother, softer skin
acne scars and fine lines fading
acne cleared
Free samples from my derm
Cons:
horrible peeling
initial mass of breakouts
redness
burns
Very expensive
I had developed lots of cluster acne on my cheeks and a moderate amount on my chin as well as tiny little bumps all over my face after having a facial with dermaplaning. Apparently it caused the bacteria from some of the pimples I had to spread to the rest of my face. I tried peels and facials to try to get rid of the problems but it all made it worse. I finally went to the derm. I was placed on a pretty hardcore regimin. Tazorac, Doryx and Spironolactone. I started at the end of Oct 2011. I am in absolute shock with how well I've responded. Prior to the facial I had been getting more breakouts than usual and blackheads which I never had before. Most likely hormonal changes since hitting my 30's. The first month on the Tazorac was so awful. My face peeled terribly and my breakouts were so bad that I didn't even want to leave the house. I'd smile and my face would crack by my mouth and start bleeding. After about 5-6wks I started seeing some improvement. I decided to make an adjustment to my regimin. Again, I started peeling and breaking out but I stuck with it. I'm about to go on my 11th week of treatment and I can't even begin to describe how happy I am. I have to admit that I picked at them which of course led to scars but the med is helping to fade them and my skin is so incredibly smooth and soft. Yay! In case you'd like to know here is my regimin:
am: Wash with Panoxyl with my Clairisonic brush (ok'd by derm to use) Moisturize with Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Soothing Lotion SPF 15.
pm: Wash with CeraVe foaming face wash. Very important: Be sure to dry your face completely before applying Tazorac. If you do not wait then you apply it will burn your skin which will cause terrible peeling for at least a week on top of the regular peeling. After the Tazorac I used the Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Soothing Cream. Patience is the key!. Good luck to you all and thank you for all the posts. This really helped me to continue the med when all I wanted to do
December 30, 2011
Pros:
Very effective
Relatively fast acting
Only needed to be used once per day
Cons:
VERY expensive
Causes a lot of peeling for the first few weeks
Causes a lot of redness for the first few weeks
After trying many different medications, this is by far my favourite. If you don't have excellent insurance, you'll have to deal with a massive co-pay, but take it from me, it is quite worth it. I have been taking this medication for four months now, and it's simply a miracle drug. One should expect to see some results after about three weeks, and completely clear skin after three months. I've been taking this medication along with Aczone, and Neosalus as a moisturizer. I don't reccomend this drug as a first try, simply because it's so powerful, but for those of you that have tried many others, with unsatisfactory results, this may be the right medication for you.
December 30, 2011
Pros:
Clears scars Non sticky Clears existing pimples
Cons:
Makes skin peel. And burns
I started to use this with benzefoam and yea it makes your face peel but beauty cost! It fades scars and you get new skin! Also clear existing pimples and doesn't irritate with makeup! I have free bottles thanks to my dermatologist !
December 26, 2011
Pros:
AMAZING at fading hyperpigmentation (brown, red marks)
Destroys pimples and prevents them.
Recreates your skin
Cons:
Absolute HELL for the first 2-4 weeks of using it. Will cause intense peeling, burning, stinging, and itching. I'm not exaggerating, it really is hell.
Does nothing for deep pitted ice pick scars.
Amazing topical. It is no wonder this is the strongest retinoid available, it really does an awesome job of destroying acne, preventing it, and plus removing any acne marks you might have. Notice I said marks, not SCARS. This does not at all work on those ice pick ones that look like holes on your face, nope just red and brown marks. I've been using it for 1 month and it's been doing great things for my skin. Not going to lie though, the first few weeks were terrible. I would wake up in the morning to wash my face and want to cry due to looking like a peeling monster. There were also a few nights, where I could barely sleep due to the itching on my face. But see, that's how it works since it's literally peeling away all those marks and pimples and stuff from your skin...it's like a constant exfoliation or something I don't know. Applying moisturizer BURNS too during the first few days so that does suck too. ONLY USE A PEA AMOUNT, for christ sakes listen to them. Using anymore might seriously damage your skin. Anyway, STICK WITH IT. I can't even imagine what my skin will look like after a year on this stuff to be honest. Flawless, I'm hoping.
December 26, 2011
Pros:
Works very well, and fast
No initial breakout period
Helps heal scars
Fades wrinkles
Not only clears acne, makes skin look radiant
Cons:
Causes very sensitive skin
Redness
Peeling
Painful for the first month or so
Expensive
I've been on tazorac and benzoyl peroxide for about 7 months and my skin has never looked better. Because tazorac works by peeling the top layers of the skin, your skin will be red and flaky when you first start using it. When your skin is peeling it can be hard to cover with makeup. I use a gentle sugar scrub on my face before applying moisturizer and makeup, and that usually works great.
December 14, 2011
Pros:
Gets RID of pimples, sometimes overnight
Works way faster than anything I've tried
makes scars fade faster
reduces swelling and pain
shrinks pores
Cons:
makes me peely and flakey if I use it more than one night in a row
makes my skin ashy, so putting on powder makes my skin look extremely dry
During the first few weeks the drying is intense
I have had moderate acne since I was 13 and I am now 21. I get swollen, pussy ones on my cheeks and jawline and I have countless tiny flesh-colored bumps all over my forehead. I also have fairly large pores. I've been using this stuff on and off for about three years. I've used essentially every other prescription topical they can give you for acne. Benzol peroxide in particular wouldn't work, no matter how persistent I was with it, so I was extremely frustrated and having this work for me was a huge relief. There was no intitial break-out. It worked as well for me on day 1 as it did on any other day. The only real issue I have with it is it takes your skin a long time to adjust to it, and until then it will be intensely drying. Flaking, peeling, stinging dry. Once you persists for about 1 - 2 months, it will stop making you dry and it will just destroy your pimples. This is the ONLY one that worked for me, and it works really well. If I put it on a big, swollen, inflamed pimple at night, it will often be completely gone the next morning with just the red mark that goes away gradually. It makes them stop hurting overnight, unless they're really big. No other product actually makes the pus go away from within. Other products bring the gross stuff to the surface, while this actually gets rid of it. And if I don't pop, there's no scarring. This is MAGIC cream. I love it. I sometimes get my friends to spot-treat with it when they complain about having a really bad pimple, and all of them have been blown away. It is absolutely 100% worth dealing with the dryness to get the satisfaction of obliterating painful pimples in a night. If you really slather on moisturizer on top of the medicine, it can often prevent the dryness and it still works just as well. It's absolutely worth a try, if it means it might work as well for you as it did for me. Note: If you're a girl, I highly recommend spironolactone pills as well.
December 4, 2011
Pros:
Clears up cystic acne
Fades hyperpigmentation scarring
Cons:
Prohibitively expensive brand name
This is a fantastic topical. I switched to Differin/Adapalene only because I could no longer afford it. Comes in 0.5% and 0.1%, which is great for treatment adjustment.
November 19, 2011
Pros:
SHINY SKIN, NICE SKINE TONE, SOFT SKIN, FADES LITTLE RINKLES AND SCARS, AND GETS RID OF ALL ACNE PIMPLES :)
Cons:
dries out a little sometimes, wish the price was lower
I give it 5 stars! :) I had acne all of my life. I've tried every acne product on stores shelves, and nothing EVER worked. :( I went to a good dermatologist, and she told me to use tazarac cream ..0.1% AND WORKED AMAZING!!!!!!! I am so happy! Everybody compliments my skin
Pros:
CLEARS BLACKHEADS
helps with pore size!