Topical Retinoid
Reviews
3.4
969 Reviews
Topical Retinoid
Efficacy
51%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Topical Retinoid
Side Effects
Low-Medium
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.
Read All About Tazarotene
Compare To Other Treatments
5
18.7%
4
32.9%
3
25.3%
2
13.9%
1
9.2%

Used Tazarotene? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
August 13, 2010

Pros:

none

Cons:

left me with oily skin
oily skin led to whiteheads

I thought this cream was supposed to dry out your skin and clear up your acne. All it does for me is give me really oily skin and leaves my face feeling greasy. I was told by my derm to apply it to the red bumps every night but I can't take it any more. Every morning I wake up with new bumps and whiteheads on the area where the cream was applied. I've been using tazoraz for 4 months now and it only makes my skin break out even more.
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June 2, 2010

Pros:

easy to usze,no harszh szmell

Cons:

irritated szkin,peeling,drying itchy

well i had about moderate acne but wasz desperate for something that might work so i used proactive,juzt made it worse den wat i had,so from being moderate to now severe' i was recently in a acne study using some kind of foam it workd better then anything i use so far just to get my face back on track where i left off before proactive,as of my study ended they gave me a prescription of tazorac & epiduo i havnt used epiduo yet but tazorac omg''' wtf it made my face break out like no other its worse then i ever had it i now have cysts like crazy my face itches and im like in pain juzt touching it when i apply moisture &wash my face, my face is really red szo im thinkn i may juzt quit this routine and try epiduo..now that i got the worse acne ever im like szo done with all these acne products and how to get rid of these painful cysts,not onli that it brings my acne to the heads of looking like they need to pop but ouch they hurt to the touch
April 7, 2010

Pros:

Higher acne turnover, smooth skin, scars seem to fade quicker

Cons:

Dries out skin until your skin gets used to it, peeling, the creme is difficult to spread over your face, higher amount of nodular/cystic acne

I've had acne for seven years, starting at age 15. Tazorac is supposed to take three months to be effective -- I am on month four with no end in sight, worse acne than ever before. I am also using Differin in combination. I have used: Differin, Retin-A, Benzaclin, Salycic acid, Minocycline, Tetracycline, Doxycycline, Cephalexin, Amoxycilin, Pro-Active, Desowen, Tazarac. I have also gotten Blue Light treatment done, which has so far been the only effective treatment. Tazorac initially cleared up skin for the first month that I used it. After the first month, all hell started breaking loose. I've had cysts on my face that are literally the size of fifty-cent pieces. I've developed more cysts, and bigger ones, than I have ever had in my life. Before Tazarac I was getting two to three cysts on my face at a time. With Tazorac, 75% of my acne is turning into nodular/cystic acne. Again, I am on month four of the treatment. Bottom line: This is the absolute worst my skin has ever been. I personally would not recomend this treatment. Accutane is now the only hope I've got left.
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December 26, 2009

Pros:

Speeds up skin turnover. Was not too drying for me

Cons:

Where do I start...

My derm gave me this to try for the 12 week period before prescribing it to me (samples). My ski progressively got worse, but I kept in mind that that was expected. I knew that at some point my skin would stop breaking out, and would be clear. Im done with the 12 weeks and that did not happen. My skin is the worst it has ever been in my life. My derm told me that this obviously isn't working and that we need to talk about accutane. I will hopefully be on that next week.... Taz works for some, and not for others. But if your skin is still bad after 6 - 8 weeks, it probably will just get worse...
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December 3, 2009

Pros:

hope

Cons:

made my skin peel
made my skin dry and very red and peely I couldnt even use foundation anymore i went to my orthodontist and looked in the mirror and wanted to cry

i used this for 6 weeks and had to give it up
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June 25, 2009

Pros:

none

Cons:

alot of breakouts, redness and inflammation, itching like crazy,skin irratation

it didnot help, i stopped it last night after 1 month use, i have more breakout than before, am using ABX sonoldy which is helping dry out pimples, am takings herbs pills that helped my friend, and soap called Roberts Antibacterial sold in Afrrican store it real helping with blackheads.am using Baby johnson's lotion. i will update later
June 17, 2009

Pros:

i have NOT yet started using taz. just saw my derma today and she suggested taz as a last resort before going on accutane. i started reading reviews about this prduct and was getting worried at first but then i noticed that everyone who wrote

Cons:

something bad about taz had "light" acne. well duh...of course you wouldnt like it, taz is for patients with moderate to severe acne!!! first thing first, if your derma would prescribe taz for light acne...maybe you should consider going to a

doctor and leave the harsh stuff for people with more severe acne . and by severe i mean people who's everyday lives are affected by having acne. my derma prescribed it for me today as a last resort before going on accutane so obviously this isnt going to be like the differn gels or any other gel like that. taz is a retinoid just like retin a (which i've used) and is designed to pretty much destroy your skin before making it better and any GOOD derma will tell you that. i'm fully aware of what i'm getting myself into by starting taz but my derma swears by it because she used it to treat her acne. also, a helpful which i also read in another review on here was to use the taz along with duac. i did hear they were a great combo. and just remember that not everyone's skin is the same. we've all probably written some horrible review about another cream, gel or pill on here before out of anger that it didnt work for you but if you really want your acne to clear up...TRY ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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June 14, 2009

Pros:

It has brought pimples to the surface.

Cons:

It does not seem to make any noticeable improvements.

I have been only using it for a month recently. I am 25 now with acne, and had used Tazorac during high school when my acne was similar to how it is now. I had stopped using it before when I went to Hawaii for vacation and never used it again because it didn't seem to help reduce the acne. Since my acne flared up a couple months ago, my dermatologist put me back on it even though I told her it didn't really work for me before. I am wary or the pore stretching that I have read from other Tazorac reviews though. I have noticeable blackheads on my nose and under my eyes, the pore size is not huge. I have to be a foot away from the mirror to notice some of the open pores and blackheads on my nose and closer to view the rest of the pores. I am wondering, does anyone have any topical recommendations that have really worked for their severe or moderate acne?
June 13, 2009

Pros:

none.

Cons:

oily skin, makes acne worse even after the first 8 weeks, dries skin like a mofo, did I say super oily skin? too much $$ for the damage it does.

makes your skin oily, really oily. tends to irritate the acne on the skin at the point where it becomes red and inflammated..ive been using it for more than 6 months and it hasnt done anything. the improvements that i had on my skin was thanks to the benzaclin I was using during the day, but it caused me severe colitis in the long run so I stopped using it. My acne worsened like Ive never seen it before and I think it was thanks to the tazorac, I stopped using it 2 days ago and went with Neutrogena on the spot, cause it has benzoil peroxide like benzaclin does minus the clyndamicin, that is what causes the colitis, and my skin is MUCH MUCH better, I can see improvements in just 2 days. Amazing. I used the gel 0.1%
April 24, 2009

Pros:

have not seen any yet

Cons:

1. Very Red face
2. Made my face look like it was covered in horrible acne and a rash
3. Burned and itches so much I wanted to scratch my face off

I am going to hang in there. I have very sensitive skin and this is doing a number on it. I am 30 and my acne has become embarrassing since being on this. I am going to give it an honest effort. But I would really like to stay inside and not go anywhere.

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.

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.