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
January 9, 2008

Pros:

can lessen the appearance of scars
can get free samples from dermo

Cons:

peeling, itching, lots of medical side effects.
it made my hair fall out and made me have excessive thirst.
makes skin worse, makes acne worse

I was using this product for 2 1/2 months and all it did was make everything worse. It made me break out like crazy, even after the said 4 weeks that you're skin is supposed to get better. It's taking me forever to recover from the damage this medicine caused. Skin, hair, and thirst. Do not use.
December 7, 2016
How long about did it take for your skin to go back to normal?
November 8, 2007

Pros:

seeing results from problem areas now after 4 months

Cons:

problem moved to another area.

the acne around the side of my chin that was my only concern has gone away but moved to my middle chin.. have been on taz for 4 months and doxy. was just prescribed klaron too, but not sure if that will help the stubborn chins... basically be patient i guess . used differin before with duac and minocyclin then batrium.. worked well by 6 months stopped it on my own... and then flaired again 6 months later. n now tryin something new with a new doc...... stick with it is my new thoughts
August 8, 2007

Pros:

clears up acne pretty well

Cons:

makes your skin red n flaky oh yeah don't forget oily

if you love the outdoors n being out in the sun then try to find something else cuz this stuff makes a lil sun on your face look like a bada$$ sunburn. but if putting sunscreen on every 15 minutes is your thing then go for it..
July 26, 2007

Pros:

Clears up acne

Cons:

Dryness, takes a while to work, inital break out

I have been using tazorac for about 4 weeks and the right side of my face is clear, except for one bump and the scars. The left side of my face, which was a lot worse for some reason, still has bumps but is clearing up. however, the cysts are gone. The pimples are a lot less severe. Just waiting for the marks to go away. My skin was never as bad as it was before I began tazorac. What happened was I fractured my jaw, and had to have my mouth wired shut for 5 weeks. As a result, I could only drink. In order to not lose too much weight (I was already thin) I blended everything with milk (cookies, fruits, etc.) and drank it to keep on the weight. I believe the dairy (and the stress from it all) is what made my skin so bad. I did research online, and contrary to what doctors tell us what u eat DOES affect your skin.
January 24, 2007

Pros:

No long term pros.

Cons:

Broke out much worse..

Duac 1.0% gel ? whatever the stronger one is.... I started using this product about a year ago. The doctor told me to use it only in the pm. So i gave it about 2 months and nothing was getting better... although my skin was getting VERY irratated and dry. So she suggested using it mixed with a moisturizer at night.. 2 months and the same results... so she added duac in the am as well as a moisturizer in the am. One year later my skin is always dry and i feel as though im more broken out than before, and a LOT of redness that seems to never go away. So when i lost my insurance and i found out how much it really costs, I stopped using it. My husband asked me what i was doing because my face was looking better already. The biggest difference now is not that i dont have acne its that im not uncomfortable all the time and that im not walking around with a red face. So until i get insurance im going to try to eat better and take vitamins daily. Hoping for the best
November 2, 2006

Pros:

It's definitely worked! Just have to be VERY patience. I saw a good result after 3.5 months of using Tazorac

Cons:

This product takes time to work. Broke out very bad for the first 2 months.

My skin is clear now after 5 months on Tazorac. I try everything for the last 3 years, from over the counter to description. Tazorac is the only thing that works for me. Have to use every day with a good moisturizer (I use Murad Perfecting Lotion)
March 30, 2012

Pros:

-Softer skin (good if you're a girl I guess)
Will pull out many (but not all) of your blackheads

Cons:

-Stinging and intense itching for the first few weeks of application
-If you have mild, non inflammatory acne, this will give you inflammatory acne that will last a long time
-Gives you unbelievably oily skin
-Can cause pitting scars

I started tazorac for mild, mostly non-inflammatory acne. Tazorac caused many of my blackheads and whiteheads to become extremely inflamed for weeks, and the longer they stayed inflamed, the more scarring they caused. My skin type never pitted in the past, even with the occasional monster zit that I would squeeze and squeeze. However tazorac caused one area of my cheek to form a noticeable purple pit from a blackhead that it caused to stay inflamed for 6-7 weeks. The plug popped out when I was rinsing, and it left a gaping purple pit from how long it was inflamed for. I have a few red lesions now, several purple and pretty nasty skin that really wasn't all that bad prior to starting. Tazorac also caused my skin to seep with oil, within 20 minutes after washing with even bar soap. It might be better for your skin if you have a drier skin type that would cause the inflammation to dry out quickly. But many of us get more oily on retinoids and that's when it becomes counter-productive. If you have severe acne, this may be for you. Otherwise, stay the heck away from this stuff. It'll take your mild acne and cause the plugs to come out too violently to do any good. Better to just get some microdermabrasions for the black/whiteheads. What good is getting blackheads out if you'll just be left with a bunch of scars and pits? Tazorac is for the serious acne sufferers who don't really have many other options. Just read other reports like mine where people with mild acne ended up regretting using it.
September 28, 2009

Pros:

CLEARS THE SKIN, QUICK TO APPLY!

Cons:

FIRST FEW WEEKS ARE HELLL!!!!!!! ITCHING, PEELING, REDNESS, BUMPS Barrage, AND IT MADE ME LIGHTER!(i dont kno if its good or bad lol)

JUst get it , and if u have used everything in the world except for this....jus stick wit this till the end.....u'll find results soon..
August 26, 2009

Pros:

Clears up skin very well and

Cons:

too strong also gives you dry patches

I had a bad nasty breakout and i hated it .. it was sooo bad that when i went to school people would say to me " what happen to your face ". I have never went to a dermatologist before , but it was soo bad i had to go . He was about to put me on accutane but told me to try diffin gel first. so i tried that, it didnt do anything ..then he gave me Taz , in a week my whole face was clear i was back to being myself again . Now once my face cleared up i fingured, it was no need to keep using it , so i stop using it . Then about 5 months lata i had another breakout but it was not as bad i used the taz and it cleared up my skin once again but i had a lot, i mean a lot of dry patches everywere on my face, very 10 mins i had to put lotion on . it was sooo dry ..overall this stuff is good but if u have like mild or light acne i would tell u to use this it will dry bthe hell out ya skin and leave you with open pores .but if u have bad i mean bad acne then this would be the best thing 4 yo
July 7, 2009

Pros:

working so far keeping my fingers crossed

Cons:

dry skin, flakey, moisturize 3 times a day

its been about 2 or 3 weeks. i made the mistake of not applying a moisturizer with it the first couple days and applying too much. skin started to dry. i used biore ice cleanser and olay or aveno moisturizer then taz. and just the wash and moist. in the morning. at first i turned red and broke out. but for once decided to stick with something. I used differin .3 for months and broke out so bad and uncontrollable. now i just got 3 zits this morning but first time in a while. about to switch to cetaphil cleanser now bc of the dryness. BUT ITS WORKING SO FAR, KNOCK ON WOOD

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.