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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3.4
821
5
20.2%
4
33.6%
3
24.1%
2
13.5%
1
8.5%

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August 14, 2008

Pros:

None!!!!

Cons:

Burns, Hurts face for a while after, Makes acne worse

Bottom line this didnt work for me at all. I was put on this and a med and this cream just burned the crap out of my face. It hurts to just wash it with soap and everyone notices it is worse when i started the cream. Dont use it!!!
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August 8, 2008

Pros:

None I'm sorry to say.

Cons:

Absolutely rediculous initial reaction/breakout. Laughably so...turns plain old acne into an over inflamed poison ivy/chicken pox-ish mess...really quite a bad med in my case.

WOW...hahaha this was a real mistake in my case...Luckily for me I used this on my moderate/severe chest acne and not on my mild facial acne or i may have just opted to have my face surgically removed. I itched so much I bled. I don't care what these drug companies say about their product in terms of initial bad reactions/waiting "x" amount of time for the product to work. 1 1/2 months of hell. Be careful.
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June 24, 2008

Pros:

Started to clear up my acne at first

Cons:

Made my skin dry, itchy, and red. I had a reaction to it, and it brought on breakouts. Not worth your beautiful skin.

It's terrible for anyone with sensitive, sallow skin. It did not help my acne. As soon as I stopped using it, my skin got much much better. Less redness and less pimples.
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June 1, 2008

Pros:

Complexion more even toned...I guess...

Cons:

Where do I begin- UNBEARABLE initial breakout, scars where I never had scars before, horrible peeling in the beginning of treatment, gave cysts when I never had them, oh- and it doesn't work!!!!

This stuff is supposed to work after the 'magic' three month mark, it didn't. I am on FOUR months of this and I don't even want to go out in public. Before i started this .1% tazorac gel my skin was almost clear with one or two pimples. But i couldn't get it to be perfectly clear. NOW i regret ever even googling tazorac. The initial whole 3 months where awful, my face was covered with big painful zits and cystic acne. The peeling was just unfair. Now, I used this every night, with cetaphil moisturizer before hand just like your supposed to. I wash with cetaphil face wash for sensitive skin.. I eat mostly organic, and I'm on birth control! with that combination of things I should look completely clear by now. Don't do this to yourself. For me it was not worth it at all. My skin cleared up for 3 days which gave me false hope bc it went right back to 10 breakouts at a time. TAZORAC=BACON GREASE If i rubbed that on my face every night it would have the same effect.
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May 15, 2008

Pros:

None

Cons:

it made my mild acne worse

I guess its not for everyone. You just need to find what works for you. I'm still searching.
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April 10, 2008

Pros:

none at all.

Cons:

unfortunately does not work for everyone. i wish i had not tried it because it left me with many many acne scars.

i realize that this medicine works for some people, but it was really HORRIBLE for me. my dermatologist gave this to me for mild-moderate acne. after the first couple of weeks, my skin broke out really badly, which i expected it would after reading reviews of it. then i waited another month, then another, then another, and as the time passed the acne just got worse. i really thought i'd see SOME improvement but there was none. i stopped using it and as soon as i did, my skin became a lot better, aside from huge amounts of red acne scars from all the zits tazorac gave me. maybe i was allergic or have super sensitive skin or something, but it was so awful that it made me not want to go out in public.
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March 4, 2008

Pros:

haven't seen any yet

Cons:

burnt skin, peeling, flakiness

I hate proactive! Dat S uga H oney I ce T ea messed up my skin so bad. I used it for about a month and a half and my skin was so clear and glowing then all of a sudden my skin broke out horribly and left acne scars everywhere. I've been on tazorac for 3 wks but stopped for two days (can't take the burnt looking skin) but i'll start back using it today. I use Duac in the mornin and tazorac at nite. I'm suppose to be on Doryx but i can't afford it. My ma already spent 414 dollars in all on the other meds. Ill give it more time, BUT LIFE SUCKS BT!
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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.
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BrokenPorEcelain
December 7, 2016
How long about did it take for your skin to go back to normal?
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November 23, 2007

Pros:

NONE!!!

Cons:

Burns, Itches, Irritates, Redness, Sorness

This stuff sucks, it irritated my skin so bad when I got my eyebrows waxed it took off my skin, luckily I used Neosporin and it heeled up. My skin was so dry no moisturizer would work, not even vaseline. The funny thing about this whole thing is, my skin isnt sensitive at all!! I have tough skin.
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August 13, 2007

Pros:

none

Cons:

i don't have sensative skin and this still managed to make my face feel as if it were on fire. side effects were terrible terrible acne every i applied it. even if u accidently rub some on where there wasn't any acne, a new pimple would rise there

gave many blackheads on my cheeks where there never was any. ever. everytime i would work out, my face got soooo red it was ridiculous. there is no way i was going to stick with it. i am goin to try accutane in a couple weeks n hope that will work. i read isotretinoin is the only effective wa to treat bad cystic, nodule acne. while on it it can also get rid of acne you have any where else on your body.
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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