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
April 17, 2011
Cons:
dries skin
cause alot of flaking amd irritation
causes an initial break out
i have had bacne since i was 12 it was disgusting and finally a few years later i went to my regualr doctor who prescribed tazorac along with cleotcin phosphate 1% lotion i used one in the morning and one at night in the begininng it cause a horrible outbreak but within 2 weeks it totally cleared up but i added neutrogena acne body wash whatever its called as a claner which totaly worked but now i have mild acne scars
March 20, 2011
Pros:
-smoother skin
-smaller pores
-softer skin
-clears up larger pimples
Cons:
-extremely dry and flaky skin within the first two weeks.
- some redness
- breakouts get worse in the beginning.
- greasy and oily
- expensive without insurance
I had acne since I was 12 years old, and now that I'm 25 its not nearly as bad but I have a lot of white heads and the occasional pimple here and there. I used many products and next to NeoBenz Micro this is my favorite by far. It made my skin extremely dry and flaky which was to be expected, especially my nose, chin and above the eyebrows. But after about a week or so my skin started looking shiny and greasy. Just another reason why I didn't use moisturizer. I also had some redness around the nose. After the flaking stoped my acne got worse and I almost gave up, dropping the tube into the drawer with the rest of failing acne medications.
I've been using a pea sized amount for a month now. After washing and applying CeraVe I wait about 15 minutes before I apply Tazorac. I also only use it at night.
It has helped my skin tremendously. I don't have breakouts or redness anymore. My skin looks even, and the redness is gone as well. I occasionally have a white head here and there but its invisible I can only feel it when I touch my skin.
You really have to wait it out. Be patient and give it some time to work wonders. Also always apply moisturizer, even if your skin looks greasy!
Another thing that might have helped clean my skin is a Colon cleanse. I used Dr. Natura's Colonix. Besides acne I also suffer from Eczema. I finally did a colon cleanse and it helped my Eczema a lot. Maybe it helped my acne as well.
February 1, 2011
Pros:
clears all pimples and majority of small cysts
leaves skin clear as long as you keep up with regimen. I went about a month without a cyst with Tazorac it is AMAZING
Cons:
Dry flakes/redness (use aveeno ultra calming its amazing trust me)
Sensitive to sun
Takes a long time. Probably 12-14 weeks but its better then accutane.
Doesnt reduce redness in scarring
Its really awesome but once you stop i... it will come back. DONT BE LAZY WITH THIS MEDICATION. I stopped for a week because I thought it was all gone and it almost came all back. BTW with this medication I use cetaphil gentle skin cleanser/ aveeno ultra calming cream/ and monodox to reduce swelling and redness.
October 16, 2010
Pros:
works fast
feels good-skin feels clean and fresh
brightens skin
clears up acne
if you miss a day, your acne doesn't come back full force
if you stop using it, the acne that comes back isn't nearly as bad.
Cons:
can make acne worse if not used properly
drying if not used properly
if used correctly, NONE! :)
Basically, make sure you use this right. I used a .05% gel. my dermatologist prescribed me the wash and gel and didn't tell me how to properly use it. I did my own research through medical journals (Hours and hours of research) I wash my face with a 3% benzoyl peroxide prescription cream wash, letting that touch my skin for about 10 sec. then i put on a HEAVY cream. Eucerin mosturizing cream. Right after i wash. its not oil free. YOU HAVE TO USE VERY HEAVY CREAMS!!! not that dandy oil-free stuff. no. I have INSANELY oily skin. but I use a heavy cream. because by the time your oil is produced, there's no water to lock in if you use prescription medication. it just lies on top of your skin doing nothing. letting your skin dry out only makes the acne worse. the way this works is by increasing cell turn over so that you have new fresh skin and your skin repairs its-self. the benzoyl peroxide wash helps create an enviornment (by oxidizing your face) in which bacteria can't live. that being said, most research shows that in order to minimize irritation and dryness, this is best used twice a day with short periods of contact. (this is called short contact therapy and you should work up to twice a day). between 30 sec. to 15 min. I do about 15 min. two times a day. after you wash your face and moisturize, apply the gel all over your face. (even the parts without acne). ONLY a PEA-sized amount. Leave on for 30 sec. to 15 min (when you start out go only about 30 sec. to a min). then RINSE off. with WATER only. pat dry. and apply a sunscreen moisturizer. Eucerin everyday facial moisturizer worked the best. the reason you can use a light moisturizer (instead of the heavy cream) in this step is that the cream won't really come off when you rinse. this will make your face bright and new looking. I've gotten SO MANY COMPLIMENTS on my skin. It looks Gorgeous. Its texture and color and the way it GLOWS. it doesn't take long for results to show. seriously. a week or two fo
September 3, 2010
Pros:
Clears acne, non-drying
Cons:
If used without a moisturizer, can burn skin or crack skin deeply enough to cause bleeding. Using without a moisturizer can lead to excessive flaking and burning. One must avoid excessive exposure to sunlight when using Tazorac.
Initially, upon using this, I used too much, with no moisturizer. This led to cracking my skin deeply enough to cause bleeding, as well as excessive flaking of my skin. If excessively exposed to sunlight, this can cause burning and very deep peeling. For me, the peeling was so deep, there was a very visible difference between non Tazorac treated skin and treated skin. However, after letting my skin heal and going back to retinols and other products used to promote skin cell turnover, I began using Tazorac on my cheeks, as it caused my forehead to breakout for some off reason. On my cheeks, when used over an Obagi moisturizer, it worked wonders! My cheeks felt smooth and hyperpigmentation marks began to lighten. My skin felt like new baby skin. I say felt because for a month, I have been having very strange breakouts and no longer have the beautiful skin - on my cheeks - Tazorac helped create.
August 28, 2010
Pros:
-makes skin peel like crazy
-sloughs away PIH
-evens skintone
-gets rid of acne
-reduces pore size
Cons:
-dry, scaly skin (especially when used in conjunction with other drying agents)
-sensitive skin, esp. when just starting the medication
-very expensive, even with insurance
I love this stuff! I started off on tretinoin 0.025%, then graduated to tazorac 0.05%. It has done wonders for my skin. My post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is 95% gone (and it was really bad); I am African-American, and we are more prone to PIH because we have more melanin in our skin. I use this in conjunction with Dan's BP in the morning. I did experience a bad purging in the beginning with tretinoin, but that's pretty common with retinoids. I still gets whiteheads every now and then, but they are tiny and resolve quickly. Here is my skincare routine:
AM - wet face, rub off scaly skin, wash with PanOxyl 10% BP (with a drop of pure tea tree oil mixed in), apply Neutrogena alcohol-free toner on a cotton ball, apply Purpose moisturizer to eyelids and undereye area, apply Dan's BP, let it dry then apply Neutrogena Healthy Face lotion to the rest of my face (you cannot apply the Purpose moisturizer on top of Dan's BP beause it piles), apply Bare Minerals foundation PM - remove makeup with extra virgin olive oil, wash with PanOxyl facewash (with a drop of tea tree oil), tone with Neutrogena, apply tazorac (no moisturizer) Ladies, I can say that I am just about comfortable without any makeup on. In the next few weeks, all the PIH will disappear, and I will ditch the foundation (reserving it for special occasions); this is something I never could have said before taz! Phew, this is a long review, but I hope it helps someone in the fight against acne :) Questions? Email me at theillestfemale@[link removed]
August 22, 2010
Pros:
Clears up 99% of acne!
Cons:
You have to frequently use moisturizer because it dries your skin out.
I had very persistent acne and this worked for me when no other product did.
August 16, 2010
Pros:
- Heals Acne
- Overtime (many months or so >.>) it also helps fade away acne scars
Cons:
- leaves weird filmly residue on face
- freakin expensive
I've been using tazorac in conjunction with the antibiotic minocycline for a solid 4 months at least Every Night..Ugh Mildly mind numbing routine? Yes. Worth it? Hell Yes. I had moderately severe acne in gr. 9 - 11. I had mostly huge cysts that couldnt go away...I got called Rudolph several times when I had a giant one on my nose, I couldve sworn it was a boil instead >.>
But after several months have passed, I have nearly no acne at all (i still get acne here and there, usually gone by the next day though) . Just the post-pigmentation that was left behind, but luckily that's starting to fade away too =)
I've heard people say that their own skin peeled and have experienced pain while using tazorac. Personally, I've had no terrible experiences myself and I have pretty sensitive skin. Also I recommend those who want a faster healing process for post pigmentation to try an aspirin mask at least once a week, I find that it helps a Whole lot =D you can find many different recipes online if you just google "aspirin mask". Also, for people with oily skin and can't seem to find the correct cleanser (trust me, i know how THAT's Like >.>) I also HIGHLY recommend using OCM "Oil cleansing Method" You can also Google that up for recipes and information. it may sound disgusting but you really can't say anything until you try it right? =)
July 28, 2010
Pros:
-reduces acne over the period of about 2-3 months
-reduces scars like no other product i used
-tightens pores
-reduces pigmentation and any other imperfections
Cons:
-causes lots of redness and irritation if USED INCORRECTLLY!!!
-you will brake out and purge A LOT in the beggining months
-peeling (until skin adjusts to cream)
I'm an aesthetician who was suffering with acne and acne scarring for bout 3 years now. It is horrible to have acne overall but imagine giving people advices about their skin when your own looks like complete crap :) I tried everything, and when i say everything i mean EVERYTHING, all the over the counter products, proffesional-expensive products, microdermabrasion (for my scars when my acne was not active), chemical peels (glycolic, PCA, salycilic...) antibiotics which helped for the months that i was using and after stopping i went back to my "normal" face + the added problems with my stomach. This product is trully AMAZING!!! You will purge like crazy for the first couple of months, and to me, personally, thats better than stuffing everything back in with Proactiv and its just a matter of time when it all will come out. You have to use this cream/gel with moisturizer thats a must! You either need to dilute the product or apply moist. and apply tazorac after 15-30min, increase dossage sparinglly! I know, i know when you see something working you wanna bathe in that cream, but this product works in steps. Just when your skin starts to get used to dossage, increase it. Thats how you exfoliate the top layers of your skin revieling babys butt skin underneath. Use SPF, otherwise you will get pigmentation and be patiente, you will peel, you will brake out, you will probablly hate your skin during the first couple of months but it will be worth it in the long run :) use mild cleansers, because your skin will get more sensitive and DO NOT spot treat your pimples with this! My skin is looking about 80% better already , i have been useing it for about 3 months and i looove how wonderful my skin is looking! Listen to your DERMATOLOGIST, educated ones will tell you to not use it everyday, and how to do right dossage and after how many weeks to increase it. good luck!
June 25, 2010
Pros:
It clears up acne quickly and doesn't have a harsh odor. Plus it's inexpensive and a tube of it lasts for a few months.
Cons:
Skin becomes red and irritated during the first week of application. Also, it makes your skin sensitive to winter conditions and sun exposure.
When I entered high school, I had moderate acne. To clear up the few blemishes I had, I went to my dermatologist and was prescribed Differin. In a few weeks my skin went from okay to horrid. I suddenly had cystic acne and painful zits all over my face. Entering my sophomore year of high school, my skin was awful! My self confidence went down the drain. I felt hideous and hopeless. During my junior year, with nothing left to lose, I visited my dermatologist again and was prescribed Tazorac Gel. In a matter of days, my skin cleared up in a snap! I stopped wearing make up and I started going out more. People started coming up to me in the halls and telling me how beautiful my skin looked. I love my skin! Tazorac has opened up a whole new world of confidence and hope for me. It might not work for everyone, but talk to your dermatologist and give it a try! Don't let your acne control your life.
Pros:
clears up acne after 2 weeks
use with cleoticin phosphate 1 percent lotion
and neutrogena acne body wash