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:

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June 30, 2011

Pros:

The can looks cool.
Cleared up some acne.

Cons:

Very greasy, made my skin very red, did clear up the acne though.

It may clear some acne but it makes your skin very red and greasy.
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June 8, 2011

Pros:

-not sure

Cons:

-worst initial breakout!!
-more acne scars
-takes forever to work
-dry skin
-sun sensitive

my doctor gave me this medicine along with an antibiotic and so far i have been on this for 9 weeks!! And i still have about 20 active pimples and a bunch of acne scars. i am still waiting for tht day i wake up and my face is clear. the first week i went on this medicine my face started to breakout (before that i was on taz .05 for the whole 3 months) then after that i just kept breaking out. after about 6 weeks my horrible breakout finally stopped but pimples still kept on coming. i dont think i would recommend tazorac .1% to anyone because it takes so long to work and u cant go to the beach without having to wear a hat and alot of suncreen! i seriously think there is better treatments out there. i seriously think my acne became worse with this medicine. 2 months is way to long for me to not be able to go out and be able to have fun liike i used to. well anyways i have 3 more weeks left and hopefully it would finally work!!
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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.
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December 6, 2009

Pros:

It helped with my oily skin.

Cons:

The first week, my acne blew up so bad! I applied an oil free cream before I applied the tazorac. I have been using it for 3 and a half weeks, and my acne is really blad. I woke up with 6 cystic pimples in a place I never get them.

I know this product will work, but you just have to be patient
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October 26, 2009

Pros:

Effective

Cons:

Side Effects

I have been on Tazorac for about a year now. The first 2 or 3 months were brutal ... Not a pimple in site, but my skin was red, peeling, and the constant burning brought me to tears. Sound familiar? To combat the dryness my doctor prescribed Clindamycin Phosphate Topical Lotion (1%). Within a week the redness, dryness, and peeling were gone. I use the Clindamycin every morning and in the evening I use the Clindamycin, wait 15 minutes, and apply the Tazorac. My skin is finally flawless.
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February 25, 2009

Pros:

Smoothing of skin, less whiteheads, heals popped blemishes faster.

Cons:

Initial breakout, dryness, some peeling. (Small price to pay for clear skin.)

MY STORY: 17, had acne since I was 12. Got sick of having to wear foundation to cover up my skin while most girls ran around with pretty, clear faces. I get blackheads on my nose and chin, whiteheads and little bumps along my cheeks and jawline, occasional whiteheads on my forehead. Went to my derm a year ago and he gave me samples to try. Gave up when I got the initial breakout. I struggled with various drugstore washes, treatments, scrubs and Proactive, I found my Taz samples and tried again. *** Anyone who has used Taz less than a month SHOULD NOT BE REVIEWING TAZ! Every night since one month ago I've been putting on Tazorac. The first two weeks were frustrating as Taz did it's job bringing all those under-the-skin clogged pores to surface. Taz healed those pimples I popped quickly and now I only have scars that are fading. Morning: Clean & Clear Morning Burst Scrub. Evening: Clearasil Wash & Lotion, then after face is fully dry, Taz. IT WORKS! Keep using
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August 20, 2015
LOVE IT
I was on Differin for 6 weeks and still having breakouts reaaaally bad. The day i started using tazorac (8/10/15) i had two or three cyst-like pimples and a few other random bumps... No lie i used it that night and the next morning my face was 75% clearer. Now, i only have a couple tiny bumps that are not visible and I haven't had a single new breakout!! This is a winner!!! Other Products being used: Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit acne scrub at night and in the AM I alternate Cetaphil oil controlling foam wash and the neutrogena pink grapefruit acne foaming wash using my clarisonic, neitrogena toner, glycolic acid pad, & Onexton (Benzoyl Peroxide) My skin is oily and i had already been using Differin for 6 weeks, so I didn't experience any dryness or peeling.
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July 6, 2014
Curse in a bottle
So I have always had bad acne but never any whiteheads anywhere just crazy blackheads and many of them all over my face, neck, chest and back. My doctor told me that tazorac had less side effects than retin a so I decided what more do I have to lose because my face is already disgusting. Unlike everyone else I did not experience the initial purging at all. In fact it all cleared up within a week. As weeks went on, it would progressively get worse and worse and in places that I have never ever had gotten acne in my life. And they were mostly pussy gross whiteheads. They hurt, they were big, and out if the ordinary. I am currently on week five of this medication and to make matters worse I am starting to get scaring like crazy. My chest, neck and face have never looked worse in my life. I am told to keep using it but I'm afraid that it will leave terrible long term effects. I would not recommended this at all, i don't ever go out because makeup doesn't even cover it and I am depressed and withdrawn from everything. Save yourself the depression and just go on accutane if you can, those are my future plans and my last glimmer of hope.
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October 29, 2012

Pros:

Clears Skin
soft skin

Cons:

very sensitive to the sun
leaves minor scars
didnt do too much for blackheads
skin is somewhat oily

the bottom line is this stuff works. I had moderate to moderately severe acne. I had first surfaced in 8th grade when i was 13. It wasn't too bad until I hit my sophomore year. I had it spread out on forehead, neck, cheeks, chin, and back. I also had a lot of blackheads all over my nose. For a while, the only treatment i used what over the counter topical medicines such as proactiv or clean and clear. None of them seemed to work and really tried out my skin. My junior year, my acne had gotten pretty bad, so my mom took me to a doctor and he prescribed tazorac cream 0.1 along with the antibiotic, doxycycline. This was last December when i started. I would wake up take a shower to open up my pores. Right after the shower i would apply cetaphil moisturizer all over my face, directly followed by an application of tazorac all over my face (whether there was acne there or not). My face would feel very greasy right after this. I would also take one pill in the morning and one at night of the doxycycline. For the first couple of months, my face severly burned and itched. This sensation was lessened due to the moisturizer. I went through a "purging period," where I would have new pimples everyday all over my face. Thankfully, they would never stay too long. I expected this to happen, having been a reader of a lot of reviews, so I was not discouraged and continued to use this medication daily. After about 3 or 4 months, I noticed a severe decrease in acne. I stopped using the moisturizer at this time also because my skin had become used to the properties of tazorac and would not burn or itch anymore. It has been almost a year now and my face has never looked better in these last couple of years. There are usually one or two very small little zits but I dont mind them and they are barely noticeable. The only downside is that my blackheads are still present on my nose. Also, my face is always somewhat red, so i decided to start using sunscreen.
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May 4, 2012

Pros:

Dramatically clears up your whole face

Cons:

purging period
redness
skin tightness
dryness
face becomes painful for a whille

I started using this product when I was 15 years old, I am now 24 and still use it every night. This is the only rx that has worked for me. I originally had horrible severe breakouts with very extreme hyperpigmentation all over my face. When I started using this rx I can remember my skin being very red, irritated and dry. After about 3-4 months I realized 90% of my acne and hyperpigmentation was gone. After 9 years of using it I still have 100% flawless skin. People have complimented my skin saying it's so clear and that it has a healthy glow to it. I would recommend that you stick with the medication for up to 4-5 months before giving up. The medication is also used for wrinkles so its a 2 in one!
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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.

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.