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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April 13, 2012

Pros:

*Decreases oiliness, blackheads, and milia
*Strongest topical acne treatment out there
*FDA approved to reduce the appearance of wrinkles

Cons:

*Amount of time it takes to show a significant difference
*Skin eventually builds up an immunity to tazortene

I've read a lot of reviews on this website and I think the majority of them are unfair and irrelevant. I have been on Tazorac on and off since I was 13 years old, I am now 19. I have EXTREMELY oily skin that can take a lot harsh products with little to no sensitivity. Basically, I have been on Accutane and experienced no facial dryness (just perfection)! I am here to defend Tazorac because I'm getting the feeling that Tazorac was the wrong topical prescription for them. First of all, Tazorac is a very harsh treatment but if you actually took the time to do research on it, you would know that it is best to dilute it with a moisturizer. Also, if you are on the sensitive side, don't take it everyday! Every other day or every two days is fine! Tazorac has also worked wonders for my eye milia. My dermatologist recommended that I dilute my Tazorac with a rich eye cream, this has saved me money from buying a separate retinol eye treatment. Yes, Tazorac is an intense treatment. If you don't have oily skin, do not use it. If you do, it could be the right product for you. My only complaint is that the skin can eventually become immune to the effects of tazorac (after about 8-12 months). The solution with my skin was to integrate other medicated products into my regimen while on Tazorac. One time out of the 6 years I've been on Tazorac, I only used Tazorac and face wash as my regimen (after about 9 months I had quite a bit cystic breakouts). It's always good to take a break from Tazorac and use something else, once you go back on it everything will be good again after 1-2 months!
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April 9, 2012

Pros:

Gets rid of acne, leaves skin soft and helps to reduce acne scars

Cons:

VERY EXPENSIVE if not covered by your insurance, dry skin, stings, takes a while to work

I started using tazorac with benzaclyn and it's the first time since I got pregnant that I don't have a breakout for more than 4 weeks. The first couple of weeks were hard, my skin was very sensitive to the tratment and was red like a tomato. I felt like my face was burning. After 2 weeks feeling terrible, my face started to clear out. I got less breakouts every time and now I feel pretty. It takes time (I'm in month 4) but it works. Be patient
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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.
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March 17, 2012

Pros:

Acne clears up fast and usually stays away for a month.

Cons:

Peeling, itching, and dryness

I've been using this stuff for years and out of everything I've tried, tazorac was the only thing that helped. Since I've been using it for so long that after a while I can go a month without touching the stuff. My skin does peel at times and I know that's something a lot of people have a problem with but my docter said that your skin is suppose to do that. Bottom line-tazorac works.
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March 14, 2012

Pros:

May help people with more severe acne like cystic acne.

Cons:

Severe reaction to this product!! Severe dryness and irritation!! Made my skin peel and left me with open sores on my face!!

Not good for individuals with light to moderate acne. This is the topical form of Accutane.
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February 19, 2012

Pros:

Makes skin smooth, clears up existing acne, shrinks pores,gives skin a healthy glow

Cons:

Drys skin, inital breakout is horrible!

Ive had acne since the age of 14, i am now 41, ive tried everything and have even been on accutane twice in my lifetime. 12 years ago my derm perscribed me Retin-a 01% gel and it worked wonders but unfortunetly it stopped working, my derm has now given me Tazorac .05% cream which i have been using for 6 weeks and its working!!!! The inital break out in week 3 was aweful but knew i had to stick with it to see results and so far im happy with the results! Now into my 6th week my acne is calming down and my skin has a nice healthy glow. Tazorac will bring all the acne to the surface but i find that the pimples heal much faster. I use it at night only and havent used any moisturizer before applying it but i do however moisturize my face before applying my makeup in the morning. Seriously i never imagined having acne at my age and believe me when i say acne has taken its toll on me emotionally so im hoping that tazorac will keep working for me years to come. Good luck to everyone!
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February 8, 2012

Pros:

CLEARS BLACKHEADS
helps with pore size!

Cons:

drying !!!

I used Tazorac gel 0.05 for 1 month and my really SEVERE blackheads were almost all gone and my enlarged pores were also significantly reduced. However, my skin was really really dry and peeling. It even cracked because of all the dryness!!! Just juse a good cream with it to combat the flakes (like CeraVe).
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January 28, 2012

Pros:

CLEARS SKIN AFTER THREE MONTHS
MAKES COMPLEXION FLAWLESS
LIKE YOUR WEARING MAKE UP EXCEPT FOR PARTS THAT ARE PIGMENTED

Cons:

STOPS WORKING AFTER 9 MONTHS
PURGING PERIOD SUCKS
EXPENSIVE W/OUT INSURANCE
NO GENERIC

I LOVED THIS PRODUCT AS SOON AS IT FINALLY BEGAN TO WORK. MY DOC GAVE IT TO ME WHEN I HAD LIKE 4 HUGE I MEAN ENORMOUS CYSTS SEPT. 2010. THE CYSTS TOOK A COUPLE MONTHS TO CLEAR UP THEY WERE SO BAD BUT THE REST OF MY SKIN WAS REALLY NICE AFTER ABOUT A MONTH OF USING THE PRODUCT IN COMBINATION WITH ORAL ANTIBIOTIC AND CLINDYMAYCIN LOTION WHICH IS AN EXTERNAL ANTIBIOTIC. IT WORKED AMAZING FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS BUT THEN MY ACNE BEGAN TO FLARE UP GRADUALLY STARTING IN JULY 2011 AND BECAME MORE WORSE UNTIL I JUST ENTIRELY STOPPED USING IT IN OCTOBER 2011. I ALSO CHANGED MY FACE WASH FROM AVEENO TO MURAD BIGGEST MISTAKE WHICH COULD OF WORSENED MY ACNE TOO AT THE TIME OF SEPTEMBER 2011. IM DISAPPOINTED TAZORAC STOPPED WORKING. IF I DIDN'T LOSE MY INSURANCE I WOULD SWITCH TO .1% FROM .05% WHICH WAS THE TAZORAC I INITIALLY USED TO CLEAR UP. NATURALLY I BUILD TOLERANCE AND I WOULD DEFINITLY STAY WITH THIS BRAND IF I UPGRADED THE DOSAGE BUT RIGHT NOW I CANT
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January 26, 2012

Pros:

Teaches you patience, haha
It will work, trust in the Taz
Pimples go away quickly
Evens out your skin tone, fades post-acne marks
Gives you back freedom
Taz Effect, aka glow
Shrinks pores
Anti-aging over the long run

Cons:

Takes up to 12 weeks to see actual changes (so you can't just give up at week 7 because it's "not working"); you have to complete the 3 months to accurately assess if it's the right product for you.
Probably you will have the purging period. I have to be honest, it really sucks. I recommend sleeping a lot to help time pass faster. It lasted all the way until the 8th or 9th week for me because my pores were so clogged.
Dry, flaky skin, burnt sensation. At times hard to even smile!

Bottom line: Tazorac works for me. Today people at my work place said, "You're just glowing!" And I was not wearing any makeup. That's called the Taz Effect. But I went through hell to get here, I kid you not. My face was just littered with even more acne, whiteheads, blackheads, etc. during the purging period. It was so horrific that I couldn't even put on makeup. No amount will cover the bumpiness and might aggravate it, so I just stuck out the ugly phase...unfortunately for me, it was so much longer than I expected. And for you pickers, DO NOT PICK YOUR FACE ON THIS MEDICATION!! No really, get your picking under control and stop before you even start using Taz. The urge to pick will be very very strong when you're purging and waking up to multiple new uglies everyday. Go to [link removed] for support. Your skin is an organ and should be treated with respect. Think about it, do you go squeezing at your liver daily? There are so many reasons to stop picking, but especially important on retinoids because your skin is so thin. I've got a few scars to prove it, and hoping they'll fade more over time. I hate to sound dramatic, but Tazorac gave me my life back. To be able to live and focus on yourself and your happiness and enjoy life without giving a second thought to acne. To be one of those "normal" people without spots all over. It's simply amazing.
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January 18, 2012

Pros:

Smooth skin
Dries out new acne
Cleans pores
Easy to apply
Removes dead skin cells

Cons:

Intense burning and itching during first week
Leaves skin oily
Doesn't 100% prevent new acne
Does nothing for blackheads
Expensive without insurance

Been using this for 10 weeks. The first week I was on this topical was brutal. I wanted to quit, my skin was so sensitive. But I stuck with it and it's worked really well for my acne so far. However, I am on antibiotics(Doxycycline Hyclate) for my acne as well so I haven't experienced a horrible initial breakout like others. I do still breakout here and there but the pimples are very small and gone within a few days. It will make your skin really smooth. That's probably the best thing I've experienced so far. Still waiting for the hyper-pigmentation to fade but patience is a virtue. Highly recommend this product.
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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