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Side Effects
Tretinoin is a vitamin A derivative called a topical retinoid. It helps clear acne by promoting skin cell turnover.
Tretinoin is usually applied once a day around bedtime.
Used Tretinoin? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
August 14, 2011
Cons:
Skin gets used to it.
I started using Retin-A Micro prescribed by my dermatologist, saw results the first week, I applied it every night, and noticed my skin looked healthy, glowy & very soft. I breakout mostly on my cheeks not so much on my forehead and chin, when i do its those little skintone bumps that goes away with a gentle scrub.. but on my cheeks I get the annoying red ones that take forever to come to the surface, the Retin-A, helped bring those stubborn ones out then I used clindamycin in the morning.. the only thing with it is that I think our skin gets used to products & we stop seeing results; so I recommend that you use it one week straight, then change it to every other day, it should help
& good luck ;))
November 10, 2010
Pros:
I know this medicine works for some people, but it really did nothing for me. Even though I applied the product consistently and waited more than the typical 3 months before quitting, I saw no improvement and my skin was much worse than before.
Cons:
Acne worsened, at the rate my skin was deteriorating I was afraid it would become severe. I was even beginning to get cysts.
Skin started scarring towards month 4.
Skin had an oily, weird texture.
Hypersensitivity to the sun.
I know this medication works for some people, but I am only rating its effects on me. I feel that Tretinoin can be an effective acne treatment, but it's not for everyone and should only be considered as a last resort (or maybe second to last if you count accutane). I got a six-month supply for $50 and had very high hopes for the treatment but ended up quitting around the third week of month 4. Around the middle of month 3 I started getting at least one painful lesion a day, and my acne was the worst it had been in my life. At month 4 I realized that indented scars were forming and stopped using Tretinoin. I should have quit around month 3, but I pressed on in hopes of the magic clearing I kept hearing about in reviews. It never happened for me, Once I gave up, I got on birth control I ordered one of every product sold on acne.org. It was more expensive than the prescription medicine, but it helped in no time. In a little less than a month I'm down to <10 pimples (and they're tiny ones!), and Dan's AHA is fading my red marks fast. Birth control has never cleared me completely, but with Dan's regimen the results are astounding! I urge you to do yourself the favor and try less damaging products before attempting to endure the hell that is Tretinoin's initial breakout. I wish I had!
September 30, 2010
Pros:
Only *slightly* irritates skin, it's nothing compared to other meds. No peeling.
Cons:
Leaves kind of a greasy sheen in the morning
Requires only a dab, goes on *so* much quicker than Dan's BP regimen. Felt like I got my nights and mornings back.
Have been breaking out for 3 months now
Brief history: on Accutane 2x, then Dan's Regimen which worked mostly consistently but I ran into issues when I was dealing with perioral dermatitis (on Oracea for that). Derm told me to stop the BP and put me on the Atralin version of Tretinoin. I've been on Atralin for 12 weeks now, and I think my skin is the worst it has been since I was a teenager before my first round of Accutane. I have tiny bumps on my forehead, down by my temples, blackheads on my nose, tiny bumps all on my cheeks, and my chin continues to get these postules that popup (assuming that's the perioral dermatitis but it's so hard to tell for sure). The only thing I don't actually have - for the most part - is the big inflamed cystic type acne. In general my skin just feels terribly textured - when I wash all I feel is bumps *everywhere*. Just when I think it can't get worse, it does. The bumps start forming into real zits, or it spreads to a part of my face which used to be clear. Based on what i've heard, this sounds par for the course for Tretinoin - it brings everything for the surface. What I'm wondering though, is will this end? I've read many reviews and commentary on this medication saying stick out the 3-4 months, suddenly you'll see a clearing. I was hoping that at month 12 I'd see improvement but I seem to be at my worse. It's so hard to continue on with something that is so discouraging. The only reason I'm going to stick it out another 4-6 weeks (maybe more?) is because if I do stop then at least I don't have to always wonder if the issue was that I just didn't stick it out a lot. I've heard reviews of people who say this med doesn't work but they have stopped before the allotted time -- what I'm curious is if anyone has experience with this medication that has been on it for 5-6+ months and *didn't* see worth it results? If anyone has thoughts or is going through this same process, would love
August 26, 2010
Pros:
clears up most acne
makes skin softer
lasts a long time
Cons:
makes face red
takes a long time to work
doesnt help with oilyness
i have moderate acne and was prescribed retin-a micro .04% about 3 months ago. it made me peel the first 2 weeks or so and then my face was just oily. it took 2 months to start seeing results. it helped clear up most of my acne, but i still broke out every once in a while. i would recommend this for people that dont have sensitive skin, because it will just make your face red. also, use the highest concentration available, because im sure i wouldve cleared up completely if i upped the concentration to .1%. but it made my face too red and didnt help with the oilyness, so i switched to the regimen yesterday. just stick it out for 3 months and it will work for you, but it may make your face red
November 13, 2009
Pros:
clears my skin really fast
Cons:
very ard ,flacky ,itchy skin after a few uses
ive been using this product for about a week .It burns a little but it eventually goes away. My skin started to clear up the 2nd day of use. Now on the 6th day my face is getting more pimples. This is because it terminates by lifting them out. Dont pick at your face while using this product . It may leave tragic scars
October 10, 2009
I've been using it for about 8 months, and at first it was awful, then began to clear, now I think I still have about a million comedones... wtf?
September 30, 2009
Pros:
It cleared up my skin in the beinning. I think I am in thr breakout stage now though.
Cons:
Makes skin really dry and oily. If you don't use lotion, it will be really bad. Right now my skin is a lot worse then when I started using it.
I am going to keep using it because I know it usually takes about 2-3 months to work. Hopefully my skin will improve! Because right now my skin is dry, oily, and pretty bad. I read lots of reviews before using it, and decided to try it. It will take a while but don't give up on it.
September 19, 2009
Pros:
Haven't seen any yet.
Cons:
Hasn't started to work yet after three weeks. All it has done for my skin has made it very oily through the night and then in the morning after I wash it it becomes dry and peels when I want to but my makeup on.
I hope it starts to work I will keep on trying.
August 14, 2009
Pros:
-Did clear up eventually
-Helped me for a year
-Skin was smoothe
Cons:
-Made my skin sooooo oily and dry at the same time
-Eventually stopped working
-Expensive
I started using the atralin, trentoin gel in october of last year. I had really bad skin, and really wanted this to work. For the first 1.5 months , my skin was TERRIBLE. like peeling and red and scabby and not any amount of makeup would cover it up. Then, until about april, my skin was on and off. Sometimes it would look great and other times it would be terrible. Then, from april through mid june my skin was GREAT! I had barely any zitds, but i still had to wear a lot of foundation because it left my skin blotchy and uneven. Then sadly, by the end of june, it seemed to stop working. I started breaking out pretty bad and my skin was oily ontop, and i was not happy. I was also on the Klaron gel, and doxycylcine, ad i think they all just stopped working. So, i went off everything, and switched to carleys clear and smooth, and im starting to see my skin improve! But people out there on retin-a, give it time, and it will work, but eventually its gonna stop, but its good for a year or so!
August 12, 2009
Pros:
Left my skin smoother and more even toned. Blemishes heal quickly, in 1 or 2 days as opposed to 1 or 2 weeks. Blackheads came flying out of my face during week 2. No blackheads at 6 weeks.
Cons:
At 6 weeks, I have just developed 3 large pimples- 1 on my cheek, 1 on my jaw and 1 between my eyebrows. I heard at 6 weeks you may break out more, but then it's meant to clear. Week 1 my skin was dry, at week 4 oily, now at week 6 dry again!
It works. My skin has been all over the place from dry to oily from clear to break outs in the six weeks I've been using it. Over all, my skin is so smooth, looks much less blotchy, I have zero blackheads, there is an all over rosy glow to my fair skin, and dark marks from old pimples are fading fast. I initially had mild acne in that I only had 1 or 2 pimples a month, but they were big ones. When I started to get deep cyst acne on my jaw, I saw my doctor. Since starting generic Tretinoin .1%, I have had just one pimple there. I have confidence my skin will look amazing with continued use. Finally! After years of skin issues, clear skin! Stick with it. If you skin gets irritated, use it every other day.
Pros:
Skin feels smoother
Gives it a nice glow
Helps the active pimples go away faster