Topical Retinoid
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Works about the same as the other two topical retinoids, tazarotene and adapalene, and lands in the middle of those two when it comes to side effects. Should provide partial clearing, but comes with sensitivity when you first start using it. It probably won’t be a total game changer but it should help reduce acne.
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 Tretinoin? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
January 12, 2012
Cons:
It takes a while for your skin to adjust to it
Peely Skin
Some redness
You HAVE to keep using it for a long time to get any permanent results (at least a year)
Makes you sensitive to the sun
Extremely expensive (Atralin)
I had fairly severe cystic acne that resulted in scarring over my entire face; chin, forehead and cheeks. This drastically improved the appearance of my skin as far as discoloration as well as texture, too.
January 5, 2012
Pros:
Making My Face Very Smooth
Maybe Making My Cysts Redness Smaller
Cons:
Takes Awhile I Guess
Redness
Okay so I been dealing with acne for about 2 years now and ever since football season from last year i've gotten it acne. First my acne was just bumps and stuff nothing really huge winter got worst then got better in the summer because i started to use proactive........little did i know this fall got horribly bad bad cysts and my both my checks are now to date red but there no more bumps on it. Its just like a flat red mark idk whats happening but i only been on retin-a 0.5% for about 3 weeks but my skin on the red marks are really smooth now idk if that a good sign just hoping for the best if any have any advice for me i would highly appreciate it ANYTHING!! All people with acne out there i know how you feel i'm always depress and dont even want to go in school looking like this :( so im hoping this will help if not then im on acctuane
January 1, 2012
Pros:
Acne 90% reduced
Smoother skin
Reduces scars
Cons:
Tough Initial breakout
Dryness (to be expected)
Flakiness
I began this treatment mid November, it is now Jan. 1. My acne was severe a year ago but has gone down with other treatments to a moderately severe type. I get cysts in three main areas of the face and regularly have 3-5 pustules on my face. Not to mention redness and scarring. My treatment is as follows: Apply Retin-A cream every night before bed and then follow with a moisturizer (Avene Clean-Ac). In the morning rinse with water plus apply moisturizer. Additionally receive dermabrasion once a month. In the first month I broke out severely, worse than what I looked like when I began the treatment. It is enough to make you doubt the medicine but stick with it! Now, on my second month, cystic acne is almost non-existent and skin is clearer than it has been in months. My skin is not as sensitive to the cream as others have posted. I find that applying a good amount (more than a pea) is very effective without causing irritation *for me*. I have zero pustules on my face (such a rare yet welcome change). I'm still in the early stages of treatment but so far so good. I'm hopping this will be my answer instead of having to go on accutane. I give this product 4 stars because I am still in the beginning stage of using it, but am happy so far. Best of luck to all~
December 23, 2011
Pros:
cleared skin quickly
made skin vibrant, and glowing
easy to use
reasonably priced (with discount card)
Cons:
takes 3 to 9 weeks for results to show
hard to come by
The first time i used Retin-A was over the summer, and the combination of the resulting dryness and the heat made my skin so oily, i wanted to stop using it.I constantly had to blot my face, and i felt that i was just covered in grime. Washing had little effect, as the oil came back in around 15 minutes. but, i kept at it, and the oiliness went away in the fall. I am unsure if this is related but if it is,then the weird side effect only applies for people who have combination/oily skin. eventually, i ran out and had to wait on my doctor to re-write my prescription. I got the retin-A, but i didn't use it for about 5 months because i felt i was fine without it.now i use it once in a while some for maintenance. note: i did get this as a prescription, and as a result it was covered by insurance. the original price was around $50-$60.
December 17, 2011
Pros:
-Works great for tzone with acne
Cons:
Red + hot face
indented marks
makes my pores look darker (or redder)
I have been using Retin-A .1% for a few months and it's been great, excluding the red and heated face. Chemical exfoliation may be a good thing if you can tolerate it. I used it every day and that was too much for my skin. I tried it once every couple of days and that seemed to make my skin look better (pores look less red). Key is to listen to how your skin will react.
December 14, 2011
Pros:
Cleared pores
Smoothed skin
Cons:
Oily! Oily! Oily!
Dry, but not flaky
Slight redness
This review is for Retin-a Micro 0.04% Microsphere. Name brand, not a generic. I used it for just under 8 weeks before switching to low-dose Accutane. Overall, I think this is a good product, but probably not for people who have oily skin. It made my skin much oilier than normal. I did not--I repeat, did not--have an initial breakout as others have experienced. I believe this was due primarily to the topical and oral antibiotic my dermatologist prescribed (i.e., clindamycin solution and oral amoxicillin, 500mg, 2x/day). So, if your dermatologist will agree, I suggest concomitant antibiotics, at least for the first month of using Retin-a Micro (assuming antibiotics work for you). I used only a pea sized amount as recommended, which lightly covered my forehead, upper cheeks, nose, philtrum area, and chin. I could not cover my lower cheeks, but I have never really broken out there. Bottom line, my skin had never been smoother. But, it had never been oilier either. Please keep in mind that this is just my experience and there are definite individual differences in any acne product's effectiveness.
December 13, 2011
Pros:
Clear acne, prevent breakouts, get rid of old, dead skin and stimulate new growth (hence younger looking skin and glow), improve skin tone and texture, quickly fade dark spots and scars caused by post-acne hyperpigmentation
Cons:
Dry, redness, peeling
No matter your acne problem, it's at least worth a try. The version I use has added antibiotics. I use it inconsistently (the whole face) and for spot treatment as needed. For light to moderate acne or sensitive skin, start with no more than 0.05 and don't overuse it. More effective than Proactive.
December 12, 2011
Pros:
Extremely smooth skin
Lessened breakouts dramatically
Easy and cheap, its very easy to remember putting it on every night
Helped smooth out scars
Great texture, evens out complexion
A little boost in confidence :]
Cons:
Some peeling, but not really dramatic (just rinse your face with warm water)
Noticeable redness on some days
Have to avoid daytime(although I already did so)
Doesn't get rid of occasional breakouts
Im a 20 year old male college student. I finally decided to stick with this because I had absolutely nowhere else to go. My insecurity was turning me into someone I didn't like. I dont have insurance or money for peels and treatments. I bought this online for about $80, 0.5% then increased to .1% and now I'm at .025%. I went to my university clinic where I got a free consultation. I started using it in June. So, about 6 months. It took a while to work but I have seen noticeable improvement. My skin is more radiant and less worked up and pale. It has lessened breakouts on my cheeks dramatically, which is great because my cheeks are my worst are by far. Very scarry and red. My skin feels great when I slide my hands over them. Which brings me to my only dislike. Many of my red marks and PIH are still there. They feels smooth when I touch them. But theyre still very noticeable. This product has had a hard time getting rid of my marks. I use st.ives apricot scrub and then apply the gel at night. I also use a tinted moisturizer with spf30 which really helps my skin look better. I am European white so it's a tough thing to deal with.I feel like I'm cheating the process but it's honestly something you should look into. I'm thinking of buying glycolic peels online and hoping this will take care of it. But I'm going to keep using this gel for a couple more months until the summer, and hopefully combining this regimen with peels. Thank you to everyone that posted positive reviews and helping me stick with it!
November 27, 2011
Pros:
-did a good job of clearing up acne on my chin
-smooths out the texture of your skin, smaller pores
-didn't dry out my skin
-no initial breakout
-one prescription lasted me more than 6months
Cons:
-occasional redness/irritation
-didn't clear up my skin 100%, but I'm still happy with the major improvement
I have been taking Atralin once daily, before bed, for over 6 months now. This gel is very gentle and has never made my skin flaky. Started seeing results in about 2 weeks, but eventually the improvement started to level off, and my skin still gets pimples here and there. Overall Atralin made a big difference in the appearance of my skin and I would recommend it to anyone. Also, with Atralin i would not be afraid of an initial breakout. I never had one and if you start using a small amount, it is very gentle.
November 27, 2011
Product used: Atralin (Tretinoin (.05%) Gel)
Pros:
-helped clear up moderate acne
-not very irritating
-smoothed out skin texture
-didn't make skin dry
Cons:
-never cleared up my skin 100%
-sometimes makes my skin look greasy
-occasional redness
Was prescribed Atralin along with Acanya, a antibiotic. Acne on my chin/jaw area got a lot better with the two. Did not experience an initial breakout, probably because the product is very gentle. Started to see results in 2 or 3 weeks. I have been using it for nearly 6 months and it doesn't seem to be as effective, but my skin is still MUCH better than when I started it. Now I feel comfortable with my skin
Pros:
Chemical exfoliant, meaning healthier looking skin after a certain time period
Helps to fade scars
Proven to be one of the only true anti aging products (scientifically, at least)
Boosts collagen production which helps wrinkles, and very faint pit scars.