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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
June 25, 2009
Cons:
dry skin, abrasive at first
Very effective after long use. I've been using Retin-A .025 for approximately 4 weeks now- the first 2-3 weeks were rough times, my face was terribly sore, irritated, very flaky.. However it has made such a difference now! Please stick with it, it will help!
June 20, 2009
Pros:
clears up skin, lightens acne scars, doesn't dry out your skin if you know how to apply it properly
Cons:
Makes you very sensitive to heat, peeling the first few days, cannot put moisturizer on after use
DO NOT WAX IF YOU USE THIS CREAM! I am warning you. I was on this product for a couple of weeks and was delighted because it was actually working and went to go get my eyebrows/upper lip waxed and it melted my skin right off and the wax was not any hotter then normal. Severe pain + melted/painful skin for the next five days. I immediately stopped using it & am now on BenzaClin [again]. If you are going to use this product stay away from waxing & do not spend any long amount of time in the sun. It's such a shame too because this was actually working for me when nothing else has for the past year.
June 16, 2009
Pros:
Started clearing acne
Cons:
Dryness,peeling,More breakouts in the intial stages of treatment
I had been using this product from the past 1 month and saw bitter results at the start.Was so worried that i rushed 2 my doc complaining about the medication as it made my acne worse.She then prescribed the Isotretinoin tablets to me along with the running medication.My skin is yet to clear completely but could see some signs of improvement.Worth giving it a try but need to be very patient while using this product.Lemme write a review after i complete 3 months of this medication just to let u fellaws know how this product is.
May 29, 2009
Pros:
Inexpensive, Easy to use
Cons:
Initial breakout, some dryness and peeling
I used my retin-a about a year ago and couldn't handle the initial breakout so I quit using it and went back to a benzoil peroxide wash. My skin wasn't getting any better so I started a course of Accutane. It was absolute hell for 5 months. I had never been that dry, but it cleared by face up wonderfully. I would recommend it to anyone...but back to the retin-a. A few months after I finished my accutane I started getting a few mild breakouts so I got out my tube of retin-a that I had left. My initial breakout was the worste since my accutane treatment, but my skin is now looking a lot better and smoother. It really does just take a lot of time. You can't be impatient. Both accutane and retin-a both take TIME. You just have to know that it will get better eventually.
May 28, 2009
Pros:
I have tired everything on the market !!!!! Retin A is that best thing out there for acne drys out ur pimples and even getds ride of blackheads
Cons:
makes your face a little red at times and dry use a good cream on your face to help the dryness and u could use it every other night to lessin bad side effects
WORKS
May 26, 2009
Pros:
Scars starting to lighten
Cons:
More pimples, peeling.
I have used this product for 2 weeks now and it's workign pretty well. Right now, I'm seeing my scars lighten up and that's a good thing. I have peeling right after I wash my face. It's around my mouth and my nose. I can deal with it though. Sometimes, you have to make sacrifices to get things perfect. I think if I stick to this and deal with the new break out then I'll get clear skin soon. I will come back and post in 4 weeks from now to tell you guys what's going on :)
May 6, 2009
Pros:
Starts working quickly to get rid of blackheads and other types of spots-have had no cystic or sore spots while using it. Also makes the skin appear really smooth.
Cons:
Skin seems to be much oilier and very itchy. Little whitehead pimples appear in place of previous type spots.
For the first few months I thought this product was the best thing ever. My skin was a little drier than usual and the 'purging' phase was not half as bad as people have made out (I had it for months before I actually used it because of this fear!).
However after 7 months my skin is still itchy. The Retin A has done nothing for the oilyness. The little whitehead pimples still appear and I still seem to be getting blackheads. I don't understand why it's stopped working so well...I am now going to try Duac Gel in conjunction with Retin A.
May 4, 2009
Pros:
reduces lines and pore size, even complextion, clearer skin.
Cons:
When you minimize the usage, and use it again out of the blue, it causes a shiny face and evokes breakouts. Less time in the sun. :(
I've been using Retin A Micro for close to two years now. I wrote a review when I first started using it on July 17th 2007. At first I hated it, but it takes time to purge your skin. I stuck to it. I did, however, eliminate the sulfer wash and Doryx after a few weeks. I felt like the Doryx pills caused body acne, which I did not have initially and the sulfer wash was irritable to my skin. I opted for cetaphil face wash instead. I lightly pat the retin A on my skin and in the morning I wash it off with the cetaphil again. I find that my complextion and fine lines are freshly evened away. I also treat my black heads with rubbing green tea bags on my face and I spot treat with Burts Bees Tea Tree oil blemish stick. Simplicity is key. I think the worst thing you can do is over treat your skin out of frustration. In my experience, all treatments cause a few months of break outs, if you can fight through those moments you'll be one step closer to finding out what works best for you.
April 3, 2009
Pros:
There are no pros! Not for me anyways.... :(
Cons:
Made my occasional breakouts turn into horrible painful acne and it's expensive.
I started using this to help with the few small blemishes I would get every now and then. Also for fine lines and wrinkles. Im only 26 but I've heard the younger you start the better so I was all for it. I didn't actually start breaking out until like the third week. It was horrible. I mean I didn't want to leave the house but like so many others I stuck with it because thats what the derm said. By the way I am an Esthetician and deal with skin on a daily basis. I developed the worst acne around my chin and jawline. Two places that I never even broke out at before. Anyways I kept up with it for months and my skin never got any better. I agree with the people that say DON'T use it. I just couldn't stand it anymore. My skin has gotten much better since I quit using it and I will never use it again.
March 30, 2009
Pros:
Exfoliates rapidly.
Cons:
Redness, dryness, peeling, cannot wear makeup because it increases visibility of flakiness, sensitivity to sunlight and cold, makes breakouts worse for weeks and weeks, skin tender, cannot use benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vit. A or retinol.
My dermatologist prescribed .025% tretinoin and told me to gradually work my way up to using it 2/3 times per week. I followed her instructions and after 7 weeks I could not even use it twice a week without having massive peeling. My breakouts increased rapidly, as warned, and they did heal within one or two days, BUT every place I broke out has remained very red for several weeks. It has been very frustrating and my confidence is shattered. I know most people say you have to stick with it but I cannot any longer. I am going back to using Proactiv because it is the only thing that has worked for the most part. Retin-a only tackles one aspect of acne: sloughing of dead skin cells. I feel that in order to battle acne you must take care of all the factors; oil, dead skin that clogs pores, and bacteria.
Pros:
inexpensive, effective