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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
December 27, 2008
Cons:
Makes everything 10x worse. Every single little red mark/bump will come to the surface. I used the medication properly, increasing the dosage as I went for 3 months. I saw results, except that it turned me into a red tomato with ZITS all over.
I understand that the medication works by renewing the skins cells so your skin gets worse, but after 3 months of .1% it just wasnt worth it and I went off it. I never had sensitive skin, like I could pretty much use any product and never have dry/sensitive skin but this prodcut made my face BURN. The irritation is terrible. Now im on doxycyline 200mg and benzaclin to clear up this mess, and my skin is doing SOOO much better off this medication.
December 25, 2008
Pros:
Clears skin, controls acne, fades scars and red marks very nicely
Cons:
Can sting when you put it in, smells weird, can make you break out
I've been using Duac in the morning and Retin-A Micro (gel pump) at night for 2-3 months now. My redmarks and scars have faded nicely, but they're still there. My dermatologist put me on minocycline 100 mg twice a day to also help with breakouts. Retin-A Micro has faded my scars well and made my red marks fade. I say that in a few more months of using this I'll have nice skin once again.
November 9, 2008
Pros:
Really seems to help clear up lots of little bumps on my face;skin is nice and smooth;zits arent as big as they used to be; face isnt oily;zits take less time to go away.
Cons:
MAJOR PEELING for first two weeks
When a zit goes away, it basically peels off and leaves very res marks for about a week that are hard to cover up and annoying
Break out in about first 3 weeks of use
Well, i am a swimmer, meaning that dries my skin out even more. Its also embarrasing to walk around the pool deck with all of my red marks showing from previous zits. My skin is almost 100 percent clear, but the red marks make it look like its a lot worse then it really is. But oh well! Im hoping those will fade, and my skin will look great!
November 5, 2008
Pros:
Worked really well at first.
Cons:
dries out skin, stopped working after about 6 months
Can't hurt to try it.
October 24, 2008
Pros:
i don't know
Cons:
takes a long time to see results. first month or two is horrid. bad breakouts and peeling.
i'm still breaking out after about 6 months on this stuff. i can't really remember if my skin was worse before. i think it's helped to smooth out scarring, but i also use a glycolic acid peel once in a while that helps with it too. i don't have a lot of active acne on my face anymore, but i'm really fair and my acne lesions when i do get them are deep. the one good thing i can say is that it seems retin-a makes it so that post inflammatory hyperpigmentation doesn't last as long, so those ugly brown and red spots left after a pimple might only last a couple months instead of 6.
October 22, 2008
Pros:
Got rid of red marks.
Cons:
Completely made my skin so dry to the point of tons of flakes covering my face and not being able to go out in public for like four days. NO MOISTURIZER WORKED. I went through hell.
Maybe the stronger percent was too strong for my skin. I don't know, but I steer away from this product.
October 21, 2008
Pros:
I havent had any pros with retina
Cons:
Didnt work at all with me and started cystic acne in some places
Ive used it way too long for about 3 months and not any improve meants but just worse looking skin.
It might work for some people like my brother but deff not everyone
October 17, 2008
Pros:
Inexpensive
Cons:
Made my face so sensitive that I couldn't lay on my pillow. Mild acne that the Retin-A turned into horrible cystic acne that only got worse after months of use.
I have tried to use this product several times, beginning as a teenager. I am now in my 30's and hoped it would make my mild acne disappear. My skin is still reeling from the negative side effects of this drug. It has never worked for me and unfortunately, it will never work for me. I just hope that my skin will go back to the way it was before Retin-A.
September 23, 2008
Pros:
didnt work at all :(
Cons:
Horrible, horrible acne, very red skin on my face, skin peeled nonstop, itchy, very dry and embarassing
My Derm recommended it to me since nothing else was working. I was excited. He told me things would get worse. He also told do not stop. I took for a few months and nothing improved. I followed the instructions and still nothing. So I stopped. DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT. ITS A RIP OFF.
September 11, 2008
Pros:
None, AT ALL!
Cons:
made my skin ultra sensitive, worse acne, irritation of skin, sensitive to sun, etc
I used retisol 0.01 then moved up to 0.025.After 10 months still no improvement!I wish I didn't stick with it so long, I wanted to believe that it was going to solve my acne problems and I believed the "IT GOT WORSE BEFORE IT GOT BETTER" which in reality proved to be false! In fact when I consulted another doctor he told me that it is true that you have to wait 3 months to see improvement,but that you SHOULD SEE an IMPROVEMENT. If you don't then its not working! Retisol made my skin so sensitive I couldn't go out to the sun even with 60 FPS creams. My skin reacted to anything anytime, I got these huge red spots that were hot and itchy. I couldn't put anything on my face as it resulted in a rash and my face was peeling of so bad.My acne actually got worse and i had breakouts in places where I never had before. Finally my dermy told me to stop that it wasn't working. And 4 months later, my skin is still having the side effects retisol caused!
BOTTOM LINE: DON'T USE THIS PRODUCT!
Pros:
cleared up forehead