Topical Retinoid
Reviews
3.4
1972 Reviews
Topical Retinoid
Efficacy
50%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Topical Retinoid
Side Effects
Low
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.
Read All About Tretinoin
Compare To Other Treatments
5
22.1%
4
32%
3
21.6%
2
14.9%
1
9.4%

Used Tretinoin? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
September 9, 2008

Pros:

doesnt bother sensitive skin too much

Cons:

doesnt do much

Use this if you have light acne. But if your acne is more than light acne, dont even bother with this stuff. Go with differin it works waaay better.
August 24, 2008

Pros:

retisol-a is great for getting rid of big cysts, and whiteheads

Cons:

breakouts at first wehn you use it, and makes your skin really red if you go out in the sun

I had a huge breakout just earlier this summer. I was trying out different products and my skin didnt like it and started breaking out. I just earlier got perscribed to Retisol-A by my doctor, and my parents suggested to go back onto that. After using it for a good few weeks, its really been clearing up a lot. All my little white heads are gone, and my cysts are clearing up. There's still a bit of acne, but Im pleased.
August 22, 2008

Pros:

It does dry out acne more efficiently than something like benzoyl peroxide.

Cons:

I used this medication once and the areas I applied it to peeled for a week straight. It was incredibly painful and very unsightly, as my face was not only lobster red from it but also flakey for more than a week.

I do not reccommend this product. I think it'd be fine if one had just a few spots of acne here and there, but for anyone with large areas of acne it just destorys the skin.
August 14, 2008

Pros:

reduced the size of blackheads on and around my nose

Cons:

made me break out on the sides of my face, neck, temples, and forehead where i never have before gotten breakouts. Increased redness in my face, even though i wore sunscreen religiously. made my skin irritated and dried it out.

After having some issues with my hypothyroid medication and making my hormonal acne break out like mad, I decided to go on retin-A because I had seen such great reviews. The initial breakout period was the WORST I have ever experienced--hellish, in fact, I didn't even want to leave my room. BUT I decided to continue with it. After that, my zits weren't terrible, my whole face was just irritated and kind of bumpy. After 3 1/2 months, I decided to INCREASE to twice a day to see if that would solve the bump issue, and that's when my face dried out terribly and I broke out again massively. I am now recovering from that. I had really high hopes for this, but my skin is just too sensitive. I'm now on minocycline to clear up what Retin-A made a mess of. I DO however think that this could be good for some people and I am going to continue using the rest of my tube on my nose area where it worked well to shrink blackhead size.
August 13, 2008

Pros:

Kept my face dry (I have oily skin)

Cons:

Mild stinging if too much is applied; no significant changes to face

I used this product in conjunction with doxycycline. When I ran out of doxycycline and I still had the Retin-A leftover, I used the Retin-A for a couple of months by itself, but my acne came back as soon as I was off of doxycycline, so Retin-A did practically nothing to my skin.
July 30, 2008

Pros:

Right now I cannot think of any Pros at all. The only good thing is that I got it free from my derm.

Cons:

I've used this consistantly for five months. It has done nothing--and I mean nothing to clear up my acne. The 'initial' break-out is neverending. Prior to Retin-A I had 2-3 zits. Now I have about 15-20 at a time! This has done mor harm than good.

It's really hard to judge how your skin will react, as is evidenced by the positive and negative reviews. Personally, I never got the 'clear' skin that I was hoping for and basically suffered for nothing. Right now my face is worse than it has ever been in my life and it's all because of Retin-A Micro. The worst part is not just the wasted time but the numerous scars it's left behind.
July 28, 2008

Pros:

appears to make skin pinker and newer looking

Cons:

does make little yellow heads appear out of nowhere

Given this gel by the Derm who has good skin! She said that usualy doesnt make people break out in the first weeks - obviously doesnt read this board! After 2 wks exactly i started to get little yellow heads appearing and whilst they only stay a day or two they are annoying. GP put me on erythromycin to prevent any infection but I shall continue with the cream as I know from experience that Roaccutane makes you break out and then clears well.... this stuff does the same but as with most things if there is no pain then there is no gain.
June 26, 2008

Pros:

nothing

Cons:

make acne a lot worse, made my skin dry and peel

i used this because i had quite a few little pimples on my cheeks i used this Hoping it would get better. My skin gradually got worse and after a few weeks had cystic acne all over my face. For some reason I didn't associate it with the retin a gel I just thought It was my hormones making my skin worse but then I was referred to a dermatolist and given some anti biotics and told to stop using the retin a. I started using clinique products and well skin healed up quite well apart from a few small blemishes, and luckily I wasn't left with scarring. And then I went on dianette and my skin cleared up lovely !
June 12, 2008

Pros:

Worked great

Cons:

Made my face red until I got use to it.

Worked good. My Tri-Care insurance payed for it all.
May 20, 2008

Pros:

cheap if you have insurance, 20 dollars a tube

Cons:

made skin oily, greasy, more acne

i felt slimy wearing this stuff to bed, and dirty.

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.

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.