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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:
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March 10, 2009
Cons:
extreme dryness
I've been using .05% Tretinoin daily for the past two and a half weeks. I apply a very small amount everynight before bed. I didn't notice a single change in my acne for the entire first two weeks, but the last couple of days have been brutal. The entire area is extremely red and dry. No amount of moisturizer helps. I had been applying it on my chin area and inbetween my upper lip and nose (the only areas i break out in) and suddenly those areas are extremely red and dry. It hurts just smile and i feel the tight skin when i talk and i can't even look at it in the mirror its so bad. If this is the path to clear skin, i'm not sure its worht it. I doubt i'll be applying any more of this to my skin tonight.
March 6, 2009
Pros:
Eventually my skin got clearer and my chest has gotten smoother.
Cons:
Dryness, flaking, burning.
I use this along with speronolactone (50 mg/day) and clyndomycin 1% gel as needed for breakouts. I have been using vanicream cleansing bar becasue of sensitivity and it has seemed to help (can only find at walgreens 2.99/bar) and Mary Kay moisturizer morning and night. My chest looks so much better that I have started wearing lower cut shirts again! My face is better and my pores seem a little smaller. Stick with it, even though it sucks at first!!!
February 23, 2009
Pros:
my scars started fading
Cons:
new acne seen and peeling of skin
it will benefit but after 12 weeks lets see fingers crossed i am using it since 5th jan 09 and i fell 40% improvement
February 8, 2009
Pros:
makes skin smoother
Cons:
redder, MORE breakouts everyday, does nothing to help prevent acne
I used stievamycin for a year and a half and my skin was getting a lot better. However, my dermatologist prescribed me a new product - retin a micro, and after using it for 5 weeks, inoticed that my skin has been getting WORSE. Never touching this product again, back to using stievamycin. Bottom line is STICK with your acne product and DO NOT use retin a micro. I learned it the hard way...
February 6, 2009
Pros:
controlled acne a bit
Cons:
initial breakout, hardly saw any results. tube annoyed me.
i guess it works for some people, or maybe i didn't use it long enough. but i saw no results, and was young, so i quit.
January 4, 2009
Pros:
Brightens the skin!
Cons:
Some peeling around the chin.
After pregnancy my skin broke out in small bumps that would soon turn into big red pimples. I tried everything.....finally went to the dermatologist and he gave me Atralin. I have been using a week and actually saw a difference the first time! I still have a few big ones left but all the little ons are gone and it has brightened up my skin and made it appear smoother! However, this gel is very, very expensive!
December 20, 2008
Pros:
None
Cons:
Destroyed my skin. Do not use this product. It is poison.
At age 44, I started to experience troubling breakouts after being acne free for years after taking accutane in my early 20s. Derm put my on Retin-A micro. Stayed on it for 12 weeks despite redness, creating more cystic acne all over my face because derm kept telling me this was normal and to push through it.
Bull. The redness came and stayed for the duration of treatment. I was instructed to use 1% each night. I used the prescribed pea size amount and waited until skin thouroughly dry. I now have wrinkles around my cheekbones that were never present before, huge acne scars, my face swelled so now I have VERY deep nasolabial lines that were barely noticeable before I used this crap. Now going on accutane thanks to this poison. Don't be fooled. If you are having bad reaction after 3 weeks STOP this crap before you do more damage. I look at photos before and after and it makes me physically ill. I doubt I will ever look like my old self again. Would like to sue for damages.
December 19, 2008
Pros:
Nothing, except that it made my skin bad enough that my derm put me on accutane (the miracle drug).
Cons:
Itching, and Initial Breakout that never goes away, scaring, redness, irritation, horrible skin.
Do NOT go on this medication... if you have mild to moderate acne. I was on this product for several months and it completely destroyed my skin. I really wish I would have listened to all the bad reviews, but the goods ones keep me going. I never experienced scarring until I started using Retin-A Micro...and now my face is covered in them. This medication will ruin your face, and you have to go through 3-6 months of scarring acne to even see if it works... sadly it didn't work for me. Now someone who started off with mild acne has to go on accutane.
November 17, 2008
Pros:
Haven't seen had much positive results yet!
Cons:
Breaking out really bad...it's my second week!
Well, my dermatologist prescribed tretinoin awhile back. However, I hated the discomfort it caused (redness/dryness). Therefore, I never really stick to it because I knew I'd have to face this bad phase before my skin starts to clear up. Now I decided I've had enough with acne and I don't care how bad this is gonna look. As long as it's really gonna get better! So it's normal to break out like crazy and for the blemishes to seem worse than ever??? Someone please motivate me to keep doing this! I'll be checking back to post my results weekly. :)
Wish me luck.
November 16, 2008
Pros:
Cheap, can see where my skin is clearing up, skin is softer
Cons:
Very red face-like a sunburn, severe peeling around chin and mouth, skin around chin very sensitive-even to moisturizer
My dermatologist recommended that I wash my face with a Buf Puf and an antibacterial soap like Dial so my skin is adjusting to not only the Retin-A Micro but also the constant exfoliation of the Buf Puf. Its been about a month and I've seen some improvement, no breakouts on a daily basis like before, but my skin adjustment has been hard to deal with. I don't want to leave the house. I'm sucking it up, using the Retin-A every night without fail, and washing my face twice a day to adjust to the Buf Puf. Hopefully by the two month mark I'll be 100% clear!
Pros:
none so far