Tretinoin
Results
Side Effects

Tretinoin is a vitamin A derivative called a topical retinoid. It helps clear acne by promoting skin cell turnover.

...

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.

 [more]
3.5
1649
Read All About Tretinoin
Compare To Other Treatments
5
22.4%
4
33.8%
3
21.3%
2
13.9%
1
8.6%

Used Tretinoin? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
Sort by: Most Helpful
Order:
June 21, 2007

Pros:

It does help to reduce acne (i use the micro with clindamycin). all you have to do is clean your face and put it on and go to bed.

Cons:

It make my skin more oily especially when i wake up and it smells wierd.

It doesn't cost a lot of money and does end up working well with my other acne treating med. this definitely will help your acne to go away!!!!!!!!!!!
This Was Helpful

Report
June 17, 2007

Pros:

made skin soft and clear for a little while!!

Cons:

RED FLAKY BURNING ITCHING DRYING RED ITCHING BURNING ITCHING!! UGGGHHH wel at least for a few months

well i was on the 1 percent cream for a full 3 months before all that itching, burning, redness, and general iritation went away fully. i use it on my back chest and shoulders not on my face. i was also on trinessa bc pills. well i switched to yasmin after my 4th month on tretinoin(retin a) then switched back a little while later. i am now back on trinessa and am breaking out on my body again an i dont know why. its been almost 5 months on retin a it kept my skin clear the whole time i was torturing my body switching bc pills like that but now im breaking out and also the skin irritation that i initially got on this medicine is coming back also. the only thing i think it could be from is the bc pills and i have to wait another couple months for my body the calm down and stop being all hormonal. i cant think why it would b irritating me again though. i know that oral antibitics can stop working after a while, but i didnt know that could happen on retin a too! well we'll see
This Was Helpful

3 user(s) found this helpful

Report
June 14, 2007

Pros:

it does reduce the number of acnes, and heals them rather quickly. It also helped me with some scars that are not really pitted, but definitely helped with scars that look like red/brownish dots.

Cons:

made my skin WAYYYYY tooo oily. my skin became worse at first. and it's a hassle to have to wait 20 mintues after washing my face to put it on.

when i first tried it, my skin became red and peeled and very dry. after the peelings were gone, my skin still stayed red overall. i tried this produt for about 3 months. the first month, it was absolutely horrible. my skin broke out and it was worse than before. i went to the website and they said it is supposed to get worse but that it will be better around 8 weeks. they were right, cuz around 8 weeks my face was almost clear. i only had about 2 acnes on each side. but it dind't stay that way. i would say about my 8th~9th week was my best week with retin-a-micro. after about 9 weeks i started to get more acnes again...even though i kept using retin-a-micro. my least favorite thing about retin-a-micro is, it made my face extremely oily. my face was never this oily. it's really weird cuz a lot of people say that retin-a-micro actually dries the skin, but for me it only dried it for about 2 days and then i became very very oily. it helped me acne temporaily, but not for a long time.
This Was Helpful

Report
June 14, 2007

Cons:

Dryness,Flaking,Peeling,EXTRA tight skin,Burns,Takes too long..

It drys my skin sooo much to the point it is tight to where i can barely move it..and i have oily skin..so i don't use moisterizer...it takes about an hour for my face to naturally create more oils to rehydrate my skin...but it flakes...and it hurts...The 20-30 minutes of waiting for your face to dry is annoying...i haven't been using it long enough to recommend it..but Im hoping it will work...so i will say yea...
This Was Helpful

Report
May 30, 2007

Pros:

It's great, I encourage anyone who suffers from acne to try this product!! It does take time though, but stick with it and your skin will be clearer than it ever has been!!

Cons:

It takes a month maybe two to really start working. It makes skin break out at first and causes it to become very dry, but this only last about a month. STICK WITH IT!

It works! My skin is clear, smooth, and radiant! I can actually leave the house with no coverup! It was very hard to stick with it, I was about to give up after about a month and a half of using it, it was making my face so dry, but instead of giving up, I switched to once every other night, and used avveno night time moisture cream, it worked perfect!!
This Was Helpful

5 user(s) found this helpful

Report
May 28, 2007

Pros:

None

Cons:

Acne is worse than ever before after about 3 weeks of daily usage. Causes the skin to dry out and flake.

This stuff is useless for me. My acne is worse after 3 weeks of usage. Does it take longer to kick in or something? I'm breaking out constantly and in places I never used to. I am contantly amazed by my dermatologists inability to reduce my acne. Is there something for guys with acne that is not bad enough for accutane, but is more effective than this stuff? Please help me here.
This Was Helpful

Report
May 27, 2007

Pros:

Helps skin drastically, insurance covers most of it, one of the best I've used so far (and I've been on differin, duac, evoclin, countless over the counter...)

Cons:

dry, flaky skin-- sometimes bad enough I had to get off it for a few days (what use is acne free skin if it's one big friggin flake?) but if i didnt use it, acne came back, so that's a lose-lose situation. starting to feel dependent on it

It affects everyone differently. You should try it. My skin dries out very very easily, but for someone who doesn't, this may work perfectly.
This Was Helpful

5 user(s) found this helpful

Report
May 21, 2007

Pros:

after a month or two it works for a few weeks

Cons:

only a few weeks where it works (before and after these it is horrible), intense drying out and flaking-be prepared for a face full of flakes after a shower and that will come back an hour after moisturizer

takes too long to start to work and stops working shortly after, not worth all the drying and flaking and burning. IT JUST DOESN'T WORK AT ALL!!!
This Was Helpful

3 user(s) found this helpful

Report
May 19, 2007

Pros:

gets rid of acne, helps reduce appearance of scars

Cons:

takes a while to see full results,
irritating to skin at first

I always had acne, since I was 11! After years of trying everything else that claimed to rid me of the zits, I was willing to put up with the side-effects of tretinoin just to see at least SOME improvement. At first my skin flaked and turned red, and then I began breaking out even worse. By twelve weeks my face looked horrible, despite the promise of improvement by this time. Just when I was about to give up hope, I looked to online reviews (much like this one) to see if I should keep up the treatment. Luckily, I stuck to it and after SIX months I saw full results. My face was much more clear, my skin was much softer, my black heads were less noticeable, my scars faded away quickly, and my face was no longer irritated by tretinoin. I still consistently apply it every night, and I'm still enjoying the results. Also, a little tretinoin goes a long way! I'm only on my second 45 gram tube after almost a year! I suggest the generic tretinoin: MUCH less expensive than Retin-A brand and works
This Was Helpful

5 user(s) found this helpful

Report
May 19, 2007

Pros:

Effective. Easy to use. No cost.

Cons:

Sun sensitivity. Initial worsening of condition, which is virtually unbearable. Flaking of skin.

You think you were embarrassed before you got treatment? Wait til you have to keep using it while you watch your face turn into a disaster area. A few times I wouldn't even leave the house. If you can put up with that it is extremely effective but only if you keep using it.
This Was Helpful

4 user(s) found this helpful

Report
Previous
1 … 125 126 127 128 129 … 134
Next

Relevant Article(s):

Relevant Review(s):

Relevant Forum(s):

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.
Find a Doctor Using The American Acacemy of Dermatology Website

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.
Find a Doctor Using the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Website