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.
Used Tretinoin? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
January 14, 2011
Cons:
Takes a long time to start working
dries skin pretty bad
can burn with first weeks of use
When I started using this product back in the beggining of December the doctor told me to use every 3rd night. But my skin was already so bad I figured, how much worse could it get. So I used every night, with an occassional break on a night here and there when my skin got so dry. i have now been on this for 5 weeks, and the bumps have REALLY dissapated. No more deep painful cysts THANK GOD! My skin no longer hurts to the touch, which is AMAZING. It still gets kind of dry but no where near as bad as when I started. I use aveeno baby lotion on my face. It doesn't make me break out and its made for sensetive skin. I love it. I use it everyday before I put my make up on. I do, however, still have the red marks from previous acne. i am hoping they go away in time. That's the only reason I even wear makeup now, since the bumps are gone I don't need to cover those =) So far i am impressed with tretinoin cream. It DOES take a while to work, so you DO have to be patient. And I didn't get much of an IB (initial breakout), I would totally reccommend this product to people!! =)
January 12, 2011
Pros:
-gets rid of some redness on my face
-smooths skin
-fades scars
-makes my skin a little dry
-gets rid of blackheads
-evens out skin tone
Cons:
-"initial breakout"
i've been using this for almost a month with doxycycline and it's really been improving my skin so far.
i know it takes 3-4 months to work, but i used it before a couple years ago and it also worked on my skin then.
also, i don't have to wear as much makeup anymore to cover up my skin.
January 4, 2011
Pros:
-Faded scars
-Cleared up skin
-Face is smooth and gorgeous
Cons:
-Took almost 3 months to begin to work.
I first got prescribed Tretinoin in August. At first, I was nervous to try it. For the first week, I saw no change, then out of nowhere, I began to see breakouts. After 3 months, my breakouts are almost gone, however I have been getting underground, painful pimples on my forehead. It has really lived up to the beautiful skin deal, scars on my face have faded and my skin is unbelievably soft! I was recently prescribed the .1%, moving up from the .05%, so hopefully that will fix the problem of the underground pimples. Definitely worth sticking through, I love that my skin is brighter and my horrible scars have faded from my cheeks. The first month or two arent exactly wonderful, but it's worth waiting for. Love it.
January 2, 2011
Pros:
- No more acne
- Helps scarring
- Light
- Smells better than most acne products
- Little goes long way
Cons:
- Seems to have "stained" my face red
I'd rather have a red face than have acne. Appears to be working on acne scars but I'm not sure. Good product, only downfall is the red face.
December 22, 2010
Pros:
softer healthier general look of skin
reducing severe acne
reduces cystic acne quickly
less cystic acne in general
reduces amount of smaller pimples
reduces marks from acne
Cons:
dry flaky skin at times
expensive item
its a great product. ive been on retin-a micro .1% for a few years now. i started on the lower dose. the product definitely helps keep more control that before, it did not clear me up COMPLETELY tho i have tried everything BUT accutane and nothing has. i see a significant reduction in cystic acne and especially the little acne pimples. definitely reduces the post acne marks. and i think the product helped get me less oily. it controls a good amount of my acne and im happy, i wish it were clear completely, but im very satisfied with retin-a and wont EVER be without it! i used regular retin-a once, however, it gave me AWFUL breakouts and slick nasty skin, i hated it. stick with the micro for me. it is an expensive item...i purchase it from the UK its a goooood amount cheaper. its the johnson johnson brand. a tube that is 20G lasts about 2-3 months for me. insurance for me doesnt cover, however some do.
November 15, 2010
Pros:
reduces acne
Cons:
some redness
It works for me, but I've also been doing a number of other things.. eating healthy, birth control, 10% benz wash, SPF 15 every morning.. I only use RetinA at night, and a very small amount- as directed by my dermatologist. Once in a while I use a nice scrub too. BUT, overall I would recommend it. I had HORRIBLE acne, and with all the things I've been trying, I'm finally starting to clear up!
I also had NONE of the side affects other people listed... :P
November 14, 2010
Pros:
No more cysts!
No more red pimples
Kind of glowy skin
Smooth skin
The bottle lasts long
No IB
Cons:
Can't tan anymore
Sensitive skin
Dryness
Scared that if I stop using it it's gonna come back
I have been using it for about 9 weeks and I am really starting to see the results. At first, it hurts and your skin is crazy dry and when you rub your comforter on your face it's painful. After like 2 weeks it stops hurting but is still dry and at around 6 weeks you wash your makeup off, look in the mirror and just say wow! I had around 10 small pimples and one cyst everyday on my face, especially around my nose and on my forehead before and my dermatologist told me that if I didnt start to do something, it would become adult acne. I am 19 and started having acne in the last 2 years. I only had IB for the first 2 weeks. I was miserable for a few days and i was lucky enough for it to stop on the 3rd week. The only downside that is kind of huge for me is that i cant tan anymore. Its written on the box and my dermatologist told me its would burn like crazy and cancel the effects. I was a huge tan addict before that and feel pretty bad about being so white. Since i have olive skin, when i dont tan i look slighly green and sick. I tried self-tanner but it makes spots when you apply the gel over it since it increases skin peeling. But i guess it's better to be cancer-free, acne-free and white so I am going to keep using the products until my dermatologist tells me to stop and i love the results! ps- dont use a face wash with salicylic acid cause its going to burn pps- exfoliate!! like 3-4 times a week Good luck
November 8, 2010
Pros:
brightens skin
healthy look to skin
makes skin smooth
Cons:
dries skin
redness of skin
It works but it takes time. I have had very bad acne all of my life and I tried everything. I was starting to lose hope and my doctor prescribed me tretinoin and deoxycycline. It was so amazing. My skin got really clear. It took time like 3-5 months but it is very clear now. I cannot remember the last time I had clear skin. My acne was very very bad and those two medicines worked wonders!
November 6, 2010
Pros:
- clear up skin
- makes it look healthy
- quickens the cycle of a bad pimple
- gets rid of cysts
- works for a long time
Cons:
- takes a few weeks to see results
- redness in face
- dry, flake skin
I've had sever acne for years now and have tried everything. I finally went to an anti-aging center where the doctor put me on a mix of Retin-A and an antibacterial topical. Retin-A speeds up cell division and brings everything to the surface. I was warned of all the side-effects and the process, which had never been explained to me before by any doctors, so I felt at ease and a glimpse of hope. For the first few weeks, as my skin adjusted, I was broken out, dry, flaky, and red. A friend of mine pointed out that she could see where I applied the medicine because there was a perfect line where my medicine didn't cross. I was determined to go on though because I realized my skin had to purge itself. Within the next month my skin transformed. I no longer had any cysts, no more redness, and I really felt confident. I got off the medicine and my skin returned to it's normal nastiness, so I immediately returned. The process is slow, so you won't see a lot of change, but looking back it's done wonders. I find myself worrying about a spot on my face, but also remembering a time when I would die for just ONE spot. Give this stuff a chance. Give it time. You WILL see a difference.
November 6, 2010
Pros:
gets rid of your acne!!!!
Cons:
the initial breakout!!!
Well, at first i got it for my pimples on my forehead i wasn't expecting my forehead to look SO HORRIBLE !!! luckily for me ALL MY ACNE ON MY FOREHEAD WAS GONE IN A WEEK AND A HALF!!!! i was extremely happy!! i totally think everyone should use it! the intial breakout made me extremely sad!! but the end was sooo worth it!!!! i haven't had a single pimple on my forehead in about 5 months!!! yay(:
Pros:
Gets rid of bumps and deep painful cysts
affordable with insurance
little bit goes a long way