Tretinoin

I have a good base of very fair skin marred by large cystic pustules, scabs and scarring. I have done a combination of laser therapy, chem peels, and use Tretinoin every night. So my review is based on the combination of these elements, but I LOVE the stuff. My skin looks AMAZING! It keeps pustules from remaining hot and flared and quickly brings them to a head, and promotes rapid healing. However, it doesn't "clean" your pores...I feel like there is still gunk in there and the tretinoin just makes it kind of dead gunk instead of active, pimple-causing gunk. Also, it does dry out your face, so I use hydrocortisone cream or ointment on the dry patches. I wouldn't be caught dead without this stuff though. It stops a breakout in its tracks!

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Bryan Thomas

September 2, 2010

Pros:

-Faded My Hyperpigmentation
-Made My Skin Smoother
-Improved Skin Texture
-Got Rid of Excess Skin Oil

Cons:

-Made Me Break Out Everytime I Used It For The First 2-3 Months
-After 3-4 Months, Skin Is Amazing! :)

This is a great product, I used it at night and I used BenzaClin in the morning. This product will make you go through a long phase of breaking out everytime you use it but in essence, it drags all the dirt,oil, and ance to the surface so it can be released by your body. After about 3 months of breaking out from the product, your skin just spontaneously becomes amazing! There's no other way I could word that. Your skin becomes smooth, clear, and all the ance scars vanish and you'll be glad you went through heck because it won't matter anymore.

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logmein

August 30, 2010

Pros:

Finally, something that works! Retin-A Micro Gel 0.04% pump. Makes skin so bright/glow, smooth and Acne free!

Cons:

Skin can get a little flaky but a gentle scrub eliviates that. Initial breakout but after 2 1/2 - 3 months skin is sooooo much better!

I know the feeling of having Acne that is why I'm writing this review. Retin-A Micro Gel 0.04% pump is a God send. It has completely changed my life. I have been using it for 3 years now so trust me, it works! What I do during application is get a small pump on my finger and apply on my face into 4 sqaures, each "squared" area gets a small pump. So, for example, on my cheek I apply a small pump into each "square" of my cheek which amounts to four squares/four pumps. I don't literally put squares makrs on my face but parition it by appling the gel on each "square". I use this method all over my face, nose, forehead. I know how it feels, trust me! Get on Retin-A Micro Gel, notice I put gel because the gel version of Retin-A micro helps stop by face from getting oily. You will love it as much as I do. I think the initial breakout happens because it seems that Retin-A Micro gel first works on tightening the pore, helps stop oil production and also helps skin renewal. So, in the begining when it starts to tighten the pore all the oil that's trapped in the pore is the initial break out. When you get over the initial break out you will have smaller pores, acne free and brighter skin because of the tighter pores and skin renewal that this med helps with.

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Melissa

August 25, 2010

Pros:

Clears skin
Fades dark spots and scars when nothing else works!
Makes skin very smooth and dewy
Fades wrinkles

Cons:

Initial ugliness!
Drying and peeling at first
Expensive (not cov by my ins)
Takes a little time to work

Ok, here is the skinny on this stuff! I was terrified reading some of the posts on here regarding an initial breakout. Who wants to break out when that's the reason you're using this stuff to begin with?!! The truth is, I didn't break out bad at all. I did get some pimples for the first couple of weeks but they were really up close to the surface and were gone in a day or two. It brings a lot of white heads to the surface, and I was stupid to try to go after some before they were ready, hence resulting in a huge monster the next day! Don't do that! My feeling is the pimples that came to the surface were going to erupt anyway, this just speeds up the process and therefore clears skin faster. You will get some peeling and redness, but mine was gone before a week, just make sure you use a good moisturizer and *gently* exfoliate when needed to get rid of flakes. Here is the regimen my derm has had me on since May and I have not had a deep cyst or bad pimple since: AM: wash w/ Olay foaming cleanser Tretinoin .1%- a pea size amount for first 5 weeks, then increased to about dime sized amount after that. Cetaphil moisturizer (too greasy for me so I use an oil fee Kate Sommerville one instead, but good for when you're initally peeling from the Tretinoin because it won't burn) Spironolactone (water pill) 50mg PM: wash w/ my derm's brand foaming sal/tea tree cleanser Cetaphil moisturizer Spironolactone (water pill) 50mg My derm's own brand 20% benzoyl peroxide (comparable to Benzaclin but a little stronger)applied wherever you usually get zits, even if you don't have any at the moment. So, the combination of the water pill and tretinoin together has not only cleared my skin up, but has left it more beautiful than ever!

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Bianca

August 24, 2010

Pros:

-Did wonders for reducing hyperpigmentation
-Skin is more smooth & firm

Cons:

-First few weeks of inital breakout/redness can be very frusterating
-Must be extremely careful not to overuse it

I really urge people who are dealing with both hyperpigmentation & acne to try this product. After using Retin-A Micro .04% for two months, I noticed a drastic improvement in the dark marks I had, and was able to use less and less makeup as the weeks went by. No other product before has helped me with the discoloration at all. The side effects can be harsh at the beginning, but stay positive..It is so worth sticking to. Like all other acne medications, it may take more than just a few weeks for your skin to adapt and see full results. The key is to be very patient. And remember, less is actually more with this product. Given the choice, I can honestly say I would use Retin-A for years to come.

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Marie528

August 14, 2010

Pros:

Took a long time, but finally cleared my skin.
Improves skin tone and overall texture.
Creates scars, but fades them as well.

Cons:

The initial breakout/purging stage is not fun.
It took awhile to see any improvement.

I waited six months before I reviewed this product, because I wanted to make sure I saw the full results before posting. I've always had clear skin until my late 20's and then I began to break out. It kept getting worse and whenever my period rolled around or I was stressed my face would erupt in painful pimples and cysts. Going through acne when you're in your 20's and everyone around your age has clear skin is pretty rough. So I researched and decided to try Retin A. I didn't want to pay to see a doctor and get a prescription so I bought it online on a reputable site I had heard about. I started with the 0.01% gel. After a week the purging stage began and my skin was MUCH worse than before. This lasted for 3 months! I basically didn't go out most of that time, except with close friends. I was disappointed that it wasn't working fast enough so I ordered the 0.025%, but they only had it in cream. Even though I had read that the cream is comedogenic, I decided to try it anyway. I switched between that and the 0.01% gel for about a month, and was still breaking out. Out of frustration I finally made a doctor's appointment and got the prescription for 0.025% Retin A gel by Ortho Dermatologics. Within 2 weeks of using it I stopped breaking out. Before, I would break out in several pimples every week, sometimes over 10 active ones at the same time. I would also get large painful cysts on my chin. In the past month I have had about 3 pimples total, and usually around my period. No more painful cystic acne on my chin. When I get a pimple, it comes to a head much quicker and therefore heals faster. I couldn't be happier with the results. My advice would be to get an actual prescription for Retin A instead of buying it online. I think if I would have done that in the first place it wouldn't have taken 5 months to see any results. You MUST be patient on this med, it may take months to work but when it does it is SO worth it

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issybella

August 1, 2010

Pros:

It is immediately effective in clearing up the acne. i had very bad acne (worst he has seen, so said my doctor), i was able to see a difference in less than 2 weeks

you can feel it working

Cons:

there weren't any for me. well maybe it is a little dry but you have to just moistuirize, moisturize, moisturize.

It is great, great, great. It completely changed my life. I was such a recluse because my face was so HORRIBLE. All the doctors told me i was one of the worst cases they had ever seen. And they were amazed after just one month how much better my skin felt. It is so smooth, and soft. I LOVE IT. IT CHANGED MY LIFE. YOU WILL LOVE IT TOO.

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praguestay

July 29, 2010

Pros:

Smoothens, clears skin. Evens out tone of the skin. Heals breakouts, scars quickly. Clears blackheads (especially clogged pores on the nose). Enlarged ugly pores (in my case on the nose again, dissapear) Sun spots visibly fade away.

Cons:

NONE, REALLY. Only if not used as recommended: redness, flaking (easily taken care of by good moisturizer), mild irritation. All of these subside after discontinuation of use for 3 to 5 days, depending on severity.

I swear by this product! It has done amazing job in improving my overall skin condition. I am not a severe acne sufferer I must say. I have quite good skin, although a bit on a sensitive side, with occasional breakouts in a T zone and slightly enlarged pores on the nose which tend to clog and inflame from time to time. I have dry/combination or dry/delicate to normal type of skin (to use Clinique's terminology).The first week of use I really didn't notice anything going on on my face. No side effects, no improvement either. Although reading many reviews on here and elswehere, and thus being very well informed, I stupidly decided to put on more then just the pea sized amount that I had used so far. How utterly stupid of me. Around the 10th day of use my face turned really red and irritated, dry as hell and started flaking in such manner that I had to slather on moisturizer even during a day at work in my airconditioned office.Anyhow, after this mild set back I just simply took a few days off. I dont remember how many exactly but I just waited untill all those side effects dissapear. I think it might have taken about a week or so and I can tell you my skin after that week never looked better! It was Flawless! All the redness and irritation subsided and I just started applying Retin A 0,5 again, religiously following the pea sized amount rule. Never ever putting more, avoiding close to eyes areas and I am happier than ever. This product is really a miracle when used as recommended. Never overdo it! Applying more does not mean better or faster results! Trust me. Follow the instructions and you'll be fine. (Unless of course you are alergic to vitamin A).I am sticking to my Retina A 0,5 regimen, and intend to use it for the rest of my life! Since I am in about 6th week of use (including the break) I am still waiting for the fine lines to start dessapearing. But my skin is so smooth and glowing already that I have no doubt these antiwrinkle effects will arrive eventua

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sickkkofzits

July 23, 2010

Pros:

clear skin
better skin
helps prevent wrinkles

Cons:

sun/wind sensitive

I had terrible, large painful cystics on my chin, for years. Usually several at a time, almost never a clear day. After starting Retin A Micro .04 and going 100% gluten free and dairy free I'm acne free of almost 1 year. I also added zinc, taurine and saw palmetto supplements. In less than 2 months, I was able to go out in public without shuttering from embarresssment. I can't believe the transformation. My skin has healed the scars well, tool. My last 2 zits came from accidental gluten ingestion. 2 zits in 6 months! They came within 24 hours of the gluten (O SHOOT! THOSE CHIPS ARE WHEAT!) and disappeared within 4 days. I usually apply the retin A at night but for those 2 pop ups, I spot applied retin A on them in the morning, too and stayed inside all day. I wash with cetaphil, use no foundation, and use jojoba oil for moisture when needed. Good luck to you!

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Jen

July 9, 2010

Pros:

Cleared up skin, fading scars, evened skin tone.

Cons:

Initially very drying, but improved over time.

After using Retin-A for 7 months, I am extremely happy with the results. It took 3 months to see a noticeable difference in my skin, but I'm glad I stuck with it. No more whiteheads, acne cysts, blackheads, or general pore infections. Initially it was very drying to my skin, but over time the dryness went away completely. I highly recommend this to anyone fighting acne.

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