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.

Within the first day of having applied the .05% cream, my face was covered with zits, my pores were enlarged, and I had blackheads I did not have before. It was hard to believe that the initial reaction started so abruptly. My acne was not terrible, and the ones I had on my face were exacerbated by the creme. I was already emotional and depressed about the old scars I had, so those coupled with the extreme redness and new severe acne covering my face I couldn't help but sob. I tried to give it time but it just became increasingly worse.Reading other reviews and seeing it could take up to six months for this subside, I wasn't ready to put myself through that. When reviewers say they initial breakout is bad, they mean it. If only I had seen the reviews before my dermatologist offered Retin-a I would have nicely declined and opted for something less harsh. Now the acne that retin-a gave me has scarred, remains obscenely red, and is showing no signs of fading. Harsh product and certainly not for sensitive skin or mild to moderate acne. Please bare this in mind before starting the regime.

This product definitely works, but you have to be patient! I've been using it for about 2 months, and there was little change for about a month and a half, but in the past couple weeks my skin has quickly improved and looks better than ever. I've had acne for about 3 years with no improvement, and my skin now has no noticeable acne since using this product.

Ive been using the .025% retin A cream for 5 weeks. I've been semi religious with it, putting it on every night except for a few missed days. I'm still purging but all the whiteheads I had under my skin (and boy did I have a lot!) are nearly gone. The only thing I'm gonna say is that you may need to go on an antibiotic while you're on this. I had persistent acne, hard nodules and itchy clusters of cysts along my jawline. My derm put me on solodyn and this seems to be significantly calming down the breakout stage. So now I feel like the retin A is just working on the visible acne I have. Have lots of red marks from the acne that got brought up and could not help but pop and pick at. Again its only been 5 weeks, so hopefully if I keep using it it will help with that as well. Oh and for some reason, the cream version seems to make my skin oily when I make up in the morning. Not sure why. Best of luck to you all. This also shall pass!!

I am currently using Retin A (gel) 0.025%. I have been using this medication for around 6 months now. I live in the UK so it's easy to get this medication on prescription - either free if you are eligible, or for around £6.00. Other reviewers have described the initial break out period. Personally, I didn't have the initial break out, my skin never got any worse when I began using this, so I think it really depends on each individual user. Weeks 1-2 For me, this started to dry up my skin within the first few weeks and it continued for around 2 months. The dryness was very severe, and no amount of moisturiser/ oils etc was fixing this. This was probably the worst side effect,make up looks awful on, my skin became red and it peeled constantly. I hated going out. However, I wanted rid of my acne, so I persisted. At the same time, in the first few weeks I did see some improvement in my skin. Now for some users, it's going to take longer than a few weeks but my acne is light to moderate. Month 2 My skin had significantly improved by now. I still have dryness, although it's alot less severe. It's easier to use make up now, providing I prep my skin with a good moisturiser in advance. My skin is also glowing and its smoother. Month 4 onwards So it's been around 6 months now and my skin has improved significantly. Again, I still get dryness from time to time but for the most part my skin is clear and I'm much more confident about it. Final Thoughts Some reviewers gave up on this because it didn't work for them, all I can say about that is that if you are prepared to try this then STICK with it. After 2 months, you should see some difference if not a big difference. The dryness is definitely off-putting, but I try to think of it this way- if your skin is shedding, then so are your marks and I should mention it does lighten marks. If yor skin is dry or quite sensitive, then try the cream version instead.

This is awesome and cheap. I use Tretinoin .025%. I had EVERY other facial cream/treatment-even spent about $100 on Dan's regimen and none of that worked as well as this! It does work, I have only had one cystic pimple since starting this. It's also helping the deep,deep hard bumps left from the cysts go away. If you use it CORRECTLY and aren't allergic to it, it will do wonders. Just don't put too much on because it irritates the skin and causes flare ups. My derm told me to use this at night and put hydrocortisone cream 2.5% on top. In the day I just wash and use sunscreen and Maybelline Mineral concealer. Also, the Initial Breakout wasn't so bad-I already had pretty bad skin, so what was the difference of having a few more pimples? It didn't bother me, I just looked at the research and saw that it's part of the process.

hello everyone! for the past few months I was suffering with horrible big pus-filled acne and I had try everything to cure my acne. It was such a long journey. I have never been so happy as I am now because my skin is now clear and there is only acne marks left. my routine is, on the morning I wash my face then apply benzaz ac 5 gel on my acne area. just apply it thinly. then after 30 mins, apply moisturiser. on the night, i apply retin a cream. 0.05. my skin started to clear after 1 monts of using this routine. besides, to avoid the initial purging I took doxycycline for 1 month only. I promised myself to write a review here and inspire others to be patient and wait for the result. I am so happy and grateful for what I am now. be patience because retin a is amazing. seriously, I really love it.

i tried 5 month long period before, it worked for my back and chest acne (not completely gone, really more better than before), but it was partly good on my face. especially around my chin and nose area it did nothing. so i ended for my face. then two weeks ago, i decided to use it again (now with vaseline for moisturising and imex soap for cleaning). today i have two deep and persistent ones and a couple of smaller. everybody knows that tretinoin can develope plenty of them at the first weeks of the treatment (i experienced before). i think if this treatment is working for my body, it can work on my face as well. maybe it needs longer time. i hope. WEEK 3: i decided to use tretinoin with clindoxyl for only initial breakouts because it helps to heal persistent and deep acne faster. 2 more huge and deeper breakouts in this week and so far the total number is 5 huge/deeper (3 gone), lots of (8-10 maybe more) smaller (all of them around my chin area and left side of my nose -right side no problem). the smallers are ok, they don't disturb me, nobody notices. the initial breakouts started with the second week. a little bit peeling and no redness so far because of vaselin. i use tretinoin (%0.1) every other night. i will try to write the stiuation every week. WEEK 4: this week i have no more huge and deep acne. they have been nearly cured, some dark areas remained. three medium size (papules) around my chin and nose and a couple of smaller acnes recently. i hope initial breakouts have just started to calm down. within next weeks i will see the first result i hope. i'm still using clindoxyl gel but not everyday. there have been lots of minor, non-infectious white spots which come to surface since the treatment began. WEEK 5: i had 3 medium-size and 5-6 small-size acnes in this 5th week of tretinoin treatment with vaselin and clindoxyl gel. as i said before, i'm using clindoxyl for only breakouts for quick results. no more deep and huge breakouts in this week as well. but my skin remains uneven after breakouts. a little bit peeling no redness. note: when i edit, helpful votes disappear ;) WEEK 6: only one medium size pimple and lots of fast-growing small white heads around my bottom lip and nose (maybe 12-14 totally). sizes are decreasing which is good but breakouts are increasing so far. at the same time there are lots of non-infectious white spots around my chin, the most problematic part. uneven skin appearance is not good at all, some darker spots, pimples... WEEK 7: medium size pimples (5-6) around chin and more small size white heads. nothing better. WEEK 8: last week i was in holiday and i discovered that it is better to use bepanthen plus cream with tretinoin and vaseline. it is good for redness and also pimples themselves. the pimples become less visible. so this week it was a bit more better than last week. less medium size pimples and white heads, but not a big difference. WEEK 9: only one middle-size and a deep cystic one in the right side of face, close to my ear but it is hardly noticable because it is really deep. i think this is not related to tretinoin because i didn't use it in this area regularly. except this, this week was relatively better. WEEK 10: best week ever! no new huge or medium-size acnes, just some tiny whiteheads. i hope this is not temporary. WEEK 11: better than last week! just a few whiteheads... WEEK 12: a few whiteheads, one bigger (not too big) deep but hardly noticeable acne around my chin. WEEK 13-14: no new bigger acne, just a few whiteheads and i completly quited using vaseline. BEPANTHEN PLUS is the best for acne problem and also good for moistrizing.

this cleared my acne 95%. i still get a few pimples before my period. i went from severe acne to very light. the tube lasts about 6 months and my derm gave me a couple prescription renewals so i don't have to go in every six months. i use to go on this site all the time until my acne cleared so i thought i would at least leave a review for the product that worked for me.

I have been through two 6 month rounds of accutane in the past 4 years. I love my skin when I am on it, but when I stop, about 1 year later my skin's oil production kicks into high gear. I knew I needed to find something post-accutane to control the oil and therefore the break outs. I went to my derm this past week after I woke up with face full of bumps and white heads and over unbecoming complexion. He suggested the folllowing: Clindamycin 150mg oral twice a day Ziana gel before bedtime (clindamycin phosphate 1.2% and tretinoin 0.025%) In addition, I use a the white dove bar soap and Aveno ultra-calming lotion (oil free!) in my skin regiment. (Tip: to get the pea sized amount of gel to spread, mix it with your moisturizer....only use pea size of the gel, using more will cause severe irritation! Start with a low percentage and go slow.) When I began this treatment,the first 2-3 days my acne did get worse, but this morning (day 7) I woke up to much reduced acne and silky smooth skin with decreased oil. My suggestion to everyone that read this board is to have an honest discussion with your derm about each treatment you are on. I had been on Differin for a while before this regiment (it wasn't working at all!!) and he had to explain to me that retinoid treatments are very patient specific. While they act with the same mechanism over all, each med hits a slightly different receptor. If one gel isn't working for you, go back and ask for a different prescription! My receptors didn't respond to Differin, but they did to Ziana. :) p.s. Ask for samples if you are going to do this treatment...enough to try for 1-2 months. Then you can decide if that gel/cream is the best for you. Good luck!