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

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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.

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2
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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.
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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...
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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.
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May 14, 2007

Pros:

Firmer skin

Cons:

Broke out worse than ever before in my life.

I started out with just a few zits but wanted them to completely go away. After having this prescribed, I noticed my skin clearing up for the first 1-2 weeks. After that, I entered what they called the "it gets worse before it gets better" stage. My face broke out so horribly...I was so embarrassed but kept with the treatment. Supposedly it should have cleared up after about 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, I still looked awful, but decided to stick with it anyways. 12 weeks later, I still looked HORRIBLE. People would ask me what was wrong with my face and why I looked so bumpy and red. I finally decided to stop using this treatment. I was just too embarrassed to keep going with it, and figured if it didn't work after 12 weeks, it probably wasn't going to work for me at all. I really thought this was going to work well, but it didn't. My patience definitely wore out.
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May 6, 2007

Pros:

Clears acne, Gets rid of oily skin

Cons:

Drys skin severly, kinda leaves skin red and burning

So far so good. Ive been using it every night for almost a week in combination with a BP gel in the mornings. I haven't had a breakout since I started and all my current breakouts are almost gone! My skin burns during the day and has been really flaky but I think thats more because of the BP. I want to exfoliate but am scared of irritating my skin more. one word of advice: Moisturize!!! Also I don't think that anything but laser tratment will help with scarring, will be doing that as soon as im acne free!
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April 14, 2007

Pros:

dont know yet...

Cons:

it makes you break up a lot so be WARNED!!!!!

well I've been using this product for about 2 months and I still break out a lot, I used it w/ clindamicin in the morning and minocycline twice a day but so far I see way more pimples, my face look terrible and I dont really want to quit yet. Should I give it more time????
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April 12, 2007

Pros:

Clears up acne, dries out whiteheads

Cons:

Takes months to see results, doesn't eliminate acne scars, makes skin super-sensitive to UV rays so always wear a sunscreen when going outside.

Never had acne as a young teenager, then as soon as I turned 18, I began to get moderate acne. I tried EVERY SINGLE over-the-counter product out there (from Neutrogena, Clearsil, Cetaphil, etc, to Proactiv, to some generic products - trust me I have tried over 87 products over the course of 1.5 years) I couldn't take the continued break outs, so my derm put me on Retin-A Micro (Purple Pump) and Duac topical gel (BP) as well as some anti-biotic oral meds. After about 2 months, I am finally seeing results. My acne is clearning up but the scarring is still showing a bit, but not horribly. I'm fairly happy with the results I am finally having but it's still not 100% clear. I give a neutral recommendation for this product because of how long it takes to see results.
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March 27, 2007

Pros:

nothing yet, been 10 days

Cons:

very, very oily. more cystic breakouts, face very red and burning.

I'm not sure how much longer to stay on this Retin A. Stopped using Accutane because my hair was falling out so I will give this a try for a few more weeks then giving up on all medicine. I had enough!!!
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March 7, 2007

Pros:

if your face is already clear it will keep it clear, inexspensive,

Cons:

you have too wait, initial breakout, embarrassment from that initial break out

well iv used it about a month and my skin started getting better ity seemed and then BOOM! i got that breakout, and i still have it, its been about a week, usually my breakout would be gone by now if i wasnt using this stuff so i dont know if its worht it, i guess ill have to wait, but if YOU DONT LIKE WAITING DONT USE THIS PRODUCT.
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March 1, 2007

Pros:

Worked as well as benzoyl peroxide for a bit. Pimple turnover was reduced too.

Cons:

No long term improvements. Flakiness did not go away. Red marks persisted long time.

Went from BP to this on doctors orders. They say you have to wait 3 months to see full results. I used only non comedogenic sunscreen and aloe vera for moisturizer. Well I waited and on the third month I broke out bad. Didn't stop and the major peeling made it worse. Now I have alot of scars and I'm only recovring a few weeks later from the BP. Now this was just me. This prescription seems like a lot of hit and miss. For some people it works really well and others it doesn't. Some take couple months for full months and some say they saw good results after 6-12. I dunno except I am much worse off then before with acne in places I never had before. Just be careful with this one your taking a chance. PS I was using .1% retin a micro
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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