Acne.org ProductsResults
Side Effects
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.
Used Tretinoin? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
June 26, 2010
Cons:
The CREAM broke me out worse than ever
Even with the gel, I still find that I need the help of other products to help me exfoliate
I'm in my 30s and have been battling acne since I was 12. The Retin A cream doesn't work for me. It breaks me out worse than anything. I wouldn't recommend slathering your face with a thick, heavy cream-even if it has retinol in it. The gel however, works nicely for me. It is lightweight and it gives me a decent peel, but I still find that I need help from baking soda and Pretika facial brush to fully exfoliate my skin
June 22, 2010
Pros:
most insurances cover it to make the co-pay cheap for the patient. Exfoliates skin, definitely adds a glow to the skin, and it seems to heal red marks well.
Cons:
initial breakout, takes a long time to work, leaves skin feeling oily. (Theres only a small amount of active ingredient, the rest is a very heavy cream to moisturize you.) If you don't keep applying it, it will not work.
Only use if you are going to be consistent with it. If you know you'll slack off, don't even bother. If the oiliness the next morning from use bothers you, you might slack off.
May 4, 2010
Pros:
didn't work for me
i was using this for 3 months and it didn't work for me it just made things worse :( it made my skin peel and it looked really bad and red. my derm prescribed me spironolactone and doxycycline & i stopped using the topicals and wow my skin looks so clear after 1 week!! so if your a girl and topical medications are not working for you it could be hormonal acne like mine, so give spironolactone a try it also makes you less oily :)
November 30, 2009
Pros:
after all of the bad stages your skin looks amazing
Cons:
burning sensation, peeling, dry skin at first
I love this stuff. My skin looks and feels incredible, I can't believe it. This is the clearest my skin has been in about four or five years, and I am very pleased. I don't have a single zit on my face.
When I first started using Retin-a, my skin reacted pretty badly to it. I got a slight tingly, burning sensation, and I went through a lot of different stages of peeling on-and-off for a long time--I really wanted to stop using it because of this, but I assure you that the end result is totally worth it.
September 28, 2009
Pros:
takes about 2-3 months until it works properly but its worth it
Cons:
makes skin dry
first time i started using it took me about 2 months until i saw an improvement, but then it just kept my skin realllyyyyy clear!until i stopped using it.....now i started using it again about 3 weeks ago and my face is getting worse but thats how this cream works so yea im gonna keep up with it :) dont give up if ur acne gets worse when u start using it cause the effect after that its worth it
August 22, 2009
Pros:
works really well! takes time for it to work, and at first your acne may get a little worse but after you are done with the tube, i have the 45gram size which lasts about 6 months, most likely your acne will be gone.
Cons:
Acne gets worse at first for some, like it did for me, and takes a while to start working, for me it was about a month.
it works very well after time
May 11, 2016
miracle worker
I started retinA the first time round in October last year, it cleared me up completely by December/January and by feb most my hyperpigmenation was gone!! I was so confident and happy with my clear skin... STUPIDLY after I finished that first tube, my skin was so good i just assumed i didn't need to carry on with the retinA.. BIG MISTAKE. About 6 weeks ago I noticed my skin was breaking out bad... covered in tiny white bumps all over my cheeks, and some even got badly inflamed and larger. So I went to doctors and got back on my original retinaA. I started this 4 weeks ago, first week did nothing just peeled and was looking like a tomato.. week 2-4 bad initial break out- cheeks were covered in medium sized pimples :( guessing this was and is the initial purging stage. But I'm so determined to stick it through as I know this worked before, my advice to anyone is don't pick spots, stick with it even when u feel super depressed and low, I had 2/3 weeks of this :(,In the long run it will be worth it. Defiantly recommend!!! Btw I had tried so many products before this and this is the only one thats ever helped my skin. Good luck my angels x
May 18, 2015
Flaking? Don't be a flake!
It IS drying my skin out and it IS doing exactly as advertised! This is how you clear up scars and already-formed zits. The drying is only a sign of your skin rejuvenating and healing, so to anyone complaining about this effect--don't. I can't speak for everyone, but I don't have severe acne, so take this with a grain of salt. This may not be for everyone. IF you want your scars to fade, and if you want fresh new skin, this is a great product. If you have scars or pimples that have formed and are in remission, use this cream very sparingly (about a pea-sized amount over your entire face), and yes, you will flake the next day and day after, but the simple solution is to use a scrub after letting your face soak in some kind of foaming face wash (salycilic acid for it's anti-bacterial effect--why not?), and then scrub it off. Your skin is making new, healthy skin. This flaking side effect is completely normal. I use it once every second night. An additional effect I enjoy from this is it gives my skin a nice, healthy glow, probably due to the formation of new fresh skin. It's a good product and much better for you than eating Tretinion (accutane) pills. Just scrub the dead skin off (lightly) and you should be fine.
May 27, 2015
People think this is a cure to pimples, but it isnt, it is a cure to acne. It Will NOT help already formed pimples. It will make pimples never happen again. I am 28 years old and this is the clearest my skin has been since I was 14. The flaking and dryness can be dealt with. I never knew I would ever have skin like this again. If you don't want to buy it from a U.S pharmacy you can outsource. I get mine from Australia for 12$ instead of 75$ my pharmacy wanted to charge.
October 2, 2012
Pros:
Makes skin smoother, helps peel off pimples, helps with blackheads, helps peel scars, makes face brighter, helps fade hyperpigmentation and scarring, helps with wrinkles
Cons:
Takes a while to start seeing results
I LOVE retin-A (.025% gel) and think I will be using it for the rest of my life!!! It takes a little bit to get over the initial breakout period but after this, your skin just keeps getting better. I ran out of this stuff and decided to use some tazorac I had lying around (cream formulation) and this just made me breakout worse and feel so insecure. Now that I started using this again, I see my acne going away day by day and all my scars are fading very quickly. Every morning I'm excited to wake up and see the layer of skin that has peeled off my face! (gross I know)... but this in combination with some BP in the morning will do the trick.
July 29, 2012
Pros:
Got rid of acne
Smooth skin
Easy to apply
Reduces oiliness
Cons:
Initial breakout
Dry skin
Must be patient (takes time to work)
Sensitive to sun
Redness and peeling (in the beginning)
Only effects some forms of acne
For several years, my skin had acquired hundreds of small whiteheads that were below the skin surface and never seemed to disappear. They were all over my cheeks, forehead, the sides of my face, and a few on my chin. Last october my skin had finally gotten bad enough that I went to the dermatologist and he put me on Retin A Micro. I started off by taking it every third day for two weeks, every other day for a week, and then began taking it daily. I apply it at night after I wash my face and apply my moisturizer. There was no immediate reaction to taking Retin A. However, after a couple weeks my skin became very red, very irritated, and VERY dry. My skin was constantly peeling and I began getting more whiteheads and more pimples (the initial breakout). In the next few months, my skin became used to Retin A and I began to notice an improvement in my acne. By the third month, the trapped whiteheads had nearly all disappeared. My skin was smooth and no longer oily (AT ALL - I had REALLY oily skin before using Retin A where my face would shine an hour after showering) but always a little dry (nothing a good moisturizer can't fix). The only problem with Retin A is that it was only able to get rid of those whiteheads. During the time that I was using Retin A, my skin began to develop hormonal inflamed acne (pastules and papules) which Retin A never took care of. Instead I began taking Diane 35 which got rid of this acne within a month. The bottom line is that Retin A did the job that it was supposed to do and eight months later I am still using it to keep the whiteheads away. There are some cons to this product - the initial breakout, sensitivity to the sun, waiting for the Retin A to finally work, and the dryness - but it is worth it in the end if you can stick through it! :)
Pros:
The GEL is great
reduces breakouts
insurance covers it