I've used this product for 2 years and counting. Nothing has improved AT ALL and I'm sick of knowing I'm not pretty enough or good enough because acne just ruins everyone's lives. Don't use this, honestly I want to stop but somehow I still have hope that it will work

I've battled with non-inflammatory acne since I was about 21 (am now 25). I have always had oily skin and always get hormonal spots around my chin but various forms of hormone and non-hormone contraceptions disrupted my skin even further, giving me more and more blocked pores and some aggressive cystic acne. Clean and clear, clearasil, neutrogena - nothing was working so I decided to get retin a a try. I heard it was great for anti ageing purposes as well. I followed all of the instructions and waited at least fifteen minutes after washing my face before app,ting a pea sized amount gently to met face. I avoided any face washes containing salycilic acid or peroxide. I started off using it three nights a week and then started using it every other night and then to every night over a period of about two months. I didn't really notice any improvement to my acne at all. The skin by the sides of my mouth became immediately flaky and dry and always looked quite sore so I avoided this area and then I noticed the overal flaky stage. At no point did my spots disappear or even improve - certainly not any faster than they would have just if I had just left them. My skin was always slightly red looking and became so sensitive to pretty much everything: pillowcases, mild face creams, aqueous cream and even cetaphil. I lowered the dosage back down to three times a week but it still didn't do anything other than make my face sore. I stopped using the retin a about five months ago and now my face still reacts to EVERYTHING. The products that I used before trying retin a no longer work at all, most of them feel too harsh and abrasive. I have developed MORE blocked pores and MORE cystic acne, this time not just on my chin but also on my forehead. My acne is worse than it has ever been. Whilst retin a May not be the cause, it certainly did not help me at all. This is just my personal experience with retin a, I have heard that many people absolutely swear by it. I did some research before using it and there are hundreds of YouTube videos singing its praises so it seems that I a, unfortunately one of the few that it really just didn't agree with!!

At first i was using tretinoin 0.05 for about 3 weeks. Since then my acne was getting worse! So i went to the derm And she than prescribed me duac in the morning , doxycycline hyclate to use twice a day and tretinoin 0.05 (i have mild to moderate acne) using these my face ended up so bad and started to burn tremendously! I then made the decision to accept acne cause i knew god would heal me and send me a sign! I was watching youtube videos and out of nowhere pops acne.org regimen! I ordered the products but in the mean time i still had my duac and pills that i have taken . Watching dans regimen i realize i was washing my face wrong which was leading to irritation! I started using duac everymorning and night 15-30 min after washing my face with cerave gentle cleanser then wait 15-30 min again and put cerave mositerizeur. I also changed my diet stopped puttin make up on and started taking multivitamins. After a week if changing my regimen to dans acne.org regimen allong with doxy my acne has defnitley gotten alot better!! I was at the point where i just wanted to give up but i knew my god had a plan for me! This is workingg i suggest to watch dans regimen it helps!! Im seeing reaults everyday!

I want to start by saying that this product apparently has worked for many people, but please be aware that it does NOT work for everyone. I have been struggling with moderate acne since my teens (I'm now 31). I went to the doctor and she prescribed Retin-A. She did not warn me that my acne might get a LOT worse before it got better, and for an extended period of time. I really wanted to give this a shot, but after 9 weeks on the product and my acne was significantly WORSE than before I started using Retin-A, I just couldn't take it anymore. It was difficult to cover all of the cysts that were popping up on a daily basis with makeup, I started avoiding leaving the house, and I didn't want my boyfriend to see me without makeup. It was terrible, and it was affecting my self-esteem as well (I am normally quite a confident individual). Who wants to suffer through weeks and even months of painful, cycstic acne in the hopes that your acne may or may not finally clear up?! I finally decided to explore a natural route, and about a week ago I went to see an acupuncturist who specializes in Chinese Medicine. I stopped using Retin-A the same day. I received an acupuncture treatment, started taking Neem herbal supplements daily, and have reduced my carbohydrate intake. To wash my face, I'm using a natural Syrian soap called Chami, that's it. No moisturizer needed. Almost ALL of my cysts from using Retin-A have already dried up, my skin is much less oily, and I'm feeling so much better about my skin! I'm also using a Fuller's Earth mud mask every other day (commonly used in India, called Multani Mitti). I can't believe I spent all this time on Retin-A when a natural approach would have worked much better in the long run. It's only been a week, but the results so far have been very promising. If you're going to use Retin-A, just make sure you understand the risks!

This stuff does work, but I wanted to share this study so that if you decide to take Tretinoin, you'll be making that decision with your eyes wide open regarding the risks. There have been studies done that link these topical retinoids to internal cancers and increased mortality rates. Here's one: [link edited out] Granted, the connections still need to be explored in more depth, but given the huge profitability of this product for drug companies, I wouldn't be surprised if they are working hard to prevent further research into the potential hazards of Tretinoin.

I really wish I would have never gone to the dermatologist office. In all honesty my acne was not even that bad. I feel like it became severe once I started using Atralin, the brand I was prescribed. I trusted my derm, and I asked her if I would break out while using this. She told me no.. Wrong. I understand that this takes 3 months to see results, but I am only on month 2 and I do not think I can continue using this. My breakouts haven't been whiteheads, but cysts. So many cysts. A new one every day. I have become so self conscious about them, I refuse to leave my house because I do not want people to see me. Dryness has been an issue as well, which is also making me feel self conscious with everyone pointing it out. But I do not mean to discourage anyone. This product simply did not work for me, that doesn't mean it will be the same for everyone. It could work beautifully for some people, and may not for others. I do hope anyone going through what I am going through makes it with beautiful skin. Best of wishes.

I was so frustrated with acne that has plagued me for years, and thus went to the dermatologist. I was prescribed tretinoin, a minor antibiotic, and clyndamicin.gel. Tretinoin made my skin worse. Absolutely terrible. Yet, I persisted for a full three months with no improvement to my skin. And then, I stopped using tretinoin completely. My skin cleared up. Well, cleared up to the point it was at before tretinion. So, I used solely clyndamicin, which is just okay. On the contrary, this can work for some people. Stick with it for at least 2 months before you give up on it. I don't blame you if you do.

My dermatologist prescribed me this and it was awful, it caused me more comedogenic acne:(

My doctor told me to try this out since my skin can't handle BP and SA is not doing anything for me. I apply it to areas where i tend to get acne every night before bed. I noticed that the large pores on my nose started to get smaller, but other than that nothing happened.

I have had acne since the age of 12 (I am 25 now). I fought for spironolactone which up until the past few months had eliminated all of my face and body acne. However, I had several tiny bumps on my chin that did not go away. So I was given Retin A Micro gel by my dermatologist who swore up and down that it was a wonderful medication that would eliminate my persistent acne. Three days after applying the medication, I had two large cysts and three bright red painful bumps. I have been on the medication for a month and a half and every day my face grows increasingly worse. I now have 22 active acne bumps and at least five red marks where pimples used to be. I wish I could stick this medication out, but I have been in tears every morning for the past month and a half. Makeup won't cover this many pimples, and many of my bumps are very sore. I will not be using this medication again.