Topical Retinoid
Reviews
3.4
1969 Reviews
Topical Retinoid
Efficacy
50%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Topical Retinoid
Side Effects
Low
Topical Retinoid
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Works about the same as the other two topical retinoids, tazarotene and adapalene, and lands in the middle of those two when it comes to side effects. Should provide partial clearing, but comes with sensitivity when you first start using it. It probably won’t be a total game changer but it should help reduce acne.
Topical Retinoid
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one.
Read All About Tretinoin
Compare To Other Treatments
5
22.1%
4
32%
3
21.6%
2
14.9%
1
9.4%

Used Tretinoin? Rate It:

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December 21, 2017
Tretinoin Gel
I do not usually take the time to write reviews but I felt compelled to as I heavily relied on reviews to make a decision for my skin. I am 27 and although not constant, I would frequently get deep, very swollen, under the skin blemishes that would result in weeks of redness/marks and they would often never come to the surface. Id say this has been going on for about 7 years. I have tried everything but nothing has made this problem better. I, like many of you was worried about the horrible "purge" on tretinoin however, I am in my 3rd week and My skin is more beautiful than ever. I cant say I am even experiencing any dryness or redness. (I am using CeraVe Am moisturizer with sunscreen) I am very happy with the results so far. I will add that I began taking generic Yasmin for birth control at the same time. My doctor said it has an aldactone derivative so, one may experience spiro benefits without having to take spiro alone. I hope this helps someone, I know having bad skin can send you into a very low place. There is hope. :)
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September 6, 2017
tretinoin 0.025% cream
I have used this brand for a little over 5 days. I have noticed some minor burning and peeling. I just started using a moisturizer AFTER rather than before it, and that has seemed to help. I was a little worried after reading a ton of tretinoin reviews that I would experience a "purging" period and start breaking out badly, but I haven't experienced that yet. So far my skin has been pretty even and smooth. I'm impressed, and will continue to use this product.
May 25, 2017
Stick with it!
My doctor prescribed me birth control and tretinoin .025% around 2.5 months ago. I have been using tretinoin every night pretty consistently besides skipping a night here and there to not let my skin get too "used to it". I was pretty much traveling overseas all of last month, and my I tried my very best to stick to the same regimen. Fortunately, my skin did not freak out! I was in humid and warmer locations-- which definitely benefited my skin along with the tretinoin. While abroad, my acne cleared up and my face was SPOTLESS. I went from having severe cystic acne along my jawline and a few on my cheeks to having nothing! The only thing that's left are hyperpigmentation. Since I've been back (3 weeks) in the states, the transition has impacted my skin a little. I've been getting a few cysts on the lower part of my face, but they don't last too long. I think my body is slowly adjusting to the climate, food, and schedule overall. I am praying it gets back to as clear as it was abroad. My mom has been complimenting my skin every day saying it doesn't look as red or bumpy anymore. I can also see how flat my cheeks are compared to how it was before the medication. I can't tell if it's birth control, tretinoin, or the combination of both working. Either way, it's a positive outcome! Two months on it, and I'm seeing improvement. The number one thing I've been working on is to keep my schedule as consistent as possible. Sometimes sleeping later than usual will mess up my skin. I can't wait to see the results in two more months! I heard it takes atleast four months to see full results.
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May 19, 2017
6 Weeks in
Hey guys! This is my first time posting, but I know that when I first started treatment I was hungry for accounts of other people's progress. I am now 6 weeks in to using Tretinoin cream 0.025% every night before bed, and am starting to notice significant progress. I did experience an initial breakout starting around week 3, and I knew that it was the purge phase not a bad reaction because the breakout was confined to the area I already broke out in (my cheeks and chin) and the skin around the new breakouts was looking better than before. Now, I only have 3 newish spots, and they are all drying and on their way out. The pesky dark marks acne leaves behind are starting to clear up! My skin looks airbrushed like it hasn't in so long, and the end is in sight! I am in no way all the way clear yet, but I feel like give it another two months, and my skin will have done a major turn around. If you're in the initial breakout phase or just starting out, have patience, and if you are worried about a reaction you're having to the cream, call your doctor-- they'll be able to tell you if it's a bad reaction or just the purge. I also wanted to say that to deal with the initial breakout I've been using Lush brand masks, in particular cosmetic warrior (smells bad but so worth it), and catastrophe cosmetic. They both really helped me to get through the rough patch. Good luck guys! I hope this helps.
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March 5, 2017
Tretinoin/ Retin-a Review
So I have been struggling with mild acne since I was a sophomore in high school (I am now a senior about to graduate in a few months) and have had it pretty under control with the occasional break out. I had been using proactiv for about a year now and have only seen very mild improvement. In November 2016 I had a bad break out and finally decided to go to the dermatologist. I wasn't able to get an appointment anytime soon so I went to my family doctor to see if he could schedule me an appointment which he did for late December. In the mean time he prescribed me Retin-a gel .01% and doxycycline pills to take once a day. Before taking these drugs I read reviews online and saw YouTube videos about the results and they looked pretty good so I decided to try it out. A lot of these reviews have talked about an initial breakout or "purging stage" when using tretinoin or retin-a but I had no idea how bad t would be for me. My face went from having a few pimples to my entire face being covered in acne for about a month and a half to two months. I'm late December I finally saw the dermatologist and she told me to use less of the retin-a (I was only supposed to use a pea sized amount but wasn't, hoping to see faster results... bad idea.) She also bumped my retin-a to a .025% cream and prescribed me clindamyacin phosphate at 2%. I have been using these products for about two months now and have definitely seen my face clear up. I now longer have any active acne, only the occasional pimple which I get about once every week and a half to ever two weeks which is a lot better than what I would get while using proactiv as I would get a new pimple every other day or so. I have stopped using the doxycycline now and only have scarring left from my purging stage. My dermatologist has now recommended me to use a dermaroller at 1.0mm to help with the scarring. I hope to be free from acne by the time of my graduation in 2 months. Retin-a has completely changed my face for the better as I am now acne free :)))
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August 17, 2016
1000% Worth It!
So I'm not typically someone who writes reviews on products, but Retin-A was hands down the best thing to happen to my skin so I felt this review could really help some people who are currently struggling with the "purge phase" to push through. I have now been on Retin-A for about 9 weeks. So for a quick backstory on my skin, I first started breaking out pretty badly in high school, which is when I went on Accutane. That did wonders for my skin until about my sophomore year of college (I'm now about to be a senior) when my skin started to have random breakouts again, with my forehead being my biggest problem area. Overall, I would have pretty mild breakouts, but nothing too terrible. At the beginning of the summer I was prescribed the .05% cream and had a slightly different experience than most people, so here's a recap of my experience thus far: Upon my first night of using Retin-A, I immediately began the dreaded "purge phase" and my skin began breaking out into a bunch of little bumps where I applied the cream. It wasn't my typical breakout where I had varying size pimples, but rather more consistent small white head type bumps, which unfortunately is completely normal and shows the product is doing its job. Although this really sucked with my skin being my biggest insecurity, I pushed through and tried to be as positive as possible. In addition to breaking out, the texture of my skin also began to change a lot, but this is where my experience really differs from a lot of other reviewers. So instead of the typical super drying effect most people experience, my skin got a lot oiler. This was something I was actually something I was pleasantly surprised with though because my skin texture has always been super dry and never smooth (which has always annoyed me when applying makeup). I went through this consistent breaking out phase for about 6-8 weeks, which some days looking a little better than others. Although, yes, this is a lot time and I know this purge phase differs with everyone, I am now happier with my skin than I've ever been. I just began my 9th week on the cream and my skin is literally flawless. Not only am I not breaking out at all, but my skin texture is what I'm almost even more excited about. It feels like I have a completely brand new layer of baby soft skin (which basically is what the product does), which I literally haven't experience since pre-puberty. I am seriously in love and couldn't recommend this product more. So with all of this being said and taking into consideration that everyone has a different experience, I promise the purge phase is so so worth it, so stick it out! As I mentioned earlier, I began Retin-A this summer, which I am really happy I did since I didn't have any big plans going on that overlapped with my purging phase. Being as insecure about my skin as I am, having a time period where I didn't have many social obligations/ school going on made this time a lot less hard to get through. I know not everyone's schedule allows for something like this, but if you do I guess that would be my only recommendation for starting this product. I hope my review will help some people struggling with this phase now because I know other people's reviews really helped me power through it. You got this and I promise the end results will make the weeks of bad skin beyond worth it!
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August 21, 2016
What do you use to wash and moisturizer your skin? I'm planning on using retin a soon buying trying to do some research first.
July 26, 2016
best cream for acne scars
Retino-A 0.025% Tretinoin Cream for acne scars is best medication, i use it from last 3 years
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November 6, 2016

You can buy it in [Edited link out]! Regards

July 11, 2016
Be patient!
This is the best thing that has ever happened to my skin. To avoid the purging stage, you really have to be patient and start slow along with following the instructions that come with the product. I started with 0.5% and I applied it three times a week, and then every other night until I could apply it every night. Just see how your skin reacts the day after you used retin-a. If it's red, itchy, and aggravated then wait until it's back to it's normal state. Once your skin is free from any kind of discomfort, then apply it again. This is what I did and my skin got accustomed to it without being irritated anymore and I am on my fifth month. Some extra tips: Use a very gentle cleanser that doesn't really dry out your skin. I use spectro cleanser as it doesn't have any sulfates or fragrances. Wait 20 minutes then apply retin-a, let it dry, and wait 20 minutes again before putting on moisturizer. Again, use something that's really gentle and extremly hydrating like the first aid beauty ultra repair cream or the cerave moisturizing cream. Hope this helps!
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June 21, 2016
A lifesaver!!!!!
The best thing I ever did was go to the Dr and get prescribed tretinoin!! Don't spend money on bogus cleansers and acne treatments that don't work, go straight to your Dr or dermatologist and get help!! This stuff has almost completely cleared me up, I'm 24 years old and had hundreds of blackheads and closed comedones and as a result was constantly getting inflamed pimples. I was put on tretinoin 0.05% (Stieva-A brand, not retin-a) and within 3 months I could see a huge improvement. The only thing is that my purging stage on this treatment was terrible, I broke out so badly. I did also peel quite a bit but with a good moisturiser it wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting. In the end I would do it all again if I had to. I've been using it for 4 months now and am about to go up a dose to the 0.1% just because I can. Get this stuff asap, you won't regret it!!
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June 29, 2016
Im currently going throught the purging period... or at least i think I am. It's been close to 2 months. I was wondering how your purge period was since your skin seems pretty similar to mine
June 30, 2016
how long did it take for the marks from the purging to go away? :( I'm at 2.5 months and i have marks from my purging period
July 23, 2016
To ease the purging period, use coconut oil as a cleanser and tea tree oil as a toner. These are both antibacterial and help counteract the effects of the "purge". Also, vitamin E oil is great for those nasty dry spots you can get around the mouth/nose area.
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
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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.

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.