Acne.org Products
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.
Used Tretinoin? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
March 14, 2012
Cons:
Takes time
Terrible Initial Breakout
With BP and SA not working at all for me,
i went to derm and got this prescribed along with clindamycin. Im in week 7 and i can honestly say my skin is 95% clear which is a huge improvement for me who has had acne for half a decade.
The worst thing was about week 3 until week 6 my face was constantly breaking out with bumps everywhere.
I was told it takes until week 12 to see huge full results so im glad i have 5 more weeks to see my skin continue improving. and without insurance it is kinda expansive but to many of us suffering for years, cost does not a matter if we can have clear skin. I used tretinoin (Generic) .01%
If used properly the small tube can last a very long time.
A Little goes along way with this stuff!
November 20, 2011
Pros:
Made my acne clear up
Helps get rid of pigmentation
Helps prevent oily skin
Makes skin smooth
Gets rid of any wrinkles you may have
Cons:
Can be a tad drying if overused
If I cry or sweat, it burns badly
I, personally, cannot use it with anything else. I had to stop using all makeup and I had to stop the other topical I was using (clindamycin)
Can cause redness for some but not for me
If you get this anywhere near the skin of your eye, you'll be sorry for the next few days. FLAKES EVERYWHERE
I didn't pay anything for this, my doctor prescribed me Retin-A cream almost four months ago along with minocylcine pills and clindamycin. The pill and the Retin-A work, but the clinda had to go. Retin-A didn't take a long time to work for me as it does with many people, and it didn't dry my skin very much.I saw results within two weeks. I started using it once a day, and then I starting using it twice a day because I felt once wasn't enough. You aren't supposed to do that, but my doctor actually agreed to it.
It works really well. I've had moderate acne since 4th grade and I am now 15. I have not a single spot. I have a few pigmentations, but I'm 99.9% sure that'll be gone soon enough.
I'd recommend this to anyone. I get complements on my skin all the time, and I never got that before when I had to pile on makeup (Although I love my makeup, I had to let it go. It wasn't allowing the medications to work).
Also, if you're a picker, stop picking and get your hands on this. You will be so glad you did so. The dryness and itchiness go away so if you can deal, it's worth it. I don't know about anyone else, but for me this was a miracle.
August 1, 2011
Pros:
consisitenly deals with acne
got rid on indented/rolling scars
Cons:
could be irritating or make your face red
wont completly treat hormonal acne
i have used this as a night treatment for years and then in the morning i would use clindamycin. i recently stopped using clindamycin on a hunch that it was making my acne marks darker and as soon as i stopped it and only used tretinotin i have noticed a HUGE diffrence in the texure of my skin(iv always been afraid of my acne leaving indented scars and now its like there disapering!) and how fast my acne is healing without leaving those dreaded purpleish red marks. its like i got the full effect of using this cream once i stopped using the clindamycin
July 2, 2011
Pros:
-In the beginning stages, it helps clear up acne
-Gives your skin a smooth appearance
-Only have to apply it at night
-Mostly keeps your acne under control, until you are on it too long
Cons:
-Irritation
-Hyper-pigmentation
-REDNESS
-Dryness
-Nearly burns off your skin
-Peeling
-Have to reduce your sun exposure
-After a while, it will make your skin peel and look REALLY red and irritated
My derm put me on tretinoin 0.5% to combat my acne. At first, it worked really well. After I was on it about a year, it stopped working, and made my skin red and irritated. In the begining stages of using this medication, some days are fine, and your skin looks smooth and clear. Other days, you wake up with your skin peeling off looking like you stepped out of a zombie convention. While it did help me keep my acne under control for a time, it's very hard to deal with the peeling and redness. Once, my skin was so dry and burnt from this cream, it took me nearly a week (without using it anymore) to get my skin back to normal. This topical might work for you. If you have sensitive skin, I'd be wary. If you can deal with the peeling and the dryness, it's worth a try. Even though I mixed tretinoin with some non-comodegenic moisturizer, it still didn't work to help the dryness. Overall, I wouldn't really recommend this medication, because in the long run, it just doesn't prove effective.
June 13, 2011
Pros:
-In the long run, got rid of 50% of my most severe pimples.
Cons:
-Side effects
-Burning
-Made me even more sensitive to the sun
-Redness
-Peeling
-Expensive
This medication took a long time to make any positive on my skin. I've been useing it for 10 months and only got good results after 6 months. The side effects were horrible, and painful (both physicaly and emotionaly). After almost a year of treatment I still have acne. People would ask me if I had a sunburn, then give me advice on sunburns AND acne.
May 8, 2011
Pros:
Lightens scars
Clears Skin
Company offers a rebate form (pay no more than $20 for prescription)
Cons:
Peeling
Dryness
Sensitivity to sunlight
I use Retin-A at night and Duac in the morning. It has really helped clear up my skin and fade scars. It does make your skin really dry, and you start to peel, but this usually goes away within a week. I got a drug rash from this stuff on my chest and back, but it cleared up quickly with hydrocortisone cream. I would recommend Retin-A, but I'm not sure how much it can do for people with deep scarring. I only have surface scars, and it clears those up really well.
February 9, 2011
Pros:
Skin is now smooth
Wrinkles reduced very quickly
Cons:
Major breakout first week
I think not for older people
I am 58, and my dr. prescribed something new, Tretin-X cream .0375% for my wrinkles and whitehead/blackheads which I have had my whole life. First week was awful -- I had pimples and whiteheads/blackheads in places I never had before. Both cheeks were blistered and crusty and the areas around my eyes (where the wrinkles were), were severely swollen. Went back to my doctor and she said to stop it and gave me Finacea gel 15%. So far after a few days, so good. All of the blisters/swelling are almost all gone and my face is smooth and wrinkles around eyes are not bad. However, I am OFF the Tretin-X until further notice from my doctor. Hopefully, I can find some sort of balance with this medicaion. I so wanted it to work for me. Fortunately, I did not have to pay anything because my dr. gave me samples to try.
January 19, 2011
Pros:
- It works (unlike everything else I tried).
-You only need to apply it at night before bed.
- I found it to be not as irritating as benzoyl peroxide (which didn't work for me).
-You only need a small (pea-sized) amount
Cons:
-I think it needs to be combined with an antibiotic, either oral or topical, to be effective.
-Can irritate the skin if you apply too much.
-It took me months of consistent use for me to see results, I only became completely clear when I started taking minocycline.
-Initial breakout is not great, but don't give up!
It works but only if used with an antibiotic. I tried taking antibiotics alone before I was using tretinoin and they did nothing, but I found using tretinoin 0.05% cream at night and taking minocyline in the morning to be really effective. I also wash my face morning and night with Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser. Minocycline, Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser and 0.05% tretinoin - Please try this combination, I can't recommend it enough. Good Luck!
August 3, 2010
Pros:
Worked great for me as a teenager.
I like the idea that it might be good for wrinkles too.
No odor, easy to use.
Cons:
Problems with insurance - had to get verification from dr. I think this was to make sure it wasn't being prescribed for wrinkles.
Drying and peeling on initial use.
Maybe less effective on cystic acne.
I have used this product 3 times in my life. Each time it worked a little less effectively and I think that was due to the type of acne and the issues I was having at the time. When I was in high school this was an almost complete cure. I did have a lot of peeling and drying to start with but it was effective on my moderate acne (no cysts). As I have gotten older and my acne has transitioned to severe cystic and very much hormonally influenced, the effectiveness has dropped off. The last time I used it, almost 15 years after the first, there was no effect. So, I think this is definitely worth a try for mild to moderate acne.
June 13, 2010
Pros:
Lighter Skin Tone
Pigmentation Fading
Clearing of white heads and blackheads
Keep Cystic Acne Away
Firmer Skin
Less Oily skin
Cons:
Dryness
Length of time it takes to work
Peeling, not severe though
I had no initial breakout. It brought all my blackheads and whiteheads up and my skin is almost clear except for maybe a few whiteheads and some pigmentation. I LOVE THIS PRODUCT. At first I was scared to use it from some of the bad reviews people gave it but it's AMAZING. It takes time to work so stick with it, in the beginning it may not seem like it's working but it is! Just give it time!
Pros:
Helps acne alot,
evens skin tone out a bit.