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
April 6, 2010
Cons:
-very drying, difficult to open mouth
-i use mousturizer and sunscreen every morning then apply light coverage liquid foundation on, and this allows my skin to feel not so dry
i've been using this product for 1 week and 4 days, along with benzoyl peroxide on my more severe areas, and it has saved my skin from all of its pimples. i've only gotten 1 new pimple while on this product, and that pimple disappeared within 2 days of using my treatment. i'm very happy with this, and the smooth face it has given me. it has also helped tremendously with scars. although not fully gone, it is aiding in the fading of my scars, and i'm hoping within a few more weeks i'll be completely clear. has taken me acne from moderate to light im not sure how much it cost, my dermatologist recommended it three years ago and i never gave it a chance until recently.
February 23, 2010
Pros:
-works well after initial breakout
Cons:
-routinely makes skin flake
-makes skin a bit red and inflamed, especially if you have sensitive skin
-stops working after a few months
For me, Tretonoin worked miracles for a month or two. My skin was clearer than ever and it helped fade post acne red spots, but it eventually stopped working about four months after I started it. I even tried a stronger dose of it for a couple months, and that did not help.
December 18, 2009
Pros:
It does work
Cons:
burns like crazy after the first couple of days because it burn through the first layer of skin. you peel like no other. mosturiing does not help. it hurts to open my mouth even
it does work. but the first weeks are rough
December 14, 2009
Pros:
-Gives your face a nice glow
-Face is smoother
-got rid of big pimples (after a week or so)
Cons:
-acne got worst before it got better (still worth it though!)
-kinda itchy at first
-peeling
This product is the medicine that you NEED to stick to. It might make your acne a little worse at the first week, but after a couple of weeks are so it will improve a whole lot!
it is itchy but its something that you can control.
and important that you DO NOT pick at ur pimples because your skin is thin because of the medication..
but seriously, this is great!
October 24, 2009
Ease into medication as directed on the package. I started at once every 3 days and then increased and had no irritation. Waiting 30 min after washing face is also suggested.
I've tried Duac and Differin for 1.5 years and it didnt help. Tretinoin was the only medication that worked on the bumps on my forehead.
April 2, 2009
Pros:
it can clear almost everything
pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, even wrinkle, and tone your skin
Cons:
some dryness
you MUST use it with moisturizer and please start off with low concentration (0.01~0.025% is recommended) since you know your skin is going to be sensitive after using this product, you would be very stupid if you are not going to use sunblock during the day! you just need to know "how" to use this properly
October 21, 2008
Pros:
Clears up pimples (even my cysts!)
Skin appears more even
Skin is MUCH smoother
Cons:
VERY irritating side effects the first few weeks
Peeling, flaking, redness, stinging.
I've had acne since I was 13. I've tried probably around 10 different prescription medications... differin, benzaclin, Nicomide, minocycline, and many many more. The only one that ever showed improvement was Minocycline pills, BUT i had an awful allergic reaction that sent me straight to the ER. I had started Proactiv (no results, obviously,) and was about to give up. My friend gave me a card of an awesome dermatologist in my town, so i told myself i'd give it one more shot. She put me on a regimen of Retin A Micro at night along with a sulfur facewash, and benzol peroxide in the morning with the same facewash, and also Desonide lotion every other night (to help with the irritating effects of the Retin A.) It took about 3 months to see any results, and yes, my acne DID get much worse before i got better. But you have to stick it out!!!! My skin looks great... not perfect, but better than it has in 8 years. Retin A is a keeper!!
February 28, 2008
Pros:
really clears up all kinds of acne and makes skin smooth, clears blemishes quicker than just naturally getting rid of them
Cons:
dry and red at first, pretty flaky, gets worse before better, took 3 and a half to 4 months for it to work for me
i am totally satisfied with what it has done. it took a while and had a few rough times but definitely worth it in the end just be patient and stay positive. the main bad part is getting worse before it gets better, but when it is better you won't even remember the times when it was bad, and you will be happy you stuck with it!
January 2, 2008
Pros:
Gives skin a better tone, eliminates mild acne fast, easy to use
Cons:
Extreme redness, lots of peeling, oily skin
I've used all sorts of acne prodcust over the last few years, I'm 19 and have had acne since I was 15. Retin-a cream has definately helped more than anything else, especially at eliminating my scars from acne long ago.
I like the tone it gives my skin (some days) and that small pimples will disappear within a day when they come up when using this product.
The downside is that I always feel like I have a sunburn. It might just be the wintery weather but Retin-a leaves a line almost (from where applied) and produces red, blotchy skin. I get lots of peeling on my chin as well. To fight the redness and peeling I have been using Eucerin Redness Relief lotion from the drugstore. It burns to apply but does seem to help. I've been using this product for 6 months and will continue to use it.
October 30, 2016
Not working as well as I had hoped
Short acne story:
I started dealing with terrible forehead acne when I was about 10 years old. I never got pimples on my cheeks ever....until I was 18. I started noticing little clogged pores and bumps on the side of my nose and on my cheeks. I tried drinking more water, doing turmeric and honey masks, eating healthier, washing my face twice a day and using tea tree oil and moisturizer, green tea sleeping better and trying to stress less; nothing worked. So I went to my doctor and got prescribed 0.05% Tretinoin cream. Review:
I started using the cream on June 13th, 2016 and it is now October 30, 2016 sooo I've been using it for a good 4 and a half months. I had a terrible purge for the first 3 months where my cheeks erupted with red bumps. I kept hoping that after week 12 I would see improvement but all that happened was that it cleared the purge acne but the normal issues that I was having are still there. I have a couple painful pimples along my jawline and 2 red ones on my cheeks, 2 on my forehead and some tiny ones by my mouth. It's a huge improvement from what my skin was like a month or 2 ago... but it is not the results that I was hoping for at all. This cream hasn't really worked for me and I keep reading reviews on how people used it for 6 months and suddenly had no pimples. I'm not sure if I will continue the tube after it is finished. I have been using it every night and have never missed a night. Also, I did not experience the usual reaction to this cream at all (dryness, pealing)... my skin has never burned while using this product but instead it seems oilier than it used to be. I guess it just doesn't suit my skin type.
November 6, 2016
You can get in okdermo, recommend!
January 9, 2017
Try the gel based version. The cream based version tends to cause issues with most folks. If that doesn't help try Epiduo or just add a benzoyl peroxide gel/wash that doesn't have awful inactive ingredients. Inactive ingredients such as laureth 4 are things that you gotta watch out for because they will cause acne in most most people that are prone to it.
January 9, 2017
Try the gel based version. The cream based version tends to cause issues with most folks. If that doesn't help try Epiduo or just add a benzoyl peroxide gel/wash that doesn't have awful inactive ingredients. Inactive ingredients such as laureth 4 are things that you gotta watch out for because they will cause acne in most most people that are prone to it.
January 9, 2017
Try the gel based version. The cream based version tends to cause issues with most folks. If that doesn't help try Epiduo or just add a benzoyl peroxide gel/wash that doesn't have awful inactive ingredients. Inactive ingredients such as laureth 4 are things that you gotta watch out for because they will cause acne in most most people that are prone to it.
January 9, 2017
Ooops didn't mean to repeat my comment lol
Pros:
-gets rids of pimples
-prevents pimples
-helps with scars