Tretinoin

My doctor recommend that I use Retin-A 0.025% to help clear my acne. He told me that it was the best thing to use and that it would be the "cure" I had been looking for. However, it wasn't. The cream irritated my face beyond belief and caused me to break out horribly (even in places where I never got acne before). My skin is very sensitive, though, so that's probably why I couldn't handle this treatment. What may not have work for me may work for another person. With that being said, though, I just can't recommend Retin-A.

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yoshiki*gurl

November 9, 2011

Pros:

clears spots fast
if ever i'll get spots (tiny) it will be gone within 2 days
tightens/smoothes skin
reduces pores
reduces oil
fresh/glowing skin
decreases prominence of depressed scars as well as thickened scars

Cons:

stings/burns
itchy

this stuff is really good. i didn't experienced IB with this YET. i've used 0.01% before and it cleared spots in 1 week. i've used it again but now it's 0.025%. still no IB (getting nervous 'bout this everytime). for those who are confused, you have to wait at least 20 minutes before applying this because the formula is hydrophilic. it just simply means that if you put the cream immediately after washing your face, your skin will absorb the cream so fast because the pores are still moist and open. so if you don't want to wait 20 minutes just mix the cream with a drop of something oily (jojoba etc.) if you're not sensitive to it. it not only slows down the absorption rate, it also lessens the drying/irritating effect of tretinoin. anything water-based moisturizer will just exacerbate it (try it for yourself). if your face is not dirty at all, you may skip washing it and apply the cream directly onto your skin. cold cream is an option. i just really hope i'll never experience IB. i've never had smooth face since birth. it's always dull and sallow. but now it's glowing and healthy looking. if you don't want to have a red face, please get out of the sun at all times. if you can't then don't be surprised because you'll become very sensitive to it with tretinoin, add antibiotics like tetra/doxy and you'll double your sensitivity to sun. i'm glad my sensitive skin loves this stuff. i hope many out there will benefit this like me and others. God bless us all.

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Emma

November 6, 2011

Pros:

My skin is wayyyy smoother already
waking up and not finding 4-5 new spots have developed over night
being able to wear makeup without breaking out.
not running my finger across my check and feeling 100s of raised red pores ^_^

Cons:

nothing really, i accidently got some on the corner of my lip which made it scab, but thats my fault
my skin occasionally burns VERY slightly when i put on my spf moisturiser (its important to use high spf) and only apply this at night. I have no flaking, but my skin is very greasy anyway and i am using moisturiser regularly with spf30

I suffer from largely comedomic acne with some pustules. I am 27, have had acne `13 years and been on most things except accutane. This stuff is awesome, I am going to write another review later on to let you know if it keeps it up, So far my skin is sooo smooth, before it was like every pore was raised, and then around my period loads of these would develop into pustules. I am premenstrual now, and only have small pustules, usually it would be all over my cheeks. I am also taking much more pride over my appearance because before I was terrified to use foundation unless i was going out with friends as i would ALWAYS break out. Now I wear makeup everyday and feel like a new person. So fingers crossed, I will keep this updated. by the way, I bought a generic called acnellyse, it costs about £10 including postage on ebay. check it out if your interested, as I can see some people are paying through the nose..

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katieguru27

November 2, 2011

Pros:

got rid of cystic acne
fades scars
smooths skin
prevents new breakouts

Cons:

expensive
have to use it for at least a few months (requires patience!!)
smelly
some skin peeling
need to wear high SPF sunscreen every day

This product works. I had acne on and off from the age of 14. I am now 31. Had my first bout of cystic acne starting at age 28. I had horrible acne on my cheeks that was relentless and left scars (also first time I scarred). Used Differin, Duac, antibiotics, Finacea, stinky sulfur wash, facials. Nothing worked for the cystic acne until I started on Atralin (another awesome product) and Retin-A Micro. I wash my face with Cetaphil only. Once in the AM, once in PM. Atralin or Retin-A Micro at night and clindamycin in the daytime, with Neutogena Spectrum SPF 100+ sunscreen. This is a must at high altitudes and to prevent reddening of skin due to increased sun sensitivity with these products. I had to use this product for a year to get amazingly clear skin that looked like I had never had cystic acne. Still have scarring on cheeks but it is minimized and the pigmentation has faded with consistent use of Retin-A and sunscreen. You must use sunscreen for best results with your scars. I went from feeling extremely negative, depressed and self-conscious about my skin (zitty at ages 29 and 30!!), to having to pretend it was not there, and be very disciplined about using the products in the order listed every day. Don't give up, wash with Cetaphil, and wear your sunscreen.

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hollygoesrawr

October 31, 2011

Pros:

clear skin
no more acne
fading scars
helps with discoloration

Cons:

dry skin

I forgot to mention I use tretinoin .025% everyone needs to try this I swear it cures acne just be sure to use the right amount and in the beginning you might want to use it every other day and make sure you're using a good cleanser!!! I think using bad cleansers is what made me break out so bad in the first place. look for alcohol free oil free fragrance free cleansers. also try not to get anything with sulfates. I use loreal go clean 360 cleanser but I don't lather it up. I just spread it on my skin and rinse off. it still absorbs oils and cleans your face fine without over drying and stripping your skin. also, it is important you only use tretinoin at night. in the morning I use clyndimiacin (not sure if I spelt that right) 1 % all over my face. it moisturizes too. 2.5 % bp in the morning also as a spot treatment. I don't use anything but these products and my face has never been this clear. I swear the face products industry puts bad stuff in their products on purpose so you continue to break out and buy more products. go see a dermatologist! get tretinoin and clyndamiacin and 2.5 benzoyl peroxide! they might also prescribe you a bp wash but don't use that. I've tried 2 bp washes in my life they suck. idk about antibiotics I was prescribed those too but I didn't take them . I think theyre unnesscesary.

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Supersoul

October 29, 2011

Pros:

Really works!
Reduces acne upto 95%
smoothen skin

Cons:

Takes a lot of time
scars are still there
initial breakouts
redness, dryness, flakiness

I have been using this product from last 3 months.. I am on .025% cream.. The first month was horrible..my acne got worse.. I hate to go out of my house as i was depressed.. People only stares at my acne.. I just can't tolerate it. Every night i thought of committing suicide.. (I was mad I know) but then i came across this site. I read reviews of different people and this really helped me. So first I had breakouts then dryness and flakiness.. And after crossing 3 months mark my acne started to heal. Now i only have scars left.. And i think these scars will also disappear in a month or two.. I highly recommend this..

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Ausitin

October 28, 2011

Pros:

-helps reduce acne scars and less severe acne also

Cons:

-dries skin (but nothing lotion won't fix)
-takes awhile to work

This product takes time to work, I don't know exactly how long but at least a month or two for sure. It has reduced the appearance of my acne scars greatly (I just got off of Acutane). If you have problems with dryness, by a more expensive brand name lotion ( I use Cytaphil or Neutrogina)

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AllynRose

October 24, 2011

Pros:

* Cleared skin
* Cleaned out pores
* Minimized pores
* Better overall texture

Cons:

* INITIAL BREAKOUT
* Initial redness, dryness, peeling, etc.
* Takes time to work

Retin-A Micro completely cleared my hormonal acne around my mouth and sometimes on my cheeks. Do not bother with reviews that say "OMG I used this for 2 days and..." This medicine works with skin cell turnover which takes 3 months (12 weeks or 84 days). Please, STICK WITH IT. Hardly anyone does, and that's why not everyone sees results. I got discouraged when I'd been on it for two months and I was still breaking out. If I had quit, I would have never cleared up. At the 8 week mark it gradually started getting better, and by the 12 week mark I was almost clear or clear. I can't remember. Anyways, I stopped using it thinking Yaz had cleared me up, and I gradually began seeing an increase in clogged pores. 2-3 months after quitting I had gone back to square one. The moral of the story is: STICK WITH IT. It takes 2-4 months for MOST people.

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Bailey

October 21, 2011

Pros:

Clears skin somewhat
Unclogs pores

Cons:

Sun sensitivity
Waiting a half hour
Irritates skin

I have had acne for 5 years (I'm 16 now) and I have tried everything out there; proactive, facials, neutrogena, differin, duac, 3 different antibiotics, and even laser/light treatments. Nothing has worked so far. Including this. My skin is as follows: small bumps on my forehead, blackheads on my nose, big red blotches and post inflammitory hyperpigmentation (red marks from old pimples) on my cheeks and chin. I get about 3 whiteheads a week in different spots. Retin-A has helped me to clear up those little bumps on my forehead and slightly, slightly lessen the spots on my cheeks. Though this is difficult to tell because I have very sensitive and rosacea-y skin. The bottom line is if you have acne only from clogged pores this will be great for you, but if your problem goes deeper this may not be for you.

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Kate

October 18, 2011

Pros:

-inexpensive with insurance
-heals acne over time
-gives skin a smoother appearance overall
-may be a double hitter with its supposed anti-aging benefits
-gives face a "dewy," glowing appearance
-lastly, and most importantly, it has completely gotten rid of the hormonal cystic acne that left my cheeks and jawline full of hyper pigmentation scars.

Cons:

-can irritate the skin even if you follow directions precisely
-takes a few months before you will see any improvement
-has made my normal to dry skin quite oily
-difficult to wear makeup due to oiliness and flaky skin
-for whatever reason it has made the pores on my face much larger
-is dangerous to use if you become pregnant
-cannot be used at the same time as a Vitamin C product
-must absolutely use Spf during the day

This is a must for anyone with acne. This is a harsh product, but do your research, follow instructions precisely, and be very VERY patient. I did not see a bit of results until the three month mark and then the cystic acne was gone and (knock on wood) has not returned. It's been about eight months now. The scars are fading. I do still get the odd pimple, but they're very surface and they go away in a day or two and don't leave marks behind. I was prescribed the .1% cream off-brand tretinoin. I was also prescribed an oral antibiotic and told to continue use of Benzyl Peroxide. I actually followed neither of those suggestions. I wanted to use antibiotics as a last resort. Instead of the BP, I use diluted Apple Cider Vinegar as a toner to kill the bacteria on the skin. I had some of the initial breakout reaction and lots of redness and peeling. At one point when I made the mistake of using a salicylic acid wash, I ended up with horrible sandpaper skin and more breakouts. So less is more with this product. Keep your routine simple. I am 27 and I have some fine lines under my eyes and at my smile lines. I haven't noticed any anti-aging qualities, but it's pretty well-proven. I'm not sure what has caused this. My routine is as follows: AM Cleanse with L'Oreal Go360 cleanser for sensitive skin (white bottle, blue lid) ACV on damp cotton pad all over cheeks, jawline and neck Eucerin Spf 30 day lotion for sensitive skin (highly recommended) PM Cleanse with (again)Go360 cleanser for sensitive skin ACV on damp cotton pad all over cheeks, jawline and neck Wait at least 30 min... Dot chocolate chip amount of Retin A all over face, especially on jawline/cheeks, and even under eyes Wait an hour or so.... apply Cerave Moisturizing Cream (in the tub) When I need it... Exfoliate flaky patches with damp washcloth Spot moisturize with Jojoba Oil

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