Tretinoin
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Tretinoin is a vitamin A derivative called a topical retinoid. It helps clear acne by promoting skin cell turnover.

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Tretinoin is a vitamin A derivative called a topical retinoid. It helps clear acne by promoting skin cell turnover.

Tretinoin is usually applied once a day around bedtime.

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3.5
1649
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Compare To Other Treatments
5
22.4%
4
33.8%
3
21.3%
2
13.9%
1
8.6%

Used Tretinoin? Rate It:

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October 16, 2011

Pros:

helps heal scars quickly

Cons:

extremely dry, red, flakey skin
even cracked skin at times
expensive
prescription only

I have been using for 7 weeks and have seen no improvement. My skin is bright red, even after i wash it off and put lotion on in the morning. I read lots of reviews saying to wait it out, but honestly I can't go anywhere because of how terrible my skin looks from using this. It has made my acne even worse than before, because now do I not only have pimples, I have bright red flakey skin. There is no amount of makeup to even make my skin look half way decent. If you are thinking of trying retin a, I would consider using dan's regimine before ever using it.
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October 13, 2011

Pros:

Spots r going

Cons:

Red face,dry,peeling,sore,

It is a long process
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October 12, 2011

Pros:

None

Cons:

Dried out my skin really bad
Feels too tight and dry, also sticky

I used it couple of weeks twice in my life and so far I hated it. It dried my skin very bad and gave me more breakouts. I will not use it again.
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October 11, 2011

Pros:

NONE

Cons:

WORST ACNE OF MY ENTIRE LIFE

I applaud those of you who can stick through the weeks of bad acne. I'm on week 4, and I'm discontinuing usage of my tretinoin .1% cream. My acne has NEVER been this bad in my entire 22 years. People say it takes up to 3 months, but how can I possibly have 3 months of bad acne??? It's incredibly embarassing that my teenage students have clearer skin than I do. I'm going back to the acne.org regimen. My acne wasn't even that bad before I started tretinoin. Bottom line: Use it if you can stand the worst acne of your life for at least 6 weeks.
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October 8, 2011

Pros:

Actually works
evens out skin tone
gets rid of black heads
amazing at getting rid of scars
improves skin texture/makes skin super smooth
only applying at night
cheap

Cons:

Takes a very long time to get rid of the acne
Peeling like crazy in the beginning
initial breakout
have to wait 20 minutes after washing face to apply it
doctor visit

I have waited ever since mid July 2011 to do a review since I started the retin a regime along with an antibiotic and knew it will take a long time for this stuff to work. I was sick of my acne. I felt like it kept me from doing things i wanted to do and feeling free. The first week there was no change and no side effects. Then I got the initial breakout and my skin peeling off in sheets. The initial breakout was bad, but I just plowed through with the help of makeup. By the 7-9th week I was still breaking out, and I was worried that retin a just wasn't working. DON'T GIVE UP, it is working. It's now October 2011 so I've been on retin a for about 3-4 months and have seen a drastic improvement. This stuff has gotten rid of those stubborn blackheads on my forehead that would never ever go away with anything else, smoothed by skin texture and got rid of a lot of my old scars. I can now wake up confidently knowing I wont have 4 or 5 new pimples in the morning. I'm planning to be on retin a forever because it has so many benefits, even on wrinkles (I'm 19 so im not worrying about that yet). You can't really expect a medicine to have so many benefits and actually WORK without a lot of side effects. Luckily these side effects only happen in the beginning. One word of advice when using retin a, you need things to combat these side effects to get you through the day. The two things that helped me TREMENDOUSLY was the mychelle incredible pumpkin peel, and the mychelle cranberry mudmask. The peel helped me in the morning so I wouldn't flake off in the day and the mudmask just moisturized and calmed redness and was so wonderful. Moisturizer also helps, but these two products are really the one-two punch that help you get through the mess of the initial side effects. I only get maybe an occasional pimple throughout the week, and some scars left over from the initial breakout, but with consistent use of retin a I'm totally confident that both of these things will disappe
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October 8, 2011

Pros:

-completely cleared my skin after several months
-didn't cause flakiness or redness
-didn't sting
-only had to apply at night

Cons:

-took several months to work (the effects were gradual)
-sun sensitivity
-expensive without co-pay ($250 every 3 months)

I got this from my dermatologist along with Oracea, an extended release form of doxycycline. Over a period of three months, my skin gradually cleared, with several breakouts where my pores were being cleared. I highly recommend going to the dermatologist and not relying on over-the-counter solutions, if you can afford it - and this is coming from someone who swore by many OTCs for years.
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October 7, 2011

Pros:

Clears acne
quick to apply
dries quickly

Cons:

stinks of alcohol
causes peeling
causes sensitivity
have to wait half an hour

I've used this for about half a year now and it's done wonders. Gone from using it once a day to once every other day to 2-3 times a week and it still works! it caused peeling and my skin prone to redness but once I stopped using it every day that stopped. I might wean myself back on to see if it deals with my scarring now.
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October 3, 2011

Pros:

Gradually gets rid of acne
Only has to apply once a day
Heals Acne Scars

Cons:

BIG acne breakouts happen before it gets better

So, I'm a 14 year old teenage girl. I got acne when I was in the 5th grade, and I had it--badly. I was washing my face, using proactiv, and nothing really seemed to work for me. I didn't really bother going to the doctor about it or anything because a lot of people get acne around that age, so I had no worries. My acne just never got better. I had these huge juicy big ones first all over my forehead, and eventually as my forehead got better, my cheeks got worse. So within the first week of high school, my self esteem was at an all time low. My acne was EVERYWHERE, and it was huge red and inflamed and I felt awful. So my dad took me to the determo. She gave me Retin A cream and told me that it worked with a lot of her clients. What she told me was that I should apply a small amount to my face every night before I went to bed, and washed it off first thing when I woke up int he morning. **If you don't wash your face off in the morning and go outside, your acne will get worse** She told me that the cream reacts to sunlight. She also mentioned to me that my acne would get worse before it got better, so I shouldn't stop taking the medicine. A week after I was taking the medicine, all of my acne turned from huge red inflamed, to hundreds of small white heads. Within week 2-4, it was like I had a BEARD of acne that went from my left cheek, down to my chin, to my right. But KEEP TAKING THE CREAM! I'm around week 7, and all my acne is GONE. From having it for 4 years, and the severity of mine, my acne is all gone. I have nothing but scars left, but I'm going to continue taking the medicine. Listen guys, I understand that acne lowers your self esteem. It also makes your acne worse, but do not stop taking this medicine. Patience is the key to a beautiful face. And also, more is NOT better. Do not apply excessive amounts of cream to your face each night. It will NOT help. just do a dab to your face to cover your spots.
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October 1, 2011

Pros:

smoother skin, fades scars, gets rid of acne!

At first the retin-a made my face extremely oily(which I thought was odd) and gave me a small IB, but after about three weeks I started noticing a drastic change in my skin. My skin started smoothing out, and it dried up any active acne. IT IS WONDERFUL! Make sure to apply it 20-30 minutes after you wash your face and if you want it to work in it's full effect, it will also help with the redness and peeling. Also the sun will make in inactive, so be sure to apply it only at night and then wash your face right after you wake up in the morning. I've only noticed a little bit of peeling from retin-a and it usually just happens in cycles it seems(like once every three weeks), so it's really no big deal. I've been using retin-a every night for the past three months and it's really starting to fade my scars, can't wait to see what another 3 months of it will bring!
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September 30, 2011

Pros:

gets rid of acne
apply once a day
dries quickly

Cons:

Dries out skin

I love retin-a micro! At first I found that this product dries out the skin, but my dermatologist prescribed me a cream called nutraderm with clindamycin mixed in with it to compat the drying effects. The gel application is very light, smells kinda funky but it works like a charm! highly recommend! Just stick with it and power through the initial drying effects!
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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.
Find a Doctor Using The American Acacemy of Dermatology Website

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.
Find a Doctor Using the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Website