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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1649
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Used Tretinoin? Rate It:

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August 11, 2011

Pros:

SKIN TONE GREATLY IMPROVED
SKIN TEXTURE FEELS AMAZING
WORKED QUICKLY FOR MY COMODONEAL ACNE

Cons:

FLAKEING AND BURNING
WAS WORTH THE PAIN

EXTREAM COMODONAL ACNE ON ALL MY FACE CHEST AND SHOULDERS...NOTHING WAS WORKING...TRIED RETIN A MICRO WITHIN FRIST 5 DAYS I SAW VAST IPROVEMENT...I WAS FEELING BETTER ABOUT MYSELF ALREADY. SO FAR SO GOOD. I DIDNT HAVE INSURANCE SO I HAD TO PAY THE RETAIL PRICE FOR IT..I ABIT EXPENSIVE...BUT WORTH IT
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August 10, 2011

Pros:

Lighten up scars
No severe break outs
Acne is cleared up

Cons:

Initial break out
Irritates skin for a couple of weeks

Ive been on Retin- A for 4 months now and I WAS happy with my results. It made a great improvement to my skin. Scars weren't there. No more pimples. But now my acne is starting to come back.. i think im not immune to retin-a and it wont stop my breakouts, HELP and P.S recommend this item
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August 8, 2011

Pros:

Clears Skin
Shrinks Pores
No Toxic Side Effects

Cons:

Hard to put a pea size amount all over face
Initial Breakout
Takes a bit of time to really see results

I was on Retin-A Micro a long time ago back in high school and it made me break out intensely until i got fed up and stopped using it and just used a benzoyl peroxide wash. I got clear and stayed clear for a sum amount of years but started breaking out again at 20 and kept at it. I ordered this product online and the first day putti ng it, no real results. Second day was the coolest thing (to me). My face looked "broken out" but what really happened was all of my acne had surfaced and whatever was arleady on my face was exfoliated into white heads, a cyst i had for a couple days even shrunk half its size! Anyways i washed my face and got redness and then just ignored it and in time i got more acne here and there but overall, once every clog in their is surfaced and ur sebacious glands shrink up, its clear skin for life :)
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August 5, 2011

Pros:

+ treated all acne
+ soft skin
+treated PIH

Cons:

- initial breakout
- 3 months to see results
- redness/drying/flaking

IT WORKS. I saw initial results at 3 months and full results at 9 months (ie no more acne no more marks, just normal skin), so it takes a loooonnng time to work. It's hard to be patient but its worth it. I had combination normal/dry skin with tons of non inflamed, under the skin whiteheads which would turn into forever pimples and sometimes cysts. Nothing super super serious but definitely annoying and confidence killings. I think if you are patient and use retin a correctly you will see results!! So, use a tiny amount, wait 20 minutes before applying and use a good lotion on the dry spots and DON'T PICK. Around weeks 3-10 brace yourself for the IB and wait it out, its worth it!!! My best to you all!
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August 4, 2011

Pros:

Seemingly effective for my case (I also have psoriasis. I was once also developing discoid Lupus in which i was treated oral steroids which weakened my immune system thus causing moderately severe Acne.

Cons:

Initial Breakout is scary.

Never in my life have I had acne until recently(i'm 19). Acne does not run in my family. My Psoriasis(hyperactive immune system) fought effectively against everything. However, my eating habits of Human Growth Hormone amino acids caused my already strong immune system to start attacking itself. This is when I was then prescribed to take oral steroids to weaken my immune system. Then I became pizza face. My confidence dropped. I avoided going out. I avoided making eye contact when I did go out. Invisibility felt lonely, but at least it was less embarrassing. I was then put on a long term plan. I took only Solodyn for 4 months and skin was beautifully smooth. When I stopped the Solodyn, I then took Tretinoin. Within 5 days, hell broke loose again on my face. I had 50 white heads all over, black heads on my nose, and cysts here and there. I was terrified. WTH happened?! But I kept at it. Doctor said apply once every night...I did it 3-4 times a day. Too many white heads everywhere to just let sit and spread. I read abrasive washes are good for predominately whitehead acne(pores too tight for sebum/dead skin to escape). And the abrasive wash is good to open pores and clear flaking skin. First 8 days face felt scaly. Day 9 was first Peel. SKIN flaking EVERYWHERE and face red. Day 10(today) I notice recommendation to wait 30 mins after face wash to apply Tretinoin. So I do...face 60% better. Yes my skin is tight, miscolored, and hurts. But, it's smooth and I smile when I look at myself now. Note* Drink LOTS of water. The rapid cell turnover of Tretinoin tolls on the body's hydration system. Drinking water will give the new cells healthier membranes and healthier defense systems from infection. I hope this helps, goodluck.
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15 user(s) found this helpful

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August 4, 2011

Pros:

Peels skin, lightens scars and makes skin softer.

Cons:

Can cause chemical burn

I like this stuff, but I got a chemical burn around my mouth after a while and now I have some extreme hyperpigmentation there. So be careful about that, otherwise it's great.
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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
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July 27, 2011

Pros:

Softer Skin
Shrinks Existing Acne in a matter of days

Cons:

Some Peeling

I've been using Retin A Micro .04% for about three weeks now. I haven't really had the horrible IB everyone has been talking about, I'm not sure if I'm not far enough into it yet. As of now, I have already seen positive results. My acne is clearing..slowly, but surely. Just stick with it! I know it's going to take time but it's worth it in the end. My Dermatologist said results may start within the first two weeks, full results by week seven. Stick with it! Your skin will be beautiful in no time! As for the peeling aspect..nothing a good moisturizer can't fix! I wear make up and I was very nervous to put it on because I thought the peeling would make it look horrible- but it didn't!
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July 26, 2011

Pros:

Cleared my acne up
Cleared my acne scars (hyperpigmentation marks) up
Easy to Use
I'm pretty sure it helps with wrinkles too
Definitely go talk to a dermo about getting this, it's amazing

Cons:

Took a while to start to work
Made my skin peel a ton
Made my skin sensitive to the sun and to touch
My skin would sometimes dry out but this was really rare (It only happened twice)

Okay, so my acne was pretty bad. There was far to many pimples and white heads and cystic bumps to count. I had a lot of deep cystic acne on my forehead only at first. But soon I started to get white heads on my right cheeks. And to make matters worst, I popped them. I know you shouldn't, but they were so ugly and they really bothered me. I was on Proactiv, and saw almost no results. I have pretty oily skin and I don't think Proactiv was strong enough. I also started developing small bumps on my temples which spread to my cheeks and chin. I started getting acne around my lip especially on the corners. I started getting deep pimples on my back which really hurt and I also started getting small white head type things on my chest. I was getting really insecure and I hated how I looked. So finally I asked my mom to go to a dermo. I went to my dermo and she gave me a prescription for Retin-A Micro 0.04% and Plexion was and an Antibiotic. I was happy because I had read Retin-A Micro works miracles. I used Plexion both morning and night and applied Retin-A at night. At first my skin got worst, but I kept using until I reached the one month mark, and then my skin started getting better really quickly.It would peel everyday but it wasn't too noticeable, and when it peeled in an area with a scar, the peeled skin would be noticeably darked and my own skin was noticeably lighter and the scar was less visible. (Okay, so I'm calling them scars but my dermo said they hadn't reached that point. She said they were hyperpigmentation marks where the acne had been. Whatever they're called, Retin-A really helped them) Now my skin looks amazing and I have absolutely no acne or small bumps. Just a few of those marks left, and they are all really healing quickly. Just remember to apply sunscreen every time you'll be somewhere with sun like the beach. I was going to get a chemical (Glycolic Acid) peel I had scheduled once a week for the next month, but I don't know if I need 1 now
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July 25, 2011

Pros:

Pros are - it works. Clears acne. Makes the complexion better. All sorts of scientific goodness in a tube. Price is reasonable.

Cons:

Some side effects - if you use too much and too often, your face peels - which - may not look all that good, however, it's simply doing it's job. If you can't tolerate this, switch to Retin-A Micro, or blend the cream with a moisturizer and use every other day.

I use Retin-A in cycles. A couple years on, a couple years off. It always does it's job. I usually use it for a few years - and get tired of the routine of using it. When I have an acne outbreak (especially cystic) - I use it again! It's the king of medicines for the skin - if you have too many side effects, use one of the retrinol products - they take longer to work, however, they are more mild.
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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