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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3.4
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4
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3
21.6%
2
14.8%
1
9.4%

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October 16, 2013
Really works. For those starting out, Persevere!

Pros:

Clears acne
Helps with PIH
Better skin quality

Cons:

Bit flaky at times
IB may be frustrating (varies per person)

I wasn't going to write a review but I remember before starting my treatment I was skeptical of all the negative reviews although it may have been due to all the successful patients never writing reviews. I told myself if it worked I would write one to help my fellow acne sufferers. So I have mild-moderate acne ranging from near perfect at times (constant visits to the dermatologist) to severe cystic acne (worst depression of my life). But after I turned 21 and I still had acne, I realized I had to do something about it. Before I've been on bp and doxy but I've never been persistent enough to try retinoids. I started out with Ziana and I had almost no side effects and it helped (sort of). I tried it for around 5 months but I would randomly break out quite bad at times. Then I moved to retin-a micro .04 and I've been using it for almost 3 months now and results! I think the Ziana helped me transition but I still suffered from some breakouts during the first 2 months of retin-a micro (combination of regular breakouts, stress, and picking though I have to admit). In this sense the IB is not as bad as people think (although different for everyone). Just remember to persist, avoid touching your face, and moisturize and you'll have great results! Although it may be a bit early to say it, I have to say the confidence from having good skin is unexplainable. I should also note I'm taking bactrim at the moment. I might make an update at the 6 months mark as well.
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June 15, 2013
Meh

Cons:

Side effects
Burning skin
Ineffective

Ive been prescribed retin a for years and years now and never had success with it. It causes a very bad purging stage in the beginning which I am fine with. But I could never use the product as recommended because it would make my skin raw from the extreme peeling. I got chemical burn when I used it as recommened and didn't realize what was happening with my skin. It makes my skin very sensitive and burns when ever I use it. It's not the product for me..
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November 12, 2012

Pros:

Cleared up acne on chest completely
Cleared face
Glowing skin
Better texture

Cons:

Smells bad
Too much can make skin flaky, and irritated
Interacts with other face washes and medications
Reddens face and makes me more prone to blushing

You have to use this product consistently and as directed. Wait 20 mins after washing your face before applying. Use a mild face wash with an exfoliation. I use St Ives, apricot scrub for sensitive skin, it's cheap and gentle. I had no initial breakout. I was afraid this would happen and it kept me from trying it for a long time. I didnt want additional scars. I'm really glad I finally tried it! I saw results in about 2 weeks! It hasn't really helped with hyper pigmentation... But overall it has cleared up my face dramatically. I now only get a few pimples on my chin vs. whiteheads, and pimples everywhere that where painful. My chest is completely clear, but a shade redder than before. I think it's worth the trade off. If you are curious about this product and have bad acne it def. worth a try. I'm not nearly as self conscious anymore. I tried everything else. Medications and natural remedies. This had worked the best.
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November 8, 2012

Pros:

Scars are slowly fading.
Patience is required

Cons:

Initial breakout was really bad.
Still breaking out

I started my treatment in August and its been three months. Scars are slowly fading and skin around the mouth along with my nose peels the most. On 0.05% the generic form. My skin is getting smoother and feels like a baby. I can't wait until I am finished to see the amazing results. Warning: Initial breakout is really bad i had at least 5 new pimples every day with the head coming out it was horrible but I kept on. You know what they say when the going get rough keep going.
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July 26, 2012

Pros:

- clears up acne
- brigthens face

Cons:

- flakes
- dry patches
- excess oil on skin

Well i reviewed this product a month or two ago. I have now been using this product since April 2012 and it is now the end of July 2012. So around 4 months of trying out this product. Honestly my acne was not very severe to begin with, it was very light except when i became very stressed out. As i mentioned in my earlier review i did have verrrryyy dry flakey inflamed skin for the first month and a half. My acne cleared up but has come back atleast once or twice while still using the product, except when my acne shows up now it goes away in about 3 days. I was using tret 0.05 but just recently got switched to 0.025 becuase of the dry patches that kept showing up on my face. I could not handle having dry patches while the rest of my face was beyond oily. Conciously putting on lotion to an oily face was just not working for me. So far with the 0.025 version my face is not as dry, however my acne is not drying out as fast. :/ Also, the oil on my face is still very bad. I will continue using this product for at least one year before I completely give up on having perfect skin. I can definitely tell that i have had a change of heart about this product, especially considering my sensitive skin type. I though that it would continue to make my skin glow and look amazing but it did not live up to expectations. Bottom Line: If you have severe acne this product will definitely help you. The pros will definitely outway the cons. However, if you are like me and have very light acne, this product may be a little too much for the skin.
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June 22, 2012

Pros:

Gives your skin great skin texture.
Heals acne fast
Exfoliates
Helps reduce acne
Heals hyper pigmentation
Heals indented scars somewhat

Cons:

Does not completely get rid of acne
Makes you peel like crazy in the beginning
Very red skin
Gets way worse before it gets better
Took me 2-3 months to see results

Alright, let me be realistic about Retin-A. Retin -A is an amazing product. It made me skin texture amazing and completely got rid of my blackheads on my forehead and nose. Here's the thing though: I did a rave review on this site many months ago talking about how great Retin-A is and how much is helped my acne. I used to get 5 new pimples a day. Retin-A reduced my pimples to about 1 every 3 or 4 days. However I would still suffer with a small breakout around my period. Although it was healing my hyper pigmentation faster than normal and reduced my acne, I decided enough was enough. Retin A wasn't doing enough to completely clear my skin. I still felt like I had to wear full coverage foundation when I went somewhere. So I decided to drop the Retin-A and start Dan Kern's Regimen. I was terrified to stop using Retin-A since it took me from moderate acne to light acne and made my skin texture so amazing. But right now I've been now two weeks without Retin-A and on the regimen and it was the best decision I made. My skin has just began to clear in only two weeks. Yes, when I stopped Retin-A my face blew up and was getting 5 new zits a day again. But now after two weeks I am now getting no new breakouts and that's much better than two to three months of waiting for results while your face is freaking out. However I am going to wait about 2-3 weeks for my face to be completely clear on the regimen and I am going to pick up retin-a again, only in the smallest concentration, and only for the purpose of keeping up that great texture I got from it and getting rid of hyperpigmentation. The texture of my skin is not bad now, but when I touch is I feel the dryness. With Retin-A my face was baby smooth (Exfoliating all that peeling ofcourse). So, yes, I do recommend Retin-A and I think it's worth it, however I wish I did Dan Kern's regimen first and then incorporated a small concentration of Retin-A later to avoid that nasty period of purging.
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May 16, 2012

Pros:

Cleared acne

Cons:

Initial breakout
Takes time to work
Oily skin

I am 23 and had adult ance for nearly 2 years. Lots of deep cysts on my jawline and pimples on cheeks, along with constant black heads all over the face. I have been using the 0.025% cream along with clindamycin and minocyline for 4 months. I have had completely clear skin alomost 3 weeks now. There was a pretty bad initial breakout and I continued to break out daily up until a few weeks ago. It was frustrating but worth it in the end.
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May 13, 2012

Pros:

makes skin healthy
prevents breakouts (sometimes)
doesn't dry skin out

Cons:

can make skin oily
inconsistent results

I have been using this at 0.025% for 7 months. I didn't really get a bad initial breakout, and my skin started clearing up. However, after it'd clear up, I'd get break outs again. In the winter, it can be a bit drying, but in warmer weather, it makes my face really slick! It may have even caused breakouts. I have always used this with Cetaphil products because they're so gentle, and at one point, I stopped using this and was getting great skin. Right after, though, I started breaking out HORRIBLY and thought I should go back on this. This did nothing for the current breakouts, and these pimples weren't like the usual ones I get. They were hard, painful, and lasted for weeks. I still have some of them. When I went back on this, I think I got a real IB. I'm going to the derm tomorrow to discuss it, and maybe I'll go up to 0.05 or try Retin-A Micro. All in all, this works OK, but it will not totally clear your skin, especially if you have teen acne. This doesn't really help hormonal acne.
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January 12, 2012

Pros:

Chemical exfoliant, meaning healthier looking skin after a certain time period
Helps to fade scars
Proven to be one of the only true anti aging products (scientifically, at least)
Boosts collagen production which helps wrinkles, and very faint pit scars.

Cons:

It takes a while for your skin to adjust to it
Peely Skin
Some redness
You HAVE to keep using it for a long time to get any permanent results (at least a year)
Makes you sensitive to the sun
Extremely expensive (Atralin)

I had fairly severe cystic acne that resulted in scarring over my entire face; chin, forehead and cheeks. This drastically improved the appearance of my skin as far as discoloration as well as texture, too.
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December 17, 2011

Pros:

-Works great for tzone with acne

Cons:

Red + hot face
indented marks
makes my pores look darker (or redder)

I have been using Retin-A .1% for a few months and it's been great, excluding the red and heated face. Chemical exfoliation may be a good thing if you can tolerate it. I used it every day and that was too much for my skin. I tried it once every couple of days and that seemed to make my skin look better (pores look less red). Key is to listen to how your skin will react.
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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