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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5
22.4%
4
33.8%
3
21.3%
2
13.9%
1
8.6%

Used Tretinoin? Rate It:

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July 4, 2011

Pros:

*Cleared my acne up 100%
*lightening scars
*gave me my confidence back
*have to wear way less makeup

Cons:

*At first gives IB but then clears it allllll up wonderfully
*Have to wear high SPF
*sometimes my skin gets burny or itchy when I am out in the sun too long
*takes a long time to work but well worth the wait

Oh.my.goodness. I LOVE this stuff. I have to admit, at first I hated it. It gave me a small inital breakout, made my skin super dry and peely, and since I was an avid swimmer it make my skin sooo dry. I was thinking about stopping this product, but I'm SO glad I didn't. Before I started using this product I had atleast 40 awful zits on my face, and I have been using this since March and my skin is 100% pimple free. I only get like one around the time of my period and it fades quickly. I was sadly left with alot of PIH after my breakouts cleared but this has been helping to fade them rather well. Pleasplease try it, if you notice my acne severity says "very light" that is because of this, I wish I could put "non exsistant" If you use this along with spirnolactone you acne will dissappear! Good Luck!
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July 4, 2011

Pros:

effective,I mean really effective
makes skin glow
one of the FDA approved treatments for wrinkles
fade discolorations

Cons:

time , time and time!!! just wait,thats the point
its not like other acne treatments ,it will take time but you will be amased by the results,your skin will be so young and glowing.

1)use COMBINATION treatmenta,like clindamycin or benzoyl peroxde morning and tretinoin at night,you will be SHOCKED with the results 2) after 15-20 minutes after application use a very good formulated moisturizer NOT made for OILY skins ITS FANTASTIC
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July 3, 2011

Pros:

none

Cons:

chemical peel
red, really red
huge zits
burned
left my scars pink

terrible product, in the first 3 weeks my skin was looking like i had a chemical peel, i almost wasn't able to go to prom in my dress due to this product, i will never use again glad i stopped before it got even worse, it ruined my skin
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July 2, 2011

Pros:

-In the beginning stages, it helps clear up acne
-Gives your skin a smooth appearance
-Only have to apply it at night
-Mostly keeps your acne under control, until you are on it too long

Cons:

-Irritation
-Hyper-pigmentation
-REDNESS
-Dryness
-Nearly burns off your skin
-Peeling
-Have to reduce your sun exposure
-After a while, it will make your skin peel and look REALLY red and irritated

My derm put me on tretinoin 0.5% to combat my acne. At first, it worked really well. After I was on it about a year, it stopped working, and made my skin red and irritated. In the begining stages of using this medication, some days are fine, and your skin looks smooth and clear. Other days, you wake up with your skin peeling off looking like you stepped out of a zombie convention. While it did help me keep my acne under control for a time, it's very hard to deal with the peeling and redness. Once, my skin was so dry and burnt from this cream, it took me nearly a week (without using it anymore) to get my skin back to normal. This topical might work for you. If you have sensitive skin, I'd be wary. If you can deal with the peeling and the dryness, it's worth a try. Even though I mixed tretinoin with some non-comodegenic moisturizer, it still didn't work to help the dryness. Overall, I wouldn't really recommend this medication, because in the long run, it just doesn't prove effective.
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July 2, 2011

Pros:

-None so far

Cons:

-I have gone from mild acne to severe acne
-I have so much scarring now

I started using this because i had about 5-6 pimples on my face at the time, but after 2 and a half months of treatment my skin has gone from mild acne to severe and i have soo much scarring now that my confidence has dropped dramatically!! i hate going out and seeing people because i know there staring at my skin when they talk to me and my skin just looks so horrible right now. My IB started a week into the treatment and hasn't stopped!! I went on this to get better skin but my skin is 10 times worse now and i would do anything to get the skin that i had before i started using this!!!
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June 26, 2011

Pros:

- Gets rid of all of the big, nasty bumps that usually take FOREVER to heal.
- Leaves skin glowing!!!
- Pores seem to just magically shrink in size.
- Definetly took away almost all of my cheek acne!
- Takes a really long time to work!

Cons:

- It took away my big bumps, but now I have really annoying ones all over my forehead ^__^.
- Makes skin EXTREMELY oily!
- Doesn't give off drastic results ( I got my hopes up from using so many crappy products in the past.. -sigh-)
- Makes skin sensitive to the sun, wear a high SPF.

Okay, so this is week 7 and a half, and I STILL have acne. I know, I know, it will take probably a few more weeks to fully clear up, but..oh well. I am currently using Retin A cream in conjunction with Clindamycin 1% topical lotion. I hope, that in the next few weeks I will see more results than I have been.
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June 23, 2011

Pros:

Definitly helps scarring
absorbs quickly
helps prevent acne
^^^^(not guaanteed bc im using another acne product as well)
lasts a long time

Cons:

Dryness at first
slowly improves skin
can irritaate skin more

so i HAD cystic acne appox. 4 months ago now i have MAJOR scarring and my dem. perscribed me this. im very thankful because along with doxy, and minocycline i had claered up completely and am now slowly riding myslef of the after math of the acne. the scars i did not notice any worsening of my skin like my derm said could happen thankfully i would reccomend this to anyone who is trying to get rid of scaring but not if your skin in inflamed
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June 22, 2011

Pros:

works well controlling cystic acne
works well controlling inflammatory acne
evens skin texture and tone
might even be helping with my fine lines

Cons:

holy freaking PEELING
takes a long time to work
still get pimples, but it's better

I developed cystic acne on my cheeks and inflammatory acne around my temples and forehead at 23 and nothing (NOTHING) helped. I tried different topical antibiotics and proactiv (eff that stuff) and apple cider vinegar and lemon juice and an enormous assortment of expensive specialty products. I was sick of the useless antibiotics so I switched dermatologists and the first thing he said was "oh, you need some Retin A Micro!" and I started using this product that very night. I was worried about initial breakouts, but my skin was so bad I didn't notice if there were any. My acne did not change until about 8 solid weeks of using it nightly. Now I might get two or three cystic acne pimples every couple of weeks, and it's not perfect, but it's a heck of a lot better than having 8-10 all over both cheeks at a time, like I used to have. This stuff does make you peel... TERRIBLY. The area around my mouth and chin gets terrible dry patches, I can not put enough lotion on. The best recommendation I can give is to put petroleum jelly preemptively where you notice you get the dry skin every night. There is still a patch on my left cheek where I will get those one or two cysts every few weeks, so I've started putting it on night and day in that area only and using lots of sunscreen. It definitely has helped! Here's what I do: Morning: -Wash with Mario Badescu seaweed face wash -Azelex all over my face and chest and back (works GREAT on inflammatory acne) -Retin A on my problem area -Renee Rouleau Anti-Cyst Treatment on both cheeks Night: -Wash with Mario Badescu seaweed face wash -Azelex on my chest and back -Retin A all over my face -Renee Rouleau Anti-Cyst Treatment on both cheeks -Petroleum jelly on my dry areas I hope this helps, good luck!
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June 21, 2011

Pros:

Insurance covered it

Cons:

Dryness, redness, peeling, did not clear acne, made scarring worse

Retin-A was the first prescription I got from my derm when I started going my sophomore year of highschool (along with Benzaclin). At that point my acne wasn't too bad - a cyst or two a month on my chin and maybe a few small pimples in the same area, but other than that I was clear. I was really excited after the first two or three weeks - my skin started to look really clear and old marks had faded. Fast forward a few weeks and I started breaking out EVERYWHERE. I thought it was just an initial breakout and kept at it. Eventually I ended up at the full strength as directed by my derm, but my skin was never moisturized, and I continued to break out on my cheeks (never broke out there before!). I stayed on this stuff for almost 2 years before I realized that there had to be something better out there.
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June 18, 2011

Pros:

None for me

Cons:

Caused more breakouts (and we're talking after the initial 4-6 weeks)
Caused redness and sensitivity
If you don't have good insurance, it's going to be expensive.

I have always had light acne, but when I moved to a bigger city it got worse for whatever reason (worse than when I was a teen actually). My Dr. put me on the lowest strength of Retin-A. For several months I used it with no change and so she increased my strength. I began breaking out more (which is expected initially), but then it never got better. She increased my strength again and then I still continued breaking out and I also began to have redness and sensitivity. All this happened over the course of at least a year. So I'm not someone who used it for 2 months or something and then gave up; I really gave it a try. I decided to stop using it and my skin improved as far as breakouts and redness/sensitivity go. I know this works for many people, but it definitely didn't help me.
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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