Tretinoin

Ive been using tretinoin for about 2-3 years now, and i have kept it around. Whenever i have a crazy breakout, i use tretinoin to clear it all up. Im using 0.1% which is a lot stronger than what most ppl are using. But it works.I've learned how to apply it correctly, and what it basically does is lift an entire layer of skin off of your face and will keep doing it. Its drying affect is good b/c it stops anything from forming on your face, even white heads, which are hard to stop. My advice on using this product is apply a thin mask of it on your face, not just on the pimples. Use it for at least 5 days straight and then let your face rest for a couple of days, soon it will take its ultimate effect. Yes intense drying will occur, but existing blemishes will stop their inflammation and depreciate. After the pimples have gone you'll prob have red spots so then use a skin renewing product to to heal the new skin (shiny skin). Wash with oil-free Neutrogena before using Trust Me

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Jenny

March 21, 2007

Pros:

Improves acne AND is one of the only topical treatments that makes skin look younger

Cons:

Initial redness/peeling/increasing breakouts can occur. I personally did not experience these symptoms. Maybe this is because I did not have very problematic skin to begin with...

I can only speak for myself, so here goes: I've had mild acne that's continued into adulthood (I'm 25). This is disappointing and unacceptable both because acne is unsightly and, the older I get, the more scars accumulate. As someone with fair, relatively sensitive skin, I'm surprised at how well I tolerated the treatment, even the beginning stages. Before starting Tretinoin I would get an average of 1 major zit every week (something bad enough that required make-up), plus a smattering of little white/blackheads here and there. Since I started, I have not gotten so much as a PIMPLE. Unbelievable. I just kick myself now I didn't start using this at 16, when my acne problem began to gather steam. For me there was an initial period of some dryness, but it was barely noticeable and easily reversed with moisurizer. I never went through a worsened acne stage, but I attribute that to concurrently using clindamycin (antibiotic) + BP topical med. I use a sali pad 2X a day which also

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Claire

March 17, 2007

Pros:

Just started 4 weeks ago and the dry peely stage is over

Cons:

Not done with initial breakout, but its not much worse than my acne is normally

When i first started this product i thought nothing was happening for the first 4 days, but then i started getting dry and peely. my face did hurt a lot and it was embarrasingly peely. Then i started using it every other night and i used purpose moisturizer like crazy, and in about a week the peely hurt stage was over! now i have been using it every night for a little over a week and my skin has ajusted, so i can really start to use it now. I use a benzoyl peroxide wash at night with it because that is what controlled my acne in the past and my skin isnt dry even with that. i also exfoliate every night lightly so that i dont get peely. i know im not supposed to but it doesnt increase my side effects, so oh well! i think this is going to work, i will be patient and give it time, but i can already tell my skin is smoother even though i still break out right now.

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Steven

March 17, 2007

Pros:

It takes a while to work, but it gradually takes away your acne and smooths you skin leaving you without scars or "dimples", It has skin firming effects too.

Cons:

It flakes your skin for the first three weeks at most, but a mosturizer and a scrub will get rid of the flakes. It brings out all your underlying acne first, so breakouts may happen (It did not for me, though) It DOESN'T get rid of blackheads! ARGH!

It does work, and it firms your skin, you can't go wrong.

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Lisa

March 9, 2007

Pros:

I apply Retin-A at night, after washing w/ Purpose bar soap. In the morning I wash w/ Brevoxyl and us Duac gel...then moisturizing is a MUST! This works for me and Retin-A is great. It has helped refine pore size and smooth out the texture of my skin

Cons:

It is definately drying...but worth it! It did make my skin flakey at first...but once your skin gets used to it, it is not so bad.

GIVE IT A TRY!!

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twenty something

February 12, 2007

Pros:

Improves texture of skin, gets rid of acne, afforable

Cons:

Caused some very minor flaking on my nose, some dryness which was fixed after applying lotion

I've been using it once a day for a month and my skin is looking better than it has in years. I have only a couple blackheads on my nose left and the rest of my face is clearing up nicely. I have noticed I still am getting a few red bumnps-I think they're pimples never totally form and they're gone within a couple days. The texture of my skin is a lot softer and smoother. My derm told me to lightly exfoliate once a week to help remove dead skin cells. I have not broken out so I think it's working, I'll be updating in a couple months to see if it worked

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Gigity

February 9, 2007

Pros:

Hardly any breakouts, skin is more smooth, even toned. Scars are seemingly fading away.

Cons:

Flaky skin (but it's winter, so...), a little buring sensation while applying, redness after applying. Don't put it on too close to eyes...they get very itchy.

So far, so good. I've been on this product for 1 month today and although I did break out about a week ago on my right cheek/neck, I've been very happy with it. I can tell an improvement in the smoothness and texture of my skin and a few scars seem much lighter. I am definitley in this for the long-term, especially b/c it will help with wrinkles too!

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Slacker

February 2, 2007

Pros:

This has perfectly cleared up my (mild) acne - my complexion is much more even, marks from old spots are fading quickly, and I very rarely get any new ones at all. When I do they generally fade very quickly.

Cons:

You do get a lot of new spots initially, starting about 10 days into treatment and lasting for most of the 3-weeks - 1 month. About 7 weeks in my skin became terribly dry, so much so that it was worse than any breakout, and no moisturiser would help.

You have to stick with it - I'd attempted to use this stuff in the past, but found the drying-out effect too frustrating and stopped, so it stopped working. This time, when I began to experience the drying, I worried that it was permanent and that blotchy, flaking skin was the price to pay for no new acne. Luckily IT IS NOT PERMANENT - I stopped using retin-a every day on the suffering areas, instead using it every three and now every two days - and started moisturising the affected areas 45 minutes after applying the Retin-A at night. Now although I do have some dry skin it's hardly noticeable and goes away with moisturising. It's worth remembering that slight flakiness is a sign that this stuff is working. I should also say, with regards to the infamous 'initial breakout', that there isn't only one: you continue to get little breakouts, of diminishing seriousness, for a couple months into the treatment. But they're not bad at all, and soon stop. Retin-A works best in the LONG TERM

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Botanica

January 30, 2007

Pros:

I think it works for any kind of acne...even the non cystic flat inflammatory type which used to plague my cheeks an jawline

Cons:

I couldn't wear my contact lenses because of the dryness. Couldn't work out too much in the gym becuase of joint pain( I had become an aerobic freak...anything to improve my skin)

PLEASE DO NOT DELAY! GET YOURSELF ON THIS NOW! I was in acne agony for 10 years. I never had the cystic, deep types so I thought my acne was never bad enough. But Roaccutane worked for me. Sadly, because I waited so long, I have so many horrible scars. Please don't make the same mistake. Try out other acne treatments for maximum one yr if you've only now started to get acne and then if they don't clear you up at least 90% insist on getting on accutane

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Jeff

January 24, 2007

Pros:

Definity Works.

Cons:

Flaky skin, Redness, Burning sensation, minor initial breakout

I went on accutane about 3 years ago and it cleared up my moderate acne completely for about 2.5 years. It started coming back mildly about 6 months ago. The derm put me on Retin-a for nite and benzclin for morning. My routine: Morning -- Wash with cetaphil wash, wait 20 minutes, apply benzaclin, after benzacline is totally absorbed into my skin, I apply cetaphil moisturizer. Night - Wash with cetaphil wash, wait 20 min, apply retin-A (about a pea size to cover whole face) -I have done this religously for the last month and a half and it has worked wonders. I currently have no pimples and it has cleared up all former scars almost completely. Hopefully this helps, good luck.

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