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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4
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2
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1
8.6%

Used Tretinoin? Rate It:

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December 22, 2010

Pros:

softer healthier general look of skin
reducing severe acne
reduces cystic acne quickly
less cystic acne in general
reduces amount of smaller pimples
reduces marks from acne

Cons:

dry flaky skin at times
expensive item

its a great product. ive been on retin-a micro .1% for a few years now. i started on the lower dose. the product definitely helps keep more control that before, it did not clear me up COMPLETELY tho i have tried everything BUT accutane and nothing has. i see a significant reduction in cystic acne and especially the little acne pimples. definitely reduces the post acne marks. and i think the product helped get me less oily. it controls a good amount of my acne and im happy, i wish it were clear completely, but im very satisfied with retin-a and wont EVER be without it! i used regular retin-a once, however, it gave me AWFUL breakouts and slick nasty skin, i hated it. stick with the micro for me. it is an expensive item...i purchase it from the UK its a goooood amount cheaper. its the johnson johnson brand. a tube that is 20G lasts about 2-3 months for me. insurance for me doesnt cover, however some do.
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December 15, 2010

Pros:

Exfoliation
Cell turnover
Speeds clearing

Cons:

Drying
Red skin
Sensitivity to sun/cold

I have such a love/hate relationship with this product! I have been using it for 5 years and in that time I have had perfect skin, problems with giant pustules, cracked skin, red skin, you name it. The condition of my skin changes with the weather, my hormones, and with my diet. I have tried every skin care system out there as well as every prescription and I know that retin a does work for me. I just really have to be diligent about using only as much as I need. When I use too much I can tell right away and my skin tends to fight back by being irritated and broken out. My "magical" combination is this: I wash with Neutrogena fresh foaming cleanser in the evening, and apply the retin a before bed. In the morning I rinse with water only and apply clindamycin gel followed by Olay moisturizer SPF 15 for sensitive skin. I am also on Ortho Tri Cyclen. I need to use this combination in order to achieve clear skin. Whenever I have tried to elliminate any of the products I have breakouts. I also notice that when my diet is poor my skin shows it. When I eat a lot of whole grains, lean meats and fruits and veggies I have awesome skin! I know that docs always say there is no evidence that a bad diet leads to bad skin but they are wrong. They just don't understand how it all works. I've struggled with my skin since I was 12 years old. I know what works and what doesn't. Retin a will work. I believe that retinols in general work. You just need to find the right strength for you and relax. Nothing makes skin worse than stress. Good luck!
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December 15, 2010

Pros:

- lessened blackheads

Cons:

- made my face's color darken, not matching with the rest of my body.
- made my face more oily and produce a "shine" look.
- made an increase in marks left behind from pimples.

Overall, I don't think this has helped me at ALL. When I first started using this, I would only get a few pimples every now-and-then, then they would go away quickly and my skin looked lovely. Since my mother put me on Retin-a, I have seen a increase in blemishes (not particularly acne) with visible marks all over my face. I became so self-conscious from this product that I started to wear make-up to hide my insecurities.
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December 14, 2010

Pros:

- BABY SOFT SKIN!
- blackheads are gone
-pores are smaller
- deep pimples are gone
-hyper pigmentation/ red marks significantly faded

Cons:

- dry around mouth area for the first week, that's it

OMG. i love this product with all my heart. I was so reluctant to use it after reading all these reviews about the initial breakout and what not. But honestly, whatever it is, it's all worth it. Im a 16 year old girl and I've been on Minocyclin (tetracycline) for almost a year now. That reduced the big HONKERS...but i mean, i still had the pigmentation that was almost as bad as the pimples. and id still get 4 or 5 pimples. The dermatologist gave me retin A micro .04% in September, and im telling you it was the best thing that's ever happened to my face. The pigmentation was the biggest thing on my face, like red marks everywhere. And after consistently using it for 4 months, my face is about 95% clear. I can only say good things about this product. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. :)
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December 12, 2010

Pros:

-clears cysts fast!
-reduces the amout of pimples
-takes some scars and hyperpigmentation away

Cons:

-Makes skin flakey in places
-caused me to be more oily
-dosen't compleatly take care of the pimples

I was using the Retin-A pump micro 0.04% I love this product because it was able to get painfull cysts off my face quickly. Though it would have been nice if the product keept them from occuring in the first place. I also love the fact that it helped some of my scaring and hyperpigmentation :) On the other hand, the oil on my skin was rediculous. I would get out of the shower, go to school, and by the time I had finished one class my face was saturated with oil. But to be honest, it was not that big of a deal compared to the large painfull cysts I was getting. I would definatly recomment this product to anyone who has cystic acne.
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December 10, 2010

Pros:

"apparently" clears acne

Cons:

from what i've read dryness, redness, breakouts

you dont know how freekin happy I am I came here before trying this stuff. i was at the doctors last week and she decided to perscribe this stuff (0.04) to me. I was this close to using it untill i figured reading a few reviews couldn't hurt. so i did, and boy am I glad that I didn't blindly listen to my doctor and just try it. at the time it was perscribed i had a few pimples hear and there, nothing major, and I have sensitive skin. from what Ive read it would have just made a mess out of my face. anyways, I stumbled onto the regiment, and although I dont use BP I have started being extrealy gentle when washing toning and moisturizing, and what do you know, not a single new pimple yet :D (knock on wood) anyways, just thought Id share that, and to people thinking about trying it from what Ive read it does more harm than good.
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December 9, 2010

Pros:

-It cleared me up during the summer, but useless during the winter. (Utah anyway)
-It minimizes/gets rid of the worst zits.

Cons:

-can leave behind the small zits
-makes me look like I have a sunburn
-forces you to apply a lotion = shiny face.
-slightly irritating
-over dries in Winter

It makes you clear but leaves you with a face that looks sunburned and shiny due to the irritation in the summer, and can make it worse in winter. So overall, it is recommended.
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December 6, 2010

Pros:

-Soft Skin
-Clears break outs fast

Cons:

-flaky skin
-burning

I have bad acne since I was about 23, after trying all of the over the counter stuff and proactive I saw a doctor who prescribed me differin and minocycline.....I used it for two years and the pills helped me alot! but after two years it made me really sick and induced lupus....I stopped taking it and just using differin but my skin got really bad again so two weeks ago my doctor prescribed me retinA. I have been using it for a week, everynight and on the fourth night all the big pimples on my forehead popped and my skin has no bumps...only the redness and scars which I am hoping will go away soon! So as you can see it worked really fast!!! my skin feels super soft and it has only been a week!!!! On the negative note....I used it everynight so on the fifth day I woke up with the whole lower part my face burnt!!!! super red like if it caught on fire.....I didnt use it on that part of my face for a couple of days and put the "Expert anti-blemish night moisturiser" from Boots on it....even thought it was for night I used it during the day...this thing is amazing...in two days the redness and burnt look are gone and now I use it as my main moisturizer during the day because it makes all the flakes go away...my skin looks super healthy! you can buy this at Target its only like $5...... Bottom line is...use it once every 2 to 3 days at night and a good moisturizer during the day...I totally recommend the night moisturiser from Boots ...this thing does take about 95% of the flaky look away! I havent had the initial breakout, my face is super soft the only thing are a few red spots from the pimples I had but it is slowly fading away!
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November 27, 2010

Pros:

-removes acne scars
-baby-smooth skin

Cons:

-did not do anything for my acne
-dry/itchy skin

I am a junior in high school and have been struggling with acne since seventh grade.I have tried every face wash/cream/lotion at the drug store. I came across this website in search of something to try as a last attempt, when I read the reviews on tretinoin. So I went to my doc and tried it out. Started using in june, finished in november. Basically, my acne stayed the same. I had no initial breakout which everyone keeps talking about, but my acne did not lessen. I knew it was doing something, because my acne scars were going away, and the surrounding skin felt a lot smoother. After using it for about 4 months, I decided to give up. I also noticed that most of my breakouts came around the time I was about to get my period, so I figured my acne must be hormonal. I decided to try Zinc, as it suppresses testosterone from being used in unnecessary ways. I started taking it two weeks ago, and my skin is now as smooth as it was before I got my first zit. I will continue using tretinoin for its anti-aging properties and to get rid of the remaining scars, but if you notice that no face washes/creams are quite working for you, or they only work for a short period of time, then the cause is probably internal, and topical treatments will only help you with drying your existing acne out.
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November 26, 2010
This is my first review i've ever written. I'm doing it to help people. I struggled with acne since age 12. Im now 20. Nothing has worked. Except tretinoin. Oh, and the pills worked too, the doxycilin or wat ever u call them. But they had bad sideaffects. Tretinoin leaves my face looking amazing. The scars fade and i have alot! Im on benzoyl peroxide 10% face wash, tretinoin cream 0.1%, and clindamycin phosphate topical lotion 1%. This is my second day on this regimen and acne is healing, you can see flexibility in my skin again. Almost as if i never had acne. This worked where proactive, murad, duac, benzoyl peroxide, acne free, did not. Im sorry but u cant compare other products to this. This stuff is amazing.
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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