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 7, 2010

Pros:

Diminished fine lines and acne greatly. Can't even be compared with any other skin care products.

Cons:

None.

Feel sorry for the people who can't use it because this product does miracles for acne and fine lines!
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July 5, 2010

Pros:

Clears up your skin
Apparently decreases wrinkles

Cons:

Initial breakout
Irritating

I waited a full 3 months before reviewing. I read everyone elses reviews and knew the initial breakout would be bad and it was. I took time off work, cried almost daily, hated the way I looked and wouldn't go out for about 8 weeks. My skin was never great but never bad until this year. I'm 34 and my hormones went nuts and made me break out in moderate acne, hormonal, the worst I've EVER had. I saw a derm and was prescribed Retin A 0.05 After 8 and up to 12 weeks my skin became better and better. I now get the tiniest little pimples here and there, nothing to even worry about, they aren't even red. I am taking minomycin antibiotics and am on estelle contraceptive pill as prescribed by my derm. All I have now are left over red marks but I'm sure they must be fading because it's getting easier and easier to cover them with makeup. Most people who don't know wouldn't have a clue I had moderate acne just 2 months ago. I bought Da Vinci mineral makeup and wear it daily and it has been fantastic, doesn't clog my pores so I swear by it! I saw 2 dermatologists after the first 10 weeks for the red marks and both were insisting I had to go on Roaccutane but I refused. Why go on Roaccutane when my skin was steadily improving??? I'm so glad I went against everyone's advice and stuck with the cream because I'm now clear and have better skin than before. My advice is be ready for the initial break out and persevere with it like everyone recommends. Don't give up just because you start breaking out, it WILL pass. You have to be very patient and very strong. All I'm reading tells me it will also work on getting rid of my wrinkles between 6-12 mths so I'm looking forward to that now!
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July 1, 2010

Pros:

i don't know yet :(

Cons:

really dry.
sunburn feeling.

i started using this june 4th along with minocycline. all i see is dryness, itchyness, sunburn feeling. i use it every night but.. nothing. am i using this stuff right? i just need my face clear in a month, well i would be happy with semi-clear. i'm just getting down about this.. :( i gave it '3 stars' because i have hope this will work!
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June 28, 2010

Pros:

-Cleared all my white heads
-Clears dark spots/ acne scars
-Works FAST for white heads
-People noticed the first *week* that I had clearer skin!

Cons:

-Makes your skin easier burned by the sun
-Dries out skin
-Does not work as fast for scars
-Can be expensive

My dermatologist prescribed my Tretinoin Retin A cream and it literally cleared 95% of my white heads the first week! I do still have scars and redness, but they are fading. I have to wear a sun screen everyday, and get burned much easier. I would definitely suggest this product! It has done wonders for my skin, and I hope you can get the same results.
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June 27, 2010

Pros:

-Less pimples than before
-Less comedones than before
-Skin is less red (only after a few weeks thou..coz at the beginning it looks like it's sunburned)!!!
-Make skin look more healty after a few weeks, it glows and I look younger (I'm only 23 lol)

Cons:

-Take a while to work
-IB can be scary but does'nt last too long so don't get discouraged people!!!
-It's drying so be careful...Don't let your skin get to dry, it's not gonna help you in the long run trust me.
-It's not gonna work if you use it irregularly or if you don't mosturize. The IB can be worst if you don't have a good mosturizer because your skin will produce more oil if it's dry...Oil from your sebaceous glands is way more comedogenic than a good non-comedogenic mos

Really work but it's strong medication so listen to your skin, start in a progressive way and don't be scared to skip a day or two even if you used it for a long time, if your skin is too dry. I found out that the cetaphil cleanser and mosturizer really helped combined with retin-a, even thou the mosturizer make my skin look really oily, it's not clogging my pores and I don't break out anymore because I'm less dry! That's cool! I've been using retin-a for 7 weeks. I still get a few pimples but my general complexion looks waaaaaaay better than before. I encourage people with a lot of comedones to try this and it's supposed to be good for almost all kind of acne. It's very strong so it can heal and completely transform your face or completely destroy your face wether you use it smartly of stupidly. By stupidly I mean by applying to often in the beginning, not mosturizing, tanning without sunscrean or anything else irritating for your face. I wish everyone could get the result I got, I used to go on this site and cry a lot and read every review I could to give me courage to go through this and now I'm feeling confident again and I wish I could help you guys, if you need advice on retin-a, please feel free to talk to me. Don't give up on retin-a guys!
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June 26, 2010

Pros:

After the long working period, The cream seems to be working. It not only keeps acne to a minimum, but it also rids of some acne scares and makes your skin softer <(selling point for girls). Even if it doesn't cure your acne, you sure as heck will get a LOT of 'Bang For Your Buck' here.

Cons:

Takes a LONG time to work. You must be consistent. Your skin can and will flake during the first 6 weeks of use. After that, the cream leaves your skin very oily.

Retin-A is often sold in make-up. For this reason, You get moderate acne medicine with a cream that will change your skin. I have been on this medication for about 18 and 1/2 weeks. Long time? Yep. But with all the other medications I have tried, I am happy. My mix is .025%. Of course an increase to 1 or 2% may help it work faster. My mix has NEVER burned or stung my skin, like other reviewers have said. My skin is now down to one or two pimples every other day. My skin color and acne scares are even and gone. This is an amazing product.
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June 26, 2010

Pros:

The GEL is great
reduces breakouts
insurance covers it

Cons:

The CREAM broke me out worse than ever

Even with the gel, I still find that I need the help of other products to help me exfoliate

I'm in my 30s and have been battling acne since I was 12. The Retin A cream doesn't work for me. It breaks me out worse than anything. I wouldn't recommend slathering your face with a thick, heavy cream-even if it has retinol in it. The gel however, works nicely for me. It is lightweight and it gives me a decent peel, but I still find that I need help from baking soda and Pretika facial brush to fully exfoliate my skin
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June 22, 2010

Pros:

most insurances cover it to make the co-pay cheap for the patient. Exfoliates skin, definitely adds a glow to the skin, and it seems to heal red marks well.

Cons:

initial breakout, takes a long time to work, leaves skin feeling oily. (Theres only a small amount of active ingredient, the rest is a very heavy cream to moisturize you.) If you don't keep applying it, it will not work.

Only use if you are going to be consistent with it. If you know you'll slack off, don't even bother. If the oiliness the next morning from use bothers you, you might slack off.
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June 19, 2010

Pros:

leaves skin looking and feeling smooth
acne is gone
exfoliates well
makes skin look glowing and younger

Cons:

causes intense peeling and dryness that will lasts from 2 weeks to a month.
it takes quite a while to work.
it gives a burning sensation when you apply it.
makes skin extremely sensitive.
initial acne.

it worked so well for me. the first 2-3 weeks were the worst. I had experienced lots of peeling and extreme sensitivity. I heard a lot of people saying that had really bad initial acne, but I really didn't have any. After my skin stopped peeling, my skin looked and felt so soft and smooth...it looked so pretty. Then I stopped and I started getting acne again. So now I'm back on retin-a, but I realized it also made all my acne scars fade too. I really love this product and I think I will continue to use this product for the rest of my life.
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June 18, 2010

Pros:

-At one week I can already see a noticeable difference
-Most of my pimples are already gone
-skin looks smoother and more radiant
-smaller pores!

Cons:

-DRY DRY DRYNESS!
-I feel like my face is peeling off
-Applying moisturizer, while helpful in the long run, burns like all hell

I've decided to review so early because of the success of this product ALREADY. Today is day seven, and I can see my face clearing up before my eyes. The ONLY drawback is the severe peeling and itchiness that comes with that. My recommendation is to use this long before you have any special occasion or a lot of public outings because you will look like a red blotchy, flakey mess unless you constantly apply moisturizer. I wish I had started this sooner! My dermatologist told me to use Cetaphil antibacterial soap morning and night, the cream before bed and gave me a prescription pill. All of this combined is working wonders!!! Tip before use: Make sure you get a moisturizer for SENSITIVE skin and start applying morning and night the moment you start using this. I didn't start peeling until the 3rd day, so I ignored the moisturizer and am severely regretting not knowing this!!! My doctor said it was very important to keep up the regimen "even though you're face is going to feel like it's peeling off". My assessment so far: WORTH IT!
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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