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Side Effects
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.
Used Tretinoin? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
November 21, 2007
Cons:
Retin-A dried my skin out horribly. No matter how slowly I tried adding it to my regimen, I couldn't handle it. My dermatologist soon prescribed me a lower dose of version, and eventually took me off it.
Do NOT use if you have sensitive skin of any sort.
November 11, 2007
Pros:
Works, eventually.
Cons:
Works slowly - much worse before better - dry, peeling skin
Worth it, if a little annoying sometimes
October 28, 2007
Pros:
Basically this is Retin-A. So, clears the acne and works on fine lines and wrinkles as well.
Cons:
Use at night only - this product makes you SUN SENSITIVE!!! You do not want to go out in any sunlight, or you could get blotchy skin.
I can't use it every night or else I'll get too dry. Down side is that sometimes I just totally forget to use it. I need to get a calendar in my bathroom, or devise some way to remember to use it 2 or 3x week. I think I would see even better results if I were more consistent. Main thing that i cannot say enough is to ONLY USE IT AT NIGHT, and not 2x daily. I do photo-facials (laser) on my face; and the nurses at the clinic are SO SERIOUS about that. It will cause blotching and spots because it makes you so sun sensitive. PLEASE ASK YOUR DR ABOUT THAT BEFORE YOU START! with a Rx, and coverage it costs me $10 for each tube.
October 21, 2007
Pros:
Clears pimples
Cons:
takes a long time and skin continously peels
I've been using this product for 2 moths now and so far its cleared mostly all the huge pimples on my forehead. So now my forehead is clear just has a lot of dark spots. For some reason my nose is starting to be worse then it has ever been. I dont use the product on my nose so im not sure what's that about. My cheeks have cleared up 50% or more just a few noticable pimples on my checks. There are stilll many of dark spots not making my change all that noticable. I can't believe i've been using this for 2 monthes and my skin is stil peeling. I dont get it It drys and peels all the time and for a few days it will be smooth n bam dry and peeling again. Then when I try to put lotion on it the skin moves around and it looks like my face is discolored or dirty and i dont like that. However it is healing my acne so I'll stick to it and go through the hard strives hopefully to get the best in the long run.
September 27, 2007
Pros:
Exfoliates skin, creates a "glow," keeps pores clear so blemishes can't form as easily.
Cons:
applying too much can cause dryness and peeling/flaking. must be careful not to apply to delicate skin. very expensive unless your insurance gives good Rx coverage for name brands.
I've used Retin-A Micro for over a year and it is by far the best acne product for my skin type. Of course, not all acne medications work the same for everyone. My family doctor recommended it to me, saying that the medicine forces your skin cells to turn over more quickly, freeing your pores of the debris that contributes to acne. I had trouble with it at first, and found that it caused a lot of dryness, especially around my nose and mouth. It took a few weeks to figure out how much I needed to use and to use a very gentle moisturizer along with the medicine. It is expensive and there is no generic ($100+). I didn't have the best prescription coverage for a while, and was paying $50+ for a while. I still felt it was worth EVERY cent -- the results are wonderful for me. I just changed insurance and I'm waiting for my new cards -- I am out of Retin-A Micro and I can't wait to get a refill. It makes a huge difference.
September 23, 2007
Pros:
cheap with health insurance
Cons:
Red beard with giant underworld zits.
You never know what works for you until you try it. I also used it with cleocin. I still had bad acne and began to look like I had rosacia. I have tried Proactiv too (worked for a few years, then stopped). I am now trying Murad. It got some bad reviews here but my sister swears by it, so I will see. I guess you never know. Retin a got OK reviews from some people but made my acne real bad, large and red even after 6 months of use. I stopped it a few weeks ago and the redness is going away.
September 6, 2007
Pros:
It peels of your skin, which is actually a good thing because if you are using it, you want NEW skin. It eventually can even help with minor tissue loss as it stimulates the production of collagen.
Cons:
It gets better before it gets worse. It also really does burn! And you flake which no one likes, especially when you want to wear some kind of foundation because the flaking is amplified with any stuff on it.
give this stuff a good shot, and stick with it. It is one of the most recommended products out there and for good reason. I am not done with this stuff yet, maybe a few more months and I will be cleared up. For those with cystic acne: use this in combination with oral meds! Using it alone won't do sh**. I have been using both and am happy so far with the results.
July 21, 2007
Pros:
Tretinoin is covered by insurance, gentle, effective for stubborn whiteheads.
Cons:
None.
After reading all the reviews about Tretinoin I felt that I needed to write one because my experience is different from most of the reviewers. For me Tretinoin is a God sent product. I had mild acne with stubborn whiteheads that refused to go away. I didn't experience any initial breakouts or redness on my skin, on the contrary my skin responded very well to the cream. After 8 weeks of usage, my skin is clear and my pores have unclogged and shrunken (no need for foundation anymore). Along with using Cetaphil cleanser (with a gentle Buff Puff), Tretinoin, a good sunblock and following a healthy lifestyle, I am happy to see the difference in my skin. Healthy skin is definitly attainable. I used Proactiv for a while. I DO NOT recommend this product at all if you suffer from mild acne. It made my skin worse from which I am finally bouncing back. One last comment: the less you use the better your skin will look. I also recommend seeing a good dermatologist and avoid facials at a SPA.
May 6, 2007
Pros:
Clears acne, Gets rid of oily skin
Cons:
Drys skin severly, kinda leaves skin red and burning
So far so good. Ive been using it every night for almost a week in combination with a BP gel in the mornings. I haven't had a breakout since I started and all my current breakouts are almost gone! My skin burns during the day and has been really flaky but I think thats more because of the BP. I want to exfoliate but am scared of irritating my skin more. one word of advice: Moisturize!!! Also I don't think that anything but laser tratment will help with scarring, will be doing that as soon as im acne free!
April 9, 2007
Pros:
None yet
Cons:
I think I'm breaking out a bit more
I did not break out like most teenagers, and as soon as I turned 18, I started getting little pimples here and there. Still, I do not have much to complain about. Based on your posts, it seems like folks have been using tretonin every night. I was told to use it every other night... I think I will stick with it because it seems to be the only product on the market left for me to try. Proactive did not to the job and over-the-counter products have failed as well. Also, my acne is not nearly severe enough to try accutane; my derm won't prescribe it for me.
Pros:
If your skin can handle it, it works.