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

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February 24, 2011

Pros:

Gets rid of black heads, really deep stubborn ones that i thought would never go away, these blackheads weren't pop able either!

Cons:

I used this product to get rid of or lighten my hyper pigmentation(Brown and red marks left from acne and sun damaged skin)

It works for black heads, its amazing at that.. that's all though.
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February 14, 2011

Pros:

Makes skin smoother
Helped acne somewhat, but I can't be sure how much
Never had the initial breakout

Cons:

Didn't clear up my face
Drying, makes skin sensitive

I'm not really sure whether to recommend this product or not. It didn't particularly hurt my skin, but the results aren't noticeable enough for me to say it's great. I suppose I'd say it's worth a try.
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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 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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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 25, 2010

Pros:

-Clears skin eventually
-Makes skin soft and smooth

Cons:

-Will dry at first- don't be alarmed
-I grew immune to it, it doesn't work at all anymore ):

I first used it by mixing in with my moisturizer. After a few months of flaky, dry skin (which my dermatologist warned about), my skin started to clear up dramatically. At about 8-10 months of using it continuously, i noticed that it had completely stopped working. My dermatologist recommended to use it full strength by switching off trentoin, moisturizer, trentoin, each night. I've been doing so for almost 2 months and I still haven't seen an improvement from before. It starts bad, gets worse, then works, but eventually wears off.
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November 6, 2010

Pros:

- Dries up spots quickly
- Makes skin smoother
- Reduces red marks more quickly

Cons:

- Flaking and burning
- Sever redness on sensitive skin
- Hair loss

This is just a word of caution about this product. It does do what it says on the tube, and having used it every day for 6 weeks I noticed a definite difference in my acne. It also seemed to help prevent it. But... I also get some eczema, and I noticed that this caused new dry patches on my face. Worst of all, this has made my scalp so dry that my hair is thinning quite seriously. I have read that occasionally people get this side effect with vit A derived products, and I have had to stop using it because I don't want to go bald... So use with caution, especially if you are prone to dry skin conditions.
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October 15, 2010

Pros:

-clears acne
-fades scars

Cons:

- stopped working
- gave me hives
- irritated skin
- itchiness

This is my first product review EVER.I used this product for 5 months. I went through the initial break out for about 5 weeks. After that, I had a pretty clear face, and my scars were starting to disappear. About 2 weeks ago, I started noticing huge bumps and my skin was constantly itching. I was still using the tretinoin and they were not disappearing. My confidence went to an all time low. I then learned that tretinoin was horrible for rosacea, eczema, and those with other sensitive skin issues. Those with eczema should not use tretinoin or benzoyl peroxide or a negative reaction will result. 3 days ago I stopped using the tretinoin, and began using sulfur sulfacetamide. My skin has drastically improved. If you are experiencing harsh effects such as hives and severe itching/irritation stop treatment immediately! There are a percent who have bad reactions to this medicine, and you could be part of that percentage. I hope this is helpful to some.
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September 30, 2010

Pros:

Only *slightly* irritates skin, it's nothing compared to other meds. No peeling.

Cons:

Leaves kind of a greasy sheen in the morning
Requires only a dab, goes on *so* much quicker than Dan's BP regimen. Felt like I got my nights and mornings back.
Have been breaking out for 3 months now

Brief history: on Accutane 2x, then Dan's Regimen which worked mostly consistently but I ran into issues when I was dealing with perioral dermatitis (on Oracea for that). Derm told me to stop the BP and put me on the Atralin version of Tretinoin. I've been on Atralin for 12 weeks now, and I think my skin is the worst it has been since I was a teenager before my first round of Accutane. I have tiny bumps on my forehead, down by my temples, blackheads on my nose, tiny bumps all on my cheeks, and my chin continues to get these postules that popup (assuming that's the perioral dermatitis but it's so hard to tell for sure). The only thing I don't actually have - for the most part - is the big inflamed cystic type acne. In general my skin just feels terribly textured - when I wash all I feel is bumps *everywhere*. Just when I think it can't get worse, it does. The bumps start forming into real zits, or it spreads to a part of my face which used to be clear. Based on what i've heard, this sounds par for the course for Tretinoin - it brings everything for the surface. What I'm wondering though, is will this end? I've read many reviews and commentary on this medication saying stick out the 3-4 months, suddenly you'll see a clearing. I was hoping that at month 12 I'd see improvement but I seem to be at my worse. It's so hard to continue on with something that is so discouraging. The only reason I'm going to stick it out another 4-6 weeks (maybe more?) is because if I do stop then at least I don't have to always wonder if the issue was that I just didn't stick it out a lot. I've heard reviews of people who say this med doesn't work but they have stopped before the allotted time -- what I'm curious is if anyone has experience with this medication that has been on it for 5-6+ months and *didn't* see worth it results? If anyone has thoughts or is going through this same process, would love
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September 28, 2010

Pros:

Gets rid of whiteheads and heals skin fast! Nice glow to skin.

Cons:

Takes a looong time to work. MUST be patient! First two weeks I had peeling and dryness. Broke out like crazy! Got new zits I thought i never had.

Ive been using the .025% retin A cream for 5 weeks. I've been semi religious with it, putting it on every night except for a few missed days. I'm still purging but all the whiteheads I had under my skin (and boy did I have a lot!) are nearly gone. The only thing I'm gonna say is that you may need to go on an antibiotic while you're on this. I had persistent acne, hard nodules and itchy clusters of cysts along my jawline. My derm put me on solodyn and this seems to be significantly calming down the breakout stage. So now I feel like the retin A is just working on the visible acne I have. Have lots of red marks from the acne that got brought up and could not help but pop and pick at. Again its only been 5 weeks, so hopefully if I keep using it it will help with that as well. Oh and for some reason, the cream version seems to make my skin oily when I make up in the morning. Not sure why. Best of luck to you all. This also shall pass!!
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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