Topical Retinoid
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Works about the same as the other two topical retinoids, tazarotene and adapalene, and lands in the middle of those two when it comes to side effects. Should provide partial clearing, but comes with sensitivity when you first start using it. It probably won’t be a total game changer but it should help reduce acne.
Topical Retinoid
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one.
Used Tretinoin? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
October 22, 2012
Cons:
Patience is required
The first 6-7 weeks were extremely difficult, i was breaking out like crazy and was about to consider accutane.
It WILL get better, it took about three months to see great improvement. Ive had acne for 6 years so i still have red marks but no more breakouts :-D
October 12, 2012
Pros:
-Incredibly fast acting
-Immediate evaporation
-Covered through Triax
Cons:
-Can burn like crazy
-Burns the eyes
-Major peeling/redness
I've been dealing with moderate to sever acne since the age of 13, I'm 22 now. About two months ago I was fed up with over the counter treatments and went to see a dermatologist. She found me the best regiment that would work with my budget and most of what I received was covered under a Triax Care Plan and I didn't have to pay a dime for the actual medication. I started off with just a morning and night wash with Oxy 10% Benzoyl Peroxide and an application of Clindamycin Phospgate Gel 1%. I would occasionally use a moisturizer but often times it would react badly with the Clindamycin and cause a mild flare up. I saw some decent results with one months worth of this regiment; but I wasn't seeing my acne completely disappear. Five weeks ago I received the Triax package which included a face wash, Tretin-X Gel (Tretinoin 0.01%) and a soothing moisturizer as well as a three month supply of Minocycline. I've been taking the Minocycline twice daily, but when I first received the Tretin-X I was only using that every third day for two weeks and then every other day for two weeks and now I'm on daily application. Also with the regiment of night and day Oxy 10% Benzoyl Peroxide wash and an application of the soothing moisturizer afterwards. As far as the Tretin-X I was a little weary at first. It can burn like crazy when used with the Benzoyl Peroxide and drys your skin up like the Sahara Desert; I noticed my skin was peeling within minutes of the first application. I also noticed my face was a little more red in the first month. But as I pushed through and upped my usage and adjusted to the medication I've had incredible results. I noticed last night that, when silhouetted in light, my face no longer has the bumpy texture I've had for years. The acne is disappearing all over my face and my confidence is rising drastically! It's still not completely gone but I still have about two months of treatment left. All-in-all I'd recommend this treatment, its worked wonders
October 2, 2012
Pros:
Makes skin smoother, helps peel off pimples, helps with blackheads, helps peel scars, makes face brighter, helps fade hyperpigmentation and scarring, helps with wrinkles
Cons:
Takes a while to start seeing results
I LOVE retin-A (.025% gel) and think I will be using it for the rest of my life!!! It takes a little bit to get over the initial breakout period but after this, your skin just keeps getting better. I ran out of this stuff and decided to use some tazorac I had lying around (cream formulation) and this just made me breakout worse and feel so insecure. Now that I started using this again, I see my acne going away day by day and all my scars are fading very quickly. Every morning I'm excited to wake up and see the layer of skin that has peeled off my face! (gross I know)... but this in combination with some BP in the morning will do the trick.
October 1, 2012
Pros:
A little goes a long way
Goes on easy
WORKS!
Cons:
Smells a little
I've tried everything for my skin and always been left with several pimples a day. But my new routine is MUCH better. My doctor prescribed it to me to use in the evening. In the morning I use azelaic acid with my Benzoyl Peroxide and since that time I've noticed a difference in my skin. My dermatologist explained that benzoyl peroxide negates retin-a so I use them at separate times of the day.
September 9, 2012
Pros:
Clears papules, pustules, whiteheads, blackheads, clogged pores.
Clears macules, hyperpigmentation, discolouration.
Exfoliates skin.
Cons:
Brings everything to a head at the start of treatment.
Not to be used if trying to conceive.
Skin is thinned & have to be careful what products you use in conjunction or else will burn skin.
Skin surface oily, is shiny but dry.
Started with 0.025% now using the 0.05%. After close to a year will feel like no longer effective. But stopping brought adult acne back so I will probably never get off this product again. Skin memory will kick in for this product so adjustment/break-in period irritation only severe for 1st time use. Subsequent returns to Retin-A again will be a breeze. Severe acne managed to clear and even the scarring/hyperpigmentation faded very well and skin is close to perfect again. Put this on after I turn the lights off to sleep because any form of light will break the formula down. Only way i know it's working is waking up in the morning and finding a layer of skin that can be rubbed off while washing. As weeks go by, acne is under control. Comedones dry up and can be extracted easily. No more pustules. New papules are flattened quickly. Scarring goes from red to brown, to pink as it fades. Took about 8 weeks to see that acne stopped surfacing & 28 weeks for discolouration to fade such that not really necessary to use foundation as cover-up. 1 x 25g tube lasts me 2 months, I use slightly more than a pea-sized amount.
August 17, 2012
Pros:
Very inexpensive with my insurance
Supposedly helps with wrinkles!
Easy to apply
Great results!
Cons:
Sunburn easily!
REALLY bad initial breakout and takes a while to work
Skin gets dry (nothing not fixable with a moisterizer)
I've had acne since seventh grade, and Im going to be a freshman in college so its been a very long 6 years! I've tried a lot of different Clean & Clear and Neutrogena acne products but they didn't really do anything for my skin (I think part of that is I didn't use them consistently when I was younger ;) I think my soph year of high school I was prescribed clindamycin phosphate & BP gel, since my acne consisted of mostly hundreds of little bumps at that point. Again, I don't really think I used it super consistently but I also don't think it was enough for my skin. My doctor put me on an antibiotic, but I kept getting weird side effects so I went off it. The start of this summer my doctor put me on birth control (ortho tri cyclen), tretinoin 0.025%, and the clindamycin gel still. I couldn't start the BC until 3 weeks into the retina a, which I think gave me an initial break out on top of an initial break out from the retina a! My skin started to get pretty bad, and I had full blown pimples instead of little bumps. I was so frustrated with it, but eventually got to a point where I could start using the clindamycin gel again, and I switch off between that and retin a every night. I'm almost to week 10 and my skin is basically completely clear! My one piece of advice is don't give up! I wanted to so badly, and I know all of the reviews on here said not to, but it was really frustrating. It takes some peoples' skin a long time to work with the product :) Also, I used Garnier makeup removing wipes, then a quick swipe of witch hazel (buy it, its amazing and kept my skin from flaking! About $7 at Whole Foods), and then I wait to apply the retina a or clindamycin gel each night. I also use Aveeno calming moisturizer! Don't give up on this! Its probably going to be a long process, but play around a little with the products you use and you'll see good results eventually! Good luck :)
August 10, 2012
Pros:
- clears skin
- gives back self esteeme
- makes skin feel better overall
Cons:
- initial breakout
- requires patience
- once you start you cant stop
I stated breaking out in 7th grade and went straight to the dermo. got perscribed benzoyl peroxide , zania (spell check) then later diffren. skin stayed clear for years. Thinking that i didnt need it i stopped using retin a (diffren) for about 2 years . around march 2012 i noticed these small flesh colored bumps under my skin. long story short trying to get rid of tht not realizing tht i should just start retin a again.I dried my face out to the point of exema ! My derm perscibed me an exema cream and told me to use cereve cream ( which contains Cetearyl Alcohol and Polyglyceryl-3-Diisostearate both of these are very bad from acne) . Had i done my own research i never would have used this ! Needless to say my face broke out in the MOST HORRIBLE BIG PUS FILLED ACNE EVER. so what had started out as a few under the skin bumps had now turned into full blown acne ! To speed this story up i was then given solodyn pills , and pracasion clenser which helped later i was able to use retin a micro .04 , due to the fact tht i had used it years before my skin didnt really have a bad reaction to it , later they moved me up to .1 and i experinced breakouts im on week 3 and still purging but my pimples only last a week then they dry up and go away. my skin has really improved due to retin a ill never go off of it again! Also i want to encourage you all tht you will get through acne !! i was very depressed this whole summer , ive stayed in the house quit work and dropped out the last few months of school when i broke out i know how depressing it is !! But jus keep hope and despite what your doctors tell you do your own research make sure the products you use are really nocomendogenic despite what labels might say look up the ingredients yourself on [link removed], and DIET does affect acne cut out sugar,caffeine and dairy and watch your acne improve !! drink lots of water! prayer also helped me very much when i was depressed lol sorry this tured into more of an acne story than a re
July 29, 2012
Pros:
Clear, soft, glowing skin
Evens tone
Fades scars/hyperpigmentation
Unclogs/refines pores
Re-texturizes skin
Smooth wrinkles and fine lines
Anti-acne AND Anti-aging... two-in-one product!
Cons:
You MUST BE PATIENT for results
Dryness, peeling
Initial “purging†phase
Sun sensitivity
Retin-A has literally transformed my skin. This product is a miracle, but ONLY if you are patient, motivated and committed. Month 0-1 ½
Initial purging phase- breakouts and white heads, skin is dry and sensitive. I'm not going to lie- this part sucks. I think this is the reason so many people give up and never see results. DON'T GIVE UP! If you are patient and committed you'll be glad you stuck it out and pushed through this bad phase. It is worth it! Month 2-4
Significant improvement. Skin is 95% clear, with only minimal and short lasting breakouts during my period and a few small whiteheads now and then that are easily extracted. Skin appears smoother, softer and clearer. Pores appear less clogged and smaller. I'm using less makeup. I have less dryness and little to no irritation. Scarring and hyperpigmentation is slowly but surely fading. I literally notice more and more improvements with each passing week. It just keeps getting better. Keep in mind; they say it takes 6-9 months for major results. I'm so impressed by the results so far- I can't even imagine how amazing my skin will look in the months to come! Tips
You need a routine and you MUST BE PATIENT!!
I gradually increased my use from 1x/week up to every other day' Start slowly and increase use over time. This minimizes side effects. Base your use on YOUR SKIN's reactions; everyone is different.
Use a gentle, non-medicated cleanser. I like CeraVe's foaming cleanser.
ONLY apply Retin-A at night, 30min after cleansing.
GENTLY exfoliate morning and night to remove flaking. I use a wash cloth made for babies. It removes dry skin but is super gentle.
Use lots of moisturizer and sun block. I also use Jojoba oil a few days a week to loosen dry flakey skin and add needed moisture.
Drink lots of water and eat a healthy diet (fruits and veggies). Nourish/heal/hydrate your skin from the inside out.
Omega-3, Vitamin E and Zinc are a
July 24, 2012
Pros:
Clears up MY FACE COMPLETELY
Made my skin smooth
Smaller pores
Cons:
Takes time
patience required
I've been using Retin a for about 9-10 months now. For the first to 4 months, your skin will be a mess, flaking everywhere, redness and everything. But if you're patient enough till you get to 6 months, your skin will be wonderful. No acne, smaller pores, and smooth skin. Trust me, it works, so just keep using it, you must not give up.
Up until i discover retin-a, I've gone to many doctors and try many cosmetics. But it doesn't give much result and nothing work like retin-a.
Now I use many home remedies with retin-a. After shower (sometimes i use baking soda), i just put fresh aloe vera gel until it dries, and i wash it with water, then i put lemon juice as a toner, then use moisturizer and sunblock (i use clinique). At night, after shower i use the same routine with aloe vera and lemon juice, then i use retin-a every other night, the night i don't put retin-a, i just use serum and night cream
overall i think this is the best treatment that i ever used, and people should try it instead of those expensive treatment and cosmetics
July 23, 2012
Pros:
- Reduced pores
- Reduced blackheads / whiteheads
- 99% clear skin in 5-6 weeks
- Faded marks and scars
- Self-esteem returned
- No need to worry about having strict diets and sleeping time when you're on the cream (important!)
Cons:
- Skin gets oily easily
- Persistent pinkish skin tone on your face
- More sensitive skin
- Gets sunburnt easily
I'm a 24-year-old Asian from Hong Kong. I started my first application of tretinoin 0.05 when I was 22. My boyfriend at that time (now an ex-bf) is a dermatologist and I was so "lucky" to be breaking out while I was dating him. He gave me tretinoin 0.05 and an antibiotics (took it for around 1.5 months and went off it). So I used the cream religiously (day and night!) and all my breakouts subsided in 1 month. What's more - I continued to have good result with it. I had no initial breakout, no flaking or dry skin until I reached my 8th month, which was around January - the coldest and dryest time of the year. Then I got flakes and dry skin. I was stupid enough to keep using the cream without reducing my usage - All of a sudden, I developed an allergic reaction to it. My face got red and itchy. I cried to my bf (ex-bf) and he gave me Elidel cream. I applied for 2 days and recovered. After that I became paranoid about using tretinoin (how stupid!!) and started investing in products that are "natural" and "non-irritating" - Origins, Lush, etc. For the first couple of months, my skin was happy and easy - still breakout-free. Then I broke up with my bf, and stopped using tretinoin altogether. BIG MISTAKE!! My blackheads and whiteheads returned, followed by enlarged pores. Then out of nowhere, breakouts! At first it was just one to two acnes here and there - but then it got worse, and much worse after I started working (I'm an auditor). The thing about being an auditor in Hong Kong is you're working from 8 am to 3 am and it worsened my acne. Out of the blues I finally went to the derm in June 2012. He prescribed me Tretinoin 0.01, 0.025 and 0.05 (to switch flexibly according to skin condition), Minocycline for 3 months and Clindamyacin. Now I'm on 7th week and I am so happy that my skin is 100% clear! Even if I got an acne, it was so small and nothing like what I used to have. I swear I will never ever go off tretinoin! again! : )
Pros:
Pimples gone
Improved skin texture
Confidence