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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:
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February 11, 2009
Cons:
And then all the fun started..
Maybe it's just me, but I have never reacted well to a retinol product. I had an awful reaction to Tazorac, and stupidly my derm gave me retin-a. I even asked straight up if the initial big breakout is normal, and she wouldn't give me a straight answer. So I used retin-a cause I figured that derms have to be right....WRONG. I am so embarassingly blistered, red and flaky right now, my skin is a million times worse that it was before. I seriously don't know what to do to get rid of it
February 8, 2009
Pros:
It eventually begins clearing up the acne VERY WELL, leaves skin smoother than ever, and reduces scars/blemishes.
Cons:
Extremely drying, causes peeling, skin is sensitive and lightened in some areas.
Some of the effects may be from the usage of this product with clindamycin (they were prescribed together) but over all it is now working very well. During the first 2 months, my face was just peeling all over and I had take lotion with me everywhere. This is also when the breakouts got worse. In the 3rd month, my face freaked out and would clear up really well in one area and simultaneously get really bad in another, this continued for one month (different parts of my face took turns breaking out and getting better). It is now the 4th month and my face is calm. The breakouts and blemishes are almost non-existent. Any new pimples go away pretty fast. My face is still dry and sensitive but Cetaphil lotion at night and in the morning helps that.
February 4, 2009
Pros:
Can't think of any
Cons:
It dried my face out and made my acne worse. I used it for 10 of the 12 weeks and took photos of my face to see the "progress." At the end of 10 weeks my acne had spread from my cheeks down my jaw and to my chin.
When I started using Tretinoin the physicians assistant who prescribed it said my face might get worse before it got better. It got worse and worse. I've since been told that it is a myth that any treatment should make you worse before you get better. That's just a line. At one point my face was so dry and flaky that I had a mask of little dry flakes on my face. I carried lotion with me everywhere. One day in an elevator I noticed a little girl staring at me and wondered why. It turned out that my face was covered in dry flakes (a la Austin Powers Goldmember) and I realized I'd forgotten my lotion. It was so embarrassing. I've been on a combo of doxycycline, sulfectamide face wash and clindamycin lotion for two and a half weeks now and my face seems to calming down nicely. At least it's not dried out or getting worse.
January 22, 2009
Pros:
When an acne appears, it goes away within a couple of days. The areas of my skin that are acne free are soft, smooth, and flawless.
Cons:
The initial breakout is near unbearable mentally. Red, itchy, flaky skin is very prevalent.
I am going on 3 weeks with tretinoin .005%. Although I'm embarrassed to leave my house because I am completely insecure of my huge breakouts, I'm going to stick with it until it in hopes it gets better. At this point I don't want to go through another initial breakout on a different product. I'm also on tetracycline 500mg 2x a day, and desquam 5% wash 2x a day, and birth control. I will keep you updated on my results. IN addition to the prescription meds, I am doing a colon and liver cleanse. I just pray that I see improvements relatively soon.
January 6, 2009
Pros:
Zits go a way much quicker, blackheads are gone, nice glow to skin, actually cleared my face for new years eve no bumps! But then started breakin out in 3rd week again as mentioned on website.
Cons:
Peeling, and really red skin, but only around my mouth and chin, why? I think because that's where I break out most, and also use Duac during the day. The rest of my face is fine and clear
I'm in the beginning of my 3rd week. Let me tell you a little about my acne so you can judge if this review will be helpful to you.
I am 23/f my acne started really bad after getting off birth control which kept my face clear during my teen years. Now I'm back on but it, & either it's taking forever to start working or isn't going to help. So I use Retin A Micro at night and Duac during the day, also take Nicotinamide ZCF pill. 1st week I went from my usuall 7-8 zits, btw these are large red inflamed zits, sometimes cysts, to like 13! I freaked out but by week 2 my face was flat with the red marks which at least when I wear foundation look like I'm clear. Wearing foundation proved to be difficult cuz of the peeling. I had to switch moisturizer from Aveena Ultra Calming to CeraVe lotion which is great!
3rd week, my skin broke out again but not worse than before about 7 zits, and they are going a way quicker than they would w/out RAM n Duac, I will update post after 7 weeks of use
December 31, 2008
Pros:
easy to use,cream doesnt run off face. this works for me cause i work from home,
Cons:
not sure yet so far i havent seen any
well is seems to be working i have only been using this product for 3 days and the spots seem to be fading already.i'll just keeep applying until i see massive changes
December 30, 2008
Pros:
Cleared acne a little bit at first
Cons:
Skin stopped responding early on and stopped helping acne
I'm not saying this is why, but my acne got worse after a while
Made face red
I lot of people used it and it worked...so give it a try...but if it doesn't, don't waste a year and a half waiting for it to
December 16, 2008
Pros:
Clears up skin after 6 months, cured back acne. skin becomes soft and smooth.
Cons:
leaves scars which would take 6 to 12 months to disappear. use too much and you'll give yourself acne. always use just a pea size for the face.
I'm south east asian (light to medium colouring) with oily-dry combination skin and massive pores. mild to medium acne and reacts well with BP and use tretinoin (0.05%)with antibiotics and mild toner, moisturiser and exfoliate daily (for sensitive skin). The first month of tretinoin was good. didn't react horribly except for redness and sensitivity. 2nd and 3rd month made me cry. Back was smooth though. The face was another matter. Couldn't wear make up cause it flakes but thankfully i was in manchester where it was rainy and cloudy so going out wasn't a problem. 4th month i decided to go to my dermatologist. she prescribed me doxycycline 100mg to take for 4 months and only to use tretinoin every 2 days at night, the rest of the time i use BP. I had been using tretinoin every night before. It might be the antibiotics but I've cleared up.. aside from the scars that covers 90% of my face and only get the occasional acne. bottom line? just use it for the back.
November 22, 2008
Pros:
made my raised spots go down and did help a bit.
Cons:
made my skin dry and flaky. in this case, it is not a case of "slap a bit of moisteriser on". my skin burns WHATEVER i apply and my skin is literally flaking off. if i put makeup on, you can just see all the white bits of skin. made my skin sore.
not everyone will have this effect, but i have never had sensitive or dry skin and it has made it dry and tight and like i said, just really flaky, which looks gross and won't go, no matter how much i exfoliate. i'm stopping using this.
November 20, 2008
Pros:
Still have not seen any pros yet, but hoping to!
Cons:
Burning, red face, acne is worse, skin shedding like crazy.
I started one month ago and the first week was horrible, burning, redness, shedding skin and acne got worse. I am still using it in hopes it helps in the long run. When I first started I had bad burning and shedding of the skin but it got better after week 2 and now at week 4 the redness and shedding is back again. Not sure why since I've not used as much as I did in the beginning. I use Tretinoin not Retin A.
Pros:
Appeared to be a miracle cream the first week