hey everyone,

All over the internet these days there is fierce propoganda about products containing tretinoin. The blogs are jammed with people from skin care companies dismissing the effects, highlighting the dangers and treating it like toxic waste.

Its really simple - this is how it goes - when u start using it all is fine. After a couple of days all hell breaks loose. It burns, it stings, it peels, u break out, u freak out. This can go on for weeks and for some of us even a few weeks more. But for most of us this subsides after a couple weeks and we slowly return to normal. Except we dont return to normal - we return to far better skin than normal - and it gets better and better and better as the months go by.

Those peachy looking ladies in their sixties at high tea in exclusive hotels who look like la prarie has been raining on them for 40 years and their rich husbands have payed for the worlds best surgeons and whos dermatollogists are artists. I forced my way in their one day - hurling bags of products about trying to fit in. While sipping tea and discussing cellular complexes one of these mighty women lent over to me and whispered in my ear the big secret. She told me to go to the pharmacy - get a generic treinoin cream - to stick with it - and to ignore all the bad stuff i read about it - because every single woman at that huge table had been using it for 30 years!

Skin care products really do only one thing - they provide an environment in which certain skin functions work better - some work better than others to shield, protect, moiturise and promote collagen synthesis. Tretinoin however provides no element or environment for performance - it simply forces the cells into high gear - and off you go on your journey of adjustment. My skin now performs. Every week i look younger - if i have a zit i kill it - by the next day i can flick it off with a finger and no mark or redness remains. Skin is smoother and fresher than its been in 10 years and continues improoving.

A great bonus is since the best skin care treatment in the world just happens to be one of the cheapest, you can pamper yourself with extravegant cleansers and body products and just enjoy them without being concerced about spending money on products with empty promises. The big problem is solved - its time to enjoy your life because you finally look your best. Infact tak eth emoney you save and go to high tea at exclusive hotels - it works in more ways than one.

Over and out xxx

I use Retin-A 0.025 gel. This stuff is drying, causes, redness, and irritation. However, these products are all associated with Retin-A and if one can't tolerate using a potent product like this one then I highly recommend using something else.

I suffer from mild to moderate acne. I use Retin-A to help control my breakouts and give my face and overall much clear, brighter look to it. And, the product has helped to not only control my breakouts but to also make my face appear brighter too.

I know that some people may become put off by the side effects that are associated with Retin-A. However, these side effects can be managed through the usage of a deeply hydrating moisturizer. And, because Retin-A makes the face photosensitive, the usage of chemical (sunscreen) or physical (sun block) sun protection is a must.

In order to gain the best results from using this product you stay committed to it. As, this product doesn't provide quick fixes. It takes extended usage of this product for anyone to really gain marked results to their skin.

I have used Retin-A cream before, even though I do currently use the gel version. Now, the cream version didn't really keep my breakouts at bay like the gel does. Also, I don't think that it really helped to keep my pores uncongested as well as the gel does either.

The gel version of Retin-A has one ingredient in it that I could do without and this is the ingredient alcohol. As, I think that its the alcohol that makes the gel version more drying that it actually needs to be. And, the gel content is also what gives it a noticeable alchol odor as well. But, nevertheless, I will continue to use the product, because there's nothing that I have found that works as well towards keeping my skin as clear and bright as this product does.

Retin-A Micro is great. I have tried so many acne treatments in the last three years - Proactiv, Oxy, Neutrogena, Benzaclin- and none of them have worked. Then my doctor prescribed me NeoBenz Micro (a benzoyl peroxide medication) in the AM and Retin-A in the PM along with a prescription wash. It has been three months since I started on these medications, and my skin looks great.

The first eight weeks on Retin-A Micro, and I was still breaking out. The breakout period, for me, was rough. By week eight, I started to notice gradual improvement; even into week ten and eleven, I had some breakouts and bothersome acne. I was really frustrated and thinking maybe this isn't working for me. However, now at week 12, I am thrilled with the results. Not only is virtually all my acne gone, my skin looks so much better than it ever did, in terms of complexion. Also, a lot of the scarring I had previously or that had been caused by the breakout period, is now faded. I never really had a problem with drying or irritation, but still use a moisturizer. If you're going to go on Retin-A Micro, I'd give it at least ten to twelve weeks; I literally thought it wasn't working, but now I know it is. I'm hoping within the next two weeks, my skin will be completely 100% clear. Retin-A Micro takes time and loads of patience, but for me, it was totally worth it.

I, for the first time in my life, got acne and I'm 38 years old! My doctor gave me Retin A Micro pump and I really didn't like it. It was VERY drying and practically made my face peel off! I had high hopes, but didn't see much in terms of reducing the number of pimples I had. It also left a white powder on my face! I used it for 8 weeks before I just couldn't do it anymore.

I've been using Retin-A for 6 months now and it has been a lifesaver. I am a 32 year old woman and have always had oily skin that is highly prone to breakouts. I was on birth control pills for many years and recently stopped using them due to the development of melasma. Needless to say my skin went crazy, I felt like I was entering puberty again, (ARHGHGH). My skin broke out horribly, especially around the jawline.
My dermatologist recommended Retin-A for numerous reasons, first at 32 years old I could prevent and improve some of my fine lines, it could help lessen my melasma, and it could keep my skin clear without having to go back to BC.
The first month was treacherous, as my skin became irritated and very flaky. I quickly realized and still adhere to using the medication every other day. Moreover, I apply the allotted amount to my index finger and "dot" it around my face, this works very well.
I also learned that applying this medication immediately after showering is not a good thing.

Now, 6 months later my skin is clear, my melasma though still visible has lessened. I am thankful that I do not have to go back to BC and was able to forgo other medications such as Spironolactone in an effort to keep my acne in check. And of course I am ecstatic that the medication is helping stave off fine lines as well.
Yes, the medication takes some getting used to, it will make your skin look worse at first which is unbearable for some. However, getting through this period will offer great rewards.

Ok, right now I am on week 2, so because of this my face looks worse than before. I plan on writing back each week with a new rating/update. I am so frustrated and hate to go out in public right now. I am hoping that hanging in there, I will see the results many of you did. What week did you start to see results? I am using retin-a mircro everynight, plus an antibiotic 2x a day and a cream in the AM prescribed by the derm. I need encouraging words! Help!

worked pretty good to get rid of pimples, i still have a few though and i've been using it for like 4 months. anyone know anything that gets rid of acne marks better than this stuff though?? because i have a couple marks on my face that this stuff doesn't seem to get rid of

I used retin-a micro for my acne years ago and it worked like a charm, but since i stopped using it, it's slowly getting worse, it is now to the point where it's back x3.  It could've been the make up i was using, all i know is once i get more, i will not use make up anymore.  Does anyone know how much dermatologists costs for a visit and a prescription of retin-a micro without health insurance?  i'm desperate for a tube of retin-a micro.  i have real bad acne all over my face there isn't a spot where i don't have it (well, besides around the eyes and mouth)  It's very depressing and I don't know what to do.  I don't even have the money to do it, but I will come up with it if it is affordable.  thanks all

WOW I've read some of these comments and my face didn't react as half as bad as some of ya'lls. I like Retin A and I have been using it for almost 2 months. When I went to the Doctors they told me that it would push all of my acne up through my skin, and because of this it would look like my face had gotten worse but to continue using it because it would eventually get better. Well, it did! I did wait however for my face to kind of mellow itself out on the breakout tip before I started using because I knew what it was going to do. When I started using it, it did burn and peel but moisturizing and keeping SPF on it will help minimize this. Now I only peel around my nose. My face is sooooo smooth and compared to what it looked like 2 months ago, has improved significantly. I have read that alot of you stopped using it only after like 4 wks! Retin A like most things takes time to work and your face only appears to be getting worse because its pushing all the bad stuff to the surface to make way for the good skin. Just keep your skin moisturized at all times and wear a sunscreen...it will improve! Oh...my Doc also told me to only use it once a day and to apply it to the whole face...not just problem areas...so that my skin could gradually get used to it. I should also add that I use a prescribed face wash and toner as well...so that with Retin-A has significantly improved my skin! Remember sometimes it has to get worse before it can get better.

This is a wonder drug I guess just like aspirin before they don't know the benefits but now as you can see lots of thing happening.

Then for this Ratin-A, do you know that after using it for weeks my skin peeled then noticed that the scars as well were almost gone!!! Is it something to do with the formula?? It says that only for acne and pimples but nothing much has mentioned about for the skin tone!!! Astonishing isn't it?

This stuff is a beast! I came home drunk one night and accidentally put it on my lips when I was supposed to be putting it on my face. I got terrible dry flaking skin which ended up looking worse than the spots did beforehand. It's too strong, differin is way better!!

I am on my first week of Retin-A and I can see results already. My face is peeling and on some areas it burns but not that bad. Before I started Retin-A I broke out really bad on my chin, and now those pimples are almost gone. I have tried many acne medications and have spent a lot of money trying to find something that works to clear my acne. I hope I get good results from Retin-A because at 30 I should be pimple free.

I have the .025% tretinoin cream I think and I'll say it's worth a try. Before using this, i had bright red acne marks and pimples. True, it got a bit worse before it got better but I didn't mind, it wasn't that bad. I still have some pimples, which is frustrating, and I've been using it for about 2 and a half months, but my face is much better than before I was using it. Recently I've noticed my face in certain areas improving a lot, too. I haven't experienced very bad dryness because I moisturize every day and also used a clyndamicin gel. To reduce redness i STRONGLY recommend Aveeno's Ultra Calming redness reducer daily facial moisturizer (it has spf 15 too), it works great for me, I don't have facial redness any more. Retin-A probably doesn't work miracles for me because I'm almost 17 and acne is just part of this time in my life no matter what I do. I do think people should give it a shot though

I used retin-a micro for 4 weeks and it made my skin flakey, itchy, and broke my face out more than ever! it brought up all of the cystic acne that i knew was there, plus pimples I didnt know about. My skin usually heals pretty quicky, but retin-a made it impossible to heal! My face hurt so bad that I had nightmares about my skin peeling off and bleeding. I havent used it for 3 nights and my skin has improved by 50% or more! 4 weeks of torture was all I could stand! My skin is smoother in some places now, but I dont think I can put myself through that humiliation any more! It made my skin look so bad I would just sit home and cry! A few pimples here and there is more tolerable than using retin-a!

I've used retin a since I was 14. I would extract my pimples, wash it with soap and would allow the soap to dry up the pimples. I like neutrogena soap for acne since that works best. I'd wash my face three times a day. Morning, when I got home from school and prior to bedtime. After the pimples have healed, you will some acne scars. Make sure that it is dry with no pus or whiteheads. Then that's when you start using Retin A .1%. The one that comes in a red and white tube. I use it at night. You'll see that your skin will turn red, then it will turn super dry. You can use petroleum jelly if it gets too dry. Then once your skin starts exfoliating, you can scrub it off using your fingers and some water and apply petroleum jelly or aloe vera so it will heal sooner. My face cleared up for good and people are always complimenting me on my skin. Now I've got another problem though. I have zits on the sides of my arms. I've extracted them and have begun to use Retin A as well. Right now it looks pretty bumpy, but it should improve in a few weeks. I don't really pay attn to my arms as much so I might have not scrubbed it as hard as my face when I am showering. My gf used accutane and it works really well to dry up her pimples.

I've been using Retin A Micro .04% for 4.5 weeks now and my acne seemed to get a little worse and thats it. I have very oily skin so it did not even get dried out. I am tired of not seeing results any suggestions?

STOP STOP STOP STOP USING THIS PRODUCT DO NOT IF U HAVE BAD SKIN GO ON ACCUTANE THIS PRODUCT PUSHES ALL YOUR PIMPLES TO THE SURFACE ACCUTAN ALWAYS WORKS JUSTNUSE THAT IF U KEEP HAVONG BREAKOUTS DO NOT USE THIS HORRIBLE

I was prescribed retin a micro after trying duac topical, other types of cream and even minecycline (which i had a bad allergic reaction to and have been advised to stay away from all tetracyclines unfortunately). I got into week 4 and stopped usage. I'm only on my 3rd day of not using. My skin got horrible. Was more like blistering and would get better (definitely not cleared up though) than much worse again. My skin is sensitive to moisturizer and I think the excessive drying having to use it only worsened. I really didnt want to give up on it but my face itches so bad, still, is extremely red and have bumps EVERYWHERE. I got so upset bout it all, I cried and my skin felt like it was on fire. I've never had my skin this intense, ever. Even without use hasn't gotten any better. I'm really afraid of scarring. I dont know what to do to help my skin get better. I have never had acne like I do now. I would get breakouts and cysts but never my entire face like it is now. My doctor told me after I said what was going on to stop use. I was worried I was having a mild allergic reaction. Since my skin was more like a rash/blistering and even my upper chest and arms seem to have constant goosebumps right now. I havent seen my doctor yet and I hope there is something that I can do right now to help fix this. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!! I hated retin a micro, I didnt go through full treatment but I wanted something to help. Not cause me pain, embarrassement and RUIN MY FACE. I'm sorry but side effects that I have been having for 2 months or more... no thank you. I just hope I dont have terrible scarring now. If you have sensitive skin, USE WITH CAUTION! Again, anyone who has stopped use has any suggestions of what I can do to help my skin right now, please enlighten me!

I hate retin a. It doesn't work! I've been using it regularly for three months, I followed the directions and still I have a lot of acne. Acne is the only thing that's ruining my life. Tetracycline doesn't work anymore (but it worked wonders before I became immune to it). Benzoyl peroxide is a joke. Can somebody please help me and tell me what the secret to good skin is? I am panicking.

ok, i have just bin prescribed retina-a for my acne but it isnt that bad i get a reak out of a couple of odd spots but there in wierd places like next to my lips wich now i cant kiss my girl friend and afraid to go out and see her since she may reject me , i used the benzly peroxide for about 5 weeks but not evenly over my skin i put odd bits of cream on my spots wich peeled them away after 5 days of washing them with soap and moisturising like mad!!! i was so irrated !! self concious about my looks my skin began to peel and was red in some patches across myface but after geting an icecube putting in tissue and using against the rash it went down and i use abit of savlon well blobs of savlon over red patches wich decreased the redness overnight , so... i got this retina-a like 2 days agao i used like big amounts wich i shudnt but i need the spot to go from me lip and redness just irratating me , as soon as i put this on my skin began to peel greatly , but less as i used this it began to turn yellow and i was getting causious of the light irratating it , if anyone has any good idea wt cream to use and not oxy 10 since it peals skin please post yur comments quickly i really need chap working acne stuff since acnefree in 3 days costs 100 wich i dont have to spend on me face im only 14 lol

Pros: Very effective with preventing major outbreaks.

Cons: Many. Doesnt seem to help with mild acne, makes skin peel leading to redness, sensitivity to sun, and very dry, flakey skin.

Bottom Line: If you need something to prevent yourself from major outbreaks, its a good medication for you. If you are wanting to try it for mild acne- dont bother.

Hi I was just prescribed retin A for my moderate acne and i am really scared to use because of the breakout period.I was wondering how bad is the breakout period? What should I do I have very sensitive skin?

this stuff made my face RED like a lobster. my face initially got worse, then better, then bad. if you want RESULTS, i reccomend duac topical.

I am a 18 years old and have had moderate acne since i was 14. Being fed up with every over the counter medication I finally went to my dermatologist at 16, and he prescribed retin-a. The first time i used it i was discouraged by the fact that my skin got worse for the first several weeks and discontinued using it. I thought i would give it another try about 6 months later. After using retin a for about 6 months (and following every step precisely) i no longer had acne! The trick is to stick it out and pay attention to ALL directions. DONT USE benzoyl peroxide or another agent used for acne. ONLY use a very mild soap that is non- comedogenic, fragerence free, and very mild. I use Clinque's facial mild bar soap. Also dont overwash your skin as this can make acne worse i noticed. Only wash 3 times a day maximum, spread out evenly throughout the day. The final thing is to use a moisturizer with this product for your skin can become red, flakey, and dry(which makes it more oily!)Also use a moisturizer which is non comedogenic, oil free, and fragerence free. As long as you follow the directions EXACTLY, you can have acne free skin too!

In my teens i always had acne nothing crazy just a couple of pimples mainly near my period...but now iam 22 and about a year ago my face went crazy my whole right side of my face was full of acne, my face was really really bad everywhere i went someone was telling me what i should use on my face even strangers would come up to me feeling bad ( thats how bad it was)...i went to my dermatologist and he gave me duac for the day and retin-a micro for night i must say i didnt believe it was going to do anything for me since i had tried everything under the sun including products i bought with a prescription. I still tried it anyways and i must say about 3 months later you couldnt even tell i had ever had acne that bad even my dark spots disappeared i was so happy, the only thing i didnt like about it was it made my skin extreamly sensative to waxing i had to begin eyebrow threading instead if not my skin will peel off with the wax (very painful) About 2 months ago i ran out of retin-a not thinking much about it and thinking i was finally cured of my horrible acne i didnt go back to get more......about 2 weeks ago my acne came back bad( but yet not as bad as the first)!!! I couldnt believe how horrible my face got in such little time...so i went back and am starting it up again i been on it for about 2 weeks and dont see much of a diff but since i have used the product before i have faith....my only main concern about this product is that your not supposed to use it while pregnant b/c of deformalities!!! very scary to think that and how my face will get when its time for me to have kids....i hope this will help alot of you guys trust me your not alone so in the meantime girls i recomend bare minerals i find it to be a decent cover up, the best are the moose cover ups if your really want to cover the acne up for a special event but beware it will make your break out more....so choos to wear it smartly.

ive been using this for two months now along with Duac topical gel and also taking minocycline oraly and i have seen little to no improvement. im a senior in high school and i feel like every one is starring at me. i dont know wether to keep using this or to switch to another product.

I have had acne since I was a teen and I am now 23 and it has eased up some what but I still get breakouts and I have scars. My derm. prescribed retina micro in the lowest dosage so that I will have less sideeffects. I am worried about the breakout period on how my skin will react. My skin is very oily so I'm not worried about the drying out. I have been using it for almost 2 weeks and I havent really noticed anything yet but he wants me to use it for at least 7 weeks . I was currently on differn gel and he said it wasnt keeping my breakouts undercontrol like the retin a would. I just hope this stuff works and the breakout period isnt horrible.

Of all the acne treatments I have taken, retin A had the most devastating effects on my skin. I had mild scarring from previous acne breakouts and my doctor prescribed me this cream in the strength of 0.025%. For the first 2 weeks there wasn't much difference but soon after my face became extremely red and the skin became extremely tight which made it look like the scars were no longer there. However, after using it for 3 months i discontinued it and thats when I couldn't believe my eyes. 4 weeks after discontinuing this cream the redness in my skin subsided, the scars re-appeared but now i had hundreds of tiny 'poke marks' all over my cheeks. Its been 10 months since I discontinued the use of this product and it's tough for me to walk around with my head straight. This thing is really horrible and I wouldn't recommend its use to anyone. I wish I had never used this poison.

I have been on retin-a for about a week now and i can already tell a difference. but, my face is extremely dry and it peels. i skip a day here and there. is that okay? or should i just keep using it every day no matter how dry my skin is?

I am 25 years old and have been using Retin-A Micro for about 2-3 weeks now.
I looked up the side-effects and the "what to expect" caption on the Retin-A website which I highly reccommend. Therefore, I knew that there would be a bad period. Being on my third week of use, I think that I have passed my bad period and am seeing results that I really like. Yes, I have spots still coming out, but they seem to be mild and dont last very long. And phsycologically, I know that they are meant to be coming out so it makes me feel better. I suggest to all of you that you read up on their website and just keep at it. Not only will it clear up your skin, but it evens out your skin tones, clears your pores, and soothes fine lines!

When I first started using Retin-a-micro about 2-3 years ago I gave up around week 3 because my face substanial worsened. This time I stuck it out and have been very happy with the result. It takes a good 8-11 weeks to get all the nasty crap under the skin out...excessive pealing is normal. Try a non-oil moisturizer in the morning. MOST IMPORTANT DO NOT USE BENZOYL PEROXIDE PRODUCTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS PRODUCT IT NEUTRALIZES THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT TRETINOIN AND WILL CAUSE EVEN WORSE PEELING AND EVEN BLISTERING....This was what happened to me the first time I used Retin-a-micro I was using a Benzoyl Peroxide prescription wash with it and it was bad...my Derm recommended cetaphil gentle cleanser to use with it and it works great! Good Luck

i have been using retin-a micro 0.1% for about 6 years and I stil get horrendous breakouts, what should i do? email me at italianstalion49@aol.com

i am currently using the same benzaclin in the mourning and retin a in the evening and am experiencing the same painful cyst and small pimples and wondering if u found an answer or solution?i also have oily shiny skin and am 8 weeks in this treatment and wondering when to find results??

ive been on Retin A micro 0.04 and the 1st week it burned,dryed out my skin, and peel. This is my 17th day using Retin A at night and Benzaclin morning, (cetaphel as a cleanser, and aveeno miosturizer even tho i didnt have to use it that much cuz my skin wasnt so horrobly dry) , and i think im going through the initial break out but im not sure because people say its a bunch of lil pimples, and im gettin huge pimples that hurt like hell and its hard to pop them they take at list 3days to die! and some lil pimples. Anyways, like i get 3 at a time,blemishes, one goes away and im already getting one..is that the initial break out???? since it doesnt burn anymore im thinkin of gettin Retin A micro 01 percent, since its more stronger ,rite? is that a bad idea??? im really sad of not seeing results and i want some support =( i havent gone out for so long cuz im embarresed of this , my acne is not that bad but enough to make me feel uncomfortable.... any answers plz.. thank you guys and good luck wit it.

Have been using Retin-A Micro for about 7 months, in conjunction with NeoBenz (a BP product) micro in the morning and my skin is absolutely clear and fantastic looking. It took well over two months to finally see the results I wanted, and yes, the first few weeks were horrible, but guess what???? That's completely normal!!!! Retin-A does not work overnight, or in weeks, and it will make your skin PURGE! But, once you get past that point, you will have clear, wonderful-looking skin. I am sad to see so many people get upset and give up on Retin-A after only a few weeks of use. You are truly missing out! I once tried and gave it up as well, and I have the horrible scars to prove it. Now, I am clear and my scars are less noticeable. PLEASE stick with the Retin-A for more than a few weeks! You'lll see great results.

I have been on Retin-A micro for 4 or 5 months now and it has worked wonderfully! At first, it made me break out worse than ever, but it is supposed to do that. After about 10 weeks I stopped getting new pimples, and most of the older one were dried up! Now I just have a few red spots were pimples used to be, and the derm. said that with the continuation of Retin-A that those will go away too. I had tried everything, including Pro Active, and NOTHING had helped before Retin A Micro. I had had acne since I as 11, and I am now 20, so this is a HUGE deal for me not to have acne! My skin is dry from time to time, but I have another product from the derm that helps keep the peeling and drying to a minimum, and I'd much rather have a few dry patches than acne! If you can tough through a few weeks of even worse skin, it is definately worth it, there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel!!!

I was on retin-a micro .1% for 10-11 weeks. I have always had dry skin, and all this did was dry it out more. I know that during a few weeks (on the site it says between weeks 3-6) you will get more breakouts because it is pushing up the all the of crap in the clogged pores. This 3-6 week period lasted all 11 weeks. All this did was make me breakout more and more. One week during the treatment my skin was pretty flat with minimal blemishes, but other than that, my skin got worse. This product is terrible. I used differin at night too, another retinoid, before the retin a for about a year and that worked very well, but i got immune to it so i had to swith to the retin-a micro. I also became immune to Tetracycline, which worked like a charm for about 7-8 months. Using differin and tetracycline together, which is what i did before the retin-a, worked flawlessly but noticed my skin got worse and worse because i was getting so immune to both drugs. Now i have come to the end of the line with both oral and topical treatments and i just started accutane a few days ago. Hopefully this will work for me. If this will help you, other orals/topicals that did NOT work for me were bactrim (O), minocycline (O), clindamycin (T), duac (T),and erythromycin (T). Every person's body is different and this is what did and didn't work for me. I hope this helps you with your decision, and good luck.

I have been using retin-A for about 10 weeks now. I had moderate acne and it was getting so bad that i went to the dermatologist. I've been on Accutane before and it worked for awhile but after a couple years it didnt. I tried everything else- proactiv, everything. Up until week 9, i was so frusterated because the Retin-A micro didnt seem to be working. I knew it took awhile so i stuck it out and now at week 10, my face is SOOOOO much better!! My skin is so much smoother and brighter and i barely have any new pimples! I still have a few red marks from old ones but they will go away soon and like i said im barely getting any new pimples! So not perfect yet, and it never will be absolutely perfect but i know it will only get better.
So if youre using Retin-A micro and doesnt seem like youre getting results, STICK IT OUT! Its hard but it WILL WORK.

I have been on a combination Rx of Doxy and Retin-A micro for the past 2.5 weeks. At first, I had severe flaking of my skin and and couldnt even wear makeup it was so bad. It has subsided, but I still have spots of dryness, especially around my mouth, chin, and outside corners of my eyes. I've always had flawless skin until this past summer, where I started breaking out...bad. I thought it had something to do with not working out anymore, since school and work prevented me from having any free time. Its winter now, and as many of you know its a hell-period for acne prescriptions on ur face. The acne on my back is completely non existent now, and my face is slowly clearing up. Its a matter of dealing with the dryness and redness now. I'm going to give both Rxs 2 months and if the dryness and redness dont subside, I'll have to try something else. In conclusion, my face looks A LOT better than it did 2.5 weeks ago, but it still needs a lot of work. Patience and a miracle is in order :)

I have been using Retin-A Micro for 3.5 months or about 14 weeks and it has been amazing! I had been using Benzaclin for the past 3 years and it just seemed to stop working and it was also getting expensive to refill it every 2 months after it expired. I tried regular Retin-A or Avita about 3 years ago and it gave me the biggest pimple I had ever seen after a few days so I quit. I prepared myslef to stick with the Retin-A Micro if I started to break out. After about 2 weeks, I got a few tiny pimples on my chin, maybe a couple on on cheeks, but nothing worse than what I was getting before. I have very oily skin, and my skin did not dry out at all. After about 4 weeks, my skin was starting to look brighter and I stopped getting new pimples. After about 5 weeks, I didn't have any pimples at all. In the past 2 months or so, I've had maybe 1 pimple and I blame that on hormones. I haven't had a pimple on my oily forehead at all! My forehead was always where I got the most pimples. So Retin-A is work sticking to for a few weeks. You only have to use it at night, so you can wear makeup during the day too. It doesn't expire fast and it was only $10 with my insurance. By the way, I am a 22 year old black female.

I have been useing this stuff for about a week or so.
It has made my skin go shiny like a burns victim and has made my skin worse.
My mum wont let me stop because I have tried everything else.
It has made me so depressed.
I am just hoping that it clears me up and I will be normal in time.
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Dried out my skin, made the pimples peel and made the spots look scarred with red ugly new skin.

My daughter began Retin-A Micro 4 weeks ago. She had tried pro-Activ and many other things. About 2.5 weeks into the treatment, her skin was the worse I had ever seen. She had a small burn on her chin plus........she was more broke out then ever, skin peeling and looked so oily..she wanted to quit, I could tell. But I felt as her Mother she needed to stick it out. We are now on 4 weeks. Her skin ha a few pimples left but looks like a baby's skin. Its smooth and her color is wonderful. My guess is in just another 2 weeks, you will never know of her acne nightmares. I have read many ratings on Retin-A and it seems to be in the 3rd week people give up because there skin looks awful. Not really a fair rating till you stick it out. Again we are in week 4 but I see a major difference and beautiful skin. I also want to add as her Mom I did a lot of praying for her too. I believe He cares about even the smallest details of our life.

First of all, for all those people who say that it made their skin worse and/or made their face peel... It's always wise to read up on all the possible side effects of a medication before you use it. Especially when it comes to your appearance. Retin-A Micro's website specifically states that it may make your skin peel like a sunburn and worsen the condition. That's because it's bringing all of the grossness that causes pimples to the surface so that it can get rid of them! This is a GOOD thing! You're just going to have to deal with another few weeks of having those annoying, painful pimples. You've gone this long, what's another couple weeks? Just make sure you read up on it BEFORE you get discouraged. My experience has been much like many of those that had skin-peeling and worsening conditions. I've only been on it for 3 weeks now and FINALLY I am seeing results. My acne (mild to moderate) got worse and my skin was peeling and it was SO annoying, but within the last couple of days I have had NO new breakouts and the ones I had and that it caused have calmed down and smoothed out. I believe that within the next 2 weeks my skin will be breakout-free. I use the recommended application at night after washing my face. In the mornings I use Klaron lotion (also an Rx) which is heling with the redness and irritation. I am also sure to use a good oil-free moisturizing lotion with SPF 15. Make sure (ladies) that if you're putting make-up over that it is oil-free as well. I'm sure that this product doesn't work for everyone, but if you're thinking about asking your dermatologist about it, it's definitly worth it!

simplystevie is right. I used Retin A for 3 weeks. In that time my acne went from moderate to severe. I stopped using it and 2 weeks later my face looks horrible. Retin A is the worst mistake I ever made for acne treatments. I would not recommend it to anyone. It doesn't even deserve one star.

This crap is terrible! my mom went to the dermatologist and gave it to me to use and all it did was make my skin red, itchy peeling. i was so embarassed when i had people come up to me at work and ask me what happen to my skin.i didnt even want to go in public! made my acne worse then it was before! i woudlnt recommend you pay a cent for it!

i have only been using this stuff for 2 1/2 weeks but you know what it is making my skin scab and bleed so forme i do not thinkthis is the one. it is horrible i am g girl and i can not even hold my head up when i walk around college.

i was on retin-A for about 5 months and it did not seem to have any effect so I stopped using it. I switched to Tazorac which is a medication similar to retin-A and it had a lot more effect

OK- well so far I am on day 10 of Retin-A Micro. Last week my face peeled a ton. This week it looks like things are going better in that area. I did however break out much more than I ever had. But, I am not worrying, I read the website and it specifically says to expect this to occur. My acne does not look infamed anymore. The redness is diminishing. I can feel bumps on my face if I run my fingers on my cheeks. I had never had that happen either. But once again, I was told to expect this. It means it is working. I will update you next week and let you know how it is going.

i started using Retin A about 5 weeks ago. While at first the results were encouraging, i have started to experience the dreaded peeling most of you have described and i think the "bad period" has started for me with the breakouts. it is not encouraging at all and can drive you to tears at times but from the testimonials i have read, i think what i am experincing is normal.The pimples are not as bad as they used to be so i will continue to use the product. I would highly advise the discontinuation of cleansers with salysic acid since this aggravates the peeling..i'll keep you updated.Sunscreen is definitely a must!