Differin for Acne User Reviews (Page 5)

• Meg...
• November 1, 2013

"I've been using this gel for probably about 2 or 3 years now. I started getting acne in around 6th grade, whereas I didn't start my period until 9th grade. I've never had severe acne, there's just always been at least a couple of zits on my face for as long as I can remember. I had no significant peeling or dryness when I started using Differin, and I also had no immediate results. Slowly over time, however, my acne is becoming less severe and less frequent. Maybe it's because of the Differin, maybe it's because I'm growing out of it. I did stop using it last summer as a test, and my skin got worse and worse for the entire month I stopped using it. It took a solid 3-4 months after I started using it again for my skin to return back to normal."

• Chr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 30, 2019

"The purge I experienced lasted in two different waves from the end of week 2 to week 6. Yikes. However, the acne from it was no worse than what I had been dealing with already on some of my worst breakouts. I seemed to be able to combat inflammation by using a benzoyl peroxide face wash and aloe vera gel as part of my routine. For me personally, dryness and skin flaking were far worse than the purge. It took about 7 weeks for my skin to adjust to adapalene, and even with two moisturizers layered on, I had the worst dryness and slight irritation. That said, once I hit 8 weeks, noticeable improvements started happening. About half of my comedones are gone, dryness is now manageable, and hyperpigmentation scars are starting to fade a little bit. I expect all of these areas to keep improving now that I'm getting closer to the 12-week mark. This was a process that had growing pains, but I am so glad to have stuck with it. Be patient, it will reward you!"

• Jim...
• August 25, 2010

"I started getting a few too many zits the summer starting after freshman year in college (that summer is just about to end), so I started using Differin. A full 10 weeks later, I see pretty darn good results (there is less acne and the zits that are there are smaller). It does get worse before it gets better, though. Week 2-6 were hell. I didn't have severe acne (or that close to severe) to begin with, but I wanted to clear my face as much as possible, and in a week and a half when school starts back, I will be well into my 12th week, and I think it's entirely possible that I could be completely clear by then. I also have been taking 65 mg extended-release Solodyn (minocycline) the entire time, as well as Differin."

• Ken...
• December 29, 2009

"I started using Differin when I was 12. I was going through puberty and getting the worst acne anyone has ever seen. I saw significant improvements in my skin immediately. On the downside, it dries some parts of my face and has increased oiliness in other parts, so now every morning I wash my face and apply moderate-strength moisturizer. It doesn't prevent blackheads, and I still get some pimples and boils here or there. Now I am 20 and still apply it to my whole face every night."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 22, 2022

"Beware of Differin, it doesn't work for everyone - their website says around 80% of people had positive results, so there's still 20% that don't. Differin ruined my skin, it made it 100 times worse than it had ever been. I had mild/moderate hormonal acne, and I started using Differin every other night for the first two weeks, then increased to every night. I only used a pea-sized amount, as instructed. I used Differin for just over four months, and there was a purge for the whole of the first month, then it started to get a bit better, so I had hope. But for the last two months, it just got significantly worse until my whole face was covered in cystic acne, which I'd never had before. It made me feel awful. A lot of comments about Differin said to stick with it, so I kept going, but if you've reached the three-month mark and your skin is getting worse, you really should stop. I wish I had stopped earlier, it gave me bad scars, but my skin is finally recovering five months later."

• Pin...
• December 15, 2017

"STICK TO IT!!!! I did and my skin looks amazing. At first, I saw more acne, especially whiteheads. I also got really dry skin, but I moisturized all the time and it relieved it. You can also get burning, irritating skin, but don't give up. Eventually, you see your skin clear, even-toned, and tighter. I also noticed some of my fine lines gone. I know you might want to give up, but DON'T. I'm 50 years old and I never had pimples until the past two years. Nothing worked. I went to the dermatologist, got prescription meds, but the only thing that worked was this product."

• SD9...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 29, 2017

"This is a miracle in a tube! I had moderate to severe adult acne and would have breakouts on my cheeks, jawline, and chin that would leave dark marks for months. I have oily/sensitive skin. At first, the gel burned a lot, and I got a few more pimples, which are side effects of the product. But now, after about a month, my skin is adjusting and looks better than it has in years! Little to no pimples and dark marks are fading! My routine: Morning - wash face in lukewarm water with Dove Exfoliating Soap, then apply Aveeno Clean Complexion moisturizer. Makeup - e.l.f. Blemish Control Primer and BB Cream. Night - same as morning routine, but add Differin gel after washing face with soap, and apply Aveeno moisturizer about an hour afterward if needed."

• Anonymous
• July 25, 2017

"Well, I've only been using this face med for a few days, and my skin burns and is super dry! I put it on at night, go to bed, and wash my face in the AM and apply makeup, but I can't wear makeup because as soon as I apply it, my face burns very bad. What do I do? Had anyone experienced this?"

• Lia...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 18, 2019

"My face was so clear, and suddenly I got acne all over my forehead, very small bumps. My dermatologist prescribed this to me, and it's amazing. It's week 3, and the bumps are almost gone, and my face is glowing, and old acne marks are lighter. Everything is great, I think I'll continue using this for a while."

• Pei...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 4, 2017

"I started using Differin last January in 2016. It was prescribed by my dermatologist together with antibiotics, and I have to say - it's the best ever! I don't know if it was because of the antibiotics, but my acne healed in less than three months, and the only thing I had to worry about was the scars. The only (common) side effect I had was dry, scaly skin. The doctor told me it was fine during our second checkup, so he gave me moisturizer. (Side note: I've been moisturizing my face since I was young, but I didn't dare to aggravate my skin, so I stopped.) And I love the fact that Differin does not discolor clothing and bedsheets. Before this, I was using Duac, it was also beneficial to my acne, but it discolored my favorite bedsheet horribly!"

• Joe...
• January 3, 2017

"Using the over-the-counter product for just a few weeks. Oily skin has always been a major problem. Seems to have knocked down excess skin oil big time. I apply early evening. I use it with Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture with Sunscreen SPF 35. Been in the sun and no burning or dryness noted. Did the beach yesterday for about an hour, no problem. I first started using every third day after reading a number of postings. Thought I'd ease into it as some reported issues using daily right off the bat. No issues. Did notice dryness of the skin before using my moisturizer. Just went to every other day. The skin has calmed down and a few flare-ups that were just not going away are clearing. End of the week I plan on daily use."

• Dru...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 8, 2019

"The has been the best for my acne. I have skin issues all my life, and finally, at 57, I used Differin Gel, and it works great. It takes about three months, but please hang in there. I have used Retin-A and so many other products. I have gone to many dermatologists, chemical peels I can't remember them all. Walmart has it for $13 or $14.00."

• Lun...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 4, 2019

"Give it time. It took longer than 12 weeks to work for me. It took about 4 months for me. I previously had severe acne, 'aggressive' cystic acne, where I was ashamed to go out in public, and now it's mild to moderate acne. It's not perfect, but a vast improvement. Doctors wanted to prescribe me Accutane in the past, which I cannot take because of my mental health. Differin has been a lifesaver, though, but you have to be patient. My acne is not gone, but Differin has been a success. I only wear a thin layer of makeup now by choice, and my foundation and concealer routine used to take an hour before Differin. I also use benzoyl peroxide-clindamycin gel, which complements Differin well. STAY PATIENT! The first month is hard because your face will get extra sensitive and sometimes burned a little bit in the beginning, but Differin is worth it, I promise."

• Anonymous
• December 30, 2008

"I don't have that severe of acne, but I do have regular pimples, including the cyst-like kind that hurt. I get them on my face, back, and chest. Differin worked wonders on my skin with very little irritation. I recommend it for sure!"

• Amb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2017

"I've only been using this for about 5 days, and I can already see very clear results! It says to not expect anything till 2 weeks, but with my skin, it seemed to start working overnight because the next day it was already clearer, and scars had faded a bit! Bearing in mind I have very, very mild acne, not very noticeable, just wanted this cream to prevent it from getting worse. Will keep you guys updated :) Would definitely recommend this for oily skin with some blackheads and mild acne or moderate acne."

• paw...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 20, 2020

"I have struggled with acne since I was 18 years old. I am now 25, and Differin is the ONLY thing that has cleared my skin. I tried so many things before Differin and went to dermatologists that only recommended me Accutane, a treatment that I really didn't want to do. I started using the Ordinary retinoid about 6 months before Differin, so I had a lot of purging before and really feel like I prepped my skin for Differin by using lighter retinoids months before. At first, I did break out a little bit, and my skin sometimes is slightly drier, but those days I don't use Differin and deep moisturize, and I am totally fine the next day. I have never had clearer and brighter-looking skin in my life, and I feel so much more confident now. I would say you definitely have to take it slow and prep your skin, but for me, it has 100% worked."

• Ver...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 3, 2016

"I have PCOS, and for the last two years, have struggled with hormonal acne. I went from rarely wearing makeup to feeling embarrassed without it. I noticed changes when I stressed less, but over-the-counter products were not working. My skin was very dry and had even started peeling. Also, I had huge cystic acne clustered on my cheeks, and after a few days of using Differin, they were gone. I didn't have the initial stage of my acne getting worse. My face is pimple-free after a week and a half. It actually has started clearing up my dark spots. (Note: I also take spironolactone daily for acne, as well as medroxyprogesterone for 10 days a month for PCOS.)"

• lay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 16, 2015

"I only started using Differin a week ago. It has made my skin very red, like in the first 3 days, I got a red rash-like thing below my lips and on my cheeks, and it burns. It also has made around my eyes very dry. I am going to start using it every second day for my skin to get used to it, but I really hope that it will work. Just give it time, people, and don't overuse or get worried if your skin becomes red because that is a side effect if you have sensitive skin."

• Meg...
• June 19, 2016

"I've had moderate acne for about 6 months, and upon being prescribed this, my skin has improved dramatically in just 2 and a half weeks! Spots are drying up within a couple of days - I am so impressed by this! My sister had the same experience - I don't know if our skin type just works with this cream, but it has been AMAZING."

• Kar...
• October 17, 2017

"Follow the instructions and heed the words of the people who have used it before, and I feel like there's no reason Differin won't work for you. I've had problems with adult/hormonal acne for a while now, and this is the first and only thing that has made a seriously noticeable improvement. My skin did do the 'purge' before it got better, but I just gave it some time like the instructions and other users said, and in about 3-4 weeks, I noticed serious improvements in my skin. It looks MUCH better than it has in years. If you're not a patient person and will give up when the purge happens, then don't waste your money."

• Med...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2023

"I used this for over four months, and the purge never ended, so I called it quits. My skin was better before I used it, so that helped me make the decision to quit. I used it every night after cleansing and before moisturizing. My routine is very minimal, but I am no stranger to skin care, and so many products cause pimples on my face. I’m sad this didn’t work for me, and I don’t like that people say you just have to stick it out for long enough because for some people it just doesn’t work."

• kat...
• November 8, 2016

"I have had a horrible experience with this cream. My face is so painfully dry, even in the spots I didn't put the cream. My eyes, the crease under my lip, my nose, and the corners of my lips are so dry there are now even blisters developing. It hurts to put anything on besides coconut oil, but that's not helping, and I am at a loss."

• CS_...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 17, 2019

"I have used retinol for years, recently switched and gave Differin a try. I purged, and then waited, and waited. My skin was a mess for months. I couldn’t ever get it happy or calm, even after the purge period. Deep cystic acne combined with these weird superficial blemishes that I’ve never had. This is honestly one of the worst products I’ve ever used for my occasional hormonal acne and fine lines. I’ll stick with glycolic acid and retinol from now on."

• Ken...
• June 25, 2017

"This gel is amazing, if you didn't stick it out for a full 8 weeks with this, then you are missing out. This gel has a purge phase that lasted about 6 weeks for me with extremely dry, flaky skin, then very oily breakouts worse than what I was trying to cure, but I bought the moisturizer, which is a must, and stuck it out. I put this on at night after the moisturizer and wash it off in my morning shower. Do not leave this on your face and go out in the sun, it says so on the packaging and could cause chemical-like burns. I absolutely love this product!"

• Anonymous
• March 19, 2009

"I love Differin. My skin is always pretty dry and red, though. It has dramatically improved my skin, but I still suffer from breakouts and blackheads. Now they are just smaller. Decent product if you have mild to moderate acne."