Differin and Burning: What Users Say

• Col...
• March 22, 2017

For Acne "I love seeing the 1 ⭐️ ratings and reading about how they used the product incorrectly and blame the company for that. It says on the pamphlet to avoid UVs. You can't just blob it on and then go to the beach, it literally says not to do that. If it burns your face, you're using it more than once a day or you're using it too much. Before you use a product as strong as this, please educate yourself on how to use it properly. This product will start to show results for most within a couple of days if you just use a light coat once a day, at the same time, every day. Be sure to read the box, it has a list of products that aren't compatible with this gel, and make sure not to use those on your face or else it will burn worse than scalding water on your face."

• Kit...
• October 12, 2018

For Acne "I have to wonder if people leaving reviews are paid to do so or get some benefit out of it because Differin is terrible for me. I've been using it for a few days shy of two months, and it has not helped at all. It creates new cystic acne in places I never had it before, all over my forehead and the sides of my face. The stupid wash they tell you to use also burns while using Differin and makes my skin oily as hell. I am so embarrassed to leave the house, and all I can do is cry. Thanks for nothing!!"

• Soq...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 20, 2017

For Acne "This stuff is AWESOME. Admittedly, it itched like fire for three days until I slacked off and used a good moisturizing cream. But my face is CLEAR for the first time in YEARS. I recommend Carmex to heal the dry flakes and Aveeno after that. If you have another breakout, go back to Differin. I can't recommend this stuff enough. It's worth it to itch and burn for a day or two; it's WORKING. Just deal with it. Thank you, makers of Differin!!! Screw makeup. I'm FREE."

• For...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 2, 2017

For Acne "I've been battling acne ever since I was a teenager, and now I'm 23, still battling acne until here recently. I had heard about Differin, and how adapalene can help stubborn acne. I purchased the gel about 2 weeks ago, and I must say my breakouts are almost gone. I dealt with dryness and a burning sensation the first few days, but my skin got used to it after that. What helps is washing your face, applying moisturizer, and then applying the Differin. This makes it less harsh for the skin. I can't wait to see how my skin will look in 2 months. Don't give up on this stuff, it's a work in progress."

• Buz...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 18, 2017

For Acne "I used Differin when it first arrived on the market. I'm a black woman, btw. Stopped cause it was making my face peel. Maybe five years later, the derm told me to use it again along with doxy pills, and it cleared my skin up without flaking this time. Every time I stop using it for a while, I get acne again. I'm 25, and I still get breakouts depending on what I'm eating (I love junk). I think I will stick with it and not go long without using it even for tiny pimples. Only had the flaking and burning the very first time using, so my advice to newbies is to not use as much when you are just starting it. And take care of your insides. Stay hydrated. Your skin must get used to it for it to work. No more doxy, only this gel. Skin is supple again!"

• kan...
• March 5, 2016

For Acne "Acne has been a problem for me since 8th grade, and I started using Differin my first day of senior year (major mistake due to it making your skin 'purge' the first couple of days/weeks). By the end of October, my skin was mostly clear, and by the beginning of December, my face was completely clear except for the occasional pimple every once in a blue moon. At the beginning, it would make my skin burn, especially during sports. It's sensitive to sun, so definitely use sunscreen when you're out. All around, miracle medicine."

• Cwe...
• June 16, 2017

For Acne "I've only been on Differin for about 3 weeks now, but I've been noticing huge improvements. I am going through an initial breakout but haven't experienced any burning or drying, not even the first few days. I use a CeraVe foaming cleanser, rinse, and immediately apply my moisturizer to my wet skin in the shower (to avoid water loss). I then apply Aquaphor to the skin around my lips, nostrils, and eyes. My dermatologist refers to this as preparing the orifices (to avoid any irritation or dryness). I then dot the Differin around my face and rub it in. In the morning, I wash my face with a 0.5% salicylic acid wash from Murad and apply a physical sunscreen (I use CeraVe's)."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 15, 2019

For Acne "30, male, extremely oily skin. I had cystic acne, and I have some of the worst scars, and now I get the occasional huge cyst/pimple. I rotate my use of this daily-one day cheeks, one day forehead, one day nose, kind of like that, because all over every day, even a thin layer, it burns because it's too potent. On this, I realized my brow ridge and nose produced less oil, and they look less 'congested.' I've been on it 3 months now. For the first time, I've healed a cyst without a scar in my life. There are absolutely fewer lines on my forehead, my nose gets no cysts and looks smoother like my forehead. To prep skin for dryness this causes, I use the CeraVe PM moisturizer before Differin. It just dries me out too much on bare skin. I also use SPF 50 daily on my face. I live in an area with a high UV index all year."

• Pin...
• December 15, 2017

For Acne "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

For Acne "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

For Acne "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?"

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

For Acne "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."

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

For Acne "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."

• ahb...
• January 14, 2020

For Acne "I had mild to moderate acne. By that, I mean 3-4 active blemishes at any one time. But the marks they leave behind had accumulated since they take so much longer to disappear, so I decided to do something about it. I have been using adapalene 0.1% for about 6 weeks now. But for the first 3 weeks, I only used it twice a week. My skin cleared up completely. For the past 3 weeks, I have increased the frequency to every other night. For the first two weeks, my skin wasn't showing much change. Now it is the third week into this new routine, and I am experiencing dryness and irritation around the eyes and mouth. These dry patches would burn slightly when I apply moisturizer or sunscreen. Not the best feeling in the world, but bearable. 5 new blemishes have also started popping up. 3 of these were actually small comedones that never really surfaced until now. I suspect the other two were microcomedones deep within. This is a difficult stage, but I am determined to power through."

• Lee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 13, 2019

For Acne "I started using Differin at 48 years old. I really got into skin care in the last 8 years and could never get rid of my blackheads and bumpy skin texture. Seriously, I’ve tried all OTC products from drug store to department store. The dermatologist told me to try Differin, and it might even help my wrinkles. Differin has cleared my skin to the best texture I’ve ever had without one blackhead. My skin is so soft. I’ve been using it for seven months. I started slow, using it every 2-3 days because of redness and burning. I found an extremely heavy-duty moisturizer without any retinoids in it, which helped me work up to using it daily. Make sure you’re not exfoliating with any other products in the first month or two. If you’re burning and red, then skip a day or two. It takes your skin a while to adjust, but the outcome is so worth it. Some of my sun spots have lightened as well. As far as wrinkles go, I’d say they are a tad better."

• Sar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 30, 2020

For Acne "Okay, so my acne was incurable, horrifying, and painful. NOTHING helped until I tried Differin. It took about 2 months to clear up. It stung like crazy, and it hurt, and it burnt, but I went through it because it was my last option. After it finally cleared up, my face was like a baby’s bum. Perfect. I love Differin, but it’s super expensive."

• Mom...
• October 10, 2017

For Acne "I tried a lot of things for my acne, and none of them had worked before Differin gel. It's irritating to have acne at 34 years old. I didn't think anything would help. Differin gel was affordable, and I could get it at Walmart, so I tried it and was pleasantly surprised. This is the first thing that worked for me. You only need a very small amount, and you only need to apply it once a day. Any more than that, and it will burn your skin. It's a small tube, but it lasts a long time. I would highly recommend it."

• Ren...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 11, 2017

For Acne "When I say nothing, I mean absolutely nothing helped my face to prevent breakouts and the scarring left behind until now. My mom bought this for me and within three days, yes, three days, my face looked so good! It was only $15 too. I've been to two dermatologists, and whatever they prescribed me made my skin worse. Anything over the counter also made my skin worse over the years. Definitely worth a try and also no burning or irritation for me!"

• skm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2019

For Acne "Differin burned my skin and destroyed my moisture barrier. I've stopped using and am now a week off of it, and all other actives and cleansers, and am still red, itchy, and have super visible pores. I guess I am just one of the people who are extra sensitive or allergic to retinoids, as I've heard many people have had a wonderful experience with it."

• itw...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 26, 2018

For Acne "I believe it was a combination of IUD, stress, and hormone changes (pregnancy almost 4 years ago) that ruined my face over a period of 3 years. My forehead, cheeks, and chin had lots of pimples. I turned 30 six months ago. 10 months ago, I got a spot on my face that was the worst in my life that it wouldn't even surface for me to pop. It wouldn't go away after 2 months, so I decided to see a dermatologist. She put me on oral doxycycline for a month, with topical clindamycin for nighttime and Differin gel for daytime. On top of the meds, cold weather and dry heat inside buildings at the time were making my skin burn so badly. Then, I figured out that putting lots of good gentle, plain lotion right after washing my face really helped. Sunscreen was super important. Now I continue to use Differin to help with hyperpigmentation since I couldn't help picking at my face when I wasn't supposed to! No more pimples. My skin keeps getting better day by day. Remember to apply lotion after washing your face!"

• non...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 14, 2019

For Acne "Never again. After a week of use, one morning I woke up and my skin was burning. I couldn't even wash it with water, it hurt me so bad. I got a burn, dryness, and WAY MORE acne than I have ever had. My pores were all clogged, and my skin hated me. I followed all of the instructions: used a very mild soothing cleanser and moisturizer, didn't use salicylic acid or anything like that, used sunscreen, only applied once a day, etc. It's awful. I thought it would improve my skin condition and acne scars, but it made me look even worse. What a waste of money."

• Bar...
• February 26, 2016

For Acne "2 weeks into the treatment, the first week was awful, burning, redness, peeling, more pimples. Slowly improved. I'm feeling a lot better, still a little bit of peeling and dry skin and a pimple here and there, but it doesn't burn anymore. They say 8 weeks, others 3 months to see results, so although it's too early to say that Differin won the battle, I have to say that I'm satisfied. Also, I use Clinique bar soap in the morning, Clinique acne cream, and tonic. And at night just St. Ives scrub and Differin. I wear my regular makeup, Revlon, but I want to switch to Clinique. It doesn't hold all day, my skin starts to get itchy in the evening. Just be patient!"

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 7, 2018

For Acne "So I wanted to try this because it was once a prescription medicine, and I wasn’t having any luck with other OTC brands. I read reviews and thought, “Oh, it can’t be THAT bad” (with the side effects), but let me tell you, I was WRONG. Day one isn’t bad, day two a breeze, but by day four or five, my face was raw and super dry as anything. My skin has never flaked in my life, and I looked like a man with a beard. Anything, including extremely sensitive lotion, BURNED my face. Even tears burned the hell out of my face. The drug works quickly, and it does work getting rid of blemishes. In my opinion, the side effects aren’t worth it to me. I stopped applying the drug to my face, and I’m unsure whether I’ll start up again in a few days. My face needs a rest!"

• Zac...
• January 13, 2021

For Acne "I am a 22-year-old male. I have mild to moderate acne mostly on my chin but very few on my cheeks and forehead. I decided to start using Differin alongside benzoyl peroxide 2.5%. At first, I started using 10%, it burned my face completely, so I stopped using it immediately. After that, I switched to the 2.5%, and it still caused me some major allergies and inflammation, so I quit it. Now I have been using Differin cream for over 2 months (about 9 weeks) consistently. I would give my face a break for a couple of days when it gets inflamed then go back to it. My acne didn't go away, it has gotten worse than ever. The purge has lasted way too long. I'm kind of worried if it will get better soon. For anyone who's using any type of acne treatment, make sure to wear some broad-spectrum sunscreen daily, at least SPF of 30. I hope that my purge will be stopping soon and have a clear face."

• sis...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 16, 2020

For Acne "I’ve been using the Differin adapalene gel for a year now, along with the Differin moisturizer. I have also been using the new cleanser since it came out. Differin, for me, started out horribly. My skin burned, peeled, then purged, and it was awful, but afterwards, it got better. However, the gel is NOT a miracle product. It does work to heal breakouts faster, however, it does not prevent them. I struggle with acne on the face, chest, shoulders, and back. I would recommend the cleanser 100% for the face, and I would recommend the gel to people with mild acne on the face. I think if benzoyl peroxide could be sold higher than 10% and they had that, it would be better for the body, as it does make breakouts smaller and helps them heal faster, but for me, it feels like a waste of time and product for the body. The moisturizer is great. If you have dry and/or sensitive skin, I do not recommend the gel for you!!"