Differin and Redness: What Users Say

• Wil...
• September 3, 2020

For Acne "I started Differin 3 months ago. I began with inflamed hormonal acne on my cheeks and chin. My dermatologist prescribed me clindamycin topical, and recommended I also use Differin. The first month I did not notice a difference in my acne, but I did notice my overall complexion was looking more even. The second month the purging started, and it was bad. Then it would seem okay, and then get bad again. Push through this, I know it's hard, but purging is essential for clearing your skin with this medication. I started to get breakouts in new places which was rough. I'm now on month 3 of Differin and I have no active breakouts! I do have some red marks on my cheeks from hyperpigmentation, and I'm now using some serums to help with that, although the marks will fade naturally with time. Be consistent and persevere because this medication does truly work, I promise! It will be a rocky road but there is a light at the end of the tunnel :)"

• Lif...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 9, 2013

For Acne "I am a 29-year-old female who has suffered from severe acne vulgaris all my life and was recently diagnosed. I used everything known to man, and when I finally saw a dermatologist, he prescribed me this as well as a face wash. The first two weeks, I had experienced redness, peeling, pain, hot to touch skin (I used cocoa butter to soothe it) just as the doctor said I would, but later into the 3rd and 4th week and even now, my skin is extremely clear and almost flawless. The difference expedited the shedding of my skin and caused the old dead scarred skin to peel off, revealing new soft, youthful, and unscarred skin. My skin is very beautiful now, and I will continue to use this medicine until my acne subsides. Great product."

• Jen...
• December 19, 2008

For Acne "My acne became worse within the first 2 weeks of using Differin, then all of a sudden it began to get better. The improvements must have happened at night because I would get excited in the mornings when I washed my face. I have to strongly agree with the person who posted before me. DO NOT GET YOUR EYEBROWS WAXED while using this product. My skin was ripped off and immediately turned red. A day or so later it left this large UGLY scar under my eyebrows. About a week later it peeled and was fine, but who wants to go through that."

• Dog...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2013

For Acne "When I first started using Differin, my skin was really red and peeled for several days. After that, it started to look a lot better, but then out of nowhere, it started to break out more, especially cystic acne on my face, and my skin is really hot to the touch and painful. I hope it's just that it gets worse before it gets better."

• Acn...
• March 24, 2015

For Acne "I tried this medication when I was a teenager but did not stick with it because the irritation it caused me was unbearable. I wonder if it was because my acne was worse and my skin more sensitive at the time, but I can't remember how long I stuck with it. I started my current try with it about nine months ago. I had about one to two months of redness, itchiness, and a lot of skin flaking, but as soon as this wore off (which it did completely) as my skin adapted to it, I started noticing big improvements: I have had almost no blackheads, which were causing me a lot of scarring. For most of the month, I get no spots, and when I do, it's just a few, and they are MUCH smaller, less painful, and disappear quicker, and my skin overall looks clearer and more youthful."

• nik...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 30, 2020

For Acne "I was excited to start this product. I knew I was going to have a face purge. However, it has been over 2 months, and my face is really red and has so much acne. My face is worse than when I started. I don't want to give up, but it is making it so much worse, and I feel so ugly - disappointed."

• Bar...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 12, 2019

For Acne "Differin really works for acne, you just have to keep using it. I remember when I was in my late teens, I started breaking out more than when I was younger. I went to a dermatologist. At that time, it was only available by prescription. I remember her telling me to wash my face and gently pat it dry. Make sure your face is very dry before applying a small, thin amount on your face. She also told me that I would start breaking out even more a couple of weeks after I began using it. It gets deep in your skin and pushes all the oil to the surface. Your skin may get a little red and itchy. You will also start to see a little flaking on your skin. Don't give up. Keep using it. Eventually, it will clear up acne. When I started breaking out more, I would apply my makeup to cover it up. I like to put it on at nighttime after I wash my face. Give it a try!"

• Car...
• December 9, 2018

For Acne "This product is awful and has made my life hell for the last 11 weeks. I am a 30-year-old with mild comedonal acne on my cheeks. Other products haven't worked for me, so after a LOT of research, I decided to give Differin a try. I knew I would experience redness, drying, and a purging period where my acne would get worse and that it's normal. I read hours of reviews where people told me to stick with it until the 12-week mark. I am 3 days away from that mark and my face has NEVER looked or felt this bad in my life. I have painful red pustules popping up every night and continued redness and drying despite constant moisturizing. It's bad enough I have adult acne and that I've been trying to stick it out with this product for 12 weeks, but this product has made it SO MUCH WORSE! I will be sure to tell everyone I know NEVER to use it. I am embarrassed and upset I wasted my time and money for the last 3 months to make my face look worse. Not only that, but now I have SCARS all over as well."

• Dba...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 31, 2017

For Acne "Awesome! Best thing I ever used on my cystic acne. Bought OTC Differin about a month ago, and I haven't had a cyst since, which is unheard of for me. For the first time in years, my complexion is smoother, skin is clear, and pores look smaller. Some dryness and redness at first, but it subsided. Love this stuff!"

• Sor...
• August 5, 2017

For Acne "I used this acne gel before. First time by itself. It irritated my skin. My skin was red, dry, and patchy. I stopped, thinking maybe this was like a reaction. To later find out, it takes a little while to get used to. But as for the second time, I used the whole range. The cleanser, the gel, and the moisturizer. Then I started to see the difference everyone has been raving about. It has been only 3 weeks, but my skin is softer and less patchy. My forehead acne has completely gone away. But my chin cystic acne is apparent. But it had definitely gotten smaller. However, this product made me break out like never before. Basically, my whole face became a whitehead central. But it is working. My acne marks, scars, and acne are less apparent."

• 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."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 20, 2018

For Acne "I've dealt with acne since my early teens. Tried many prescriptions and OTC remedies to no avail. Now that I am in my 30s and taking skincare much more seriously, I decided to try Differin again since it's available OTC along with the face wash. I use the face wash every morning and night and the gel every night. I got the normal side effects in the beginning: dryness, some peeling, and redness, but I didn't let that deter me. Now I am going into week 7 and am beginning to see the difference. I still get little breakouts, but it's nowhere near as bad as before. Persistence with this medication is key. Give it time to work. I can tell that my skin tone is becoming much more even. My old scars are starting to fade. For the first time since my early teens, I am confident in my skin."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2015

For Acne "I've been using this for almost a month, and my skin is extremely sensitive, red, and peeling like crazy. When I began using this, my skin broke out like crazy as well. I start school in 3 days, and I am so embarrassed."

• 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!"

• Mia...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 25, 2015

For Acne "I've always had really mild breakouts ever since college started, but I gradually lost them through Clearasil and St. Ives. But now that I'm in my junior year, I'm breaking out twice as much. My dermatologist prescribed me Differin (0.01 cream adapalene), and it was quite pricey because I was taking it alongside clindamycin, which I only put on my pimples, whereas I used a pea-sized amount of Differin on my entire face. I'm currently on my third day of Differin and clindamycin, and I have been experiencing skin peeling on my nose and a little bit of redness and tenderness. There have been more breakouts (I now have 6 pimples), and I hope it gets worse before it gets better now that it's still holiday break."

• thi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 25, 2018

For Acne "This was an absolutely awful product for me. It made my face burn, cannot use the skin products you’re used to using. It will make you get HUGE red marks all over your face because of how inflamed it makes your face. It does not assist in fading scars, your face will look AWFUL even if you do go through with the full product for the 6-month MINIMUM span. Absolutely ridiculous! It will cause cystic acne all over and will lower your self-esteem rather than fix the acne! My recommendation? Go to your local doctor and get a prescription for pills that will help your acne! Three months in, my friend's face is very clear, I will take her recommendation! Awful product."

• Bow...
• January 12, 2020

For Acne "In November 2019, I noticed a couple of breakouts (one or two per week) on my left cheek and decided to use this product. It’s week 7 and my acne is so bad. I started out with one big papule on my left cheek and one pustule. Clear everywhere else. At the moment, everything is inflamed (7 weeks in), and I have 3 big papules, 1 pustule, and 1 cystic pimple on my left cheek, 2 papules on my right cheek, 1 papule on my forehead, and 3 cystic pimples on my chin. Plus, I’m left with deep red marks from all of these pimples. I haven’t changed my skincare routine, same birth control, etc., so I know Differin has had a bad effect on my skin. I do, however, have no blackheads on my nose and chin, which I used to have a lot of. Still hoping that it might get better. Pretty much given up, as you should start seeing improvement by week 8, and my skin won’t be looking like week 1 or better any time soon. However, it may work for you! Just beware as the “purge” ruined my skin!"

• Por...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 2, 2018

"Starting to use Differin (suggestion from derm) to fade some hyperpigmentation and to reduce fine lines. My skin has never been so smooth, and it also reduced pore size. I had been debating Botox for my furrow lines between my eyes, and they're gone after using Differin. The hyperpigmentation is noticeably lighter too. I did go through a phase of slightly dry, red skin but used Vit V & E with Clinique Dramatically Different gel. Worked perfectly. Truth be told, I tried Differin 14 years ago by prescription when I was 19/20 years old with pretty bad hormonal acne, and it didn't work, but now in my mid 30s, it's a dream!!"

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 18, 2021

For Acne "Been on Differin for 5 months. I use it every night. My purge was really painful, lasted a month and a half. After that, my skin adjusted and started to slowly get better. I started to get less irritated skin, but the redness would never go away. My skin would break out, then clear for a week, then break out, and it was so frustrating because I don't know what to do. 5 months in, I just keep going. My skin is currently okay. I got heaps of pimples around my jawline, some around my mouth and cheeks."

• Sam...
• September 22, 2015

For Acne "A dermatologist (a different dermatologist than I usually see) recommended starting to use Differin along with taking my Doxycycline. I have been using the topical gel for 3 days on my face and back, and I only have negative things to say. My face is peeling badly, and the skin is very red and irritated. I have tried different moisturizers, and they just burn. The outer corners of my eyes are red and painful. My back broke out with large blister-like pimples. I do not have sensitive skin, and my acne is not very bad. I feel this product has actually worsened my condition. I am going to stop using Differin immediately. I don't know how long it's going to take my skin to heal."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 16, 2017

For Acne "I had to stop using this product very early on because it ruined my skin. It made my skin unbelievably dry and made me break out on my forehead worse than it had in 5 years. I also developed red blotches all over my face. Don't buy this."

• Lea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 21, 2019

For Acne "Used this product for 1 week. During this first week, my face turned red and started burning to the point that rinsing my face was painful. However, it cleared up my acne for a few days, then the breakout started back."

• Nik...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 6, 2020

For Acne "HORRIBLE! Made my face break out 10 times worse, redness dried out my cheeks, smh! Didn't help anything. After 7 long weeks, I quit using it and felt better in 1 week."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 2, 2020

For Acne "I personally used Differin by the recommendation of my dermatologist, but it didn’t help, and it caused my skin redness."