Adapalene topical and Vomiting: What Users Say

• ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 27, 2020

Adapalene topical for Acne "So...I never comment on these sites, but I HAD to for Differin. It works so incredibly well when nothing else would, such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, expensive face products such as NU Skin, no dairy diet, etc. Of course, the purge did happen, and improvement wasn't linear (It would get better and then worse and then better and then way worse) but eventually it got good and stayed that way. It took around 4 months though for it to be consistently good, SO STICK TO IT. That's the only advice I have. JUST STICK TO IT AND DON'T GIVE UP, and it will work wonders."

• Wil...
• September 3, 2020

Adapalene topical 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 :)"

• nic...
• June 11, 2019

Adapalene topical for Acne "I have mixed feelings about whether I would recommend this to other people. I am on week 13, and my skin is totally clear and has been for 10 days. However, my skin was extremely bad throughout the entire first 3 months of using Differin. The purging was worse than anything I have ever experienced and particularly gruesome-looking. I actually felt like I couldn't leave the house. Also, this would happen very seriously in concentrated areas. As soon as one had begun to heal, another would appear directly next to it, 5 times over. I now have substantial pigmentation and scarring. It's emotionally distressing not to see any progress for 3 months! Throughout that time, it would often suddenly look better, only to look much worse a few days later. I often mistakenly thought the purging had ended. I think Differin works if you persevere for 12 weeks, but if I had been aware of how traumatic the purging process would be, I probably would have tried alternatives."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 5, 2019

Adapalene topical for Acne "I’ve been on Differin for around 5 months, and I have to say, this product has really made a positive impact on my skin. It is so soft and pretty much free of active acne, albeit I have some hyperpigmentation issues to work on (which Differin is helping with). DO NOT QUIT. I broke out so bad for the first three months and wanted to stop, but I kept pushing forward. It really does get better. The Differin purge is real, but conquerable!"

• Now...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 2, 2020

Adapalene topical for Acne "My acne wasn’t that bad to start with. I had 2 basic pimples that were very stubborn and just weren’t going away. I went to a dermatologist and she gave me adapalene (Differin). What followed was a terrible purge that broke out in those areas around my jaw and cheekbone (where the two pimples were). I had never broken out before, and I was so frustrated. 3 months later, my skin hasn’t healed from those breakouts, and still new pimples form on my cheeks. My jaw is left with hyperpigmentation from the acne the gel caused (I have never scarred before). Not to mention, while using this product, my face has become extremely dry, and I look gaunt and older than when I first started. I heard all these miraculous things about adapalene, but it seems my skin reacted opposite. I will say my skin is pretty smooth and “brighter,” but it’s not worth the damage it did to my face."

• Bex...
• August 2, 2015

Adapalene topical for Acne "I started using Differin in February after dealing with horrible acne my last semester of college. I think it was stress-related, because I've always had pretty great skin up until then. I went to my dermatologist, and he prescribed me Differin and antibiotics. All I can say is there is hope! It took me 12 whole weeks to have skin I was comfortable with, but it really does work. My skin was horrible at first when I began using it, the purge, as people like to call it, and I really didn't think there was going to be a light at the end of the tunnel. But seriously, week 12 hit, and it was night and day. I still use it every night with some days off in between, but now I am actually comfortable in my skin with only the occasional zit."

• Ash...
• February 28, 2019

Adapalene topical for Acne "My experience with Differin was horrible. I know they said you may get purging, but believe me it’s not worth the pain and scarring caused by the purging process. Research for more natural remedies that are soothing for your skin. This product is designed to keep you buying more since you think it will get better over time. I have read reviews where some said it got better after months, and then purging started happening again, so this sounds like a never-ending cycle. Please beware, this is not the only acne product on the market, and believe me all products don’t cause purging like this. My skin has never looked this bad. I’m in the medical field and feel so embarrassed going to work with my face like this. I figured makeup would irritate my skin more, so I’m trying to stick it out. I have stopped using Differin and wish I never started."

• Tea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 12, 2020

Adapalene topical for Acne "This Differin stuff works so well. My skin can't handle applying it every day, so I do about every other day, but it is AMAZING for cystic acne. It doesn't do much for regular acne, but if you have cystic acne, it works. I used to get like 1-2 giant cystic spots on average a week, and now they have completely stopped. It's amazing. I might start to get one around my time of the month, but it'll go away quickly with this stuff. Start slow. Apply once a week for about 2 weeks, then 2 times a week for another 2 weeks, then bump it up to 3 times a week and see how your skin does, but you have to give it about 2 months to work. I didn't have any 'purge' like others have, but I also started incredibly slowly, which helps a lot."

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

Adapalene topical for Acne "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."

• Kar...
• October 17, 2017

Adapalene topical for Acne "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."

• Mmm...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 13, 2013

For Acne "I am an aesthetician. If you use anything topical that makes your skin peel (anything prescription strength), DO NOT WAX. I suggest a 7-day break from any topical prescriptions like that before a face waxing. It doesn't matter if you only use the product on your chin and are wanting to wax your brows, your skin will likely lose a few layers because the retinol/retinoid is still in your bloodstream. I used Differin in high school, and it worked wonders. I am trying it again at 29 because my breakouts are getting more frequent. Hopefully, the purging process (when your underlying breakouts are forced to the surface and everything seems worse) isn't too bad. I recommend using an oil-free moisturizer."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 13, 2019

Adapalene topical for Acne "I used Differin for about 1.5 years. The reason I started it was I had entered my 40s. I wanted something that would help with skin texture and some painful cystic acne. I never had a retinization period or experienced any purge, but now, after more than a year into it, I am calling it quits on the advice of my aesthetician and dermatologist, both of whom never recommended adapalene to their patients (I think that says something). It has dried out my skin to the point where my skin is overcompensating for the oil that is being stripped away (and I have naturally oily skin), thus making my pores look HUGE and oily. If you are over 30, I suggest not using this, as it will dry out aging skin, even with moisturizer. This stuff pretty much destroyed my moisture barrier over time, and now I'm left with trying to repair it and all the effects from it."

• kuu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 8, 2021

Adapalene topical for Acne "Tried it, really wanted it to work, but my dermatologist recommended that I should stop using it. My skin started purging at the end of my first week of using it. It’s now my 3rd or 4th week, and I'm still purging, like crazy. I got a lot more acne than before. My face hurts to touch, and it's heavily irritated. I actually got some kind of allergic reaction, at least my dermatologist said so. Really wanted it to work, and I was so willing to push it through the purging part, but I guess it just wasn’t for me. I know it’s an OTC acne medication or whatever, but please discuss with your dermatologist before using it!!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 3, 2022

Adapalene topical for Acne "Differin works. When I began Differin, I began to purge immediately. As some others have mentioned, don't expect your purge to get better and better linearly. Towards the end of your purge, your skin will repeatedly clear up for one or two days and then have a sudden outbreak in places you never had pimples before, and it gets very emotionally draining after a few of these cycles. My one piece of advice, which I wish my derm had told me about before starting Differin, is that if your purge becomes very severe, ask for a topical antibiotic like clindamycin, which is very anti-inflammatory and kills acne-causing bacteria, and also buy lots of hydrocolloid patches so you don't have to break your skin popping your pimples and risk scarring. Did the six-week purge suck? Absolutely. Would I do it again for the clear skin I have now? Absolutely, 1,000 times over. Push through those tough few weeks, and it will pay off, I promise. Sending you all so much love, you've got this :)"

• Anonymous
• August 29, 2019

Adapalene topical for Acne "I’m happy for those whose skin has significantly improved with this product, but it has ruined my skin!! I started to use Differin because I wanted to clear up my CCs. I have oily skin and consistently get acne here and there. It’s frustrating, but nothing compares to what happened after I used Differin. I’ve done some research before I started to use it. I’ve acknowledged “purging” or “retinization,” but what I experienced was extremely horrible!! Regret."

• Che...
• November 6, 2017

Adapalene topical for Acne "I have been on this gel (1%) for 7 weeks now. I have had hormonal acne since 12, I am now 29. My doctor had me start with using it twice a week, then 3x a week, etc. Yes, there was a purge, and yes, it does seem to be still purging. The fact is that I'm seeing improvement. I will not be stopping this treatment as nothing has worked like this before (you name it, I've tried it). I would say I'm seeing 65% improvement at this point. A huge plus is that I also have noticed scars fading, wrinkles softened, and any wounds from picking definitely heal much faster. Lotion morning and night, and Cerave foaming cleanser. My skin hasn't been this healthy in a long time."

• Olg...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 2, 2021

Adapalene topical for Acne "I wouldn’t recommend this product. Started with some mild acne and I have gone through the purging stage even after 5 weeks of using it. I’ve never had so much scarring left on my face. I kept using it for about 2 months. I stopped using it 3 days ago and my skin looks so much better now. Been also told that once you stop using it, acne returns back, which means skin messed up and waste of time. Never again."

• Anonymous
• August 8, 2018

Adapalene topical for Acne "I’ve only been on this for about a week and a half, and it started working immediately for me. It made me purge within the first few days, but I can definitely tell that it’s working. My skin now looks clearer and less congested. I am still getting spots (I get moderate whiteheads on my forehead and around my nose, and I get nodules on my chin. I am a teenager, btw), but I'm hoping that this will continue to make my skin improve. I am squeezing my spots, which I know I shouldn't do, but I'm pretty sure this gel makes it heal super quick, and it makes marks fade quite quickly. Apart from the marks and few spots I am still getting, my face looks a lot clearer already. I would say that my acne was moderate before I started the treatment, and it got a lot worse within the first few days, but things are now looking up."

• kri...
• September 12, 2016

For Acne "At first, I hated adapalene. It made me break out WAY WORSE than I ever have before. I usually just had a few whiteheads here and there (especially around that time of the month), but when I first got on adapalene, I got cystic acne on my cheeks and chin. It was very, very painful, and I was very mad I even started it in the first place. After about six weeks, it started to slowly get better, but I still had worse acne than before I started. My dermo put me on Acticlate (pill) along with the adapalene gel to have a quick fix. It took a few weeks, but now (11th week on adapalene) my face is starting to be very clear!!!! I am very happy with how my face looks now, but I did have to go through a long period of awful, painful purging first."

• Adu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 17, 2019

Adapalene topical for Acne "I am 38 years old and am suddenly dealing with large cystic acne after several years of clear skin. I have tried every topical treatment since age 17 and decided to try this one that it's OTC. The retinoid purging process is definitely real and it's ugly, but the texture of my skin truly is improving day by day, even with the large breakouts from the purge. I'm going to stick with it as it's only been four weeks and I'm pretty confident it's going to dramatically improve my skin's texture and appearance over the next couple of months."

• Adi...
• May 11, 2018

Adapalene topical for Acne "I never thought I’d be leaving a review about a product that helped clear my acne, but here I am doing exactly that. I’ve had oily, acne-prone skin for as long as I can remember, and at 42, it was still going strong! I mostly get deep blocked pores on the back of my neck that become really inflamed and turn into massive red lumps that rarely come to a head and linger for ages, and my back was a similar story. After many trips to the doctors over the years proved fruitless and after my latest breakout, I’d almost given up, but after another search through Google, I decided to give Differin a go. Well, I’m not gonna lie, it’s been a bumpy road, no pun intended, but after around 10 weeks, things are really starting to clear up! The purge at the start nearly got me to quit several times, but I thought, what the hell, you’ll get spots whether you stick with it or not, so give it a chance. I’m glad I did, this isn’t a quick fix, it’s more of a long haul type of gig, but I’m now seeing very good results!"

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

Adapalene topical 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!!"

• Max...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 27, 2019

For Acne "I’ve been using Differin (Adapalene) for about 2 and a half weeks, and I have begun the purging stages, but it is just a couple of spots appearing around my face, so nothing I can’t handle. I can really see my pigmentation fading, and my skin tone is a lot more even and healthy. I think in another few weeks my skin will look even better!! Stick to it."

• Luc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 7, 2018

Adapalene topical for Acne "I foolishly purchased this without reading any reviews. By the fourth day of use, I broke out, what they refer to as purging, all over my face. I have OCD and pick, so you can imagine what I looked like! I threw it away."

• She...
• July 17, 2019

Adapalene topical for Acne "Traumatic experience. Used it for a minor breakout, then I started to be a big one! It actually worsened things, and all the purging was not worth it. There are other products without this purging process. It was a disaster for me. Twice."