Retin-A and Burning: What Users Say

• Ell...
• May 14, 2020

For Photoaging of the Skin "If you stick it out and are patient with this - the results are incredible. One piece of advice is moisturize!!! A LOT!! The gel is way better than the cream, imo. The gel burns so bad though, whereas the cream didn't. I've been using Retin-A since February, and it's May now, and I have the worst purge I've ever had, but now my skin is flawless. Stick it out. Amazing for tightening pores, clearing acne, and just gives your skin an overall healthy look to it. 10/10, be patient."

• Sea...
• September 8, 2015

For Acne "My skin was at its worst in my prime adulthood age, so I decided to try Retin-A. I've been using the 0.025% Retin-A gel for 2 months now. I didn't have the initial 'purge' that most talk about, however, I believe it's because I was prescribed the gel vs. cream. Anyways, I overdid it the first week by not following doctor's orders and applying daily right off the bat. Don't, haha. My skin got so dry and flaky that I even burned my chin on my bed while sleeping from my skin being so thin. After that initial scare, I followed my doctor's instructions and gradually worked up to every night use. Best skin in years. Try it, it works! Just don't forget to moisturize a lot. Sunscreen when you go out! Don't overdo it like I did."

• Jam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 1, 2017

For Acne "I have always had acne from my early teens, but just a few pimples now and again. I am now 23. I have relocated to the north coast, where I started experiencing terrible breakouts. It started with a rash, then small pimples, then a disaster. In 2016, I went to my dermatologist, who prescribed Retin-A 0.05%. Two days after using the product, I started having unbearable burning when using anything on my face, be it water, cleanser, or moisturizer. It just burned like crazy, and my acne got worse to the point where people were asking me what was wrong with my face. So about two weeks in, I stopped using the product. Five days ago, which is almost one year later, I decided to give it another try, and so far, there is no burning and no new breakouts."

• kay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 16, 2020

For Acne "This was the worst experience of my life. It made my face break out, and I had big red dry patches on my face that burned so bad. I still have red scars from those spots that I didn’t have before. Do not use this, I suggest Accutane. I have done that before also."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 5, 2019

For Acne "I started using Retin-A after switching my birth control pills to progesterone only due to severe migraines thought to be caused by estrogen. I am now 23 and never struggled this bad with acne. Before Retin-A, I had a few cystic acne spots on my chin and jawline and small blemishes on my forehead occasionally. After using Retin-A, my face got way worse. The first week, it caused my face to be red, flaky, and burn. This wasn't the typical burning feeling I would get from a topical acne cream. This was a burn that would hurt when I would step outside. It made the cystic acne spots really dry, red, and very sore. I called my dermatologist, and they said those are typical side effects and to mix my moisturizer with the Retin-A. This helped but didn't help enough. I went another 5+ weeks dealing with peeling, flaking, red, irritated, dry, sore skin. I finally decided to stop using it. The next day, my skin was feeling a lot less sore and irritated. This was not the medication for me."

• T-R...
• September 15, 2018

For Acne "I am 23 years old and I suffer from severe acne. I started using Retin-A 0.05 a week ago. At first, my face felt moisturized, the pimples became easier to extract. After about 2-3 days, my face started burning and then peeling. I wanted to use a moisturizer along with it, but anything that touched my face made it ache or burn, and when I say anything, I do mean anything... water, fabric, etc. I used it twice a day as advised by my derm. He told me it would get worse before it got better, so I continued applying small amounts on the bigger bumps, but my face hasn't healed, so I have completely stopped using it."