Tretinoin topical and Redness: What Users Say

• DDF...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 30, 2018

Tretinoin topical for Acne "I am a 72-year-old woman who has been using Retin-A for thirty-four years. I started using it because I had adult acne at the same time my teenage son had acne. I routinely am mistaken for being twenty years younger than I am. I have very few wrinkles. My skin still has dry patches occasionally but they are short-lived. I have tried to get several people to use it, but they always get discouraged with the redness and peeling in the beginning. This phase does not last forever. Please continue to use it, you will never be sorry."

• EPP...
• March 9, 2014

For Acne "I started breaking out when I got to college. I decided to address the problem before it got worse, even though the acne wasn't that bad. She gave me a prescription for Tretinoin cream. I put it on every night. The first week, I felt like someone had rubbed sandpaper across my face. It was AWFUL. My skin was red and irritated, and it hurt like hell even when nothing was touching it. The next week, the pain and irritation slowly subsided. The following week, my face erupted in pimples. That lasted into the fourth week. It was worse than it had ever been. After that, my face magically cleared up. It was amazing. Except for a very few minor spots, my skin is nearly flawless. The beginning sucks, but STICK IT OUT. You won't regret it."

• Ell...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2019

Tretinoin topical for Photoaging of the Skin "Before I started using Retin-A, my face looked dull and tired. I had very sensitive skin, and no cream would help my face look plump and moisturized. I also had some wrinkles becoming more prominent. I felt old and ugly, although I am still young (turning 29). After I started using it, my face was red and sensitive for about 2 weeks, but now my skin has adapted to it, and it does not hurt anymore. I use a low strength for now, but to get to the point, I look awesome, and people are shocked when they hear I am 29. My pores are almost gone, my skin elasticity has improved a lot, my face looks plump and hydrated, and most of all, it helped with my festoons a lot (I had severe festoons under my eyes). This is a cream to die for, and I totally recommend it. There's nothing better out there in my opinion."

• Mel...
• December 10, 2015

For Photoaging of the Skin "I've used this product for almost a year now. I experienced mild dry skin the first couple of days, which eventually faded. My occasional mild acne cleared up immediately and youthful, radiant skin appeared. I started getting compliments. Five months passed and my tube was coming to an end, so I called for a refill. Apparently, my dermatologist recommends a check-up every six months, so my refill was declined. The soonest I could be seen was 3 weeks later. As I started the new tube, I noticed extremely dry, flaky, red skin and acne in spots I've never had before on my face. This freaked me out! But I continued the cream, and it all cleared up after a week. I now have clear, radiant skin again. Moral of the story, don't lose hope. Give it time."

• Jam...
• August 19, 2012

Tretinoin topical for Acne "Five years ago, I was prescribed Accutane for my acne. It certainly kept my acne at bay for five years. A few months ago, I started breaking out again and this time the severity was less than it previously was. It was a few small zits and blackheads here and there. I was prescribed Retin-A and it was a Godsend! The first two weeks, I battled with extra oily skin and my face turned beet red. I persevered and by the third week, the redness subsided and my face became acclimatized to it. The acne has definitely gone away as have the blackheads. The plus side is that my face looked smoother in years and whatever residual acne scars and discolorations have softened and looked better and better. Retin-A addressed my acne needs and truly delivered."

• Car...
• September 26, 2014

For Acne "20-year-old female. I have been using this for more than 12 months. The first few weeks, my face was slightly red and irritated, so I added an oil-free moisturizer before applying. I also experienced an initial breakout, but after a little over 2 months, my face started to clear up. Now I'm 100% clear, and it's helping me get rid of scars and red marks. Patience is really the key with this treatment."

• Bil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2014

For Acne "I've never done a review, so that's saying something here. I've only been on Retin-A for about two weeks, and I'm already seeing fantastic results. I had mild acne, usually one to two cystic-like pimples always on my face, and tons of blackheads across my chin, and I had two giant red splotches of skin near the corners of my mouth for months! Two weeks of 0.1% and they're already fading! The pimples are already gone too! Only been dealing with some mild peeling, dryness, and slight redness of the skin, but I know that's normal. I never thought I'd feel fine going out in public ever again."

• spe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 23, 2013

For Acne "A ton of reviews consisted of people saying this product just dried their skin out and made them break out way worse. In those reviews most of them also stated they started using this cream every other day from the start. Don't! I have not had the same experience. My dermatologist told me to start by using this cream once a week for the first two weeks and then gradually increase up to every other day if needed. I started this cream 3 weeks ago using it once a week for two weeks and now have started using it twice a week. I haven't had peeling, burning, or redness, and I've actually seen my acne improve already! I will use it twice a week for another 2 weeks and then use it 3 times a week. It appears better to think long term, not a quick fix."

• man...
• October 31, 2008

Tretinoin topical for Acne "This medication is extremely effective when used properly. I developed whiteheads on my cheeks and had rather large pores on my nose with blackheads. I have been using the medication for a total of six months now. Initially, I had some redness, moderate peeling, and some slight burning right after applying the medication. After about three weeks, the side effects subsided, and I started to notice my skin clearing, pore size minimizing, and an overall evening of complexion. I used Phisoderm Deep Cleansing face wash morning and night and then used Neutrogena Oil-free moisturizer with SPF 15 in the morning. My face is very oily, so I did not experience much dryness."

• lan...
• May 28, 2017

For Acne "I have been on tretinoin for about a month and am definitely seeing results. The only negative was my skin became extremely red all over, but it was still smooth. I had an appointment with my dermatologist, and he told me to use sensitive face lotion (he recommended Vanicream) to put over the tretinoin to help with the redness, and even after a few days, I'm seeing how amazing it is! All you have to do is keep your skin moisturized, and this stuff works like a dream. I go to bed every night excited to wake up and see the results!"

• Fin...
• February 5, 2016

For Acne "Had severe chronic acne for almost a decade. Despite my struggle, I stayed away from Retin-A and tretinoin because of reviews stating the horrible peeling, redness, and eventual ineffectiveness. Luckily, a year ago I came across a heaven-sent dermatologist who understood this product and gave me specific care instructions, not just 'here, put this on your face, good luck.' Because of the severity of my acne, I didn't see real results until 6 months in (most people see dramatic changes at 3 months). The months leading up to being clear were tough. I broke out WAY MORE than ever before. However, at month 6, people started complimenting my skin. And now at month 9, even the texture of my skin is firmer and more youthful (mine was adult acne)."

• Lou...
• June 20, 2018

For Acne "This cream has saved my confidence SO MUCH! I spent so long in the house and antisocial due to overwhelming acne. I finally went to my dermatologist about 5 years ago and was on numerous different meds for years. Finally, she tried tretinoin cream. Guys! I have now been on it for 4.5 months, and it has worked WONDERS! The only VERY SMALL pimples I get anymore are because of outlying situations like going hiking all day in our humidity here where I live or falling asleep with makeup on. I never break out from day to day anymore, and the scars I do have have almost literally vanished. I feel so much freedom to do what I want with my life as opposed to being ruled by how I am feeling about my face each day. It’s awesome! For the first two months or so, like everyone else says, your skin will get very red, and my neck itched like crazy (didn’t even put it on my neck), but my face got used to it, and now I’m doing great! Would HIGHLY recommend this cream for acne!"

• Col...
• January 26, 2016

For Acne "This worked fantastically for me. I had really bad acne. I put it on every day at bedtime, and now my face is like brand new-no more acne or scars, my skin is like baby skin now. But you have to stick it out, it takes time for it to start working. You have to use it every day, and after about 3 months, you will start to see a big difference, and after 6 months to a year, you will not believe your eyes. You will go through the burning, redness, and a lot of peeling in the first few months, but that's the signs of showing that it's working. After a few months, your skin will adapt, it did for me. I also used a skin moisturizer in the mornings to give my skin some relief before I went to work. I can't stress it enough that you have to STICK IT OUT."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 30, 2020

For Acne "I started tretinoin 0.025 about a week ago for moderate teenage acne. So far, no new breakouts. Face is peeling, but not super dry if you know what I mean. I have always had sensitive skin as well, so my face is more red and splotchy than usual. I am using it every other day after showering and Cerave moisturizer. Seems to be helping so far. Will update each week!"

• lgb...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 29, 2020

For Photoaging of the Skin "I wanted to go on to share my experience. I started off with 0.025 and 0.05, and my skin did okay. Had some initial flakiness, but moisturizer helped, and it eventually improved. My dermatologist upped me to 0.1%, and things took a turn for the worse. About two weeks after I began using it, my skin got really red and itchy, and I developed diarrhea, which turned bloody. I had to go to the ER, thinking I had something terrible wrong, and it turned out that the high dosage (0.1%) of tretinoin was the culprit. Once I got off it, my GI symptoms went away, and the redness of my skin went away. So proceed with caution. The lower dosage of 0.05% did improve the appearance of my skin."

• An0...
• July 21, 2016

Tretinoin topical for Acne "(Female/moderate acne) I have suffered from acne since I was 12. This summer has been the worst for my face. I have acne all over my forehead and my cheeks. In the beginning of the summer, I had small, tiny bumps all over my forehead and my cheeks that later became bigger. I've used many, many products on my face that worked quite a bit to not working at all. Then, in the beginning of July, I started using Retin-A 0.025 cream. The first week showed great results on my forehead, my forehead is now clear, but my cheeks became worse. This second week that I am currently in is what I guess is the purge, my cheeks are entirely red and covered in acne. I don't want to go outside, and my cheeks really hurt. Will keep updating. Not losing hope."

• Kat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 15, 2019

For Acne "I really like tretinoin. I wouldn't necessarily call it a 'miracle' drug because I can credit other skin treatments for clearing my acne (like birth control pills and the drug Doxycycline), but it has been great. I've been on it since I first started going to the dermatologist in my early teens, which now is about 4-5 years ago, so I've been using it for 4-5 years. Tretinoin has been my way of keeping my skin at bay while other things in my life may be keeping it from staying acne-free, like if I switch birth control pills or if I forget to wash my face. I use 0.05% and I use it once a day at night accompanied by a moisturizer. It's worked for me. It takes a while to see results (maybe even 6 months to a year), but it DOES work, and also helps improve redness and/or scarring. Try this out-it may work for you."

• Hop...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 7, 2017

For Acne "I started tretinoin 0.05% almost 2 months ago, and my experience has been complicated and confusing. When I first started the cream, my skin immediately got sensitive to it, red splotches on my cheeks and chin (wasn't putting it there), and it dried them out a lot too. But after a couple of brutal weeks, my forehead and nose cleared up entirely, and the redness/dryness calmed down, and I was getting really excited. But, unfortunately, my period came, and my skin had a HORRIBLE breakout. My entire forehead was covered in bumps, and beside my nose, I got little bumps as well. Now, about a month later, my skin is clearing up somewhat, but still, I'm not sure what's in store for me. I'm hopeful for this product because I've heard many wonderful things!"

• Jes...
• December 20, 2014

For Acne "My doctor says I have mild acne, but I would say I have more moderate to severe acne. I was prescribed this product and have been using it for about a week. This product has dried out my skin insanely and has made my face incredibly red. My skin has also begun to flare up since using it. After reading the reviews, I am going to stay patient and hope for the best with this product."

• Gri...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 13, 2015

For Acne "I've been using tretinoin in the 0.1 gel form for almost 2 years, and let me tell you, it is possibly the best skin product you will ever own. The beginning is hard, naturally, the skin needs time to adjust, so for the first few months of treatment, you will experience a lot of redness, patchiness, and obviously, flaking, and you may also experience periods of very ugly breakouts if you have many clogged pores hiding under the surface, as the retin A will exfoliate the skin and slowly 'activate' your pores to enable them to unclog without the need for manual extraction and without scarring. The key with retin A is patience, SPF, and lots of moisturizing. Do not quit before your skin gets better, and resist the temptation to extract acne yourself. Good luck."

• Rac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 11, 2016

For Acne "I am 28 years old. I have always suffered from acne since I was in middle school. My pores are clogged, they just look like bumps on my face. My dermatologist prescribed me tretinoin 0.025 cream and phloretin. I have sensitive skin, so I use the tretinoin every third night and the phloretin every morning. I am on week 9, and I have noticed changes for the better. I am experiencing redness and dry patches, but it's tolerable. I do have breakouts in different spots than where I usually do. But my skin is clearing up. I am also getting compliments on my skin. I have now been using it every night because my doctor said 0.025 is a low dosage. It's definitely worth it to stick it out. Looking forward to the next couple of months."

• Ash...
• January 12, 2016

For Acne "I've dealt with mild hormonal acne for the last 3 years. I've tried everything, but nothing seemed to prevent my breakouts. My doctor prescribed tretinoin cream, and after doing some online research, I was terrified of 'purging.' Within a week of use, I could tell that it was working. I had minimal redness and peeling. This drug has improved the overall tone of my skin also. It's been 3 months now, and I haven't had any purging. This stuff is seriously amazing. My skin looks better than it has in years."

• rma...
• October 25, 2016

For Acne "I'm 28 years old and I had pretty good skin until I took hormonal birth control 3 years ago, and I am still trying to repair the damage to my skin. I've been using a combination of benzoyl peroxide .25% cream in the morning on cleansed skin and tretinoin .05% cream (not the gel) before bed. My skin is very fair and sensitive, but it's finally looking better after 2 weeks. So far I've experienced mild purging by the chin and cheek, but they are not the huge cystic pimples I used to get before. I think the peeling and redness are worth clear skin in the end."

• nik...
• March 22, 2013

For Acne "I've suffered with moderate acne since I was 13 and tried everything, right down to home remedies, and nothing seemed to work until I was prescribed tretinoin 0.1 cream along with minocycline. But the cream did leave a residue on my face that would peel in the shower and left flakiness along with redness at first. But after a few weeks, your skin looks brand new, and all the unevenness goes away, and your skin just overall looks healthy. Aveeno lotion helps with the dryness! Highly recommend it!"

• Bec...
• January 23, 2017

For Acne "I've used this product before, and it did wonders for my skin. My skin did start to get red and irritated, so I just used it every other night or skipped a few days in between. I had a lot of scarring on my cheeks, large pores, and oily skin, and it completely cleared my skin. I remember my cousin's girlfriend asked me if I had makeup on. (My skin was flawless.) The first time I tried this product, it was 0.1 percent cream, and now I just started using 0.05 percent gel. I hope it has the same effect-keeping my fingers crossed."