Differin for Acne User Reviews (Page 2)

• Vin...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 17, 2021

"Differin really works! I was very reluctant to start using it because of all the terrible reviews and horror stories, but my only regret is not starting it sooner. Yes, it does make your skin worse to begin with. It’s probably gonna get to a point where it’s the worst it’s ever been, but it’s only temporary, and here I am a year later with almost flawless skin. I get the odd pimple from time to time, but for the most part, my skin is completely clear, and all the hyperpigmentation has faded at this point as well."

• Gre...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 7, 2021

"Stops acne before it happens, cleared up my scarring and even reduces wrinkles!!!! Best product I’ve used!!! :) Some advice for new users: 1) DO NOT use much of the product. I put on a pea-sized amount on my trouble areas. That’s it, anymore and you’ll peel. 2) Wash your hands after applying the product. 3) DO NOT put it close to the skin under your eyes, or the skin will peel. 4) Wear sunscreen protector if you go outside, or you’ll burn. Trust me on this one… 5) When you first start using the product, your skin may actually get worse for a few weeks. Trust me, just keep using it, it’s just the product bringing the clogged pores to the surface. After this rough period, everything is cleared and your skin will be fine. 6) DO NOT mix the product with other acne products, or you will peel… This includes: face washes, spot treatments, masks, etc. 7) Use a very light, all-natural face wash and moisturize."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 6, 2021

"I have been using Differin for 6 months. The purge lasted 1 month and a bit super sore as I was working outside every day. After that, skin would start to clear, but I would always have 5 pimples or cysts and irritated skin. Skin never fully cleared. And if it did, it lasted for one day, then I got more pimples. I recently changed how I apply at night, and it started to clear and be less irritated. *Wash CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser *Neutrogena Hydro Boost Moisturizer (while skin is wet) *Niacinamide 10%. ('let dry) *Neutrogena Hydro Boost (let dry) *Differin (wait 20 min) *Moisturize CeraVe Dry Skin."

• lv1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2021

"Tried Differin for almost 4 months. In that period of time, it totally ruined my skin. I started with a few pimples, and now my face is completely covered. It has absolutely destroyed my self-esteem. I can hardly look at myself in the mirror. I see people stare at the sides of my face, and it is so hard on me. A kid even asked if ants had bitten me. Tonight, I'm done with this stuff."

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

"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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 13, 2021

"I’ve been experiencing mild acne since I was 12. About a year ago, it had cleared up and my skin was looking great, but once school started again, stress caused me to break out along my chin and jawline. My friend recommended Differin, and I started using it a couple of months ago. For the first few weeks, I could tell it was working. Immediately, my skin felt softer and smoother. My acne didn’t get better, but it didn’t get worse. Around the two-month mark, my skin was completely clear, and I was extremely happy with Differin. I kept using it daily, and around the end of the third month, my acne came back in full force around my chin and jawline. I was horrified. My acne hasn’t been this bad in years, and I don’t know what’s wrong. I tried reading reviews to see if anyone else had the same experience as me, but no such luck. I’m going to keep using Differin gel, hoping my acne gets better soon."

• Kan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2021

"So before I started Differin, I had moderate cystic acne. My skin quickly got used to the medication, and I was able to start using it daily without irritation. After about a month, the purge began. My skin got worse and worse, but I stuck with it because I knew the purge was part of the process. However, after 4 months, I’m now left with the most deep, painful cystic acne I’ve ever experienced in my life, and it’s spread across almost my entire face. I used to just have acne mostly on the sides of my cheeks and the occasional pimple or two elsewhere. I’ve decided to discontinue it after reading other reviews from people who had a similar experience of trying it out for 4+ months, and the purge never got better, only worse. Please use with caution."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 6, 2021

"I have been using Differin for more than a year now. I am so disappointed with the cream. I had clear skin earlier and had 2-3 acne spots and some warts. I asked my dermatologist to recommend me something for my acne because for warts there was different treatment going on. She recommended me this and told me it will be showing results in 3-6 months. It has been more than a year, and I have used 3 tubes already. My cheeks are full of pimples and acne. Earlier I had a problem on the right side of my face, but after using this cream, both sides of my face. I am going to stop it today. I have had enough of Differin."

• ede...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 23, 2021

"It was my fault for not reading reviews, particularly this site, before trying. I'm 26 now, never had a breakout. I have combination skin; my T-zone is oily, but the rest of my face is normal. No pimples on my cheeks until I started adapalene. When I first used it, it did nothing. I applied a thin layer and locked it with moisturizer. Until one day, I woke up with several whiteheads on my cheeks. I honestly thought it was the result kicking in. Fast forward to 9 weeks later, now my skin is horrible. I have tons of whiteheads on my cheeks, my forehead, and my chin. I tried applying it anyway, but it gives me no result other than a lot more whiteheads. It drives me crazy so much I feel like my anxiety is coming up, but for a different cause than usual; my own face."

• ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 15, 2021

"I've just passed the 2-month mark after having my doctor prescribe it to me. I've always used benzoyl peroxide, which has always worked for me, but I told my doc I didn't want to put something on my face every single night for the rest of my life. She prescribed Differin. She said I had to wait at least a month to see improvements, as purging is normal. 2 months later, and I'm still purging. I've gotten painful acne in places I didn't have it before, and I'm overall very unhappy with the results. The prescription says it may take 1-3 months to see results, so I will continue for another month, but I don't think it'll make a difference. Would not recommend."

• Run...
• July 8, 2021

"I tried Differin twice: for 5 months and for 7 weeks. The first time gave me horrible, huge, scarring acne that I never had before. It took half a year to fade the scarring, and I still have marks and divots in my face even though it's been 3 years. Never had any issues with irritation/dryness. I decided to try again with a moisturizer as a barrier. It started out alright because I slowly built it up this time, but I started getting the same acne as before: giant pustules that were liquid-filled that'd take weeks to go away and left huge marks. I eventually stopped using it because I was getting concentrated breakouts in spots I've never had acne before. From my understanding, it's normal to break out where you usually get acne because of the cell turnover pushing everything to the surface, but my usual acne was almost always on my forehead, which was spotless this entire process. Again, no issue with irritation or dryness."

• fra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 30, 2021

"My biggest regret in life was taking Accutane before actually trying out Differin gel. The gel helped me more than the tablets ever could. Mixed that with taking probiotics, digestive enzymes, avoiding dairy, and limiting junk, my skin has never been so clear. Now I only need to focus on improving acne scars."

• Gug...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 16, 2021

"I would never ever recommend this gel to anyone. I already stopped using it, but the acne didn’t go away. They keep on coming back every day. My face was never that bad, it hurts to touch. I can’t sleep. I hate it. I literally cry thinking why I used it for my face, it was so much better before. I wish this acne would go away soon :("

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

"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."

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

"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!!"

• Ary...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2021

"So I had high hopes for this product. Not only because I had exhausted most topical solutions for my acne, but because I had seen some great reviews online. My acne was mainly on my cheeks and some spots here and there on my forehead and chin. I never really experienced cystic acne until I started using this product. Three months in, and the purging hadn't stopped. I thought I'd give it more time. Four months in, the acne is cystic and has shifted to my forehead. My right cheek is mostly clear, but I have acne on my left cheek. I'm one week away from five months, and my skin feels greasy. I'm getting blackheads on my forehead, not to mention I now have pitted scars and hyperpigmentation from the ongoing purge. I'm contemplating whether I should continue with this product till month six or pack it in and start trying to clear my HPI and scarring. Right now I'm in the process of making my own coconut kefir so I can heal my gut using probiotic-rich foods. I honestly feel like I'm at my wit's end."

• Zac...
• January 13, 2021

"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."

• Bro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 3, 2021

"This product has positively changed my life! I did my research so that I use it correctly. I only wear it at night with my normal skin care routine. My skin has never been this clear. I did break out the first week, but I kept at it, and it’s almost completely gone. I have no noticeable acne. Wear sunscreen no matter what race!"

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

"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."

• pan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 29, 2020

"I only used this for one month, but my skin got so terrible I had to stop. I started off with a few pimples on my cheeks and a bunch of small bumps (only I could really see them when I got up close to the mirror, but they really annoyed me). I thought the Differin would clear up the pimples and small bumps, but all it has done is purge the pimples. I now have so many pimples and my cheeks have so much hyperpigmentation (and I used sunscreen). It didn’t do anything for the small bumps. I think maybe Differin works better for people with moderate to severe acne. I only had mild acne, but now it is so much worse. Praying that I didn’t seriously mess up my skin."

• ano...
• December 22, 2020

"I have pretty sensitive and kind of oily but dry skin. At the age of 12, I would get massive breakouts and blackheads, so I started Differin. I already knew I had sensitive skin, so instead of doing it every night, I would put it on whenever I got a breakout to help calm my skin down, and not for regular acne use. Now it also seems like a lot of people aren't having a skincare routine while doing this, and let me tell you, having a consistent skincare routine is the most important part. So after my breakout cleared out, I would stop putting Differin on, and instead, I would wash my face twice every day with a soap that wasn't too harsh on my skin, like Dove. And I'd put a natural face mask on every Friday, made of aloe vera, honey, and cinnamon. At first, it's going to seem like nothing is happening, but after 2 or 3 weeks, you'll start to see some of your acne clear out. DO NOT PUT MAKEUP ON! That'll take away at least a week's worth of progress on your skin, I learned this the hard way."

• paw...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 20, 2020

"I have struggled with acne since I was 18 years old. I am now 25, and Differin is the ONLY thing that has cleared my skin. I tried so many things before Differin and went to dermatologists that only recommended me Accutane, a treatment that I really didn't want to do. I started using the Ordinary retinoid about 6 months before Differin, so I had a lot of purging before and really feel like I prepped my skin for Differin by using lighter retinoids months before. At first, I did break out a little bit, and my skin sometimes is slightly drier, but those days I don't use Differin and deep moisturize, and I am totally fine the next day. I have never had clearer and brighter-looking skin in my life, and I feel so much more confident now. I would say you definitely have to take it slow and prep your skin, but for me, it has 100% worked."

• Mad...
• December 17, 2020

"I started using Differin 4 years ago, and my skin is definitely completely adjusted by now. It helped me get rid of the small bumps and pimples all over my forehead, chin, and cheeks. The first couple of months that I used it, my skin was very dry and painful, and I had many large cysts come to the surface before disappearing. Four years later, I still use Differin every night, and I get breakouts every month in sync with my menstrual cycle, but it definitely helps get rid of the pimples I do have very quickly, and in general, my acne was helped a lot by Differin, especially considering my bacne is still where it was 4 years ago and my face acne has improved a lot with the use of Differin. I do wish my acne problem was solved completely, but I would much rather just keep using Differin and have occasional breakouts than go on Accutane and maybe never have acne again. I would recommend it if your acne is moderate to severe, but you must have patience for it to do its thing."

• Lil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 13, 2020

"Was on Differin for 3 months, and it never gets better. I started with 2 acne on my chin, and now I have it on my forehead, cheeks, and chin. Every day felt like a nightmare, and I had major breakdowns here and there. I had high hopes for this product, but I guess it failed me."

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

"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."