Epiduo Forte and Irritation: What Users Say

• Hap...
• August 18, 2019

For Acne "After having about 10 weeks of treatment for my cystic adult acne at age 31 with a dermatologist who only prescribed doxy and no topicals with limited results, I found another dermatologist who prescribed me Epiduo Forte in conjunction with my antibiotic. I used this combination for 12 weeks and have since stopped the antibiotic and continued with the Epiduo Forte. This combination SAVED my skin. My skin is completely clear with NO new breakouts in sight. The continued use of the cream is helping lighten PIH areas. I have documented my journey with photos and it REALLY works. Be patient. At first, you will have a purging stage in which your skin will be red, irritated, and inflamed. It is so hard, but just trust the process, it will work! Good luck to all who are fighting acne. It truly makes such an impact on your self-esteem and ability to socialize normally. My heart goes out to everyone suffering from this, and I hope you find that this combination works for your skin too!!"

• Cai...
• August 16, 2017

For Acne "Y'all. This is only my fifth day on Epiduo Forte, so I don't have much insight on the medicine's effectiveness... but I have the cure for the burning sensation the product leaves! I got off work tonight and immediately washed my face. I use a Clearasil scrub daily, and that irritated my skin horribly! I then applied the Epiduo, and my skin began to burn! I do not have sensitive skin whatsoever, so I was unsure what to do. My initial thought was to apply moisturizer, which made it worse! I figured I'd let the pain pass... it didn't! After an hour, it finally hit me-vitamin E! I use this under my eyes to prevent wrinkles and thought it might help. I specifically used Sundown Vitamin E Oil and just applied a thin layer to my face. It worked wonders!"

• Jay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 16, 2020

For Acne "I am currently on my third month using Epiduo Forte. The first month was quite problematic as I started out using it every night, terrible idea. My face was extremely irritated and was dry and peeling. Since then, my acne has only been getting worse. I've been taking weekly pictures for comparison (which I recommend for everyone on acne medication), and the further I go backward, the better it looks. I don't know if this is part of the process, but I am just going to continue until the entire pump is empty. On the positive side, pimples that do pop up appear smaller and disappear faster, but that's it. Hope this improves, my face is literally just a big blob of scarring, which is absolutely terrible."

• Han...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 10, 2022

For Acne "If you’re reading this, please keep going. I purged for at least 3 months on Epiduo Forte. My skin got unbelievably bad during the purge, with breakouts all over my face. I was close to giving up. But it works, I promise. People say that you should see results after 8-12 weeks, but don’t listen to them because everyone’s skin is different. 5 (almost 6) months in, my skin’s the smoothest it’s been in a long time. Tips: I know we don't like hearing it, but eating healthier dramatically reduced the redness and irritation associated with my acne and Epiduo side effects. Specifically, foods that are anti-inflammatory—berries, greens, fish. I notice a huge difference in my skin when I eat junk or processed foods. If you’re desperate, please try it. I have naturally dry skin, so my skin was constantly red, flaky, and itchy on Epiduo. Aquaphor was a game changer! It seals in my moisturizer and Epiduo without clogging my pores. Hydrated skin heals your acne so much faster. GL!"

• Hig...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 7, 2022

For Acne "This is my second time on Epiduo. I first started it in July of 2020. I went through the purging stage, but my face was completely clear by the time December rolled around. At that point, I was using the medication incorrectly and experienced severe burning and irritation. I decided to stop using it due to my clear complexion and the chemical burns I received. A couple of months after that, I started birth control to control my acne and hopefully keep my skin from breaking out due to having no topical in my regimen. That was a mistake. I broke out so badly while trying different birth controls over 2021. Finally, in July 2021, I had enough and went back on to Epiduo Forte. I went through some purging, but my face was 80-90% clear by October. It is now January 2022, and my face is beginning to break out once again. It could be due to fluctuating hormones, but it is beginning to take a toll on my mental health again. I'm hoping this is just the purge part two, but who knows. Wish me luck."

• Sha...
• January 10, 2021

For Acne "This is the second time I have been using Epiduo gel. The first time I used it, it took me nearly a month to get my skin used to the gel. Later, it worked fine, and I stopped using it. After a few years, it is the second time I am currently using it. It took nearly a month again for my skin to get used to it. My acne was moderate but bad, like tiny lumps all over my cheeks. My skin eventually went through a process of irritation, dryness, and breakouts. But then I took better care by moisturizing my face and keeping my diet healthy and face clean. I must say now it has gotten better. I'm still using it. My face is almost clear. And once it is, I will stop using it. I have handpicked hyperpigmentation because I was very rough with my skin. But hopefully, it goes away this year. I decide to not pick on my face this year."

• Kry...
• March 12, 2018

For Acne "CAUTION: this topical will burn your skin if you have a sensitive skin type (or overuse!) I, unfortunately, have and did both. Please be careful with this. A little goes a long way. If you use it as a spot treatment (you really shouldn’t), it will turn that spot bright red and make it more noticeable. Listen to your derm’s instructions but also feel it out. If it burns and you start seeing MORE acne that has been caused by irritation, then stop immediately!!! Call your doctor!!! This happened to me. However, it did dry up my big cystic acne... just turned my face into the Sahara desert for a couple of weeks. Very hard to conceal that with makeup..."

• aal...
• September 10, 2016

For Acne "I'm having really bad burning & irritation, not sure if that's normal. I've only been using it for 3 days & it's definitely making my acne worse, hopefully the pain & acne will go away soon."