Epiduo and Dryness: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Jes...
• August 27, 2013

For Acne "I have had acne since I was 12, and I have tried anything and everything you can think of as far as prescription oral antibiotics, topical medications, and have spent thousands of dollars on products that swore they would clear your skin in 30 days. Yeah, right! Epiduo has been the only thing that has cleared my skin. I started it 6 weeks before my wedding, and my skin was perfect! I get so many compliments on my skin now, and I thought that would never happen! Epiduo worked 90 times better than Accutane did for me, and without all of the horrible side effects! I recommend trying it for at least 60 days! The only reason I gave it a 9 is because my skin did get very dry and irritated the first month, other than that, I love it!"

• Jad...
• August 4, 2015

For Acne "If you're a person who normally has sensitive or dry skin, then I highly recommend NOT using this. I was recommended Epiduo Gel by my GP to treat acne. Three days after using it, my face became very dry, and it got worse even after I stopped using it. It started to sting and burn a lot, and when I'd apply my normal moisturizer, the stinging I experienced was so severe, especially around my eyes, and my skin became very red. Any product that really dries out the skin is very bad because it makes skin age quickly and causes wrinkles. My experience with Epiduo was bad, but reading other people's reviews, most say it worked for them aside from the dryness and redness of their skin."

• san...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 31, 2014

For Acne "I've suffered from acne for 8 years now and went through all sorts of phases. Now I'm 20 years old and it's all down on the chin area with deep, painful cysts everywhere. Unfortunately, Epiduo (or any topical cream, actually) is not good for that kind of stuff. If you're a teenager, this may yield more likely results. I had an extremely oily face as a teen, so I didn't even experience the red, dry, flaky skin that most do. Sadly, it stopped being effective about 6 months in, so eventually, I quit. Recently, I've tried it again, but now it gives me persistent, painful red, dry, flaky skin and not much positive results. It may be better for other people."

• ALo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 5, 2018

For Acne "Background: I never had acne as a teen, a few pimples but not acne. I have endometriosis, and in the last 2 1/2 years, my skin has suffered badly. I now have cystic and hormonal acne, and it hurts as well as being ugly as heck. I get it on my cheeks mostly. I have used Acnicide (benzoyl peroxide) and Duac (clindamycin + BP) when Acnicide stopped working for me, which did nothing but peel my skin, so I went back to the GP and was given Epiduo. I was told it could take up to 3 months to see a difference, which I was prepared for. I have now been using it for 3 days, and I’ve already seen a difference. My skin feels prickly and is stingy when I use my cleansers, understandably as it’s a harsh gel, but my acne has reduced by 40%, I would say, pretty much overnight! I am hoping not to have to use this for long and then top up every now and then as it’s so harsh on the skin, I don’t want to be left with horrid dry and flaky patches from prolonged use if I don’t have to."

• Par...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 18, 2022

For Acne "My son suddenly started getting cyst-type acne at age 14 - it caused huge cysts that, when naturally burst, they had pus and blood in them. He was in a lot of pain from then. Went to the doctor, and he was prescribed Epiduo and an oral antibiotic. Took 2 months for a noticeable difference, but 6 months in, the acne has cleared, and we continue to hold it back. He needs moisture in the mornings as he's a little dry, but the only concern now is the scarring from huge cysts: please persevere with the treatment - it takes time but does work!!"

• Dar...
• April 6, 2015

For Acne "My dermatologist prescribed me Epiduo, and it's been OK. My face has cleared up 40% of the way, but it BURNS! I will stop using the product for a little while until the dryness and rawness clears, and then continue about every other day."

• Abi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 22, 2017

For Acne "I had fairly mild acne, but when I went to the doctor, it had been flaring up and looked quite bacterial. When I first started using it, I was happy, as it appeared to clear up my spots in less than a week, but after maybe the third use (I was using it once per night), I noticed my skin was very dry, but was not too worried, as this is a known side effect. Unfortunately, the dryness only got worse, even when I used it after moisturizer, and even stopped using it. It got to the point where my skin was so dry and irritated that it was bright red, and I could barely splash water on my face without it stinging. If I used cleanser, my face would sting so badly I cried. It took 3 weeks to clear up, and I was left with chemically burnt skin."

• ele...
• September 10, 2017

For Acne "It burned, and my skin got really dry in the beginning, but after the first 2-3 weeks, my skin got used to it, and it's awesome! I've seen a huge difference in the 5 months I've been using it. I don't have as many breakouts as before, and right when a pimple shows up, I put on Epiduo, and it's practically gone the next morning. If it stings a lot or your skin peels, skip it for a day or two and then continue using it."

• Meo...
• September 26, 2013

For Acne "I am 24, and have suffered from mild acne pretty much forever. I have very oily skin but was reluctant to go on Accutane. This is my second time using Epiduo. The first time I noticed it 'stopped working' and I was breaking out again, and that was only after a month or so. Going to try it long term this time! So far, my skin is dry and peeling, but the results are amazing, not one spot at the moment."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 21, 2019

For Acne "Epiduo (paired with clindamycin in the A.M.) caused my skin to be very dry, irritated, and red the first month I used it. Then, it nearly perfected my skin. I had fairly clear skin after having acne in all areas of my face throughout my teenage years. It was an excellent 8 months that this lasted, with a few pimples coming and going, but my skin never returned to how it was. However, now at over a year I've been using it, my skin is starting to worsen, and I am likely going to switch back to another topical acne medication."

• Mea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 10, 2019

For Acne "I had mild acne when I was prescribed Epiduo. Things got much worse in the first 4 months. My acne turned into moderate ones. I started developing big pustules that I had never had before. My face was very dry and it burned. Several acne spots developed every day and I felt like crying. Honestly, things changed on the fifth month. Firstly, my dermatologist asked me to use it as a spot treatment, I changed into applying it all over my face instead. Secondly, I changed my moisturizer. Thirdly, I started limiting my dairy consumption. Lastly, I stopped stressing too much about my acne. Not sure which one works, but the breakout is now on and off. I got several small whiteheads during my cycle or some super stress day. My face condition is not super clean now, but I am grateful that it has stopped purging. Although the post-breakout hyperpigmentations seem to be fading, it is not completely gone. However, I started to develop milia on my inner cheeks and T-zone."

• Fro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 29, 2021

For Acne "I got prescribed Epiduo one week ago, and I've been putting it on two times since then. And oh my god, it's so painful. My skin is red, and it is so dry I can barely open my mouth. I'm having to constantly wash my face with water because the moisturizer I'm using is barely working for more than ten minutes. I'm thinking of quitting the medication every second, but reading all of your comments really inspires and motivates me to keep fighting."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 1, 2014

For Acne "I've only been using this cream for about 2 weeks now, but since I started, my skin has been red, flaky, and inflamed. Feels a lot like a sunburn. Hurts to even rinse it with water. Exfoliation, moisturizer, nothing helps. It did help a little with acne on my forehead, but the dryness and the flaking are definitely making me want to stop using this."

• Rob...
• January 6, 2015

For Acne "My son has used this for about a month. It's possible he was using too much of it, but his face is extremely dry and scaly feeling and also burns. He used it on his chest as well, and you can actually see that the skin is burned and raw. We will discontinue use until these symptoms clear and then may go back to just a few days a week."

• Lib...
• November 30, 2015

For Acne "I just finished my first week using Epiduo. I have mild acne and oily skin. Details day-by-day: -1st and 2nd days: I felt no difference at all. My skin was just the same before starting the treatment. Not much to say. -3rd and 4th days: I was surprised because new grains were appearing. I didn't know what was happening until I researched about it. The issue is that Epiduo pulls out your grains and then kills the grain spot so it does not respawn again. So it's normal if new grains appear meanwhile you are using it. -5th, 6th, and 7th days: I started to feel a bit of stinging sensation in the areas where I was applying the cream. Be really careful to not apply in the eyelids. Also, my skin started to peel off and it's very dry."

• Des...
• December 28, 2015

For Acne "I started about a month ago, it seems to be taking a long while to start showing any difference. If anything, my acne is getting worse, but in new spots. Also, I can't use it every night as directed because the dryness and burning are too much to handle. Literally tearing up from pain. I'll update again if it starts doing its job :("

• Cal...
• July 9, 2021

For Acne "So I was prescribed this and lymecycline from my doctor, and at first, I would put a little bit on my spots. It itches so bad for 2 hours after I’ve put it on. It was so bad, stung loads. Never wanted to use it again. I would wake up in the morning and my skin would be so red, puffy, and my eyelids were swollen as well. Skin went so dry and started peeling. Was not great. Skin got worse and everything. I’m coming up to nearly 2 months, and now it doesn’t sting at all when I have it on. I clean my face and moisturize. I also put Vaseline on my eyelids and around the eyes because they were the worst affected with swelling and drying out because of it. Then I wait 30+ mins, then apply Epiduo as per usual, then go to sleep. I wake up with no sore eyes, no stinging. I guess you have to stick it out with it and just try. I was so close to stopping after like 2 weeks because it was so painful and terrible, but it soon stopped."

• Din...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 23, 2016

For Acne "I have had acne all my life, and I'm now 24, so getting pretty fed up with it. So I got this gel prescribed by a Superdrug doctor. Honestly, the best thing I've ever done. The first few days I used it, my spots went down dramatically, and then after the 3rd day, the redness started, although it wasn't as awful as I was expecting. My skin was very, very sensitive and did look like sunburn, but I decided to put some bronzer on my nose, and it looked like I had just caught the sun! Win-win. My skin was very flaky, every time I ate or spoke, it would crack, but I just applied Simple Spot Free moisturizer with cotton wool, and it kept it under control. Now, on my 3rd week, the redness has gone, my skin is expectedly dry, but I'm totally spot-free."

• nei...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 18, 2020

For Acne "I have been using Epiduo for exactly a year for acne and have now discontinued its use. At first, I had the common side effects, such as burning and dryness, but even months later after that subsided, my skin just always looked red. Even the morning after I applied the Epiduo, it was still red and was noticeable. Looking back over the past year, I don't think it has made much of a difference to the acne, as I still broke out frequently over six months into using the medication."

• Eli...
• February 10, 2015

For Acne "I recommend Epiduo for people with oily skin. For the most part, Epiduo is a very harsh treatment that dries out and irritates the skin. It didn't really help my acne, but it might've if I had oily skin."

• Did...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 15, 2015

For Acne "I was given Epiduo from my doctor to help with my acne. Now, for the acne side of things, the product really does work, and I could see a difference within a few days of using the product. However, after 2-3 days, I have nothing but persistent dryness, swelling of the eyes, and a stinging sensation. I could cry with the stinging, as it is so uncomfortable that I have to bathe my eyes with cold water just to try and take the pain away. I have gone for weeks without using it to go back, as it may have been something else that had been causing it. I couldn't have been more wrong. I would rather suffer with acne than use this product or recommend it to anyone."

• Pri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 27, 2016

For Acne "I have been using Epiduo for almost a week now, and it has been burning a little bit, so I cut back on how much I put on my face, and it feels much better. I did not have a lot of acne at all before using it, but only a few on my cheeks, and those are all gone now after a few days of use. The few bumps on my forehead are still there, but I'm positive the Epiduo is fighting to get rid of it. I will give it a couple of weeks :). (Avoid using in the eye area and the area right around the nose... those are sensitive areas that can easily turn dry.)"

• fin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 27, 2019

For Acne "I have been using Epiduo for 3 months, and it is the best my skin has looked in years. I have had mild to moderate acne (all the kinds: cystic, blackheads, whiteheads, comedones) for 10 years. I tried everything (antibiotics, tretinoin, Differin, other prescription benzoyl washes and creams over the years), pretty much everything except Accutane. Before this, I was using tretinoin, but it was always very irritating and drying to my skin, so I had trouble staying consistent. Epiduo is a godsend; it isn't irritating at all, and I use it daily in conjunction with prescription benzoyl peroxide wipes twice per day (I have been able to decrease to once daily now that my skin is clear). Hopefully, these effects will last, but so far I am delighted. I finally look like an adult."

• J45...
• August 28, 2017

For Acne "I bought this gel a few years ago and stopped using it, as it wasn't that effective on my skin. However, recently I started applying this along with a few other products, and it was great. For me, I find it most effective when I apply it twice a day on the painful cystic pimple (normally on my nose). I wash the acne-prone areas on my face with a wash that has salicylic acid 2%, then use a toner with witch hazel or a cotton pad soaked with pure green tea. I apply retinoid, let it sink in, and then I apply Epiduo on those areas. I think it's important to use it as a spot treatment if you're overly sensitive like me. If you're feeling dry, I apply a cream with hydrocortisone over it at the end. My pimple bump disappeared in two days."

• Don...
• January 6, 2018

For Acne "A dermatologist prescribed Epiduo, then Epiduo Forte for my acne. I used it for over a year. It only helped a little with the breakouts, and it made my skin super dry, super sensitive, and red. I think it's a big waste of money."