Epiduo and Dryness: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 4, 2021

For Acne "So I have been battling acne for ages. I am currently on lymecycline as well as Epiduo. I'm only about a week into using Epiduo, but I am in so much pain that I'm thinking of using it less. My face is so red, dry, and it burns whenever I put anything on my skin (e.g., face wash and moisturizer), not just the treatment. Is this normal? I have no idea. I have used Duac in the past, which actually has more benzoyl peroxide in it, so I don't know why my skin is reacting so badly to Epiduo. Anyway, I can't say anything about its effectiveness to treat acne because I haven't been using it long enough. So I'll let you know how it goes."

• eve...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 25, 2021

For Acne "This is my second time on Epiduo. The first time, a couple of years ago, I was on it for 3 months before I got fed up with my skin purging and continually getting way, way worse. I thought 3 months was a long time to still be purging, so I just gave up. DO NOT give up! I wish I hadn't, having read many reviews here and elsewhere stating that it may take 4-6 months for purging to end and for skin to clear. I have now decided to give it another go for a FULL 6 MONTHS. I am currently 3 months in and, again, my skin is so much worse than when I started it, constantly dry, red, and full of hyperpigmentation. I am so self-conscious of how bad it's gotten, but I will keep pushing through to mid-April and see whether it delivers. I will update then. Please keep persisting however bad it gets, it has to get bad before it improves!"

• Mum...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 22, 2020

For Acne "A dermatologist prescribed this for my tween son who had blackheads on his nose. I had tried a number of over-the-counter products that, if anything, just made it worse. So I made an appointment with the dermatologist for him, and he prescribed Epiduo. He told us on the first day to put it on for an hour and wash off half an hour later, put on Cetaphil Moisturizer. The 2nd day, two hours, the 3rd day, three hours, etc., and then, after 5 days, leaving it on overnight, still putting the moisturizer on half an hour after. We have had no dryness or irritation. The Epiduo seemed to bring any congestion in the skin up in tiny bumps, and after 3 weeks, his skin is clear from nearly blemishes. Don’t be afraid for it to bring a spot out, this means it’s working. Stick with it and be consistent."

• tad...
• October 9, 2014

For Acne "This stuff is amazing! At first, I had my doubts because in the first week, my face became red, sore, dry, and flaky. However, that is something that you have to put up with for a week or two. My skin is almost completely clear, and I am up to about month 4 of using the gel. My advice is do not give up on the gel, keep using it, and you will see improvements!"

• Bro...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2019

For Acne "First of all, after reading the other reviews, I see that a lot of people stop using this because of the redness, dryness, and burning it causes. If you stick with it for 2 weeks, the burning and redness subsides! You cannot give up on this product (or any other acne product) after only using it for a week. With that being said, I too experienced the irritation and dryness in the few weeks. I honestly love how much it makes your skin peel because it allows your past acne scars to fade! Yes, the dryness is annoying (especially if you are a makeup wearer)... but you have to look at the bright side, it fades your scars! I’ve been using this for 1 month and have seen drastic changes already in my skin's appearance and texture. I alternate between using Epiduo and Tretinoin at night. I had already been on Tretinoin for 3 months before adding Epiduo to my routine, so I did not experience a purge like other people do."

• xze...
• June 20, 2013

For Acne "I'm 18 and have always struggled with hormonal acne. But for some reason, the past few months have been terrible. It was everywhere, and I felt so insecure. I went to the doctor, and she recommended Epiduo. Best decision ever! At first, I hated it because my skin is dry, itchy, flaky, and burns. But I finally found out how to put it on so it doesn't. Try this and see if it works: First, wash your face GENTLY with a NON-MEDICATED cleanser. Now this is the key. You have to wait for your face to completely dry between layers. Wait at least 10 minutes. So once that's dry, apply the Epiduo in a thin layer all over your face. Let dry for 15 min. Then apply a ton of moisturizer. My skin is so clear now!"

• Anonymous
• April 26, 2010

For Acne "Love Epiduo. I have been on every type of medication for acne. These include oral antibiotics, topical creams, and even Accutane. A year after being off Accutane, my acne was starting to get bad again. My dermatologist recommended a second course of the drug. I was very reluctant to do so, so I asked to try one more thing before starting Accutane again. I got prescribed Epiduo, and I love it. I am using it at night before I go to bed, and it is working amazingly. I actually saw results the first week of using it. I did have some dryness, but nothing I couldn't handle. I'll take dry skin over an acne breakout any day. Definitely worth trying."

• Ale...
• December 12, 2014

For Acne "I'm so thankful for Epiduo! It works wonders! Yes, there is the downfall of dry, flaky skin, but that can be cured with Cetaphil oil control moisturizer. Other than that, my face feels and looks amazing!"

• tee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 3, 2014

For Acne "I was getting a lot of pimples due to being sick, so my doctor gave me 2 small samples of Epiduo. I used the product twice a day for less than a week, which led to my skin peeling, being dry, and irritated. I stopped and used moisturizer instead, which helped out a lot. In the end, I continued using that small amount of Epiduo once a day, and daily moisturizing helped my acne go away really fast. I've been using this for less than 2 months now, and overall, the product is great, BUT you have to apply the gel according to instructions. A small amount goes a long way!"

• may...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 21, 2015

For Acne "I love Epiduo. I've been using this acne medication for 3 years now and have flawless skin. It does make your face dry and flaky when you start using it, and it does take about 6 or more months to completely clear your face up, so be patient. Always remember to wear sunscreen when using this product."

• Yoo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 3, 2013

For Acne "Update: My skin initially cleared up for the first week, but then the next 2-3 weeks were horrible, with a lot of breakouts! For the first 3 weeks, my skin was so red, painful, dry, and peeling. Then, all of a sudden, everything went away... My acne is minimal, almost completely gone after a little over a month, and my skin feels so hydrated! Such a great product!"

• Ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 25, 2014

For Acne "Epiduo has been a miracle for me! I have tried everything with little to no success until now. No drying, no tightness, no burning, just results. Everyone's skin is different and reacts to products differently, you won't know if it will work for you unless you try it. Personally, very happy."

• Dan...
• August 1, 2014

For Acne "Epiduo is amazing. I had pretty bad face and back acne for a while, and nothing worked to clear it. My sister had the same problem, so she was prescribed Epiduo, and it helped her a lot, so I decided to give it a try. It cleared my skin really fast. I saw a difference after just using it twice. I read other comments, and they all complained about the dryness and burning, but that only happens because they use it every day from the start. You're supposed to ease into it, like maybe use it once every 3 days, then after a few times of doing that, use it every other day, and then if you really need to, which I find that I don't, you use it every day."

• Joe...
• January 15, 2015

For Acne "I've been applying this every night before bed, and went through the process of having my skin flake off everywhere, and now I don't have dryness from it, but I have to say it's been like 5 months and I still have acne. Looks the same as before."

• Bec...
• September 15, 2015

For Acne "I had mild acne, and I've been on Epiduo for a month and a half so far. The first few weeks were rough, just like I was warned it would be. It brought out all my old acne spots and made my face so dry and sensitive that it would burn when I put it on at night, and some nights kept me up crying. I never understood why something that is helping your skin would cause it so much pain. But I stuck with it and could tell that my pores were getting smaller and smoother. A month later, and my skin was a little better but not amazing. I'm happy to say my skin now is almost acne-free completely! To anyone just starting and having doubts about it, stick with it and don't give up, you will see results soon!"

• Col...
• September 30, 2014

For Acne "I had extreme acne, pimples, dark spots, and a red face, oily as well. I was prescribed Epiduo by my doctor, and I saw results in about 1 week, pretty much almost all of my face clearing up. Then a couple of days ago, when I applied it, my face burned horribly, I thought it was my cleanser, but it wasn't. Epiduo makes your skin dry and burn, but only for a little bit, still a good acne cream!"

• Yun...
• October 26, 2016

For Acne "Started in November 2015 when I was 18, and my skin was clear after 4 to 5 months by March of 2016. The first few weeks weren't easy. Even with pea-sized amounts used every other day, my skin was still itchy and blotchy. But I turned to a Cetaphil moisturizer as an important weapon in the fight. Epiduo is strong and can dry your face out, so use a pea-sized amount. If you're needing a refill every month, then you're using too much. One bottle should last you 3-6 months, not 1 or 2. Also, you'll break out the first month just because dirt and clogged stuff is being drained. Most importantly, don't bash on Epiduo, you might be impatient and want clear skin ASAP, but you'll have to learn to add it to your routine and turn to a moisturizer."

• Lau...
• April 7, 2021

For Acne "I started Epiduo early December 2020 for my moderate/severe acne, so it’s been about 4 months now. I started because I suffered from mostly closed comedones and had super textured skin. Even if there were no red pimples, my skin would look really bumpy in certain lighting, and it made makeup look nasty. I was told to use it every other night for 2 weeks, then use it every night. I think I ignored my doctor (don’t do that) and just started using it every night right off the bat. It did make my skin super red and flaky for a bit, so get a good moisturizer (I use CeraVe moisturizing cream). It made my skin a lot worse in the first month and a half, but at 3 months, my skin was pretty much clear, just a few scars remaining. At this point, my skin is clear (I’ve never had clear skin, so woohoo!). My skin is starting to get really dry again, so I’m gonna start using it every other day again and see how that works. Just stay patient with it."

• TMa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 14, 2013

For Acne "I have been suffering from adult acne for over a year and finally plucked up the courage to see the dermatologist for the first time in my life, and boy, am I glad I did! I have been using Epiduo paired with an oral antibiotic (Solodyn) for about 1 1/2 months, and my skin already looks better. I did have the redness on my first application (like a sunburn), and there was a good amount of dryness around my mouth for the first few weeks, but if you stop applying to those dry areas, it gets better. I also experienced some burning - but only in the dry areas. I didn't really have an initial breakout, just a few little pimples that were NOTHING like the huge cysts that I had been so used to getting. Another pro - my skin is SO SOFT now."

• Sar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 6, 2014

For Acne "I could not even go more than a month using this due to the severe irritation it caused. I have very sensitive skin, and whenever I use this product, my skin immediately starts drying, burning, itching, and swelling a little, much like a sunburn. I read somewhere that this sunburn feeling is sometimes an effect of this medicine, but I just cannot keep using this medicine. No matter how much moisturizer I apply, the horrible feeling does not go away, which led me to have to put a cold and wet washcloth over my face just to soothe the burning feeling."

• Anonymous
• December 19, 2010

For Acne "I love this product. I've tried everything under the sun for my cystic acne. Epiduo is the only one that worked. I'm using it in addition to clindamycin lotion and doxycycline and have been using it all for about 5 days. I noticed a difference in my skin the very first day. I am experiencing some dryness and mild redness upon waking in the morning, but nothing a little Neutrogena lotion with SPF couldn't handle. Also, I would recommend drinking lots of water if you're on the regimen I am. Need to stay hydrated while using these medicines. Believe me, I'm a registered medical assistant. If Epiduo didn't work, I wouldn't be on here saying it does."

• hel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 5, 2019

For Acne "I have been taking Epiduo since last year, but I stopped when my face cleared up 100 percent. Until later this month, a makeup primer broke me out, so I started using Epiduo again. The first 4 weeks will be so bad, your face will be so dry, and it will keep peeling. You won't even be able to apply makeup, but trust me, it gets better. You actually start seeing results after that, and your skin gets used to it so that you don't experience any side effects anymore. Just make sure to stick with it and use an exfoliator and moisturizer at all times, and I promise your face will clear up."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 4, 2015

For Acne "I have only been using Epiduo for a few days, and I have already seen an improvement in my acne. However, my face burns every time I put it on. I've tried to use moisturizer, as my face is now extremely dry, but that hurt so much and made my face swell and go red! My face is so stiff and dry and hurts when I touch it! I have read these symptoms will go away, so hopefully, if I pursue, I will see an improvement."

• Jen...
• February 24, 2016

For Acne "This is the first review I have ever written, but this product definitely deserved a review! I am 27 years old and have struggled with acne since I was 14! I have tried EVERYTHING!! I was dubious about trying another topical cream, especially after reading the reviews on this product and reading all the horror stories of it breaking people out more, etc. But I can honestly say straight from the beginning it worked! It started to clear everything up and clear my skin from the first use! No burning, etc., like everyone had mentioned. I would suggest applying a moisturizer on top of the cream to prevent dryness and flaking. But please do not be put off by the reviews as I almost was!"

• Lex...
• December 7, 2013

For Acne "This medication was amazing. It cleared, if not all, then most of my acne. It worked faster and better than anything I've ever tried. My skin did get dry and itchy at times, but the cheap moisturizer I use fixed that quickly. Overall, the product is genius and effective."