Differin for Acne User Reviews (Page 4)

• kan...
• March 5, 2016

"Acne has been a problem for me since 8th grade, and I started using Differin my first day of senior year (major mistake due to it making your skin 'purge' the first couple of days/weeks). By the end of October, my skin was mostly clear, and by the beginning of December, my face was completely clear except for the occasional pimple every once in a blue moon. At the beginning, it would make my skin burn, especially during sports. It's sensitive to sun, so definitely use sunscreen when you're out. All around, miracle medicine."

• Cas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 4, 2016

"I've struggled with acne for years, and my doctor prescribed Differin to help with my face. I've been using it for maybe two and a half weeks at this point, so I know it's really early to post a review. Everything I've read about the product has been that it changes nothing for the first couple of months, but I've been using a tea tree facial cleanser before the Differin cream, and it has made a world of difference! So if you don't see much of a change, try a tea tree product. I got mine from The Body Shop."

• Sej...
• February 21, 2016

"I've been using Differin 0.1 for years now (over 10 years) and swear by it. It keeps big cystic acne from breaking out too badly, clears up blemishes and marks fast, and most importantly prevents them from occurring in the first place. I have also read it's anti-aging... I'm 33 now, and people think I'm 26."

• Anonymous
• January 14, 2016

"Absolutely amazing! Since I have used this medicine, my face has cleared up in less than a month! I had a lot of bumps on my forehead and pimples on my face, including cheeks. I also feel that it is helping with my acne scars. I really hope this helps and that more people can live with clear skin :)"

• Ver...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 3, 2016

"I have PCOS, and for the last two years, have struggled with hormonal acne. I went from rarely wearing makeup to feeling embarrassed without it. I noticed changes when I stressed less, but over-the-counter products were not working. My skin was very dry and had even started peeling. Also, I had huge cystic acne clustered on my cheeks, and after a few days of using Differin, they were gone. I didn't have the initial stage of my acne getting worse. My face is pimple-free after a week and a half. It actually has started clearing up my dark spots. (Note: I also take spironolactone daily for acne, as well as medroxyprogesterone for 10 days a month for PCOS.)"

• Anonymous
• October 17, 2015

"I've used this product for 12 weeks now. My comedone acne completely cleared after 8 weeks of use. Broke out a lot in the first 8 weeks, but once I reached 8 weeks and onward, my skin has drastically changed. Would definitely recommend this for comedone acne, and do try and persevere as it takes at least 8 weeks to work."

• C__...
• October 6, 2015

"Differin XP has been a miracle product for me. As a girl who's had moderate breakouts since the age of 13 (am now 23!), I have to say sticking to this product has been very well worth it! For the first 2 months, yes, my skin was very dry and even flaky, and yes, it did turn me off a bit - but I was warned of this side effect and decided to just keep going with it. I was able to battle the flakiness with the use of exfoliants, and even in the first few months, I felt my breakouts were happening less often and were less severe. Now, 8 months later, the flakiness is no longer an issue and I find using this product has boosted my quality of life, although I still do get the occasional few tiny pimples - it does its job."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 17, 2015

"I've had bad skin since 4th grade. I never did anything about it, I would just wear makeup and cover-up. Last year, in grade 9, I went on the pill for my skin. It completely cleared the acne on my back and chest, but my face was still bad. I eventually got put on Differin gel, and within the first week, my skin was clear for the first time! But I began getting a red rash on my face, and my skin was peeling and very sensitive to anything else I put on there, even my makeup. I've now been using it for about 4 months. To anyone who is looking to go on Differin gel, I highly recommend it, but do not judge your skin within the first few weeks because your skin will be getting used to it. I now have completely clear skin and am very happy."

• Tan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 9, 2015

"I'm 16, and I had really bad acne on my cheeks especially. The first couple of nights of using the cream made my skin pretty dry and flaky. The first thing I noticed with the cream is it got rid of all my pus-filled pimples straight away. It took a while, maybe 2 months, but by then my acne had cleared up so much! There were a lot of red marks left behind, but that's alright because they're not overly noticeable and they will fade away with time. For anyone that is suffering with acne, just go see a GP or a dermatologist, overcome the fear and the embarrassment of acne because the results are so satisfying."

• Jes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2015

"I had suffered with acne for about 4 years. I was 29 when I first started using Differin gel. After 2 months, my skin was completely clear, and I am so happy. I would recommend Differin to anyone. I didn't need to waste money on other products that don't work. Differin has changed my life. Flawless skin, finally. I'm 30 now, and I've been using Differin for 6 months. Best acne treatment on the market."

• Bre...
• January 14, 2015

"I started having acne problems after a series of surgeries. I tried many different things to get rid of my acne, but nothing worked until I tried Differin. I've been using it for 2 years already, and since then, I've been acne-free. I still use it at night on occasional acne breakouts, and all disappear the next morning. Awesome acne medication!"

• jes...
• June 26, 2014

"I have mild acne and I was starting to get really frustrated with it, so I saw my doctor. He put me on Differin and told me to use it on only the spots themselves and not on my whole face. I did this before bed. When I woke up the next day I was amazed to see that all my spots were flat and much less red than they had been the previous night. I would definitely recommend Differin for people who have mild acne as well."

• zap...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 9, 2014

"I have had acne right after I got out of high school (which is weird, right?), and I have tried all kinds of stuff (proactive, Paula's Choice, and a long laundry list of other stuff) and none of it has really helped. I tried Differin, and I must say my skin is really smooth and has way less acne. I must admit when I first tried it, my skin didn't fare well with it and began to peel horribly. After reading a few posts from other people, I used a moisturizer first and then used Differin, and no longer did I have dry, peely skin. I used CeraVe cleanser and their AM and PM moisturizer, and now I can say my skin looks fantastic with Differin and CeraVe. Acne takes time to heal, and Differin will make a difference for you!"

• mel...
• April 23, 2014

"I love Differin. I seriously cannot live without it! My face is acne-free for the first time ever! In the beginning, yes, you might not notice any changes but just keep using it day after day and after a few months, you'll see the progress."

• Cat...
• March 16, 2014

"Sophomore year of college, literally over a couple of weeks, I developed severe acne all over my cheeks. I went to the dermatologist, and they gave me Differin. I definitely would wake up and need to put lotion on my face because my face was visibly dry and had dead skin coming off. After about a month, I started seeing results and had fewer pimples on my face. After about 6 months, my face was clear, but I still had acne scars. I had treatments done at the dermatologist to help those. It's been 5 years, and now I get complimented for my skin all the time. It's great! Still using Differin every other week and Cetaphil face lotion every day."

• Lif...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 9, 2013

"I am a 29-year-old female who has suffered from severe acne vulgaris all my life and was recently diagnosed. I used everything known to man, and when I finally saw a dermatologist, he prescribed me this as well as a face wash. The first two weeks, I had experienced redness, peeling, pain, hot to touch skin (I used cocoa butter to soothe it) just as the doctor said I would, but later into the 3rd and 4th week and even now, my skin is extremely clear and almost flawless. The difference expedited the shedding of my skin and caused the old dead scarred skin to peel off, revealing new soft, youthful, and unscarred skin. My skin is very beautiful now, and I will continue to use this medicine until my acne subsides. Great product."

• tif...
• September 27, 2011

"The first topical treatment I used was Duac, and I didn't see a change in my skin. I switched to Retin-A, and I peeled so badly I couldn't use it at all. My doctor switched me to the generic adapalene gel 0.1%, and I've been using it for a few months now. It works amazingly. I can use it every night, and I've never peeled, and I was even able to stop my antibiotic. I LOVE it!"

• Ken...
• December 29, 2009

"I started using Differin when I was 12. I was going through puberty and getting the worst acne anyone has ever seen. I saw significant improvements in my skin immediately. On the downside, it dries some parts of my face and has increased oiliness in other parts, so now every morning I wash my face and apply moderate-strength moisturizer. It doesn't prevent blackheads, and I still get some pimples and boils here or there. Now I am 20 and still apply it to my whole face every night."

• Anonymous
• December 30, 2008

"I don't have that severe of acne, but I do have regular pimples, including the cyst-like kind that hurt. I get them on my face, back, and chest. Differin worked wonders on my skin with very little irritation. I recommend it for sure!"

• Mol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 10, 2025

"Exactly on the 12-week mark, my skin changed dramatically and has been clear for about 2 months now. The purging phase is real though! My acne got way worse-I almost gave up on it so many times. If you have the patience and don't want to use something stronger like Epiduo, I recommend it. Just give yourself at least 12 weeks before you expect clear skin. I'm glad I persisted though-touch wood-but this is the clearest/softest my skin has been in a year!! I would give it 10/10 but giving it 9/10 because the purging phase was tough-but hey, it worked in the end."

• Sha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 16, 2023

"Differin, wow, what a journey. I am just into my 4th month of this treatment. My skin still isn’t how I wish it to be, but it’s improved unbelievably. The first two months were hard. The acne does decline, and it’s really hard to persevere, however, if you do, your skin will benefit. I have minimal spots, and I still have scarring, but the texture of my skin is smooth and not bumpy. Please keep going. I will update in 2 months to let you know any more of my progress… keep going, guys."

• dap...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 16, 2023

"I've been on 0.1% Differin for a few years now, can't remember exactly. I read a lot of reviews before I started - I was so nervous about the 'purge' everyone talked about, but my skin never got worse before it got better. I didn't experience any change at first, but over the course of a few weeks (changes within a month, HUGE improvement within 10 weeks, but kept improving for around a year before reaching a new normal), my skin gradually cleared up. My life stopped revolving around my face. I rarely ever think about my skin anymore, which has been such a blessing. Sometimes if I'm very ill-rested, sick, or experiencing hormonal changes, I'll notice acne appear. But the way Differin helps me is I'll go to sleep with acne and wake up without. When a blemish appears, it's almost fully gone the next day. My skin has a much faster 'renewal' rate. It's also helped with cystic things, though those do last longer and hurt more than normal pimples still due to the nature of them. TL,DR: Recommend"

• 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."

• Wil...
• September 3, 2020

"I started Differin 3 months ago. I began with inflamed hormonal acne on my cheeks and chin. My dermatologist prescribed me clindamycin topical, and recommended I also use Differin. The first month I did not notice a difference in my acne, but I did notice my overall complexion was looking more even. The second month the purging started, and it was bad. Then it would seem okay, and then get bad again. Push through this, I know it's hard, but purging is essential for clearing your skin with this medication. I started to get breakouts in new places which was rough. I'm now on month 3 of Differin and I have no active breakouts! I do have some red marks on my cheeks from hyperpigmentation, and I'm now using some serums to help with that, although the marks will fade naturally with time. Be consistent and persevere because this medication does truly work, I promise! It will be a rocky road but there is a light at the end of the tunnel :)"

• Sen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 19, 2020

"I am 42 years old, and I have fair skin. Recently, I have had the worst acne rosacea outbreak I have ever had in my life. After a few months of antibiotics and Soolantra cream, the inflammation and new pimples were getting better. But, I still had rough, bumpy skin with lots of red hyperpigmentation where the acne has been. My dermatologist ordered azelaic acid, and I waited for over a month for it to come in at the pharmacy. It didn’t come, they claimed, because of Covid-19. I was furious and canceled my order. I decided to buy Differin to help skin turnover and prevent new pimples. My skin is so smooth! I have used it every night except 1 night for a month. The redness has improved, and if I get new pimples, they go away quickly. I never got the purge. I am wondering if antibiotics helped with that. Also, my skin seemed dry for a minute, but it was my skin getting ready to slough off. Overall, I believe the product is doing a fine job. I also use CeraVe day and night moisturizer recommended by my doctor."