Adapalene topical and Acne: What Users Say (Page 3)

• WTF...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 6, 2018

Adapalene topical for Acne "I'm reporting back after not knowing whether to keep using this product or not... For 2.5 months, I had acne for the first time in my life because of Differin! The skin 'purging' never got better. The bleeding from just washing my face left spots that took forever to heal. My face hurt for weeks. Red, flaky areas around my mouth, I'd itch and get tingles. I had a million bumps under my skin, uneven, leathery, burnt skin. I stopped using Differin, and now it's been 2 weeks of washing with antibacterial soap/charcoal bar, applying hydrogen peroxide as a toner, and then 2 drops of tea tree oil mixed with salicylic acid clarifying moisturizer, and my face is super soft. All my dry skin patches are gone, I have no pimples, no blackheads. Very upset I wasted my time thinking this product would work. ***THE ONLY THING I would recommend it for is fine lines and wrinkles (I'm 32), and it does wonders to apply to forehead and laugh lines with no irritation. Hope others find this useful."

• Bel...
• March 29, 2017

Adapalene topical for Acne "I've been using this product for 5 weeks now. Before this, I have mild acne on the forehead and cheeks. I went to the dermatologist, and the specialist prescribed me this product to apply on my entire face every night for 2 months. And after 1 week of using this adapalene cream, my acne gets worse and worse. Pimples keep popping out everywhere on my face, even on areas that have never had pimples before. I am still using it because it does say on the brochure that the product's effect may be seen after 8 weeks. I'm using Aiken Tea Tree Oil for my pimples so that they will 'shrink' and heal quickly. So for the time being, I'm just gonna bear with all the acne on my face and wait for the miracles of Differin Adapalene cream to work."

• Bel...
• March 29, 2017

Adapalene topical for Acne "I've been using this product for 5 weeks now. Before this, I have mild acne on the forehead and cheeks. I went to the dermatologist, and the specialist prescribed me this product to apply on my entire face every night for 2 months. And after 1 week of using this adapalene cream, my acne gets worse and worse. Pimples keep popping out everywhere on my face, even on areas that have never had pimples before. I am still using it because it does say on the brochure that the product's effect may be seen after 8 weeks. I'm using Aiken Tea Tree Oil for my pimples so that they will 'shrink' and heal quickly. So for the time being, I'm just gonna bear with all the acne on my face and wait for the miracles of Differin Adapalene cream to work."

• Pla...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 18, 2016

For Acne "I have been taking adapalene for just over 3 months now. I was very wary about starting, having read a lot of negative reviews of it online, which focus a lot on the breakthrough stage of the medicine. This is something that I definitely experienced myself, with my acne worsening at first (for me this lasted 3-4 weeks, though for some it seems a lot shorter - more like 1-2 weeks). This was a really uncomfortable period of time, in which I felt very self-conscious (even more so than before). However, it was definitely worth it. 3 months in, and my skin is acne FREE. There is scarring still, but I was getting painful cysts, and now it's just the occasional normal spot. This has made such a difference to my life. 100% glad I persevered."

• Rac...
• November 2, 2016

For Acne "Adapalene gel completely changed my life! I was prescribed adapalene gel 0.1% for the nighttime and clindamycin lotion 1% every morning. At the beginning, I would also use 10% benzoyl peroxide as well. I had many clogged pores on my forehead and chin. I would often get cystic acne on my chin (sometimes forehead and cheeks). My acne did flare up slightly in the beginning, but it wasn't that bad. I was told it would get worse before it gets better, and they were right! Exactly around 8 weeks, my acne was basically gone! Now it is November, and I started this treatment at the beginning of August, and my skin has never looked better! Definitely give this product a try."

• rut...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2019

For Acne "Skin broke out so bad the first 8 weeks. My face burned, was red, and had cystic acne all over my chin. I was going to give up. But I read all the reviews, covered it up with makeup, and pushed through. So glad I did, still getting some acne on the chin but it is 13 weeks later and skin is looking so much better. So glad I pushed through!"

• Kel...
• August 23, 2018

For Acne "My 14-year-old daughter started breaking out in the spring, mostly whiteheads on her forehead and cheeks. The acne was mild but increasing, so we visited a derm who prescribed adapalene. She started slow to avoid irritation - once every three nights, to once every other night after three weeks, and nightly by the fifth week. She had a breakout on her forehead after two weeks. The bumps, while not horrible, were definitely bigger and more noticeable. By the fifth week, her forehead was almost completely clear and remains so now. About a week after upping the dose to nightly, the bumps on her cheeks increased in size, just like her previous forehead flare. By the eighth week, her entire face is much improved. She has a few tiny bumps in her problem areas, but not very noticeable. The medicine worked pretty much exactly as I had read it would. The acne looked a little worse for a while while the gunk and cells were being pulled from the pores. Her skin looks so healthy now!"

• Fro...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 30, 2020

Adapalene topical for Acne "Alright, so I just finished my 6th week of using Differin, and I decided to switch it up. Also, if you're new to reading this, maybe read my other posts. Anyway, I decided to start putting this on every night after moisturizing, and let me tell you, my skin is flaky. It's weird because my skin isn't really dry, the top layer is. Later, I woke up and looked in the mirror the other day, and I could rub off the dead skin, kinda satisfying tbh. Anyway, since I increased my dosage, I started breaking out, but it'll hopefully go away soon."

• Lan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 29, 2021

Adapalene topical for Acne "I’ve struggled with acne for the better part of my teen/adult life (I’m 25) and had tried every product under the sun. My acne is mostly hormonal. Before I started, I had about 2/3 pimples a week around my chin and jaw area. I started applying Differin every other night, to ease my skin into it. After a month, I applied it every day. The purge was real and long. A month in, I already had so many pimples, despite easing my skin into it. Another month later and it hadn’t gotten better. When the 12-week mark hit, I expected to see at least a small difference, but there was none. I wanted to keep going until 5/6 months because some people seem to need that long, but by the 4th month my acne was so cystic and painful, it hurt to sleep on my face. So I stopped. My skin is very sensitive. I am now using only a gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen in hopes to heal my skin. Maybe I should’ve persisted, I’ll never know since I won’t be trying this again."

• Sam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 22, 2016

For Acne "HORRIBLE!! This should be taken off the market!! I've had a rash, red peeling all over, even where I don't put it. Whiteheads worse than ever... No, just no. My skin burns all the time. IT DOES NOT WORK. I have noticed girls with darker skin or tan skin seem to like this. Those like me with whiter-than-white skin, it's wretched on. This is not for all skin types, that is for sure. If you want clear skin and have white skin that burns, stay away from this waste of money."

• nsf...
• April 27, 2018

For Acne "Seriously, stick with it. I hated this product at first. I would cry every day for the first month because it made my acne so much worse and made my skin so red. I wanted to stop using it so bad, but all the reviews said to stick with it, and I'm glad I did. My skin is so much better. I still have some pimples on the side of my chin (hormonal acne), but it's not nearly as bad as what I had before."

• non...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 14, 2019

Adapalene topical for Acne "Never again. After a week of use, one morning I woke up and my skin was burning. I couldn't even wash it with water, it hurt me so bad. I got a burn, dryness, and WAY MORE acne than I have ever had. My pores were all clogged, and my skin hated me. I followed all of the instructions: used a very mild soothing cleanser and moisturizer, didn't use salicylic acid or anything like that, used sunscreen, only applied once a day, etc. It's awful. I thought it would improve my skin condition and acne scars, but it made me look even worse. What a waste of money."

• Jam...
• April 29, 2015

Adapalene topical for Acne "I have had acne on and off for around 5 years now. I am a 22-year-old male. I moved to Dubai, and it got gradually worse over time. I started taking Epiduo for around 8 weeks, and it helped a little. I then came off it due to my skin being pretty sensitive. My dermo prescribed me Tetralysal and Differin. Now the Differin is very delicate on the skin, in my opinion. I have taken it for around 2 and a half weeks. I am currently going through the initial breakout, and it's bad. My general skin tone is tons better, but we will have to see!"

• LLc...
• May 23, 2017

Adapalene topical for Acne "I have been using the OTC Differin since maybe February. It's been so long. Maybe about 3-4 months. Some spots, like around my nose and forehead, would get clear for like a day, but then I keep having these massive breakouts. Really huge cystic acne on my forehead and the worst around my chin and jawline. It is much worse than when I started using this medication. I have always had hormonal acne. I'm 34 now. In my teen/college years, you name it, I used it, except Accutane. I had clear skin for about 8 months of my life. I was seeing a dermatologist and was on Spiro and a retinoid. I moved states and tried to avoid the costly doctor visits, but I give up, nothing OTC seems to help. After 3-4 months and now tons of scarring from it, this is back like college."

• Anonymous
• January 22, 2019

Adapalene topical for Acne "Before Differin, I had good skin but hormonal and cystic flare-ups. First 2-3 months, my skin was awful. More breakouts than I had in my entire life and even in areas I never had acne before. My skin was angry. I had several cysts and bumps all over. I kept reading to hang in there, so I did. After 3 full months, my skin finally started to calm down a bit. I still was getting a few pimples per week but noticed they were more surface level and healed much faster than before. I became pregnant and had to stop using it. My skin began breaking out a lot. I felt like I didn't know my skin anymore. I had bumps and cysts and my skin texture was also terrible. After 2 months, I noticed my skin getting back to normal. Not as many breakouts, texture and pigment returning to normal. I personally would never use Differin again. It was overall traumatic for me. It's taken a lot of patience to heal my skin. I'm glad to be done with Differin. I would never put myself through that again."

• Anonymous
• August 8, 2018

Adapalene topical for Acne "I’ve only been on this for about a week and a half, and it started working immediately for me. It made me purge within the first few days, but I can definitely tell that it’s working. My skin now looks clearer and less congested. I am still getting spots (I get moderate whiteheads on my forehead and around my nose, and I get nodules on my chin. I am a teenager, btw), but I'm hoping that this will continue to make my skin improve. I am squeezing my spots, which I know I shouldn't do, but I'm pretty sure this gel makes it heal super quick, and it makes marks fade quite quickly. Apart from the marks and few spots I am still getting, my face looks a lot clearer already. I would say that my acne was moderate before I started the treatment, and it got a lot worse within the first few days, but things are now looking up."

• kri...
• September 12, 2016

For Acne "At first, I hated adapalene. It made me break out WAY WORSE than I ever have before. I usually just had a few whiteheads here and there (especially around that time of the month), but when I first got on adapalene, I got cystic acne on my cheeks and chin. It was very, very painful, and I was very mad I even started it in the first place. After about six weeks, it started to slowly get better, but I still had worse acne than before I started. My dermo put me on Acticlate (pill) along with the adapalene gel to have a quick fix. It took a few weeks, but now (11th week on adapalene) my face is starting to be very clear!!!! I am very happy with how my face looks now, but I did have to go through a long period of awful, painful purging first."

• 10y...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 6, 2017

For Acne "In August 2016, my face broke out really badly, and I had a ton of little dots all over my face. I was prescribed adapalene 3%. When I first started using it, it made my face peel, it was so dry. I started using it with the ELF face moisturizer, and it got a little better. My face was extremely red, acne-filled, and painful for a couple of months. BUT in December of 2016, my face was completely acne-free. This stuff makes your skin worse before it gets better, but if you're patient with it, it is so worth it! My nightly routine is to wash my face, apply the adapalene, and then apply Persa Gel 10% on top. Then in the morning, I use a gentle, oil-free face wash and the ELF moisturizer. Now (June 2017), I only get a pimple or two when I'm PMSing."

• Mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 5, 2019

Adapalene topical for Acne "My 15-year-old tried this after antibiotics, all-natural products, diet changes, increased water intake, etc. It has only made her skin worse and looks like it is leaving scars. The first two weeks, there was some improvement, and then at least 10 weeks in, the acne became angrier and more frequent breakouts. Would not recommend use for hormonal cystic acne."

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

Adapalene topical for Acne "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."

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

Adapalene topical for Acne "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."

• she...
• July 27, 2021

For Acne "I understand there is a purging phase, but when will this horror ever end? This is the worst product I have ever used. I used it for 3 days, and my skin started burning, peeling, and then... breaking out like never before. I discontinued after the 3 days, but 3 months later, I still have the worst acne of my life. New breakouts every day in different places, splotchiness, disfiguration of my face. I'm wondering if this stuff has permanently ruined my skin. It royally messed it up. I cry myself to sleep, and all of my mental health conditions have taken a nosedive. I feel suicidal because of this horrendous product. Every day it's like waking up to a worse nightmare. I look in the mirror and vomit and scream and start hysterically crying. My skin used to be nearly flawless, and I thought this product would give my skin an extra boost. It did the opposite. I am beyond livid. This product should be illegal. It makes my stomach turn. DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT!"

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

Adapalene topical for Acne "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."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 17, 2015

For Acne "I used adapalene and clindamycin last April, but I gave up after a few weeks (which is a HUGE mistake) because it made my acne worse, and I just couldn't talk to people without feeling insecure. So anyway, I started using it again this summer, and it has been 10 weeks, and it's clearing up my face little by little. I honestly think I had fewer pimples before I used these. I'm just hoping these will clear up my face completely soon. Also, one tip on using adapalene is to remember to put it ONLY on your acne (which is hard for me because I have small pimples). I used to spread it on my cheeks and forehead, and that's probably one of the reasons why it made it worse. Now I have red marks, but they will probably go away."

• Acn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 2, 2020

Adapalene topical for Acne "After suffering with acne for 10 years, I finally had it under control. It broke out a little on my cheek, so I went to a dermatologist who prescribed Differin. One side of my face (the clear side) was left glowing, but the side with a few spots has never been so painful. It caused deep, painful cystic acne so severe that I couldn’t touch my face, smiling was excruciating, and putting my face in the shower felt like it was melting off. It’s starting to spread across to my forehead. During my worst acne breakouts, I’ve never had spots this painful. Hoping it will clear up fast now that I’m not using it anymore."