Duac and Dryness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• sun...
• January 2, 2015

For Acne "I had lots of comedones and just plain old acne. The creams my doctor prescribed were no longer working, and I went to the dermatologist. He prescribed Duac in the morning and Retin-A 0.1% at night. He told me Duac kills current breakouts and prevents them. Within three days, my acne was already drying up and going away. My face was pretty dry and burned for the first week, so it took a while to get used to the medicine. It's been about two months now, and my skin is pimple-free, and now my acne scars/redness are still fading. I'm very happy with this medicine, although it is quite pricey ($70 with insurance for me). The dermatologist also recommended the VaniCream gentle cleansing bar to wash my face with, and it's great and gentle!"

• Tar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 6, 2017

For Acne "Have been using the cream for about a week on my jawline/cheek where, after several months of failed creams and face washes, I was recommended this cream by my GP. Admittedly, it has left my skin very dry and is getting flaky, but is also getting rid of the acne. Be careful that you do wash your hands afterward and do not touch the affected area after applying cream, as I have unwittingly, the first 2 to 3 nights, caused the cream to spread to areas where I have no acne, causing the skin to dry out. I am interested to see, as others have commented before, whether or not the dryness eases up after my skin acclimatizes to the cream. Would definitely recommend intense moisturizing on the affected area."

• CaK...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2016

For Acne "This product started to work for me in about a week. I had problems with chin acne, and it cleared up within two weeks. It did leave my skin dry and itchy, so I used a moisturizer for my skin the next morning after applying the gel the night before. A very effective product, I love it!"

• spa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 22, 2015

For Acne "I'm 15 years old, and I've been on this treatment for about a year. Straight away, when I started using it, my skin totally cleared up within weeks. I stopped using the treatment for about 2-3 weeks, and I immediately noticed within a week of not using it, my spots had come back. I couldn't get hold of the Duac because there was a manufacturing problem, but when I could get it again and started using it, my spots wouldn't go away. It took around 2 months to get clear skin the first time around, but the second time, it took around 8 months. Another problem I've had with Duac is about 2-4 times I've used it, it's burned my face, so I've had to rub it off, and it tends to give me really flaky, dry, tight skin. Overall, I think it's really good."

• Liz...
• April 14, 2019

For Acne "My daughter is 14 years old and had been suffering from acne for about 2 years. She'd tried everything, and then I took her to the doctor, and they gave her Duac gel. At first, she thought this isn’t going to work. The doctor told her that it would take 4 to 6 weeks to see a difference, but it’s only been a week, and I see a massive difference in her skin. It made her skin go dry and patchy the first couple of days, so she just added oil-free moisturizer, and it helps. Her skin is so smooth-looking since using this gel. I highly recommend this!!"

• Ell...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 19, 2016

For Acne "I'm a 13-year-old girl going through puberty, and of course, puberty brings a bunch of annoying problems, including acne. My acne is mild, but a few have pus in them, and I'd rather not have that. I've had spots for about 3 years now (the first year only using drugs over the counter), and my spots wouldn't disappear after that first year. I went to see the doctor as I had started to get bacne (back acne). He prescribed Duac, once-daily gel. I honestly think Duac is the best thing I've ever used on my skin. I personally didn't experience any dryness or peeling, and I think that's because I put a thin layer over my face and washed my face every morning and night with a good acne-banishing facial wash (such as Vichy). A few days, no spots!!"

• Sar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 20, 2016

For Acne "I was prescribed this by the doctor. She never mentioned that it could make my skin raw, dry, flaky, etc., so when I read reviews, I was a bit afraid to use it. I didn't slather it on but put it on the spots directly (though it says it's not for that). I figured if they dried out, it wouldn't be too bad. I tried this, and I thought it was really gentle. I had no red, dry skin, the spots looked smaller...this made me think that maybe mine was out of date or hadn't been kept in the fridge before use, like it says to do. Maybe I just have really resilient skin (as I have had acid peels). So for me, this was good. My skin isn't perfect, but the big spots I used to get are a thing of the past, and any new ones shrink quickly."

• Ann...
• March 1, 2016

For Acne "First time I tried this, it left me with VERY red, itchy, and dry skin for at least a week, so I took a gap and coated my face in coconut oil instead for a week to help it. I then went back onto it, using a little less than before, but also I swapped my moisturizer with coconut oil. My skin is still dry and can get itchy, but the redness has totally gone down, the red acne scarring on my face has gone down a lot, and it's only been two weeks. Very impressed."

• Gir...
• February 20, 2017

For Acne "I used this cream for my acne, and about 3 months later, it cleared up my skin. However, it did leave my skin itchy, dry, and very red. I stopped using the cream for about a month and use it occasionally when I get a spot, but when I go to take it off, I have a red mask on! It's worse than having spots, to be fair. I have red patches everywhere, and it takes a while to go. Does anyone know how to get rid of the red itchy skin?"

• nic...
• September 7, 2013

For Acne "I have only been using Duac gel for three days now, so far, it has evened out my skin a lot in terms of redness and improved my spots from the first application. It does seem my spots are getting slightly worse, but I think it has to get worse in order to get better. I do get a bit of dryness, but no other side effects. So far, very impressed."

• Jes...
• January 21, 2014

For Acne "I've only been using this for 4 days so far. I put it all over my face because it says to use on the 'area' that is spot-prone, and all of my face gets spotty, though not at the same time. I have pretty sensitive skin anyway, but this stuff burns! And my face is red raw for the next 3 or 4 hours. I put it on in the evening, and by morning, I'm no longer red and stinging. It has also made me extremely dry and flaky and tight-skinned, which is to be expected, but I can't bear it, so I put on moisturizer almost immediately afterwards, which may be slowing down the process. It hasn't helped my acne yet, but I'm hoping with a little patience and pain tolerance it will do the job!"

• Alp...
• January 31, 2016

For Acne "I've never used any type of acne medication. I've been using this for a week now, and I can see a big improvement. The only problems I see are that it leaves my skin extremely dry and itchy, which is irritating. But hey, no more acne! ^-^ I would recommend it as long as you have an extremely good moisturizer!"

• ICa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2021

For Acne "I worked very well, my acne is gone, even after many months! I ruined a set of bed sheets and two sets of bath towels because it stains, but I would do it again if need be. I'm 29 and was having hormonal acne on the jawline and chin area. I started using every other day at first for the skin to get used to it and then every day at nighttime, only for 28 days, and it was enough. The skin does get a little red and dry, but manageable."

• Whi...
• July 16, 2019

For Acne "I was prescribed this by my doctor for some minor cystic acne around my chin (I'm in my mid-20s). I used it as instructed, knowing that due to the benzoyl peroxide, it would irritate and dry the skin initially, but after five days, I just had to stop. My skin became raw, red, flaky, excoriated, discolored, and painfully dry. It made my skin WORSE, instead of a few ugly spots, I now had angry, red, peeling patches on my face, and for nearly a week, I had to slather on liberal amounts of moisturizer and bio-oil just to keep the itchiness, irritation, and pain of my dry cracked skin down to tolerable levels. Five days of using Duac, and it took my skin over a week to get to the point where I don't have to layer on moisturizer to get through the day (still not even back to where it was pre-Duac), and the worst part was, it didn't even help with the spots! They're still there. Completely useless, made my skin so much worse. 100% would not recommend."

• Fro...
• September 18, 2009

For Acne "This really works. I used it for a week, and my acne cleared, but I found out using a bit too much will dry your face up and itch badly, but worth it, well, for me. I was also given Differin with it, makes a good combination."

• Em ...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 10, 2016

For Acne "This gel is the best thing ever!!! Really works to get rid of spots both on the surface of the skin and underneath the skin. I suffer with breakouts, especially during exam season, and without Duac, I dread to think what my skin would be like. Works a dream! However, it is quite drying, so I would recommend using a moisturizer such as E45 to avoid dry, flaky skin. Overall, an amazing product :)"

• Em ...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 10, 2016

For Acne "This gel is the best thing ever!!! Really works to get rid of spots both on the surface of the skin and underneath the skin. I suffer with breakouts, especially during exam season, and without Duac, I dread to think what my skin would be like. Works a dream! However, it is quite drying, so I would recommend using a moisturizer such as E45 to avoid dry, flaky skin. Overall, an amazing product :)"

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 27, 2018

For Acne "Used to get blackheads under the skin which I used to try and pop, causing an infection and a full-blown pimple, but the Duac got rid of all the clogged pores beneath the skin in just 3 days! However, at the moment, my skin feels really dry, leathery, tight, and itchy, but having read the other comments, I will persist as it’s doing the job and seems like a common side effect!"

• Sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 9, 2018

For Acne "I was starting to get really bad breakouts all over my face, and I started to get really down about it. Every day I would wake up with a new spot, and this ranged from blackheads, whiteheads to painful under-the-skin spots. I went to my doctor to ask for help clearing my skin up, and he gave me Duac gel. In one word - AMAZING! I realize this may not work for everyone, but it certainly has for me. I cut out using all of the other products I was using and applied Duac to any problem areas. It took a week or so to really see the results, but my skin is the clearest it has been in a long time, and I have my confidence back! It can cause slight dryness/peeling, but if you put E45 cream on these areas before bed, it keeps skin smooth and fixes this! I hope it works for everyone the way it worked for me :)"

• Att...
• February 26, 2017

For Acne "Was prescribed this just a week ago and was told to use it twice a day after washing my face for my acne. I did this, but it has left my face all dry, itchy, patchy, and some parts of my face look like it's been burned. I've stopped using it now, and I won't be ever using this again. It slightly worked on calming down my acne spots, but this cream has made my face look a thousand times worse."

• Hap...
• April 22, 2021

For Acne "I had rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis on my entire face. It was red and flaky with little bumps everywhere apart from under my eyes. I was prescribed Duac with doxycycline and steroid cream. The first couple of days the texture of my skin improved, and it was less angry. I felt Duac was slightly burning though, but I pushed on. After a week or so of use, this changed, and I started waking up with swelling around my eyes. I decided I had to stop use as my skin was also left so dry and stinging during the day that I couldn’t even stand water on it. Continued on for a bit with my other meds, and my face was completely clear for over 6 months. My issues returned recently, so I started Duac again with doxy and Celestone. I wash off Duac after an hour, then use Celestone. I have some redness and drying, but it’s bearable. Clearing up nicely so far, only mild swelling on day 2. Tip: 50+ sunscreen during the day."

• Tra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 28, 2016

For Acne "For the first 3-4 days of use, my face was so sore and skin was so dry. I have very sensitive skin anyway due to illness, but really felt as though I could have happily quit the treatment. It didn't matter how much moisturizer I put on, it felt like if I smiled, my face would crack. I carried on with the treatment every other day instead of the recommended every day, till I felt I could tolerate it every day. Nearly a month after starting the treatment, I feel it's the best thing I ever did to persevere through the first few weeks. My face is clear, still a bit dry, but nothing a good moisturizer helps."

• Joy...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 27, 2016

For Acne "Used Duac years ago when I was a teenager with severe acne and now with mild acne as a 26-year-old. Worked brilliantly both times. Skin started breaking out after my contraceptive implant was installed. Duac 5% was not available, but 3% worked fine. I used it along with bio-oil and tea tree face wash. Did not experience any drying or flaking. Very pleased, I think it also leveled out my complexion by lightening the dark scars, but that may be the bio-oil."

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

For Acne "I was prescribed Duac approximately two weeks ago - the results have been phenomenal! My skin has cleared up massively (95% of my current acne has gone) and I now just have hyperpigmentation on my cheeks. However, the cream is incredibly drying, and I have dry flakes on my face when I wake up. However, this is unnoticeable if I apply some moisturizer."

• Kat...
• July 28, 2016

For Acne "I am a 16-year-old girl, and I have mild to moderate acne in my T-zone. When I first started using Duac cream, the first couple of weeks were awful. My skin was dry and flaky, it felt tight, and it was red and raw. It was very painful when I applied the cream at night and was very hard to even get to sleep. Also, I couldn't cover up my acne with makeup because my skin was too dry! I was feeling really low and upset. But I thought I would carry on using it just in case I started to see an improvement. And thank you I did. After about the first two weeks, my skin started clearing up. My forehead especially, I had lots of little red pimples, and the majority of them cleared, as well as the rest of my face. It got a lot less dry, and the redness faded."