Retin-A and Dry Skin: What Users Say

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 5, 2019

For Acne "I started using Retin-A about a year and a half ago. It's life-changing. Just stick with it! It was hard the first month or so. My side effects were just extremely dry skin. Also, lotion and makeup stung a bit in the beginning. I had mild acne but lots of scarring over the years and spots that made my skin look uneven. I also have fairly large pores all over my face. My pores look considerably smaller now, and I hardly ever get a breakout. If I do, it heals fast. I still use it every night, even though my skin looks good, just now mainly to continue to have nice-looking skin and for its anti-aging properties."

• Ell...
• January 11, 2020

For Acne "I have jawline acne, dark patches from pigmentation, and uneven skin tone and blemishes from years of cystic acne. I am 44 and Asian. Day 1 to 2, the gel stung like crazy, itchy and warm skin, and redness. Days 3 to 8, peeling skin, inflamed look after washing face. Stinging and itchy. Days 8 and 9, skin is very taut. I needed extra petroleum jelly plus my regular moisturizer, although my regular moisturizer. Days 9 and 10, skin is sensitive, shiny, that I need to use makeup. For peeling skin, I reapply petroleum jelly at the first signs of dryness or flakiness. I used hydrocortisone on itchy spots. On day 10, I stopped using soap to wash my face as it is drying. I use lukewarm water to wash off the petroleum jelly on my face and pat dry my skin. The dryness has reduced today, day 10. I can use the gel without it stinging my skin or being taut and dry. By day 10, my face appears to be clearer in some places, spots are fading. Skin texture is smooth, though tender."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 17, 2018

For Acne "I started using Retin-A .0025% about two to three months ago. I’m 26 years old and have had terrible acne ever since I was a preteen. I was able to get the acne under control by drinking 72+ oz of water a day and switching to a plant-based diet. However, this has left me with noticeable scarring. Retin-A has helped so much with this. I read the reviews of everyone saying it dries out your skin. This is true. USE A MOISTURIZER! Moisturize day and night. This has helped me so much. I don’t even notice dry skin anymore. Also, stay hydrated. Drink lots of water."

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

For Acne "I was suffering from acne due to my sensitive skin and severe summer heat. I tried my teenage acne cream in my late twenties, but I felt it was too mild to work on my much matured skin like now. Then one of my friends, who was a satisfied user of Retin-A, suggested I use Retin-A 0.05%. I started it in the winter to avoid over-sweating and heat of summer. I faced a little flaky skin. The first two weeks my acne broke out a little more than usual, but after that, the acne seemed to decrease. Whenever I felt too dry skin other than the acne-affected area, I used pure Vaseline. Now I am cured and my skin is glowing. I am continuing the use of Retin-A with my regular night cream for its anti-aging properties. And I am quite satisfied with this."

• sam...
• May 17, 2016

For Acne "I've dealt with moderate acne since I was roughly 12 years old. I've tried just about every acne treatment out there with no prevail. When I started my Retin-A (0.025) treatment 5 months ago, I became really discouraged by my skin's immediate discoloration, mostly red, and the flakiness it created. I came close a couple of times to giving up, especially when my skin wasn't clearing up and how sore I was some days from the continuous use. But this past month has been the turnaround. I feel I am finally out of the so-called 'purge,' and my skin is becoming clear and smooth like it has been in the past for short stints. The best advice I can give any user is to have patience. It's not an overnight fix, but the long-term results are worth it."

• 201...
• July 1, 2016

For Acne "I never, ever had an issue with acne in my life until I started working after college (I correlate it with the crazy stress at work). So, I started using 0.25% Retin-A about a year ago. A couple of months in, I wasn't seeing the results I wanted; still breaking out, skin flaking. I emailed my doctor and asked for the 0.5% strength... big mistake. I used that for about three months, and my skin could not tolerate it AT ALL. Regardless, I wasn't about to give up totally on Retin-A! So I went back to using the 0.25% and FINALLY got the results I've expected all along. I always get comments now on how clear and 'fresh' my skin looks. Retin-A (especially with clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide cream) was a miracle for my skin. No pimples... ever!"

• nur...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 27, 2014

For Acne "Retin-A truly did a 360 on my skin. I have mild to moderate breakouts with terrible hormonal flare-ups. Hence, when I first tried Retin-A over a year ago, it only worked for a short while, and then I discovered I was expecting and had to stop using it. Glowing during pregnancy led to the return of the bumps around my chin and forehead postpartum. Now I'm back on 0.025% and am in love with my skin again. Smooth, healthy, and rosy looking even when that time comes. It started working immediately. I skip every third night to keep from over-drying and desensitizing. Good luck all."

• NAa...
• March 8, 2019

For Acne "I'm in my early 20s and have been applying Retin-A gel once a night for over a year now. Before starting the gel, I had what I would describe as moderate acne. During the first 6-8 months of Retin-A use, I had the most severe acne of my life, all over my face. It was painful and so embarrassing to leave the house. Not to mention the horrific dry skin that would just flake off my face, no matter how much I moisturized. But I stuck with it as the dermatologist suggested, and now my acne is mostly under control. However, I would not say my acne now is any better than before I started Retin-A, and on top of that, I now have deep, ugly scars on both sides of my face (not just a few... a LOT) from the severe acne. I have not had any acne scars in my life until now, and I have had moderate to heavy acne since I was 12. Now there are pit scars all across my cheeks. I have ruined my face by using Retin-A and would have been exponentially better off if I had never used it in the first place."

• Tir...
• January 25, 2018

For Acne "I started using Retin-A 0.1% two years back, but within a month, my skin became very dry. I stopped using it, though there were no other side effects. But after reading comments here, I got inspired and got the courage to use it again. So I have started to use it again and hope that it will work for me as well. I'll leave an update on my experience soon."

• kay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 16, 2020

For Acne "This was the worst experience of my life. It made my face break out, and I had big red dry patches on my face that burned so bad. I still have red scars from those spots that I didn’t have before. Do not use this, I suggest Accutane. I have done that before also."

• Jan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 10, 2018

For Acne "I used to be prescribed Epiduo, but my insurance stopped covering it, and it became too expensive, so they put me on Retin-A. All this medication does is dry out my skin, it doesn't even reduce redness or irritation from the acne. I personally have found that witch hazel and basic night serums do more than what I'm prescribed is supposed to do. 0/10"