Tretinoin topical and Itching: What Users Say

• AAG...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 6, 2014

Tretinoin topical for Acne "10 MONTH RETIN-A USER: In the beginning of summer 2013, I had the worst breakout ever! My forehead was full of pimples. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I went to see my doctor, and he prescribed me Retin-A. It says to apply it every day overnight after washing your face. So I applied it every night, and the first three weeks my acne was okay. By the second month, I had another mild breakout, but by the third month, it began to calm down again. By the fourth month, the skin around my nose started to peel, and it was very itchy. Because of this, I applied alcohol-free/fragrance-free lotion, and my skin got better. By the sixth month, my acne was under control! I only had a couple of pimples here and there. But the product works wonders! It just takes patience!"

• Ell...
• January 11, 2020

Tretinoin topical 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."

• Tre...
• November 7, 2014

For Acne "I've been using tretinoin cream 0.05% for one month now. I've had a lot of itching, burning, peeling, and yes, a whole lot more breaking out. I bear the pain and suffering from this medicine, and I'm very happy I did because my face is looking so much better, and my acne is clearing up. I use it only at night, 20 minutes after washing my face with CeraVe face wash, along with CeraVe SA lotion in the morning as my moisturizer, and I have to say it's working very well. If you are using tretinoin and you're getting more breakouts, do not discontinue this medication, keep on using it, you will get great results."

• Lou...
• June 20, 2018

For Acne "This cream has saved my confidence SO MUCH! I spent so long in the house and antisocial due to overwhelming acne. I finally went to my dermatologist about 5 years ago and was on numerous different meds for years. Finally, she tried tretinoin cream. Guys! I have now been on it for 4.5 months, and it has worked WONDERS! The only VERY SMALL pimples I get anymore are because of outlying situations like going hiking all day in our humidity here where I live or falling asleep with makeup on. I never break out from day to day anymore, and the scars I do have have almost literally vanished. I feel so much freedom to do what I want with my life as opposed to being ruled by how I am feeling about my face each day. It’s awesome! For the first two months or so, like everyone else says, your skin will get very red, and my neck itched like crazy (didn’t even put it on my neck), but my face got used to it, and now I’m doing great! Would HIGHLY recommend this cream for acne!"

• lgb...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 29, 2020

For Photoaging of the Skin "I wanted to go on to share my experience. I started off with 0.025 and 0.05, and my skin did okay. Had some initial flakiness, but moisturizer helped, and it eventually improved. My dermatologist upped me to 0.1%, and things took a turn for the worse. About two weeks after I began using it, my skin got really red and itchy, and I developed diarrhea, which turned bloody. I had to go to the ER, thinking I had something terrible wrong, and it turned out that the high dosage (0.1%) of tretinoin was the culprit. Once I got off it, my GI symptoms went away, and the redness of my skin went away. So proceed with caution. The lower dosage of 0.05% did improve the appearance of my skin."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2018

For Acne "I had suffered from comedones since I was about 16, and it just kept getting worse; nothing could fix it. My derm prescribed tretinoin as a topical, and she warned me about the side effects (which all came true). At first, it's really bad. Not only will your skin be itching you constantly (because it's 'shedding', if you have blackheads/whiteheads like me, they will probably turn into pimples, and you HAVE TO WAIT FOR THEM TO ALL POP. That horrible phase lasted me about 3-4 months. But it's completely worth it. Looking back, I'm so grateful I didn't stop it (even though it got really really bad) because I finally got rid of something that was really bothering me. Just hang in there, it will get better, and you'll be so happy you didn't stop midway."

• KKM...
• July 1, 2016

For Acne "I have been using 0.025% tretinoin cream every other night along with 1% clindamycin in the mornings and alternating each night with the tretinoin for a little over a week, and I already am seeing huge results!!! I've had minor peeling and some itchiness, but minor and well worth it."

• JCW...
• January 16, 2015

For Acne "I am a 17-year-old girl, an acne sufferer for nearly 8 years now. This is the end of week 1 on tretinoin 0.025, and my face is peeling and itchy, but I know to expect worse breakouts before the better results. My problem area for acne, however, has not been my face in five years. It's always been my back and shoulders. While I'm noticing a fade in scars already, I'm going to keep an eye on it. I wish I'd been prescribed a moisturizer or at least told to find one."

• Nin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 14, 2017

For Acne "I've been using Tretinoin Microsphere .04 gel for about a month and a half and just now starting to see improvement in my skin. After using it for about a week and a half, for about two weeks afterwards my skin looked dull, a little red, developed small bumps on my cheeks, and had acne scars. I take full responsibility for the acne scars because I have a pesky, horrible habit of popping my zits and picking at them (bad! But working on it). My derm also prescribed 5% Benzoyl Peroxide and a Clindamycin Gel to use in the mornings, but now I'm using that as a spot treatment because my skin got itchy and red and burned for about two hours after using it on my entire face. Now my skin looks more vibrant and smoother, acne scars are getting better and I have no bumps!"

• Mel...
• August 30, 2016

For Acne "I don't normally write reviews, but like another reviewer said, these were absolutely necessary for me to read so that I would stick with this medication. I've had bad acne since I was a teenager, now I'm 20 and getting married in November. I'd tried basically everything else under the sun to get rid of them. I started using Stieva-A 0.1% at night, and that first week was absolute hell. My acne was painful, itchy, inflamed, and way worse. After about 2 weeks, my pimples were the same as usual, but I would peel so much every morning, and moisturizer didn't help. Now it's been 1 month, and I'm starting to see results! My skin hasn't been this clear in years! The peeling is less each day, and the pimples I do get usually disappear after 1-3 days."

• jaz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 12, 2016

For Acne "I'm 13 years old with lots of acne. I do lots of sports, and I got back acne very bad. I became self-conscious. It really sucked. I didn't wear muscle shirts for months because of the embarrassing acne on my back. I told my doctor, and she told me about tretinoin cream, which I've been using for a few weeks. It has been working great. The only thing is I'm peeling and itching bad at times. I see lots of improvement, but this is something you have to be patient about. Summer is coming, and I don't want to be covered up all summer, lol. I recommend the product, just remember to stay patient and calm, and it will clear up in no time."

• Hii...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 11, 2016

For Acne "I began tretinoin a little over a week ago. I was prescribed it by my doctor for breakouts I've had on my behind since I was 13. The first 2 days after applying tretinoin to my bottom, I saw immediate results. My bottom was getting dry. But the acne and red marks were fading. And I was honestly so excited because I figured that this is it! Something is finally helping! But about the 4th day, my jaw and lower face were red, itchy, burning, and dried out, and my butt was on fire! It began drying out, which turned into scaling with the daily use of it. Felt like my butt crack was bleached. And it looked like it too! I didn't put it on today after my shower, and the intense burning isn't bad at all. I'm going to use it every 3 days from now until my appointment."

• Kar...
• June 22, 2016

For Acne "I got back acne due to the extremely hot weather. On my 1st week, it was so painful, and my skin was getting red. Now I'm going to my 2nd week, my skin got peeled, but all the bumps, pain, and itchiness are still there. We will see, after reading all the reviews, I put more hope on this product."

• Anonymous
• October 27, 2009

For Acne "I had some redness and sensitive skin and burning, and I just waited for the sores that did have to clear up before I applied it on again. So I really haven't noticed anything just yet. Hopeful for it soon."

• Que...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 16, 2018

For Acne "Honestly, my pimples are getting worse, bigger, and more red. My skin burns and itches so bad! I can’t even handle it. This isn’t doing anything for my face. Someone commented on here saying to just keep going and that it will make your acne worse for the first three months, then it gets better. Are you kidding me? Like, I have that long to wait and let my face look hideous with more pimples. I have a wedding in seven months. I’m just gonna make an appointment for laser, duh. Should’ve known no acne medication I’ve ever gotten from a “dermatologist” ever worked for me, and I barely have pimples. No doctor can help me. Seriously, this is a joke. If Kim K. had pimples and went to a doctor, I’m sure they would give her a product that actually works. Doctors are nothing but scams. It’s like they hate for you to look good because you’re a pretty girl."