Tretinoin topical and Peeling: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Ken...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 26, 2016

For Acne "I started using tretinoin cream occasionally a few months ago. My skin started getting really bad, so I started using it every night (as told by my doctor), and I saw a big difference (other than my skin peeling every other day). It was clearing up finally, and I barely had any breakouts until two months later, and now it's like my skin has become immune to the cream. I am now experiencing horrible acne all over my chin area and upper forehead. Planning to set up a new appointment with my dermatologist to try another prescription. Do not recommend."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 16, 2015

For Acne "I've been using this for about 3 weeks now, and at first, there was a lot of peeling. One day I think I used too much, and my cheeks became inflamed and irritated. It looked like I had a really bad sunburn in the fall. As of right now, this gel has only made my skin worse. I have dark marks on my cheeks and in the corner of my mouth. I look horrible! These reviews say to keep going and be patient. But if I don't see results soon, I will be forced to stop."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2016

For Acne "I am a 29-year-old female and have had acne since my early teen years. I have been using tretinoin 0.05% cream for 6 weeks now, and my skin has only gotten worse. I have way more blackheads in places I never had before, my skin gets disgustingly oily but is peeling all at the same time, and I am developing more cysts than I have ever had. I am more self-conscious of my skin now than I have ever been in the past. I see my dermatologist every 2 weeks and am hoping there's another option."

• Sha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 29, 2016

For Acne "So I started breaking out a lot! Chin and my cheeks. I have so many scars. My makeup won't even cover it. I went to my derm, and she prescribed me tretinoin 0.25% and clindamycin 1%. I saw improvement in 2 weeks, then after that, my face has been so bad! I look like a Brooklyn pizza! It's hideous. I no longer have self-esteem. I went back to the derm, and she gave me medication and 0.50% tretinoin. I'm on month two, and my face just peels. I still break out, and my acne scars are still there. I'm losing hope... When I put makeup on over the dry peeling patches, it makes it look worse. I'm just done with this medication. I will keep using it until month 3, like the derm said I would see improvement. I'm so depressed looking at my face in the mirror!"

• dan...
• February 10, 2017

Tretinoin topical for Acne "I've read so many reviews about Retin-A being amazing and working almost immediately, but I have been using this gel for about 7 weeks, and my skin is still so much worse than before I started using it! I broke out in deep, painful acne almost immediately, and it still hasn't gone away. Breakouts all over my face, and my skin is red and very, very noticeably dry and peeling. Hoping it will start to work soon, I'm getting pretty discouraged that it's taking so long! :("

• My...
• March 25, 2021

For Acne "After just one week off of oral isotretinoin (Epuris), my skin started getting small, tiny bumps along the hairline and then gradually started moving to the rest of my face. At two months post-isotretinoin, I was terrified of my before skin returning and asked my derm for help. He gave me Aklief, 0.025% tretinoin... because of my age (37), he said it works for wrinkles too. How excited I was to start! I have read every single blog and post there is on how to correctly apply tretinoin. I was given one of the lowest doses, and after 5 months, my skin is dry, red, flaky, and the worst part... my acne is as bad as before my 8 months of oral isotretinoin. I’ve never felt so defeated. I would take red, dry, flaking, painful skin if I had no acne - but it’s continuing to get worse and I’ve given it WELL over the 6-12 week trial. I am done. Tretinoin is not for me. I will be begging my derm to put me back on oral isotretinoin, the magic pill."

• Pin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 24, 2020

Tretinoin topical for Acne "This cream is absolutely awful!!! Just a thin covering made my the skin on my whole face peel off more than 6 times, and it’s still doing it one week later!!!"

• Nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 10, 2020

For Acne "I have been struggling with some adult acne, nothing too severe, but some whiteheads, mostly blackheads. Decided to try tretinoin after OTC washes, scrubs, you name it, did not work. Omg, my whole face broke out in huge, painful whiteheads, and my skin started peeling. I only used it twice a week to start, and still it was so horrible I had to stop using it. Not sure how people make it through the 'purge' phase."

• Ewu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 1, 2019

For Photoaging of the Skin "It was very terrible. I've stopped using it. Used it for three days and it gave me a rash, and my skin is peeling. I feel so sad."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 5, 2019

Tretinoin topical for Acne "I started using Retin-A after switching my birth control pills to progesterone only due to severe migraines thought to be caused by estrogen. I am now 23 and never struggled this bad with acne. Before Retin-A, I had a few cystic acne spots on my chin and jawline and small blemishes on my forehead occasionally. After using Retin-A, my face got way worse. The first week, it caused my face to be red, flaky, and burn. This wasn't the typical burning feeling I would get from a topical acne cream. This was a burn that would hurt when I would step outside. It made the cystic acne spots really dry, red, and very sore. I called my dermatologist, and they said those are typical side effects and to mix my moisturizer with the Retin-A. This helped but didn't help enough. I went another 5+ weeks dealing with peeling, flaking, red, irritated, dry, sore skin. I finally decided to stop using it. The next day, my skin was feeling a lot less sore and irritated. This was not the medication for me."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 5, 2019

Tretinoin topical for Acne "I started using Retin-A after switching my birth control pills to progesterone only due to severe migraines thought to be caused by estrogen. I am now 23 and never struggled this bad with acne. Before Retin-A, I had a few cystic acne spots on my chin and jawline and small blemishes on my forehead occasionally. After using Retin-A, my face got way worse. The first week, it caused my face to be red, flaky, and burn. This wasn't the typical burning feeling I would get from a topical acne cream. This was a burn that would hurt when I would step outside. It made the cystic acne spots really dry, red, and very sore. I called my dermatologist, and they said those are typical side effects and to mix my moisturizer with the Retin-A. This helped but didn't help enough. I went another 5+ weeks dealing with peeling, flaking, red, irritated, dry, sore skin. I finally decided to stop using it. The next day, my skin was feeling a lot less sore and irritated. This was not the medication for me."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 5, 2019

Tretinoin topical for Acne "I started using Retin-A after switching my birth control pills to progesterone only due to severe migraines thought to be caused by estrogen. I am now 23 and never struggled this bad with acne. Before Retin-A, I had a few cystic acne spots on my chin and jawline and small blemishes on my forehead occasionally. After using Retin-A, my face got way worse. The first week, it caused my face to be red, flaky, and burn. This wasn't the typical burning feeling I would get from a topical acne cream. This was a burn that would hurt when I would step outside. It made the cystic acne spots really dry, red, and very sore. I called my dermatologist, and they said those are typical side effects and to mix my moisturizer with the Retin-A. This helped but didn't help enough. I went another 5+ weeks dealing with peeling, flaking, red, irritated, dry, sore skin. I finally decided to stop using it. The next day, my skin was feeling a lot less sore and irritated. This was not the medication for me."

• Aan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 9, 2018

Tretinoin topical for Acne "I personally recommend you guys not to use this Retin-A gel for acne. It makes your skin worse and worse with big red boils. I was expecting a change in the initial months, but when I came to a situation where I was not able to leave my house due to the peeling and scars, I was forced to change the doctor. Now I'm not using Retin-A gel for the past month, and things came to normal."

• T-R...
• September 15, 2018

Tretinoin topical for Acne "I am 23 years old and I suffer from severe acne. I started using Retin-A 0.05 a week ago. At first, my face felt moisturized, the pimples became easier to extract. After about 2-3 days, my face started burning and then peeling. I wanted to use a moisturizer along with it, but anything that touched my face made it ache or burn, and when I say anything, I do mean anything... water, fabric, etc. I used it twice a day as advised by my derm. He told me it would get worse before it got better, so I continued applying small amounts on the bigger bumps, but my face hasn't healed, so I have completely stopped using it."

• Shi...
• July 31, 2016

For Acne "4 weeks of using tretinoin 0.025%: it has been a hell of a journey. I have had severe breakouts, peeling, and dryness. In the 3rd week, I got dark pigmentation all around my lips and further above the lips area. Completely disfigured my face. Probably feels like I permanently spoiled my face. So confused as to continue or discontinue as I haven't seen any results, and it has just worsened everything. #depressed"

• Cou...
• June 12, 2016

For Acne "So I've been on the cream for like 3 days now, and my doctor told me to use it every four hours. I am so miserable! Like OMG, my face is peeling, my lips are peeling, I can't move my mouth. My face hurts like hell. I just look in the mirror and feel so ugly. Like I don't know what to do, but for some reason I want to stop, but I keep on going based on the good reviews. Hopefully it works out."

• Anonymous
• March 6, 2010

Tretinoin topical for Acne "I have been using Atralin for about a month and a half now. I started out with very moderate acne, a few pimples but nothing substantial. I have been struggling with acne for five years, and I just wanted something to totally zap my acne. Well, Atralin is NOT that. I have very sensitive skin, and I am still peeling after all this time. When I started using it, it made me break out, and now my acne and red spots are worse."