Tretinoin topical and Vomiting: What Users Say

• Cal...
• June 23, 2015

Tretinoin topical for Acne "I wanted to take the time to write a review in the hopes to give at least one person the self-confidence boost they need to keep going with Retin-A. I've been waiting for the day I get to write my own review. I officially started using Retin-A 0.25 just under 4 months ago today. My first day was 3 weeks before my birthday. I remember contacting my derm in advance with a million questions and mostly the fear of going through THE PURGE during this busy time filled with celebrations, events, etc. I thankfully made the gamble and started! I decided it was always be... I'll start next week, next month. Let's be real, when is there ever a good time for acne?! I can only describe the last 4 months as a rollercoaster. There will be good days. There will be days you hide inside. At some points I thought I was done purging, then it would come back. IT TAKES TIME. Painful cysts too, that do not go away. I would rather have 20 whitehead pimples all over than 1 deep painful cyst on my face! It was the most challenging thing I've gone through. It will test your patience. To the point of tears, and whys me's! At one point I scheduled an emergency derm appt to receive Cortizon injections on 3 cysts that were almost the size of dimes!! I couldn't take it anymore. This was 2.5 months. He sat me down and said it takes 3-4 months for results to be reached and you will hate your derm for that time and gave me the push to continue to go forward. Here's the good news! I am at my 4-month mark, and I have never been more happy. I haven't had a breakout in 1.5 weeks. I don't know the last time I've been able to say that. I can take on the CALI summer and not feel like I'm hiding. My biggest advice is be strong! Tell yourself every day, it's only 4 months of the rest of your life. Get past the 4-5 month mark and it will all be worth it! The past will be a blur! Good luck and you can do it!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 18, 2015

Tretinoin topical for Acne "If you've come here looking for some hope on whether Retin-A works or not, then your answer is yes! I have been struggling with acne for almost 3 years now. I want to think it's a phase, but who knows. I started Retin-A in February 2015, and it is now May 2015, and my skin looks AMAZING. Trust me, I had that 'purging' phase, and it sucked so bad I didn't even want to go out in public because of how bad my face was. If you feel like it isn't working, give it TIME, time and patience are key when using this product. I went through two purging phases during weeks 3 and 5, but after that, it was pretty much a smooth ride. STICK WITH IT! Give it 3-4 months!"

• App...
• July 13, 2016

Tretinoin topical for Acne "Got on retinol because of acne scars. I was hesitant in the beginning because everyone complains about how it makes acne worse before it gets better. My advice to you is to start out slowly and allow your skin to adjust. I started off with using it once a week and gradually moved on to three times, and I have not experienced purging. Also, my skin's pretty smooth and my scars are fading. Another thing, just use Vaseline as a moisturizer-why should you bother your skin with extra chemicals? Also, be wary of doctors who just hand you the retinol with no proper instructions. I researched extensively before buying the product, and to my surprise, the doctor couldn't even advise that only a pea-sized amount is to be used. Patience pays, people :)"

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 5, 2016

Tretinoin topical for Acne "2 or 3 months ago, I did a review for this product. It starts off around me saying that 'I'm 18 years old and started using Retin-A for 6 weeks or so.' So this is an update... I'm into my 5th month, and WOW! My skin is so much clearer. Trust me, no one likes acne, I've gone through it. But this cream has been helping me so much. The purging sucks! Whiteheads show up, but don't give up on it. After 1 month, you'll see a difference. When I started, I had red blemishes on my cheeks, and now it's long gone. Just some marks here and there. I still get pimples here and there, but not as much as I used to. This product is the best, I'm so happy using Retin-A. I recommend washing my face morning and night (Cetaphil Soap). Take antibiotics. Mine is (minocycline 50)."

• vee...
• January 29, 2015

For Acne "I started the combination of Tretinoin Cream 0.025, Doxycycline, and Clindamycin Gel on November 2nd. I stopped taking the Doxycycline, and I also stopped applying Clindamycin after 5 weeks, and only continued using the Tretinoin Cream. It's now been 13 weeks since then, and the results are worth the wait. The only thing that you have to keep in mind is that it takes a long time to work. I was expecting to see clear skin by 6-8 weeks, but I was still purging with new acne by the 10-11th week. Toward the 12th week, everything flattened out, and now all I have is scarring and hyperpigmentation. But with the continued usage, I notice that they are getting lighter. So if you are feeling down about the results, wait it out, and it will pay off."

• Tre...
• September 9, 2017

For Acne "I never leave reviews, but I'm going to leave one for tretinoin. My routine was BP face wash in the morning and a layer of tretinoin all over my face after washing it with a mild soap and moisturizer. My routine was prescribed by my doctor. Ok, let me start by saying, my purge period was horrible. I didn't even want to leave the house. It was the worst it had ever been in my life. Even when I was 19 and deployed to Afghanistan and couldn't wash my face, I had better skin. I didn't want to leave the house. It affected my self-confidence. And I was looking online for everyone's experience because I was convinced I was the outlier that tretinoin would not apply to. It took me 4 months to see results. But it worked. Keep pushing through it."

• new...
• January 29, 2021

For Acne "I've been on tretinoin for 1 year and four months now, and I am SO pleased with my skin. I wanted to comment on this for whoever is going through these reviews and needs reassurance. This WORKED for me. I had awful acne on my forehead, and my derm recommended I use tretinoin at night and adapalene in the morning. It took four to six months of purging for my skin to slowly improve. My skin was the worst I've ever seen at months 4 to 5, but since then it's only gotten better! Some tips: 1) Use CeraVe moisturizing cream and apply it to your face BEFORE tretinoin. Leave your moisturizer on for at least 30 minutes before applying the medication. 2) Don't over-exfoliate your face, and don't wax your face! You could tear off skin. 3) Only use a pea-sized amount each time. Any more, and you'll just dry out your skin and purge even more. It will get better. Trust the process and know you're not alone on this skincare journey."

• For...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 1, 2016

For Acne "When I was beginning tretinoin, I visited pages like these. I am here to offer another success story. I am a 22-year-old female, and I had terrible skin. I felt like I had tried everything - spending buckets of money, too. I started tretinoin 0.05% in mid-October 2015. I used it every night (don't do that! Start slow!) and had a terrible purge. I didn't date or go out for a period of several weeks. Makeup made things worse. This went on for 12 weeks. Then, by week 13, I had clear skin. I still have little red scars, and I get a tiny zit every once in a while. But I don't wear makeup most days. This medicine will teach you patience. Another thing is it makes your routine so easy - light cleanser, tretinoin, done. No pricey masks, creams, etc."

• hop...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 28, 2015

For Acne "I'm a sixteen-year-old girl who has been struggling with acne since the beginning of high school. My self-confidence definitely crashed, and I always seemed to have to cake foundation on my face before going anywhere, and I just wanted my acne to be GONE. So it has been exactly 2 1/2 months since my physician prescribed me tretinoin Retin-A 0.05%, and the first thing I did was look up reviews about it. I was terrified of the possible 'purge,' so I waited until a week-long break from school to start using it, and to my surprise, no special purge on my skin! My forehead and chin have always been okay; cheeks and nose have been the biggest problem, but generally my skin is smoother and less red! STICK WITH IT!!!"

• Acn...
• July 23, 2015

For Acne "I am 16 years old, and I suffered from acne since I was about 12. I have a very special type of acne. It's very tiny and forms in clusters and never comes to a head. I had this all over my forehead and cheeks. They would look worse under some lighting and looked awful under makeup. They gave my skin a sandpaper feel. I also got the occasional pimple. I was prescribed this medication by my doctor. I was given a 0.05 tretinoin. My first month was awful. I got the purging, and all the pimples were coming to a head. After a couple of weeks, my skin was starting to become smooth and healthy! Don't give up on this drug! One recommendation is to keep it up! Don't stop!!"

• MsP...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 19, 2016

For Acne "I wanted to share my experience using Retin A as mine was very positive. When I was 30, I was so tired of my adult acne that I've had since my teens, so I have had acne for years. I was so sick of feeling bad about my skin, so I ordered some Retin A in the gel form 0.5%, and yes, I purged, but that didn't last long. All the red spots and brown spots from sun damage had done a number on my skin. Finally, after the second week, I could see a true difference. I stuck with using this religiously for 2 years until I could handle my skin alone with peels and AHAs. Now at 37, I have gone back to it for spot treatment of some pimples I get, mostly hormonal, but now I use it more to keep my skin looking young. It's worth it if you stick with it."

• daa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 15, 2015

For Acne "Since I was 13, I've always had acne. Now, as I'm 16, my acne has gotten to its worst, so I decided to finally open up my drawer and begin using my Tretinoin Cream 0.025 that I was prescribed to by my derm 2 months ago but decided not to try since I knew of the purging that would be happening. 2 weeks in, and my skin is undoubtedly in its purging phase, although the first week was amazing. My skin was almost clear and had very little inflammation. DO NOT STOP USING THIS PRODUCT! Can't wait to see its results in a couple of months. I have a lot of hope for this drug."

• Fra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 24, 2019

For Acne "Spent months trying to get this medicine to work. Eventually, I realized it was only making my skin worse because I wasn't leaving the purging stage for whatever reason... rip. The only reason I don't rate it lower is because I know it works miracles on some people. Hopefully, I'll find my silver bullet soon, but it wasn't tret!"

• Sam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 28, 2019

For Acne "I started using 0.025% tretinoin in August for mild acne (a few red spots here and there, lots of tiny bumps on the forehead). The first two weeks of using tretinoin, my face did purge slightly. However, I stuck to it, hoping my face would clear up after. By September, my skin was nearly pimple-free and glowing. Mid-October, I ran out of it and broke out again for a couple of days. When I got my refill, my face cleared up again. I was hoping that my skin would stay clear from that point on, but alas, two weeks later, I broke out again-even while using the tretinoin. It's almost the end of November, and so many pimples are resurfacing on my forehead, in addition to hidden acne underneath the skin. I'm switching to Epiduo gel-hopefully that'll work for me."

• Anonymous
• November 28, 2015

For Acne "I've been using tretinoin 0.25 for almost 3 months now, and I'm in the purging stage, and it stinks. Hopefully, my face gets to where it should be, like everyone says. I'm really waiting for my face to be clear again."

• Mic...
• April 21, 2016

For Acne "I've been on this Rx cream for almost a year now. I can say it has worked like a miracle on my acne and wrinkles. By the way, I'm 26, but I did develop wrinkles around my smile lines and under my eyes and moderate acne on both my cheeks when I was in my early 20s. The Tretinoin definitely will make your skin look worse than it originally was, but it starts to clear up after 3-4 months with consistency. There would be peeling, purging, and redness involved. Make sure to apply Retin-A 20 minutes after washing your face and apply sunscreen when you go out. I did not apply anything else on my face while working with my Retin-A at that time. But yeah, Retin-A or Tretinoin is a miracle product. I love it."

• Nik...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 20, 2020

For Acne "I've been using a formula with 0.01 percent tretinoin for 14 months now. Even though it's been over a year, I haven't seen any improvement in my hyperpigmentation. I am quite disappointed. :( When I first added tretinoin to my formula, my skin went through 'purging,' which gave me hope because many others go through that and I thought it might be a sign that the tretinoin would work. I was told it would just take a very long time and to be patient, so I did. But it did not work, after over a year, my skin is just the same, still covered in hyperpigmentation. Maybe you have to use a higher percentage, so my advice is at least this: if you want to get rid of hyperpigmentation, don't be too patient with 0.01 percent tretinoin for a long time, because it will waste your time."