Comparing Differin vs Yaz

For Acne: I had mild to moderate acne. By that I mean 3-4 active blemishes at any one time. But the marks they leave behind had accumulated since they take so much longer to disappear so I decided to do something about it. I have been using adapelene 0.1% for about 6 weeks now. But for the first 3 weeks I only used it twice a week. My skin cleared up completely. For the past 3 weeks I have increased the frequency to every other night. For the first two weeks my skin wasn't showing much changes. Now it is the third week into this new routine and I am experiencing dryness and irritation around the eyes and mouth. These dry patches would burn slightly when I apply moisturiser or sunscreen. Not the best feeling in the world but bearable. 5 new blemishes have also started popping up. 3 of these were actually small comedones that never really surfaced until now. I suspect the other two were microcomedones deep within. This is a difficult stage but I am determined to power through.

For Acne: I've had acne for about 12 years now since I'm 13 years old. I have tried different things including Proactive and Acne Free along with some other prescription medications. Nothing ever cleared it 100 percent. I have been using Differin gel 0.03% for a little over two weeks now. At first my face was dry and broke out worse then normal. The last few days my face has gotten better, I have about 5 blemishes rather then 12 large cysts that I would normally have. I am hoping that the rest clear up soon. I notice my acne scars have gotten better looking as well since using Differin. I am super excited to see the coming weeks progress.

For Birth Control: I have been taking Yaz for about a year now. My skin has cleared and my periods often skip for months at a time and when they do come they are just spotting (I wanted to take Yaz to regulate my period). Over the past 6 months near the end of my packet has been something I dread, I become very emotional and depressed. I often have a hard time getting out of bed, feeling unmotivated, and have many self-deprecating thoughts. It honestly scares me. When I am not nearing the end of my pack I am myself, bubbly and energetic, and constantly moving. I will be looking for a replacement and want anyone thinking about taking Yaz to be aware of any mood changes. While there are some positive replies here, there are many negative ones and make sure you are using something that is truly benefitting you more than hurting you. Wishing everyone the best!

For Birth Control: I've been on Yaz for four months and am about to get off of it. It hasn't made a difference in my acne (which was slight) and I've noticed some weight gain. I work really hard to maintain my weight with regular workouts and eating well. I hadn't changed anything in my lifestyle yet have been gaining weight, so I can definitively attribute my weight gain to this pill! And no, it is not water weight; I literally do not fit into my slacks for work. I've also had a lot of breast tenderness along with my breast size increasing - which I do not like at all. But I will say that this pill drastically decreased my period in length and bleeding. This pill has not been terrible for me. If it weren't for the weight gain, I would stay on it.