Has anyone ever here used Retin-A?

I used Retin-A years ago for it's skin resurfacing properties. And it worked a bit. Finally went in for a full laser job and that did get rid of most scaring, etc. A 2nd laser treatment a year after the first finished off the scars I had from Acne as a kid.

Today for cystic acne there are MUCH better drugs than antibiotics and Retin-A. There is a drug called "Accutane" that works on Acne. Stops it dead in it's tracks for 90% of the patients. But it can blow your liver, must be tested for liver function every two or three months while you're on it. And if you are female you have to be sure you will NOT get pregnant while using it or for a year after. It's proven to cause birth defects in the fetus of women who become pregnant while using it.

There are a few side effects (dry mouth, excessive thirst, etc.) and then the serious ones above - liver and don't get pregnant. They even tell MEN not to father a child while using it. They don't' know if it can damage sperm or not, but why take the chance. Usually a three or six months course of treatment with this drug will cure acne. I said CURE and I use the term accurately.

Any good dermatologist should know about this. Are you going to a General Practitioner? If so, get to a good dermatologist ASAP. There are newer drugs, treatments, etc that can work wonders. Cystic Acne is full treatable and curable and has been for several years. I cannot understand why your docs would not have prescribed state-of-the-art treatment for you??

Sadly, there are a lot of 2nd and 3rd rate docs practicing and many of them shouldn't be. The skin is the single biggest organ in your body and you really should be seeing a board certified Dermatologist who knows what they're doing.

I've read that vitamin D does a better job. Try that instead first for a month and see how that works out.

10,000 IU of vitamin D3 a day for a month. It's pretty cheap too. If acnes go away, cut back to 5,000 IU a day and forget retin-A.

I have, it's fabulous. Never do accutane make sure your doc prescribes or recommends a great moisturizer with it. I used cesta phial cream (not the lotion)

I had moderate acne but it presented on the cheeks in a hormonal way. It got near cystic and I tried EVERY homeopathic remedy, $200 a month organic facials. But sadly, retin A did the trick in like a month. I've never had acne since.

one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar 2x day before a meal.

stay away from accutane -- causes depression and long term side effects

wash face with baking soda (make a paste and apply to face as a scrub) 3x a week

Impportant-- GET RID OF ALL PROCESSED FOODS and lay off sugar and alcohol. Stop eating dairy and animal products, they have excess hormones pumped into them, which cause acne.

most acne is from hormonal imbalance and stress and is worsened by diet.

what you put into your body and mind is reflected in your skin and the way it glows/radiates, or how bad it looks.

Its a total life change to get where you want to be. You can do it.

oh and eat lots of blueberries. you can eat frozen ones in the off season.

blueberries will do amazing things for your skin. And mind.

No Accutane PLEASE! It has a black box warning and tons of lawsuits. Make your own vitamin C serum, use the retin-A and Dermaroll once ever 4 weeks taking a 1 week break fr retin-a and vitamin c and using Vitamin E/ golden jojoba oil during that time.

1. Dissolve 1gram of L-ascorbic acid in 5 ml of water (preferably distilled), in small glass container using a stirrer. Make sure it is fully dissolved before proceeding to next step.
2. Add 5 ml of glycerin and mix.
3. Put in a sealed jar, (not clear glass as this allows light in, and light degrades vitamin C.) Store in cool dry place.

Once the C serum changes color throw it out And make a new batch. Buy your DIY supplies from lotioncrafters

This website is a great resource for DIY skin care
[link to www.essentialdayspa.com]

Last Edited by MyAffliction on 12/04/2012 08:44 AM

Used Retin-A in the late 80's for severe cystic acne, didn't do a thing except make me burn like a boiled lobster. Also was given Tetracycline at one point, destroyed my teeth and had no effect on the acne. I wanted to join the military, was told that with the acne on my back I couldn't, so I was put on max-dose Accutane. It totally cleared my acne, but I suffered through my senior year in high school with severe and frequent nosebleeds and other side effects. Unsure what other damage it did. Also used to go every 2 weeks to the dermatologist for a "poke and scrape", which was an awful experience. Never had an issue while I was in the military, either hormones changed or it was the amount of Vitamin D I was getting. Still have a pimple here and there, but lots of D and C, plus reducing my stress level helps. Also now a vegetarian, which cleared a host of health issues I was having. My face is not too scarred, but I have numerous scars on my back.

Predisposition to acne is genetic, and is aggravated by stress and hormones. Diet has little to no effect on acne, this from every dermatologist I've ever talked to.

For moderate acne, wash your face twice a day with glycerin soap (Neutrogena is great, but expensive) and PAT DRY. Never scrub or rub your face, any irritation will make the acne much worse.

WRONG! Diet has EVERYTHING to do with keeping skin clear and acne free. Of course your doctor will tell you it does not affect you, they want to prescribe you meds and surface treatments.

It is a fact that people who eat clean, and eat a majority of fruits and vegetables have beautiful, clear skin.

OP, clean up your diet, garbage in, garbage out. Drink lots of water and NO HFCS or excess sugars.

and eyes, long term, great for eyesight.

Op, I used retin a many years ago and it was way to harsh.
created many more problems, did not fix or help acne.
others here who say diet is important are right. lots of water too. treat your skin gently. you can heal this from the inside out. as another poster said, i too got CO2 laser later in life and my skin has been beautiful ever since - 14 years later. not a blemish just a little scarring remains on the side forehead... i know this doesn't help you immediately, but please,
develope good eating habits, keep your hands away from your face, exercise daily, de stress, save your money and get CO2 laser when a good Dermatologist will do it.
The recovery period for it is 3 months of redness, initially extreme - although they will tell you 6 weeks.
here's a link with info and also refers to Accutane and how you must be off it for 6 months before this proceedure.
[link to onlyacne.com]

i've had acne for ten years, since i was 14. a few years ago, i developed cystic acne that was really gross :/ i took an antibiotic (tetracycline) and the cysts went away. a couple months ago i started using a 2% salicylic acid gel from a company that uses no colors, fragrances, or unnecessary additives ( [link to www.paulaschoice.com] and my acne has cleared 90%. i only regret not finding this product sooner, because my cheeks are scarred and it does effect my confidence sometimes.

retina-a is scary to me and i never considered it or accutane. i'd rather have acne than expose myself to the risks. to me, it was bad enough having to take two months of antibiotics.

have you tried tetracycline? that should help the cysts. the salicylic acid is an exfoliant and will stop clogged pore acne. i was convinced no product would ever work for me until i found this stuff.

good luck !

I've used Retin-A for ages, not for acne but for anti-aging purposes as it rebuilds collagen. Good stuff!

OH and i forgot, i began washing my face with a little bit of baking soda and a drop of tea tree oil. try that, too!

geez one more thing (sorry, stoned) i think the cysts were triggered by vitamin deficiency because they popped up while i was dealing with some body issues. so if you think that could be a possibility, wouldn't hurt to try a multivitamin or something.

I'm in the same boat. 10 years of agony. My face has been destroyed by my acne. I was diagnosed last year with Rosacea. I have been on everything except Accutane. I will not do Accutane. That is my personal choice.
I started using Metronidazole topical cream. In ten years of using medication, this has worked wonders! My flare ups are smaller and less painful.
I also work on keeping my skin PH balanced. I drink lots of water, eat lots of fresh veggies, and use a apple cider vinegar toner after washing my face.
retin-a worked for a little while for me, but it was to painful to continue. My skin just didn't like it. :(
Good luck! I know how awful it is to have acne and be a adult.

My acne was a small blessing though...I started my own little nature skin care company. :) Don't forget the small things, they might just make your day better. :)