Unlisted Brand • Retin A Micro • Treatments

rated 3.8(185 reviews)

Average Rating.3.8
Would buy this product again.75%
Package Quality3.8
Price3.3
Ingredients

rated 5 of 5 lms436 on 4/27/2013 9:13:00 PM more reviews by lms436

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I am the biggest Retin-A advocate! I started with the lesser strength version (.02) which I would highly recommend doing (the weaker first and then build up to the stronger) because your skin will react. Mostly peeling, so make sure you moisturize a lot and exfoliate. Also when you first begin with Retin-A, start with a few times a week, then go to every other day, then finally every day. Your skin will take a while to get used to it, but it is worth it. And once it is used to the lesser strength formula, switch to the higher strength for maximum results. I have had acne for years and I was so frustrated that nothing was working to help. Not only did Retina-A clear up my skin, but it greatly helped my scarring. My skin tone is much more even and even (dare I say it) glows. I use less and less makeup and feel more comfortable in my skin every day. Go Retin-A!

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rated 3 of 5 Kcwatts1 on 4/8/2013 11:12:00 PM more reviews by Kcwatts1

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I have been using Retin A for 4 months. I started out with generic Retin A but quickly switched to micro. The acne did clear up but it makes my face so much oilier than before. I can' t believe it makes people's skin dry! Two of my sisters also used Retin A but gave up due to the extremely oily skin. I am not sure what I am going to try next, maybe Finacea. If anyone has had similar results I would love to hear about it.

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rated 4 of 5 Cho1986 on 4/7/2013 3:19:00 PM more reviews by Cho1986

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

So I'm currentlly in the middle of week 9 and this stuff has been a rough ride for me, most of that was my fault tho. So when I started using Retin A I actually had completly clear skin and wanted to use it due to the anti-aging properties, better to start early and use something that's actually proven to work rather than buy all sorts of crap from the drugstore. Anyways, at first all it did was dry my skin out pretty badly and make me peel, plus some mild break-outs. Around the four week mark or so, I went out and bought some Cetaphil cuz I figured it would be good for my dry skin, oddly enough, it made me break out SO SO badly, I thought it was the Retin A doing it's purging thing, so I just kept using it. After I hit the eight week mark and I was STILL breaking out super badly I starting to get pretty frustrated and thinking maybe Retin just isn't for me. Anyways, long story short, out of curosity I took the Cetaphil out one night and right away I completly stopped breaking out and havn't since! So, it turns out the retin actually does work for me! Now that I'm not breaking out anymore, my skin is starting to look and feel pretty nice, alot of the blackheads that I have in my cheeks and nose area are starting to fall out, I still get alot of peeling, I notice that it seems to sorta cycle to every five days or so everything peels alot. I have tons of red marks all over right now from the break-out but I'm not too worried, I can cover them with make-up til they fade. Anyways it's still too early to give a full review yet, but I'm pretty excited to see what the next couple months hold. I payed 30$ in Canada for a 20g tube that is almost empty at the two month mark!

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rated 5 of 5 beautycalls09 on 3/23/2013 1:56:00 AM more reviews by beautycalls09

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Olive   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

I used regular, generic tretinoin 0.05% cream for years before discovering Retin-A Micro. I immediately switched to the 0.1%. It is definitely stronger--it burns the skin around my eyes if I'm not careful--but with the Micro technology I've had no irritation or redness. I did have some flakiness at first but it went away.

If you are able to afford it, I strongly prefer Retin-a Micro over regular Retin-a or any regular tretinoin product. You can use a higher concentration with fewer side effects, plus it contains silicone moisturizers that help prevent the dryness and flakiness associated with topical retinoids.

My advice to anyone starting a retinoid is to use the lowest concentration until you get used to it, apply it every other night or every third night until you get used to it, and DON'T BE DISCOURAGED IF YOUR ACNE GETS WORSE AT FIRST!

EDIT: This recently became available in generic form. (Retin-A Micro is NOT the same as regular tretinoin.) The generic form is called Tretinoin Micro or Microsphere and comes in the same strengths and sizes as brand name Retin-A. If you've been holding off on trying this because of the price, now's your chance!

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rated 3 of 5 tyleen123 on 3/10/2013 9:53:00 AM more reviews by tyleen123

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I am 16 years old and have had moderate acne since I was 13 years old, for a while I used clean and clear and it worked wonders but once I entered high school it stopped working and I began to use acanya twice a day (day and night) and freshman year throughout sophomore year that made my skin so clear and gorgeous but after a year my skin grew accustomed to it and it no longer got rid of my moderate acne , so fast forward to the beginning of my junior year, my dermatologist recommended retin a micro .1%, I was skeptical because I have used this for two weeks during my freshman year and I remember it giving me a nasty chemical peel but I figured I might as well try it once again I mean whats the worst that can happen?..... I was wrong !! the first few weeks my skin got alittle better aside from the extreme peeling and redness , however after day 66 when I was hoping for the promised results I began purging like crazy! I had cystic acne and my face was so tender and flaky I would have breakdowns and not want to go to school, I bought 100 dollars worth of top of the line makeup hoping to cover up my breakouts but my skin was so scaly and flaky that makeup just made my skin look worst! my family made fun of my skin (and still does) which only made it worst , luckily my boyfriend didn't seem to mind my terrible skin so that gave me the confidence to stick to retin a micro, well today marks my 16th week and sadly my skin is just getting worst my purging period never ended and it seems like it never will, I have kept a photo acne journal and I can see my face has just gotten progressively worst , I have terrible cystic acne now and a bunch of tiny pus filled pimples and brown scars from previous pimples ... The only positive result I've gotten is smaller pores, I do understand this medication takes a while to effectively work though so after coming this far I will continue to use ram for a year before I give up , I will definitely update once my skin begins to clear up a bit more ! if you are also at your 4 month and are still purging like me don't lose hope !! hopefully we will soon get the flawless skin we have been striving for !

Ps- my daily regimen is in the morning I wash my face with cetaphil gentle cleanser and wait ten minutes before applying cetaphil facial moisturizer , and at night I wash my face with cetaphil again, wait thirty minutes then apply a pea size and a half of ram

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rated 5 of 5 Piscesblue13 on 3/4/2013 7:14:00 PM more reviews by Piscesblue13

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

Ok, so I highly dislike coming onto this page to read negative reviews about a product that was tried for less than a month. STOP IT! You are ruining the chance for other ppl to really give a product a try. Reviews really should not be given until the person has been on this for at least 3 months. If you are going to use such a product like retin-a micro,then you NEED to be informed as to HOW this product works. Results will not be seen in a month, or even two months...for some it could take even 6 months. First of all, with any real acne product, your face is going to get worse before it gets better. THAT is just how it works...yes, you will probably break out a lot more and your skin will look bad. If you are having irritation, then you should only start out using the product every couple days...it is very strong and some people can't tolerate using it more than a few times a week. If your face is very RED or RAW, you are either using too much or too often. So please, do not give negative results based on a couple weeks of use, that is ludicrous.
As for me, I have been using this product for 15 weeks. I started using it for minor breakouts and to smooth out my skin. When I started this I had no breakouts at all, but i did have some little ones underneath the skin that I was hoping would be brought out. Well, after several weeks that did happen. And even though I started out with no zits, at around week 7 I started having some breakouts on the sides of my cheeks and I also got about 2 cystic pimples. So, yes there was a period where I felt icky about my face. But i kept on going. when I first started I used this about 3 times a week and gradually increased it; now I will use it like 6-7 days in a row and then take a night off. (I also have a bottle of the .1% and I stated incorporating that into my routine after 7 weeks) Ok, so just to clarify how I started using this: Weeks 1 & 2- I used ram 3 times a week; Week 3 & 4-I used it 4 times a week; Week 5,6,7 &8-I used 5 times a week; then starting at week 9 - present, I started using it approx 6 days a week (however if my face feels dry on a day I will take the night off.) I use the .04% consistently, but now am able to use the .1% maybe twice a week, in addition to the .04%. for example, I may use the .04% four times during the week, and then use the .1% twice during that same week and then take a night off. This seems to work well for me. Today I am glad to say that my face is very smooth and glowey. I have no zits (knock on wood) and any small red marks I had after having those breakouts have dramatically faded. I can't wait to see how my face will look in a couple months. Also, depending upon how my skin feels, I may or may not use a moisturizer after applying the retin-a. If I do use it, I always wait about an hour and a half after applying the retin-a micro. But again, it is only occasional that I use it at night. But, I always use moisturizer every morning.
So if anyone is struggling out there with RAM, please don't let it get you down. Things can absolutely turn around, especially if you have been using it less than 6 months. You need to give it a fair amount of time before deciding whether it works for you or not.
Also, there a few other things I do to try and help minimize potential dryness. I also take a medium sized dose of vitamin e everyday as well as fish oil. (When my friend was on accutane her derm suggested taking vitamin e, so I thought it might be helpful) Anyway, if I skip days taking it, I definitely notice a difference in my skin. I also notice the benefit on the rest of my body as it is very soft. If I get the peels, I have a micro cloth that I use, not frequently, but only when I really need to get rid of the flakes--I also use it gently. while my skin is sensitive I had been using proactive for the past many years andI have been able to continue using the face wash and toner along with the RAM. However, I only use the cash wash and toner in the mornings, at night I just rinse my face with water but do not use anything besides the ram. A couple weeks ago I also added in one of MD Forte's products called "Rejuvenating serum 1" and I only use this a few times a week in the mornings. So far so good, but again, I am very gentle with my skin and if it seems at all irritated or uncomfortable i will take a night off and just moisturize.
Also, I get the brand new retin-a from a pharmacy in Canada--here a bottle goes for $125, but the same one goes for $21 at a Canadian pharmacy. (you do need a prescription)

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rated 4 of 5 *TOP REVIEWER* blondebum on 2/27/2013 11:42:00 PM more reviews by blondebum

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Other   Eyes: Green    

Before using any type of retinol product, it is important to know what you are getting yourself into. If you are looking for a quick solution to clear up acne then this is not the product of you. Retinol takes anywhere from 12-16 weeks to start showing results and patient is key during this process. Retinol works by sloughing off the dead layers of skin and going deep down into pores to pull out all acne causing oil, dirt, and built up sebum. I used this product for 16+ weeks and it was pure hell up until then. My face was red and dry and no amount of makeup could cover it up. Around 12 weeks i started to notice the less frequency of pimples forming and my face had a special glow to it. I am so glad that i stuck it out and went through the process because i finally see results. One tube lasts a very long time and you only apply a very small amount.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

rated 1 of 5 kaitlynmarieexoxo on 2/26/2013 8:32:00 AM more reviews by kaitlynmarieexoxo

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Please please whatever you do, do not use this product. I am very very acne prone, breakout everyday so I thought I would give this a try. At first it seemed to be promising, my skin tone was getting more even and breakouts were going away. But after about 2 weeks of use, this just started to clog my pores. Blackheads galore and cystic bumps. not only that, but this burned my face!! My face was so raw and blood red, I couldn't put anything on it not even makeup because it burned so badly. not to mention that it was peeling off in chunks revealing even more raw skin underneath!!! I imediately stopped using this product and i will never use it again. Horrible expirience, the results are not good, they dont last and arent worth the pain your face goes through!!!

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rated 4 of 5 Shannongre on 2/15/2013 2:27:00 PM more reviews by Shannongre

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I had basically tried every product imaginable and nothing seemed to be working to stop breakouts and help cease my pores from becoming larger and larger (especially on my nose). Well, retin a micro has been the answer! I love that it shrinks pores and the breakouts are minimal now (I have been on it for 2 months). I am having issues with redness and peeling, but I will take this over cysts and large pores. Anyway, I think retin a mico is free from a lot of other ingredients that break me out, so this one worked for me. And I have tried a lot of retinol products!

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rated 4 of 5 pinkshoeaddict on 12/21/2012 6:04:00 PM more reviews by pinkshoeaddict

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I have been using Retin-A Micro .04% for a little over a year. I had very minor acne and a few wrinkles, but nothing too major. It does a really good job at keeping the breakouts away, but parts of my face are chronically dry from using Retin-A in combination with other medication that tends to dry skin. With insurance, the Retin-A was only $10, and I have been using the same tube for about a year now. Usually if I have a breakout, between the Retin-A and the Clarisonic, it goes away pretty quickly.

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rated 4 of 5 Amie25 on 12/19/2012 3:45:00 PM more reviews by Amie25

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Hi Ladies! I've read all your comments before agreeing with my Dr. that I'd jump in and try it. I'm 31 and had moderate acne, mainly horrible Cystic ones where I'd go get a shot to calm in down. I've been on Retin A- Micro 0.04% and my doctor thankfully, gave me strict instructions. She said STOP using all your drying out, acid products for acne. You CANNOT use this while on Retin- A. She told me to go buy CeraVe facewash and face lotion because that stuff, while inexpensive, is the BEST stuff for your face designed by a team of Dermotoligists. So, I complied, and my wallet was happy- ALthough my Retin -A cost $180.00 - uh ya. First week my skin looked good but was tender, next week i noticed light flaking, and the 3rd week, BREAKOUTS!!! My life sucked. My face was a nightmare, but I stuck with it, cuz EVERYONE including my lovely Doctor told me this would happen, that it's part of the process. So, I'm now ending my 4th week, and oddly my breakouts are going away quickly. My face is oily and I have to blot it more than usual because I think of the hydrating Cerava, but that stuff is a dream and has saved my skin from over drying and peeling too much. My skin looks pretty good now, thank God! I think the worst is over, and I'm thankful my doctor switched up my entire skin routine, which I was very nervous about! But hey! What I was doing, wasn't enough, wasn't work! This does so far. Try it for yourself, and get some very hydrating facewash and lotion, that's it! Nothing else. Or you'll peel and hate life. :) Good luck!

OK it's been a few more weeks since I wrote this and I've had the WORST breakout of all - I think I'm on week 6 - week 6 suck - horrible acne that takes forever to heal. Going back to dr. on jan 10th to see what's up. I heard day 33 is the worst as it finally reached the bottom layer of skin -and by day 66 you should be clear - let's hope or I'm giving up. i don't even want to leave my house ;(

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rated 3 of 5 antoinette07 on 12/13/2012 9:04:00 PM more reviews by antoinette07

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Oily, Medium Brown   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

Well I started on retin a micro about 3 weeks ago. so far its not bad at all. i used it everyday for about a week all over my face. big mistake. the first two days, nothing really happened. no burning, stinging, peeling, dryness, or breakouts. nothing. but then when the 3rd day came, oh.my.god. everything was happening. it burned so bad when i applied it. it even burned when i washed and moisturized my face. i had to put my face up to a fan for a couple of days. it was also severely dry. it was so dry and tight that my face had begun to crack. i continued to use it everyday for the next two days until i just couldn't take it anymore. the retin a micro left behind chemical burns on my upper cheek and around my mouth. not bad burns, but like light scabs. i broke out around my nose and on my forehead, but not bad breakouts. just little whiteheads. my face looked awful. it never looked so bad before. so after all of the mess i went through the first week, i started using it every 2 days. and that helped a lot. my face got adjusted to the retin a micro a lot better. i did this for the 2nd week. eventually the dryness and tightness stopped. the burning stopped. the little burns that i had eventually flaked away or rubbed off. the retin a micro started to work its magic :) now i'm approaching the end of my third week. and i can say that my face is on its way to clearing up. i have been using it every other day to. because the retin a is exfoliating my skin so well, quickly, my acne scars on my forehead, temples, and chin are slowly fading away. my skin complexion overall is evening out and lightening up. my face is not soft, but better. it's marble smooth. the downside is i am starting to breakout on my chin and forehead and kind of on my temples. but those are my problem areas. i have problems with clogged pores, whiteheads, and blackheads. my acne is pretty mild. not bad. i don't have like severe cystic acne or anything. but the retin a is doing its job. it's bringing all of the impurities underneath the skin to the surface which is what i want. i have a lot of whiteheads and blackheads coming up. which is good. but they're barely noticeable though. oh and my skin is producing less oil than it used to which is very, very good. i don't have oily skin, but over time throughout the day, it will get pretty oily. i will have to say that my skin will be pretty clear and in good shape by summertime. i am really hoping that it will. i mean my skin isn't getting worse to me, but its slowly getting better. so i will update, i don't know whenever. probably within the next month or so.
* because retin a micro is so very strong, i am being very gentle with my face as much as possible. i don't scrub my face like i used to because the retin a itself is exfoliating my skin so much. but this is my simple routine that i'm going to be doing for as long as i'm on this treatment. im not going to being switching the products anymore period

AM
-Cetaphil Cleanser
-Complex 15 moisturizer

PM
-Cetaphil Cleanser
*wait about 30 min or until completely dry
-Apply like a pea size and a half of Retin A Micro all over face
-No moisturizer, and just go to sleep

*on days i know is going to be sunny i will use Neutrogena Intensified Daily Moisturizer spf 15 in the morning
*every 3 days or if i see a lot of shedded skin, i will use St. Ives Apricot scrub for sensitive skin

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rated 5 of 5 spiritinsky on 12/9/2012 1:09:00 AM more reviews by spiritinsky

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

I have been using this for about eight months now and I have to say I simply love it. Initially, when I started using the product, I had horrible breakouts even in places where I never usually break out. I had hundreds of tiny breakouts all over my face but I decided to give it a fair amount of time before giving up. After about a couple of months, my skin began to settle down. There were still some clogged pores but my skin was looking much calmer. Now after eight months, my skin is totally free of acne and it has helped with the deep pitted scarring too. Nothing too dramatic but there has definitely been some improvement in the acne scars. The red and black marks have reduced as well. Having said that, my skin still peels horribly and sometimes I can see a big pile of dead skin sitting on my face right before it starts to peel all over again and it does not look pretty but I will take it any day as it works well with the acne as well as the scarring. It is not a miracle and it does not work overnight but if given enough time it does prove worthy.

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rated 5 of 5 emonty on 11/29/2012 5:01:00 PM more reviews by emonty

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I am 22 years old and just started having acne this year. I have tried a lot of products such as: burts bees natural acne solution, acne free severe, proactive, dove beauty bar, beauticontrol, etc. I have moderate acne, mainly around my mouth and chin area, and a bunch of little zits on my forehead. I graduate from college in December so in October, I finally forced myself to go to the dermatologist... boy am I glad I did.

The dermatologist took one look and my skin and perscribed me .1% retin a micro. I am on week 8 now, before I tell you how my skin looks now I want to talk about the first few weeks. After reading nearly all of these reviews, I was scared to death. I developed a skincare regime as follows:
Morning:
1.)Cetaphil dermacontrol (applied with Clarisonic on the low setting)
2.)WAIT 10 MINUTES then use a PEA SIZE (don't over do this, it will make your face much worse, a little goes a long way) of retin a micro. They say to wait ten minutes because if you apply retin a to moist skin, your face will peel worse and become more agitated. (**** I ONLY USE RETIN A ON MONDAY,WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY****)
3.) Apply Olay moisturizer for oily/combo skin 15spf

Night:
1.)Cetaphil (as above)
2.) St. Ives apricot scrub for sensitive skin. This helped a lot with getting rid of the dead skin from peeling.
3.) Retin a (as above)
4.)Olay (as above)

It is crucial to only use a pea size for the entire face. Too much will damage your skin maybe even beyond repair. This is a strong topical and will literally give you a chemical peel if you don't use it correctly. It is also important to WAIT at least ten minutes before applying retin a.

The first few weeks were pretty bad, break outs, peeling, redness, etc. But now, I have flawless skin. I am approaching week 8 and I have not one pimple in sight. I have my confidence and my skin back. I am so grateful for this medication but I feel like my results were so great because I followed my dermatologists direction to a T and I have shared it with all of you so I hope some of this information helps. I would definitely recommend this product and hope you all get the results that I have.

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rated 5 of 5 jaclynalisha on 11/10/2012 8:29:00 PM more reviews by jaclynalisha

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Hazel    

Reading some of these reviews, I too, was very hesitant on using Retin-A Micro.

I am 21 years old and just started to have skin problems within the last year, or so. I never had a concern about acne because I was always the girl growing up with great skin. Oddly enough, after going through a rough time everything changed in my life.. And my skin took the opportunity to react to my emotional state.

I've tried everything from expensive skin care regimens to antibiotics to spending big money on makeup I hated wearing.

It was just within the past month I switched derms, and was told that Retin-A is the miracle. I was given samples of different types, like Tazorac (which I tried for a week but could not stand the pain). I almost gave up on caring about my skin until I prayed that I get my skin back to being flawless. Something told me to try the other sample, Retin-A Micro.

Despite the redness and peeling, I cannot believe the results I am experiencing. My scars have significantly faded, pimples are diminished and best of all, I have new and revived skin.

I am also on a 2 month dosage of Sulfa-Meth Bactrim, which I am close to concluding.

None the less, Retin-A is a miracle product. Please, if you are experiencing acne or severe skin dullness and would like to maintain beautiful skin well into your elder years...PLEASE give this the chance it deserves. You will not be sorry.

I will use this in conjunction with Philosphies: Purity and Microdelivery face washes until infinity.

Pray on it ladies!!!!!!!!!

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rated 1 of 5 smengada on 10/27/2012 7:34:00 PM more reviews by smengada

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Other    

recently i went to dermatologist because i wanted to get rid of my acne scars. been struggling acne since i was 13 now that im 31 its under controlled . for the recent years been into birth control pill , accutane, lots of topical treatment too and dermabrasion and skin peeling. injectons name it i had done it all. until recently the doctor checked my face and told me that i have to undergo glycolic peels and micro dermabrasion for 6 session which is good for 6 months and gave me a retin a micro 0.04 i used it for straght 12 weeks and it gaved me devastated skin. i could deal with dryness and flalky skin but the not the worst break out in my entire life big postules, papules, acne black head and white head all in one in my face. i dont even look in the mirror because i look so ugly. but my husband the way he looked at me he would always say your beautiful lol.

now i went back to my doctor and he switch me to TACTOU gel cost $111.00 let see how it works on my face but i wont recomment retin a micro.

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rated 1 of 5 morgwild on 9/15/2012 4:26:00 PM more reviews by morgwild

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I could deal with the flaking stage. I just used ProActive's tea tree oil moisturizer since it went on clear. Any moisturizer that looked white before "settling in" tended to make the flakes on my face look worse. The problem for me was that after the flakes settled down, I noticed that the blemishes I did get would disappear only to leave marks on my flesh.

The blemishes I got before this product rarely, rarely left dark marks on my face; nearly ALL the blemishes I got while using this product went dark. It's been at least six months and I still have slight brown marks in 4-5 places from the period when I was using this product.

I went back on Minocycline after this and then decided to go natural. If I eat limited wheat and sugar, sleep right, and take 50g zinc tablets my face is close to perfect. So. I'll stick with that.

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rated 5 of 5 *TOP REVIEWER* raenamercedi on 9/10/2012 11:57:00 PM more reviews by raenamercedi

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I started using Retin-A gel for moderate acne as a teenager almost twenty years ago, and I stopped using it after it caused severe redness and irritation.
At 30 I began to experience cystic hormonal acne, especially on my jawline and chin, with additional breakouts on my forehead and cheeks. Along with changes in diet and skincare I started to use the Retin-A cream, which I found to be very greasy, and it caused me to suffer clogged pores and additional breakouts.
I switched to the Retin-A gel, and I suffered severe redness and flakiness. My skin did not tolerate this well at all, perhaps because of the alcohol base, and I eventually gave up on it. I tried Differin, which did not cause as much flakiness, but it left my skin very dry and irritated. I also tried Taxorac, which wasn't as drying, but it left my skin very red.
I started using Retin-A Micro 0.04% three months ago, and i like it the most out of all of the prescription medications I have tried and used. I have little to no irritation and no redness. My face can get a little dry (and this is with nightly use, the other medications I could use three nights a week maximum), but the dryness can be controlled with moisturizer in the morning.
I wash my face with a mild cleanser and my Clarisonic in the morning, and at night I remove my makeup with an oil cleanser. I apply a small amount of Argan oil, wait an hour or so, and I apply the Retin-A micro.
The formula itself is a little odd. It is between a gel and a cream. It almost feels a little "gritty" as though there are micro particles in it. It spreads easily, and I only use a pea sized amount for my entire face.
My skin is much less oily (but not dry and tight) since I started using it. I do not have flakiness, my acne is well under control, my pores are beginning to appear smaller, and I am stating to notice a decrease in fine lines.
My skin tolerates this really well. I can even use it on my undereye area without irritation. My only regret is that I didn't start with this and tried very other one first.

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rated 3 of 5 marba1 on 9/2/2012 2:05:00 PM more reviews by marba1

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I've used Retin-A micro for years. I only stopped using it about 2 months ago because I've discovered Environ Retinol 1 and Retinol 2.

The reason I stopped using the RETIN-A micro is because I had an injury under my eye and Retin-A micro made the scar irritated and grown bigger.
Also, my skin has become sensitive ( after many years using skin care with parabens and other toxic ingredients, I also can have eczema but rarely on my face ) and I wasn't able to use Retin-A more than 3 days in a row per week. My skin would become very peeling and sensitive and I couldn't not use it 4th days in a row.

I am using Environ Retinol and I am in heaven..

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rated 4 of 5 *TOP REVIEWER* UrbanObsession on 8/8/2012 2:27:00 AM more reviews by UrbanObsession

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond, Curly   Eyes: Blue    

I have struggled with moderate acne ever since I was twelve years old. Was prescribed retin a micro by my dermatologist at age 16 after using a variety of creams (differin, benzoyl peroxide, etc) and this stuff was a miracle! My skin cleared after 8 months of using it, which seems like a long time, but when you struggle with persistent acne for years, it's not a long wait. Flash forward to age 21, I stopped using this product for a year due to not having insurance and within that time period my skin went back to the way it was with a vengeance! Huge, cystic acne bumps appeared on my chin, usually four at a time, and I had never experienced cysts-painful and impossible to conceal! So I caved and went to the doctor, I requested a prescription for this product and 3 months later, my skin has improved quite a bit. Do not use this product for a month and give up! It takes time to see results and most likely, your skin will go through a "purging" process where whiteheads appear all over your face, which totally sucks but only lasts a month or so. Use a gentle cleanser to reduce inflammation and I recommend a heavy duty moisturizer! I'm so grateful I started using this again and it has anti-aging properties- score!

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