Unlisted Brand • Finacea Gel • Treatments

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*TOP REVIEWER* JaneWhit99 on 4/28/2013 2:59:00 PM more reviews by JaneWhit99

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Wasn't the biggest fan of this. I used to go through A LOT of acne medicine including a small run with accutane before I stopped because of joint problems and nose bleeds. I used Tazorac for a while which was a NIGHTMARE for my skin. It made me super super irritated and everyone thought I was sunburned.

I got this recommended from my derm and gave it a shot. It did reduce the redness that I had and dried out my face a little. I really didn't like the feeling of this at all on my face and it didn't really clear up my face like I really hoped for.

Wouldn't use again

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surferbabe09 on 3/19/2013 6:09:00 PM more reviews by surferbabe09

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

My derm prescribed this for me for rosacea. SO far I really like it I also have sensitive skin and it has not caused a problem and has cleared my skin up.

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chessablue on 2/4/2013 11:04:00 PM more reviews by chessablue

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

I swear by Finacea.

After cystic acne as a teen and 2 months of Accutane at age 20, I had very sensitive skin that dried easily but was always congested with an oily layer of small blackheads and broke out easily from cosmetics. I tried everything and only Eve Lom facials really made a difference, but these were too expensive to be sustainable.

My mother has advanced Rosacea, so I rushed to the dermatologist when a facialist told me Rosacea was the likely culprit of persistent redness, a few broken capillaries and bumps on my cheeks.

My dermatologist prescribed Finacea after I reacted to 3 or 4 other treatments, warning me only to expect to prevent the Rosacea from advancing. Instead, I saw improvement overnight and the redness faded steadily until I hardly needed foundation. The bumps and blackheads began to disappear and stayed away. Cystic acne scar tissue was less noticable after a few months and it's easier to keep hydrated.

I use a pea-sized drop of Finacea twice a day and keep my routine simple to avoid dehydration or sensitivity and avoid diluting the Finacea.

My standbys are:
Cleansers:
Eve Lom, BioDerma micellar water or La Roche Posay Rosaliac gel
Moisturiser:
Eve Lom TLC cream, Embryolisse Lait Creme or Body Shop Vitamin E Intense
Daytime:
La Roche Posay Hydraphase SPF 30
Treatments:
Weleda Rose oil capsules, Eve Lom Rescue Mask
Foundation:
Laura Mercier Mineral Powder and Finishing Powder or LM Tinted Moisturiser and translucent powder or Guerlain Parure powder foundation

Hope this helps someone else in the same boat!

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pearl on 2/3/2013 7:34:00 PM more reviews by pearl

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I'm 36, with mild rosacea and sebaceous hyperplasia. My derm prescribed this for both issues. After using it for 6 months I've seen no change in my skin. Derm is now claiming it does not fix rosacea but will stop it from getting worse.

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bieberek on 1/18/2013 3:04:00 PM more reviews by bieberek

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I'm 16 years old girl and for 1-2 years I have a problem with redness on my cheeks and nose. I dont have a rosacea I guess but its like I always had normal skin on face, no redness and all. only when I got tired or another thing which could cause a blush. but since last year my 'problem' has been gotten worse. I used arnica warps, many creams but it didnt work. The main reason for me is hereditary fragility of blood vessels, mom has a lot of broken capillaries. I dont have them yet, except for the nose, but I very often blush. like I said, I never had problems this kind of so I cannot reconciled with that.
2 months ago I went to a dermatologist . she prescribe me FINACEA and liquid to rinse sb face with zinc. I bought that gel a bit later because my father told me that it wont help me. I bought it anyway :D so I've been using finacea for a month (precisely 37 days) and I use it every night one time. initially it made my skin was much worse than before. my cheeks and nose was really red. I had to hide this mess with green corector and base. now is a little bit better but still I have got delicate redness on my face. my main worry is if I can be free from redness for ever...I mean I use finacea quite a long time already and it's still same like before. do you know if this gel can heal me??

and sorry if I wrote something wrong, I dont know english very well.

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i9jadei9 on 1/16/2013 10:07:00 AM more reviews by i9jadei9

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

Finacea is an amazing product!! I first started using it about 5 years ago, went off of it for a few years and just recently started using it again. When I first started using it I was looking for something to not only help with the occasional redness I was having but also acne. I used it every night and while I definitely noticed improvement with the redness it wasn't helping with my acne so I slowly went off of it and started using Proactiv. That worked for me until recently so I thought I would give Finacea another try. I did my research and a lot of people were saying that to truly see results with acne it had to be used twice a day, so twice a day is what I did. After just a few days I noticed my skins texture and tone was looking better and evening out. It's now been a month and my skin is clearing better than ever! I do have to say that I did have an initial breakout but I believe the Finacea was just bringing out what the Proactiv had just kept right under the surface. Those are clearing now and my skin just looks over all healthy and vibrant. Using it in the morning you definitely have to wear something on top as it can leave white streaks when it dries. All in all I am so happy I decided to give it another shot and definitely suggest using it twice a day as I believe that's when you'll see the best results!

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mixed12 on 11/15/2012 6:10:00 AM more reviews by mixed12

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium Brown   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I have been using this product for a month now. I broke out suddenly out of nowhere over the summer. My acne was really bad on my chin, frontal cheeks, and above my lip line (mustache area) before I started using this. Also whiteheads were very prevalent within the breakout. It was REALLY bad. So bad that even strangers approach me about it. That area has cleared but now since I have been using finacea the sides of my cheeks and my forehead are breaking out. I'm not breaking out with a whole lot of whiteheads anymore...but now it is more so multiple large cystic bumps that last seemingly forever. I am not sure if this is the purging of my skin or if the product may be clogging my pores because my initial problem areas have cleared up, but this product has brought new problem areas. Not happy thus far but I will keep you guys posted. I am also taking an oral antibiotic (bactrim) that my doctor said I will need to be on for SIX MONTHS! ugh! As well as a medicated face wash called sumaden day and night.
Update: 12/9/12
I stopped using this product shortly after writing this review. It was not helping me at all....in fact it made it worse. I have since went back to visit my dermatologist and he took me off the bactrim/finacea combo and prescribed me on an oral antibiotic called duricef. I LOVE it! I saw results after two days of taking the pills. I do still have some minimal breakouts but NOTHING as outrageous as it was while I was taking the previous regimen. I still use the sumaden wash as well but that is pretty much it. The only thing that is a bit of a nusense is the scarring that was left behind from this horrible outbreak especially since I am not a makeup type of gal but I can live with the scarring versus having multiple huge cystic pimples looming all over my face.
I think that my skin is SUPER sensitive to products and the notion of "less is more" is what works best for my skin. My skin doesnt work too well with harsh or really strong products. But everyones skin is different so this product may just work for you. It is all a trial and error. Good luck folks

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lindam on 9/2/2012 10:37:00 AM more reviews by lindam

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Silver, Wavy   Eyes: Brown    

When menopause hit my skin transformed from great to teenage angst. I had rough, bumpy skin and covered with blackheads!

My Derm prescribed this and had given the direction to use AM. I used it and used it and used it, but it didn't seem to make a big difference and with insurance it was still $42.00.

I would go through long periods of time trying other products and would go back and try Finacea again. This time I went out to the internet in search of info. and found most directions were for AM and PM use.

Viola! In a couple of days I noticed a change for the better(Thank God!)
My skin felt smoother and looked better.

So the moral to the story is, when in doubt, use more!!!

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ohsailor on 8/31/2012 4:18:00 AM more reviews by ohsailor

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

Background: I've been using Finacea (for a second treatment) for about 2-3 months. I have post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and some spots. Dry skin in the morning but oily by mid-afternoon.

Application: Finacea still stings my skin and itches, no matter what I do. The itch isn't horrific (although it may be for some as I have quite a high tolerance) and it only lasts for around 10-15 minutes after application. If your skin does itch, the recommendation is to apply every other day and work up to every evening. The cream is easy to spread but don't apply too much - I find that this ends up clogging my skin and makes it worse. Some evenings I only use a large pea-sized amount to avoid any of the side effects (mentioned below)

Price: In the UK (and also the US) Finacea is prescription only however in Australia I believe that it is OTC.

Effects (good): My skin tone has generally evened out all over my face. The red marks remain unfortunately but I am prone to scarring quite badly so I know that this will take many many months to fade. I do think that Finacea is helping with lightening some of the marks and with the minor Rosacea that I have on my cheeks.
Dabbing some "extra" on a spot that I can see/feel will erupt definitely helps reduce inflammation and Finacea certainly helps with shortening the cycle of dealing with a spot (it "dries" up a lot quicker) My blackheads aren't so bad on my nose either.

Effects (bad): One of the reasons I stopped using Finacea first time around was because of the incredibly dry skin that I get from using it. Perhaps I should use moisturiser (but I can't due to every one breaking me out awfully) but even manual exfoliation doesn't help the dry and flaky skin that I seem to get. The dry skin gets worse if you apply too much so be careful. Apart from the dry skin and slightly itching sensation, I wouldn't say there are too many adverse side effects.

How I use Finacea currently: To deal with active or emerging spots, I use Paula's Choice 2% Liquid all over my face. I let this dry for an hour or so and then apply Finacea - currently this is working the best for my skin...although it is liable to change!

Overall review: This is a great cream to keep your inflamed pustules (mostly) at bay. This is no miracle cream but there isn't anything that is - this is probably the most consistent anti-acne treatment I have used that seems to produce the best results for the longest time. My skin isn't clear but it is most definitly 75% better than pre-Finacea days. This, in my books, is definitely cause to continue. And I am confident that with Finacea, perhaps my face will one day become clear and flawless.

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ChristineN on 7/28/2012 8:24:00 PM more reviews by ChristineN

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I have suffered from adult acne for years. I have found that it is the most effective treatments I have used for both rosacea and hormonal acne. My dermatologist prescribed this. It worked wonders after just 2 days. I rate it a 10! :))

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hockeywidow on 6/2/2012 11:08:00 PM more reviews by hockeywidow

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Other, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I <3 this stuff. I have moderate rosacea & hormonal acne and have tried retin a, metro gel, and a slew of other Rx & OTC products with disappointing results, but finacea is awesome. It does sometimes itch BADLY but it doesn't last long and for the results, I'm willing to put up with a little discomfort. I use this at night and low % benzoyl peroxide in the a.m. and my skin is the clearest it's been in years. If I do break out its a little surface whitehead once a month as opposed to the pea sized nodules/cysts I was getting on my chin & forehead and my rosacea flares have decreased significantly. Overall, I'd definitely recommend giving it a shot :)

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sunnyfuusunflower on 5/13/2012 1:13:00 AM more reviews by sunnyfuusunflower

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I was prescribed Finacea a few years ago for redness and the occassional breakout. It works well when I use it faithfully, and I notice more redness in my cheeks whenever I stop using it for a few days. I only use it once at night. Using it twice a day is too harsh for my skin. It does burn and itch just a little right after I use it but its not unbearable. I've tried metrogel and finacea seems to work much better than it does. Finacea also helps to fade hyperpigmentation. It's rather pricey, but a little bit goes a long way, and using too much can cause unwanted side effects anyway (more redness, dryness, and even light hair growth).

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

corviddreams on 4/20/2012 1:48:00 PM more reviews by corviddreams

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Hazel    

I am 42 years old and am struggling with acne. After trying all sorts of over the counter and prescription treatments, this is the only thing that has helped. In addition, it tamed the acne and blackheads that both my 21 and 20 year old sons have been dealing with. I would say that it works even better than Retin-A.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Jenny297 on 4/10/2012 11:43:00 AM more reviews by Jenny297

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

My Derm prescribed me Finacea Gel to help fade acne dark spots and to treat my lite adult acne. I've been using this once a day in the a.m. for 3 weeks now. Here are my results so far: I've already noticed my acne spots fading. I also have some very mild rosacea on my chin/cheeks/nose area and it should help with that (as that is what Finacea is apparently meant for). My skin did purge abit on the 2nd week and is starting to clear up again. I still get some pimples, but not as bad and they heal up quickly. I also noticed some very small pimples clusters on my cheeks (which I can only see in my magnifying mirror). I've never experienced that kind of breakout before and I hope this is also from the purging and will clear up soon!. Also, i did notice more peach fuzz on my cheeks and upper forehead as well. One of the side effects is facial hair growth..go figure!. I do see an electrolysis for some facial hair removal so this shouldn't be a problem. Sounds kinda scary, but it really isn't all that bad! My skin was much worse with breakouts before Finacea. Also i did expereince the mild "tingling" and "itchy/burning" feeling but only for the 1st week. I usually wait about 20minutes before putting on moisturizer after Finacea as well. My skin has gotten used to the product so no side effects are apparent anymore. So far, i do like this product and can see a difference in my skin. Its says Finacea takes 4 weeks to start working and 8-12 weeks to see the product at it's full potential. If NO results are seen by week 12, then to discontinue use and try something else, as Finacea probably isn't for you. But if you do see improvement keep using it to maintain the results.

I will update of my results in the next few weeks.

***(update) It has now been a full 7 weeks of using Finacea. I also started using it 2X a day (on week 5) because it seemed 1X just wasnt enough fo rme. No major side effects except the slight stingy feeling, but that goes away after moisturizer is applied. I am still experiencing the occasional break outs, but they don't seem to last very long. I also still pick at my pimples once i see them, so i still have the acne marks..but i know they will go away eventually. Id rather a mark than a zit! Still not sure about this product for me. Because i haven't yet seen clear smooth skin, i continue to have doubts. I will use for the full 12 weeks, then see my derm for something else. This product is very slow at working compared to most acne products, so i will give it more time. As far as the new "peach fuzz" goes that most people experience, yes this product will grow you some facial hair, but it is NOT bad at all. I did notice some growth in the beginning, but it seems to have subsided now.

I will keep you posted by week 12!!!

***(update 6/15/12) It is now 12 weeks on Finacea. I use 2x a day still but changed my face washes. I was using Neutrogena Healthy skin with .5% Salic. Acid 2x a day, but i only use it at night now and have started using a Benzo.Peroxide wash 2.5% in a.m. to help clear my acne. I have been breaking out badly and am getting huge zits that just won't seem to go away! WTF?! The B.P. wash is actually helping with my acne, so i've seen better results, but am not impressed anymore. I made an appointment with my Derm to see if she can prescribe me something else. The Finacea has worked for my somewhat small amount of redness i get around my nose, cheeks and chin, it has tightened my pores alittle, and has faded some of my old acne marks. But now i have tons more marks from all the breakouts i've been getting. (sigh). I wish this would have worked for me. Good luck to everyone else on Finacea...I hope it works for you atleast!!

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bahwa on 3/8/2012 8:41:00 PM more reviews by bahwa

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Dark, Cool   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

Whoa, never again i got 2 small sample tubes from my derm and used them for a month, what a disaster that was. I broke out horribly, painful cysts on my lower cheeks, chin and jaw, my skin became a dry peely mess and itched when applied (even after waiting an hour). I quickly went back to Tazorac and Duac which i had used before. I have a full unopened tube that will have to go to waste as am never trying it again. I am now using Devita C-Serum to clear my skin (together with Taz and Duac) and so far i am very impressed, my skin is glowing and the pigmentation scars are fading away.

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ndebace on 2/4/2012 2:56:00 PM more reviews by ndebace

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

This product is saving my skin! Some medications I was on DESTROYED my skin - breakouts and dark patches and sunspots all over my fair skin from the increased sun sensitivity. I desperately went to a dermatologist and she prescribed a couple of things that did not work before I finally started using Finacea. I am also on an antibiotic for the breakouts, but unlike a lot of other products, I did not have an intense purging on this product. I have insanely sensitive skin and there was a tiny tiny bit of sensitivity the first week or two, but nothing major. I am careful to use SPF 50 on top of it everyday. Cetaphil moisturizer spf50 was recommended to me but my derm and I love it. My insurance covers the rx so I only have to pay a copay and my derm had coupons so my first tube was basically free. I have been using Finacea for about six months now and am only about halfway through my second tube so it lasts a long time. I have seen a HUGE difference in the texture and quality of my skin and the hyperpigmentation is drastically improved and breakouts are almost completely gone. I think this is a fabulous product. Again, I use it as part of combination therapy and I am loving the results.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Wejo on 12/4/2011 12:52:00 AM more reviews by Wejo

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Three months after I quit my contraceptives trying to be pregnant pimples started crowling on my face.My doctor gave me clyndomycin and finacea and an antibiotic since last July ,and I havent been noticing great improvement in the beginning to be honest.My skin is dry,the acne were cystic and dark,lots of breakouts and pain. Lately my acne started slightly to improve,no more new ones. I have to say that I also started changing my eating habbits such as cutting dairy products//fried food, eating more veggies,and drinking a lot of water.. all of this started to work right now but very slowly.With me trying to be pregnant I guess I dont have lots of options.To improve the dryness wi I lately started to apply pure honey on my face for an hour,remove it and then apply the finacea before I go to sleep. and I actually started to see improvements from the first week Infact my skin feels smoother and I feel the scars much less agitated and refined..for all the people who are frustrated with their skin and finacea ,hang in there, I know its hard and we all want fast results, but if you are not taking tetracyclin or Rioctine which are a much stronger medicine(not allowed for preganant/trying to be pregnant women) there is no way you could have fast results.

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aquarianjewel on 11/21/2011 1:51:00 AM more reviews by aquarianjewel

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I had this whole back story write-up to go with my thoughts on Finacea, but it was just getting so long and I figured people wouldn't want to read about the trials and tribulations I had with my skin. So here's the highlight reel version:

I have hormonal acne, hyper-pigmentation, and my skin is slightly sensitive. I'm two months in on ortho-tricyclen lo to help control my hormones. Now that my derm assessed that it's hormonal acne and I was telling him about my pigmentation issues and how aczone wasn't working for me, he put me on finacea. I've been on it for six days, and I'm really amazed. My skin feels incredibly smooth! My dark spots have lightened up a bit, my skin looks significantly calmer, and there's been no irritation with use of finacea. The rate at which new acne appears has substantially abated, but I think that's more due to the ortho-tricyclen lo. Before the finacea, I had a super oily T-zone. I'd be shiny a couple hours after washing my face. While on the finacea, my skin isn't as oily. Although I still look shiny, it looks dewy and healthy, not like an oil slick - and it stays like that until the end of the day. When I wash my face and brush my fingers against my skin, it feels so smooth! Finacea has really worked for me - my skin is smoother and it looks so much calmer and less irritated.

I'm fortunate because my insurance covered the Finacea, so I paid $30. The tube is big, and based on my current use, I think It'd take me over a month to use it up, which is a good deal for me. I just hope that it continues to do well for me in the coming months! Will update in a month or so.

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skim1017 on 11/1/2011 3:43:00 AM more reviews by skim1017

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I went to see a dermatologist a month ago for some minor discoloration/hyperpigmentation on my face from the sun. She didn't recommend bleaching cream or chemical peels for me, but prescribed Finacea instead. I was surprised to find out later that Finacea is normally prescribed for rosacea and acne, but I can see how it would work for discoloration since it inhibits melanin. Anyway, during Week 1, I didn't notice any of the side effects other than slight stinging/burning and drying. By Week 2, however, I began experiencing the purging and breakouts that so many reviewers have written about. This was extremely annoying and discouraging since I was using the product for discoloration and was afraid that the breakouts would cause even more discoloration! What was even more frustrating was that the breakouts were often painful, red cysts, which I normally don't get. Around Week 3, the purging subsided a bit and I began to notice some improvement. The discolored area looked a bit lighter and smoother. Other than the discolored area, my skin looked smooth, so I felt encouraged. Now, it's Week 4, and I'm still experiencing the purging, which is suddenly worse than it was before. At the same time, the stinging/burning and drying are also worse than they were before. Last week, at least my skin was smooth and I had no issues other than the discoloration, but now, it feels like every blackhead and whitehead is being brought up to the surface. My skin feels rough and dry. I know these are all common side effects and that it's normal for your skin to get worse before it gets better with Finacea, but it's still very frustrating. I can't imagine using Finacea for acne. I've read that the purging can last for 6-8 weeks. When do you start to see any any improvement?
UPDATE #1: It's now Week 7 for me. The breakouts and purging have subsided once again, and I no longer feel that each and every blackhead and whitehead is being brought to the surface. I'm still getting the red cysts that I was getting around Week 2, but not as many as I was getting before. Overall, the surface and texture of my skin is back to normal, and not rough and dry like it was during Weeks 2 and 4. Still, I'm very frustrated because I've had more breakouts from using Finacea than I have in my entire life. I've been very patient and disciplined with this product because I was told that it would work slowly and I knew about the side effects. However, considering that I was prescribed this product for minor discoloration, I don't know if all these breakouts, which could potentially lead to more discoloration, are worth it.
UPDATE #2: After using Finacea for a full 3 months, I haven't noticed any fading of my discoloration. If anything, all Finacea did for me was break me out in cysts, which in turn led to scars that I didn't have before and more discoloration.

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Itapinkpony on 10/9/2011 5:29:00 PM more reviews by Itapinkpony

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

It helped my skin a lot, but it would have been nice if someone told me this itch like hell, my doctor says it's normal though, so i kept on using it and my skin has never been better

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