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3.7 Overall Rating

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Most voted positive review

26 People found this comment helpful

I struggled with acne since around the age of 13. I was never concerned with it until my freshman year of college when I began experiencing horrible breakouts from stress. My acne became painful and it was the first time I felt embarrassed because of it. My dermatologist prescribed Differin. It's been five months and I couldn't tell you the last time I have had a breakout. The applied the Dif...

Most voted negative review

11 People found this comment helpful

I'm 28 have been struggling with acne since I was 10. Never went to dermatologist, for a while birth control pills worked but not anymore. I started getting Huge puffy pimples between my cheeks and my ears and a lot of scaring, had enough, it's really starting to affect my self esteem not to mention that my face is always dry and the make up doesn't blend, my skin gets itchy, just horrible. my doc...

Shared reviews and ratings

Rico | 19-24 | Male | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Caregiver
8/28/2023
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

My son had terrible acne on his inner thighs. I tried everything including the differin gel, but nothing worked. I started using the differin salisylic acid spray and I noticed an immediate improvement. I continue to use this spray every other day and his inner thighs look great. I am grateful. Thank you.

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Anonymous | 35-44 | Female | On medication for 1 to 6 months |
6/30/2023
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 1.7
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I have struggled with acne all my life. Finally, I have gotten to the point in my forties that my acne was not that bad so I tried this product in hopes of acne management, for wrinkles and scarring help. This, by far, was the worst product I have ever tried. Just water alone wouldn’t have destroyed my skin like this product did between the burning, the huge acne lesions, and the new scarring. I have never seen my face completely covered in acne like I did with this product, and it was obvious my body was rejecting the new treatment. I stuck it out for several months with promise of getting past the “purge” but it came to a point that I could actually feel my skin being damaged that I gave up and threw the product in the trash and never looked back. And yes, I did use the product slowly at first to build a tolerance, and that still did not work. Wish I never tried it and am almost wondering if it is a scam?!Read More Read Less

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Sara | 45-54 | Female | On medication for 6 months to less than 1 year | Patient
6/28/2023
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 4.7
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Differin is the best thing to ever happen to my skin! At 53, I was not only still dealing with pimples, but now wrinkles too. Ugh. Started Differin 6 months ago and I so wish I had started it earlier! My skin is so clear now with only an occasional pimple and I can see a difference in the lines on my face. Skin texture is also incredibly smooth. Do you be aware that it takes a few months for your skin to acclimate to this product. They say it takes a few months, and that your skin make it worse before it gets better. My acne never got worse but my skin was dry for the first couple of months of use. Incorporated a few new steps in my skincare regimen - especially at night to combat the dryness. I am using Differin at least five nights a week, and on the other two I steam my face, use a hydrating sheet mask, and moisturize really well. I’m so happy with the results!Read More Read Less

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Kknitz | 19-24 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
1/16/2023
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 1.7
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

So much skin irritation!! My skin was fine the first week of use but the second week my skin was on fire! I had to stop using it altogether because it was so bad. I do not recommend this product in any way.

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Anonymous | 55-64 | Male | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
11/26/2022
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 1.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I been using this for 5 months. Didn’t do anything for my acne or brown spots which my dermatologist recommended. I find when I stop dairy products my skin looks better.

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Eva | 25-34 | Female | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
8/31/2022
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 4.7
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Differin is amazing but it is a frustrating medicine. The fact that it would make you acne worse isn’t a myth unfortunately. I’ve had acne for 8 years and everything that I took worked for some time but the effects didn’t last. So I’ve started differin. After a few days, my skin started to look terrible and for weeks it was inflamed and I had so many pustules on my face that I was ashamed to go to work and stopped going out at weekends. I was purging badly. I’m used to my acne and knew the side effects of differin so I didn’t get scared but it was hard to see me like this. It can be truly traumatising for people who aren’t used to see their face like this so be careful. Differin is for people who already have moderate to severe acne. It took 8 weeks for my skin to calm down and stop purging. My skin is now healing and the pimples are just falling off after two days, they don’t stay inflamed anymore. It was definitely hard to go through the purging phase BUT I would do it again and again if I had to. It was so worth it. The purging phase is necessary as your skin is getting rid of what’s underneath so you have to go through it. I’m still going on accutane as I’ve had acne for too long and I want a permanent solution and can’t use differin forever but this medicine has done most of the work before I start my journey on accutane! I’m so happy with the results. Please do NOT quit!!!!Read More Read Less

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Mimi B. | 55-64 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
8/30/2022
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I have had a couple of recurring cysts on my lower face…painful when they erupt, and it always takes a long time for them to heal. I finally learned that cysts will keep coming back unless they are dealt with medically. After reading about Differin, it seemed like a reasonable treatment to try. After some initial mild irritation and flaking, I have been very pleased with the results. Dark scar spots have disappeared, my skin is smoother (I believe the underlying cysts have gone away), and I really believe Differin solved the problem. I only gently wash my face with a warm washcloth and plain water in the evening, and then apply a light layer of D. In the area where I’ve had acne. In the morning I wash again and use a very light moisturizer. Very, very happy with the results, and no irritation after 2 weeks.Read More Read Less

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Hanie | 19-24 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
7/30/2022
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 2.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I'm 21 years, my skin has started peeling, burning so I don't know what to do , this is day 4 after use. I use the gel in the morning and evening should I stop or????

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Rob | 19-24 | Male | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
1/27/2022
Condition: Other
Overall rating 2.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Im in my fifties and i used it to get rid of brown spots and it didnt do anything!

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Anonymous |
8/27/2021
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 4.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

It's a great product, but user MUST be cautious!! Only use a very gentle, fragrance free, sulfate free cleanser in the am followed with a SPF moisturizer. For pm routine, again gentle cleanser and moisturizer. Wait for that to dry. Pea size (absolutely no more!) Amount of adapalene followed by moisturizer again. Apply adapalene every other night until you feel comfortable adding every night. DO NOT USE A TONER! This causes further irritation and increases the likelihood you will get a bad reaction. Also, if you notice extreme dryness around mouth, apply Vaseline or something similar after moisturizer and before you apply adapalene. This will help. Cleanser, moisturizer (SPF in the am as well VERY IMPORTANT!) and adapalene ARE THE ONLY PRODUCTS needed until your skin adapts to this product, which will be a few months. Then you can start to add other products to help with scars or what not AND you educate yourself on how to incorporate them into your skincare routine. Side note, it's recommended to introduce your skin to one new product at a time. Read More Read Less

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Anonymous | 19-24 | Male | On medication for 2 to less than 5 years | Patient
6/22/2021
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 4.3
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I've been using differin gel for about 2 years now. My routine consists of washing face with cetaphil gentle cleanser once a day at night and washing face with cold water in the morning, applying cetaphil moisturizer twice a day, and applying differin over my entire face and lower jaw area after moisturizer at night. I never used the gel everyday, and imo you don't need to unless your face tolerates it well. I only use once every couple days in the beginning and twice a week now. I started noticing improvements right away but there were multiple purging phases where my skin got better and then worse and then repeat. Noticeable improvements were noticed after 2 months and after half an year my condition has remained stable - with some closed comedones and a few small pimples on my jawline area only. Overall I'd say my acne has improved around 70-80%. People who say this doesn't work either overused it in the beginning or didn't stick with it long enough to see results, I believe this is the best topical acne medication there is (maybe trentinoin is also as good?) and certainly worth trying for at least half an year before deciding to hop on accutane. Read More Read Less

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almond | 13-18 | Female | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
3/14/2021
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I am 16 years old and around June last year I started to develop mild-moderate acne around my chin, cheeks and jawline. It wasn't cystic but my face was always inflamed and very textured which made me pretty self-conscious especially being around my friends who had perfect, clear skin. I tried many over the counter facial washes and treatments plus also tried home remedies but nothing seemed to make much difference. I became sick of being so insecure so I went to the dermatologist and he prescribed me with Differin Cream 0.1% Adapalene. I spent hours looking at reviews and received many mixed opinions regarding the medication and although I was really nervous to try it I decided to give it a go. I would cleanse my skin, moisturise then apply the Differin every night and after the first week I didn't notice any difference, good or bad, in my skin. By week 2/3 my skin purged a little bit (as expected) but it was no where as bad as the reviews I had read claimed, but that was just my experience. Throughout the first weeks my skin would flake if I applied the Differin too close to my mouth, I have oily skin anyway so it didn't make my skin too dry apart from that. Once the purge subsided my skin began to clear and all those nasty pimples faded away. By week 6 my skin was completely smooth, only leaving red marks behind which Differin still continues to fade along side vitamin c and other products to get rid of my scars. It's now week 13 and for the most part I'm super happy with my skin and so grateful for this amazing medication. If you're worried about purging or any other side effects please trust me when I say it differs for everybody and the wait is so worth it because this product truly saved my skin :)Read More Read Less

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Hilbean | 35-44 | Female | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
11/23/2019
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 1.7
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I had been using benzoyl peroxide for a long while with ok results. I still would have 2-3 zits on my face sometimes (mostly around my time of the month) but looking back it wasn't too bad. I just started to notice my skin was looking dull and congested so thought I needed to change up. My dermatologist suggested Differin last time I saw her, so after much research I decided to give it a try. I knew there was going to be a purge phase so I thought I was prepared. I was not. I look like I have a disease on my face. After week 8 and seeing no improvement and suddenly developing itchiness that was driving me crazy, I made an emergency appointment with my dermatologist. I am now on 3 medications to counteract the effects of differin. It may work for some but unfortunately I was not one of those people. I regret it so much. Please be cautious, because I now have months of recovery ahead of me.Read More Read Less

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Sluggirl | 19-24 | Female | On medication for 1 to less than 2 years | Patient
8/10/2019
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I’m use to having at least one active spot on my face at any given time, differin has really helped me. I found I was developing moderate acne about 2 years ago and I tried everything else. Skincare products, diet supplements, and cutting out dairy. It helped but differin was the gold star. I can see in the reviews many people have issues with this but you just have to give this a lot of time to work and be patient. It took maybe 3 months for this to stop flaring up any spots and start to work. Now my skin is completely different, I love this stuff. Most effective skincare product out there, makes me angry I wasted so much money on skincare products that weren’t prescription. If you try this, you need to change your skin routine to make it work around differin. Use a gentle or hydrating cleanser to wash your face at night, then apply your moisturiser, then differin. It will still work fine, just the moisturiser makes it less harsh for your skin. apply it everyday or build up to applying it every day. Always best to use it at night as it sensitises your skin to the sun. Apply spf during the day. Don’t apply it too close to your eyes, nose crease or chin crease as it will make your skin there peel. I don’t understand why this isn’t more widely discussed. Give a go, be patient and see if this works for you. Read More Read Less

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Nic gaff | 35-44 | Female | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
4/26/2019
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 1.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Terrible stuff I’ve been using it 3 months now and my skin is an absolute mess it’s still bright red and peeling I have Lumps and bumps every where . I do not recommend.

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Lila | 55-64 | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
4/20/2019
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 4.7
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Here's the trick I've found to reduce peeling and discomfort. Wash your face with an extra gentle cleanser, dry with a clean towel and then let air dry for several minutes. Apply a very thin layer of Differin over your entire face and let dry before going to bed. Leave on overnight and then wash your face again in the morning with the same extra gentle cleanser. Immediately apply a good amoutn of a non-comedogenic, fragrance-free lotion moisturizer (I use CereVe). Use Differin only once a day. At almost 60, my acne was worse than ever even after trying a multitude of treatments. Yes, the first weeks using Differin my face peeled and peeled. Sometimes the skin would peel off before its time and leave a red, raw area. But overtime, the peeling has subsided, the blackheads around my nose and checks are noticeably fewer and the whiteheads and Milia are almost gone. I haven't had a full blown acne breakout since I started Differin and the nice side effect is after all that peeling, I have fewer acne scars and shallower wrinkle lines. Read More Read Less

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Luna | 25-34 | On medication for 6 months to less than 1 year | Patient
1/3/2019
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 4.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Give it time. It took longer than 12 weeks to work for me- It took about 4 months for me. I previously had severe acne "aggressive" cystic acne where I was ashamed to go out in public, and now it's mild to moderate acne. Drs wanted to prescribe me accurate, which I cannot take because of mental health. Differin has been a lifesaver though, but you have to be patient. My acne is not gone, but Differin has been a success, I only wear thin layer of makeup now by choice, and my foundation and concealer routine used to take an hour before differin. I also use benzoyl peroxide-clindamycin gel which compliments Differin well. STAY PATIENT! The first month is hard because your face will get extra sensitive, but Differin is worth it i promise. Read More Read Less

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Zara | 19-24 | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
3/29/2018
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 4.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

This product actually works, it does have drying and peeling effect but that help to fade scars away with time. For cleaning your skin before applying is important but make sure the toners you use are not containing alcohol or have active agents in them. I clean my face with a face wash and sometimes toner and then before applying I wipe my skin off with water to reduce those cleanising agent of products I applied and then apply my gel with cotton and make sure you dont touch it tip or leave it open. I have great result withing 21/2 weeks of using this gel, helped with scars and winkles have also reduced. Read More Read Less

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Lo | 55-64 | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
3/13/2018
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 1.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Differin is a NIGHTMARE. I knew it would make my skin worse at first, but it never got better. Improvement in 8-12 weeks? Hardly. I finally gave up after 20. 20 weeks of suffering all for NOTHING. My face is worse than it ever was in 56 years. I'm sorry I didn't quit it sooner. It's been a month since I stopped and my face is still a mess. Previously, I only had a few pimples here and there, but this stuff has destroyed my skin. When others tell you "Be patient!" don't listen. Just because it worked for them doesn't mean it will work for you. Don't suffer and hide in your house for 5 months like I've had to. Huge pimples, clusters of them, and peeling so badly, my face bleeds. And makeup only makes it worse. Best advice I can give is DON'T USE THIS or you will regret it. Read More Read Less

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vballer | 13-18 | Female | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
1/3/2018
Condition: Acne
Overall rating 2.3
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

this product is terrible. i have been strictly cleansing and using toner and applying this at night for around 5 months now and all it has done was make my acne so much worse. i have whitehead’s and blackheads EVERYWHERE with at least one new one every day. i haven’t seen any improvement whatsoever in my skin. it’s red, splotchy, and very oily. it is very easy to use, just squeeze it out and apply onto your face.

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