Is Tazorac cream good for cystic acne? How long does it take to work?

Tazorac is a topical retinoid medication that can be helpful for acne, but will not be that helpful as a stand alone treatment for cystic acne. For patients with cystic acne, I will usually prescribe a topical retinoid such as Tazorac in addition to a topical antibiotic/benzoyl peroxide. If the acne is moderate, I will add an oral antibiotic. For severe nodulocystic acne, I will treat the patient with oral isotretinoin (Accutane) alone.I hope this answer is helpful! Best of luck.

Tazorac is a good option for comedonal acne such as blackhead & whiteheads, and may help modestly with cystic acne. Best to see your dermatologist for proper treatment, which will usually involve some pills, such as antibiotics, oral contraceptives, and/or isotretinoin. Photodynamic therapy is another option.

While Tazorac may help a little, topicals are rarely used alone for cystic acne. The first thing to try would be oral antibiotics. If one didn't work, you could try another. Depending on how bad your acne is, Isotretinoin(Accutane) is for moderate to severe cystic acne. Some doctors will give it for mild acne, but that's not what it was intended for. It has some fairly nasty side effects and can raise your cholesterol and triglycerides sky high. You also have to be on birth control for the duration you're taking it.Regardless of what treatment you're on, it can take 6 to 8 weeks before you might see some improvement. See a good dermatologist and discuss this with him/her.             jlr