Reviews you can trust, from real people like you.
How it works
- Our highly-trained Review Moderation team evaluates all reviews before they're published to ensure they're written by people like you and not a member of a doctor's office.
- This multi-step process takes up to 24 hours from review submission to publication.
- Doctors can't pay to have reviews removed or hidden.
- Reviews are only removed at the reviewer's request or if they violate our Terms of Service.
If you have questions or believe we should re-evaluate a published review, let us know.
Sort by:
*Treatment results may vary
**I am using it for the anti-aging benefits - not...
**I am using it for the anti-aging benefits - not for acne.**
My skin type: I never ever had any problems with acne. Just a couple of zits here and there - hormonally-based, I believe. My skin is definitely not oily but, not necessarily "dry" either - except sometimes in the winter. I am very fair-skinned and have not aged well, despite only being in my early 30s and always wearing sunscreen. I blame the fair skin!! So, I figured I would give this a whirl.
So, I have tried Retinol in the past and it really was just too much for my skin. My dermatologist started me on the .02 and said I should use it every other night until they could work me up to the .05 and eventually they'd have me on the .1.
Using only the .02 every other day, with plenty of moisturizing in between applications, it seemed to be working okay. After a while they moved me up to the .05 - they suggested that I do the .02 some days and ease into the .05. I did this and I immediately have a negative reaction to it. I actually ended up with dry crustiness that HURT. It was like I had a BAD windburn and it was so tight and crusty. Parts of my face actually had to heal from a scabbiness!
They suggested I drop it down to 2-3 night a week. So, I tried that. Then they suggested I drop the .05 altogether and just stay with the .02 and now my skin won't even tolerate that!! Not even in humid weather.
My skin is just far too sensitive and dry, I guess. But, it WAS working very well until I tried to increase it by introducing the .05. - And some people use the .1 with NO PROBLEMS! I cannot imagine!
Anyway - So, I had to just give up entirely on the whole thing. Until I found the Retin-A micro cream!! I started using it recently - it's the .04 (they also have a .1) and, yes, it DOES dry my skin out in a major way, and it feels a little bit "burny" and tight but nothing intolerable... but the next morning I will wash my face with a moisturizing wash (vitamin E "gentle scrub" or something similar... no "acne" washes or anything harsh!) and it sort of scrubs away the visible dry skin. Then, I will apply a toner and a serum (both dermalogica for "normal" skin)... followed by my moisturizer and my face looks excellent!!!
I have found that washing my face with a gentle soap in the morning and moisturizing very well for the daytime helps a lot! Then, before bed, I will rinse my face with warm water ONLY and use wipes to take off my eye makeup. I will then apply the Retin-A Micro gel lightly, all over my face (away from the skin around my eyes and my lips). I use something different on the skin around my eyes that has worked wonders, if any one is curious, feel free to message me.
I have done this every night! not just every other, or 2-3 days a week... and it's working fantastically without problems like I had with the regular Retinol.
I also found it at and EXTREMELY good price - in case anyone else wants to try it just send me a message :) And yes, it is the Rx kind, not the OTC kind - those do not work at all.
So, LONG story short - Retin-A Micro seems to be a much better option for people with sensitive/dry skin. My skin looks and feels awesome! My pores have reduced in size, my skin feels so smooth!! The wrinkles have diminished somewhat - but, I've only just started using it... I have high hopes!
My skin type: I never ever had any problems with acne. Just a couple of zits here and there - hormonally-based, I believe. My skin is definitely not oily but, not necessarily "dry" either - except sometimes in the winter. I am very fair-skinned and have not aged well, despite only being in my early 30s and always wearing sunscreen. I blame the fair skin!! So, I figured I would give this a whirl.
So, I have tried Retinol in the past and it really was just too much for my skin. My dermatologist started me on the .02 and said I should use it every other night until they could work me up to the .05 and eventually they'd have me on the .1.
Using only the .02 every other day, with plenty of moisturizing in between applications, it seemed to be working okay. After a while they moved me up to the .05 - they suggested that I do the .02 some days and ease into the .05. I did this and I immediately have a negative reaction to it. I actually ended up with dry crustiness that HURT. It was like I had a BAD windburn and it was so tight and crusty. Parts of my face actually had to heal from a scabbiness!
They suggested I drop it down to 2-3 night a week. So, I tried that. Then they suggested I drop the .05 altogether and just stay with the .02 and now my skin won't even tolerate that!! Not even in humid weather.
My skin is just far too sensitive and dry, I guess. But, it WAS working very well until I tried to increase it by introducing the .05. - And some people use the .1 with NO PROBLEMS! I cannot imagine!
Anyway - So, I had to just give up entirely on the whole thing. Until I found the Retin-A micro cream!! I started using it recently - it's the .04 (they also have a .1) and, yes, it DOES dry my skin out in a major way, and it feels a little bit "burny" and tight but nothing intolerable... but the next morning I will wash my face with a moisturizing wash (vitamin E "gentle scrub" or something similar... no "acne" washes or anything harsh!) and it sort of scrubs away the visible dry skin. Then, I will apply a toner and a serum (both dermalogica for "normal" skin)... followed by my moisturizer and my face looks excellent!!!
I have found that washing my face with a gentle soap in the morning and moisturizing very well for the daytime helps a lot! Then, before bed, I will rinse my face with warm water ONLY and use wipes to take off my eye makeup. I will then apply the Retin-A Micro gel lightly, all over my face (away from the skin around my eyes and my lips). I use something different on the skin around my eyes that has worked wonders, if any one is curious, feel free to message me.
I have done this every night! not just every other, or 2-3 days a week... and it's working fantastically without problems like I had with the regular Retinol.
I also found it at and EXTREMELY good price - in case anyone else wants to try it just send me a message :) And yes, it is the Rx kind, not the OTC kind - those do not work at all.
So, LONG story short - Retin-A Micro seems to be a much better option for people with sensitive/dry skin. My skin looks and feels awesome! My pores have reduced in size, my skin feels so smooth!! The wrinkles have diminished somewhat - but, I've only just started using it... I have high hopes!
Provider Review
Self-Prescribed
Since this is regarding my experience post-dermatologist, something I discovered on my on, there is no purpose in mentioning my doctor's name.