If youβve ever dealt with acne, itβs probably because youβre between the ages of 15 and 40 and have skin all over your body. Itβs Americaβs most common skin condition, so youβre definitely among friends.
Youβve probably treated your acne with ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. And you might have even seen treatments with adapaleneβand maybe avoided them, because it sounds kind of heavy-duty and like something that should come with a prescription.
Well, adapalene is kind of heavy-duty, but it doesnβt require a prescription, and it could be worth adding to your acne treatment regimen.
Adapalene Is Something Different
Those familiar acne treatments are popular because they work. They just work differently. Benzoyl peroxide kills acne-causing bacteria and unclogs pores. Salicylic acid is a chemical exfoliant that peels off dead skin cells and unblocks pores. Adapalene helps keep the pores from getting clogged in the first place.
Adapalene is a kind of retinoid. Those are a class of vitamin A-based compounds that help with skin cell turnoverβthey encourage your skin to shed old, dead cells and replace them with newer, healthier ones.
Adapalene goes deep into the pores to stop the clogs that turn into whiteheads, blackheads, and inflammatory acne before they start. And when your pores are clearer, youβre less likely to have breakouts.
Adapalene vs. Tretinoin
Originally, adapalene was available only with a doctorβs prescription. But itβs been approved for over-the-counter use for yearsβit was actually the first retinoid to receive approval for acne. So now, unlike some stronger types of retinoids that are still prescription-only, adapalene gel treatments are available without the hassle of a doctor visit.
One of the most well-known prescription-only acne treatments is tretinoin. Itβs a retinoid like adapalene, but unlike adapalene, itβs strong enough that it shouldnβt be used without a doctorβs supervision. Adapalene is far gentler by comparison. Other differences between adapalene and tretinoin:
β’ Adapalene tends to be less irritating than tretinoin, especially for people with sensitive skin and first-time retinoid users.
β’ Adapalene also tends to be more stable in sunlight than tretinoin, making it less likely to make your skin more sensitive to the sun. (Less likely. It can still make your skin sun-sensitive, so donβt skip the sunscreenβPanOxyl AM Oil Control Moisturizer is formulated to help with that.)
β’ While this isnβt specifically a distinction between the two, itβs good to know adapalene can be combined with other products as part of an everyday skincare routineβjust be sure to discuss any concerns about using or combining it with your doctor or dermatologist.
And you canβt beat the ease of use, being able to pick up a tube of PanOxyl Adapalene Gel in the skincare section of your local drugstore instead of having to talk to the pharmacist way in the back.
Let It Cook
A leave-on gel formulation makes a difference for acne treatmentβadapalene works best when it has time to sink in and do its thing. PanOxyl Adapalene Gel is formulated to deliver the active ingredientβAdapalene USP 0.1%βright where itβs needed, no rinsing necessary. (Donβt worryβitβs oil free and fragrance free, so you can feel comfortable leaving it on your skin.) If you include it in your bedtime skincare routine, itβll keep working while you sleep. And used over time, it can help face the day with calmer, clearer skin.
Donβt skip over the βused over timeβ part thereβadapalene gel isnβt a quick fix. You need to use it consistently to get the best results for your acne-prone skin. And like most effective acne treatments, adapalene gel takes some time getting used to. You might see some dryness, flaking, or mild irritation at first, which is totally normal and expectedβand temporary. It helps to ease into itβstart once every other night, for instance, and then work up to nightly as your skin adjustsβand follow up your adapalene gel with a non-comedogenic moisturizer like PanOxyl Balancing Repair Moisturizer.
No-Nonsense Acne Treatment
For acne-prone skin, adapalene gels like PanOxyl Adapalene Gel can be a game-changer. The convenience of a retinoid treatment available over the counter, with no doctorβs visit needed, applied once a day, hard at work while youβre asleep, is a big plus all on its own. And thatβs even before you talk about the powerful effects that help with skin-cell turnover and stopping the clogged pores that often lead to breakouts. Donβt sleep on the easy, powerful acne treatment you can sleep on.
