Hormonal teenage acne- will this work as a replacement for retinA by prescription? Is it the typical 6-12 weeks of waiting to see if it works? Thanks

No, this will not replace retinol. The other ingredients are awesome which is why I am going to get this or a serum like it, but the fact is that the more ingredients there are in an item, the more it gets buffered as it goes on to your skin and you do not get as strong a dose as if you had used it alone. The good thing is that your skin will not get used to it like it can with a product with only one ingredient. I highly recommend curology to you. They cleared my adult hormonal acne in 2 weeks with a 3 ingredient cream cheap.

What serum do you recommend for acne and blemishes?

Hi Lindy, The Tea Tree serum from truskin naturals is the best for acne it contain all the effective ingredients to heal acne and prevent it. It's an all in one serum the tea tree serum from truskin natural will be your best bet. I have been using it at night for two months it has done wonders to my acne prone skin. If you decide to go with the truskin natural tea tree serum, Give it time to work this product is natural so the time to see results will varie from person to person.

How do I use this to get rid of my acne all together

Hi Chelsea - We hear the best results from those who apply 3-5 drops of the serum just about 2-3 nights a week and work up to more often over a period of a few months. It's a power packed formula and you'll get the most benefit by letting your skin adapt to it slowly.EricaTruSkin Naturals

Can you us an astringent with this product? Or is it unnecessary?

Hi MJB Barnette - You can definitely use a toner or astringent before applying this serum! Many of our customers use either our Daily Facial Super Toner or our Rose Water Toner and then apply a few drops of serum. :-)EricaTruSkin Naturalshttp://www.amazon.com/truskin