I was using Retin-A for a while but like someone said before it makes your skin so dry! Now I only use it every now and then. I started to get facials, microderm, and using Epicuren last month. I have noticed a great change in my overall skin tone and it is helping with my hyperpigmentation. The bad thing about having dark skin is when I break out (which is not too often), it turns dark and it drives me freakin crazy!