tretinoin
Tretinoin is a retinoid medication that's used to treat acne. A few brands that are available with a prescription include Atralin (a gel), Avita (a cream), and Retin-A Micro (a gel). They're also available as generics. You typically apply tretinoin once daily to the affected area(s) on your skin. Some side effects of tretinoin include dry skin, peeling skin, and a burning sensation where you apply it.
What is Tretinoin?
What is Tretinoin used for?
- Acne
How Tretinoin works
Drug facts
Side effects of Tretinoin
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Dry skin
- Peeling or flaky skin
- Skin burning sensation
- Red skin
- Itchy skin
- Skin pain
- Sunburn
Less Common Side Effects
- Blisters
- Crusted skin
- Changes in skin color
Tretinoin serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Severe allergic reaction: itchy, red rash (hives); shortness of breath; chest tightness; swelling of lips, tongue, face, or eyes
More on Tretinoin side effects
The following Tretinoin side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
Burning, stinging, peeling, redness, or unusual dryness of the skin (severe)
Less common
Dryness, pain, redness, irritation, or peeling at the application site
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Burning, itching, stinging, scaling, or redness of the skin
chapping or slight peeling of the skin (mild)
darkening of the skin
lightening of normal skin color
lightening of treated areas of dark skin
redness of skin (mild)
unusual dryness of skin (mild)
unusually warm skin (mild)
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Tretinoin
Pros
- Applied once a day
- Comes as a cream or gel
- Lower-cost generic versions available
Cons
- Can cause skin irritation, including burning, redness, and peeling
- Usually takes weeks to see improvement in acne
- Not recommended during pregnancy
Pharmacist tips for Tretinoin
- Apply tretinoin in the evening before bedtime. For best results, use it consistently and exactly as prescribed.
- Once you notice improvement in your skin, continue applying tretinoin until your prescriber tells you it's okay to stop. Once you stop this medication, it's possible for your acne to come back.
- Only apply tretinoin to your skin. Don't get it in your eyes, mouth, corners of your nose, or vagina. Wash your hands after you apply the medication to avoid getting it on other parts of your body. Otherwise, it could cause irritation.
- Don't apply tretinoin to areas of broken skin, since more medication might get absorbed into your body through broken skin and raise your risk of side effects. Also avoid applying the medication to skin that has eczema or sunburned skin because it might cause more irritation.
- It's normal for tretinoin to cause skin dryness, redness, pain, and peeling. You can use a moisturizer with or without sunscreen in the morning after you wash your skin to try to help soothe any dryness. Contact your prescriber if these side effects are very bothersome or don't go away.
- Tretinoin can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Avoid sunlamps, tanning beds, and ultraviolet light during treatment with this medication. If you need to go outside, be sure to wear sunscreen and protective clothing to prevent sunburns.
- You can apply makeup while you're using tretinoin. Just make sure to wash it off before you apply the medication.
- Because tretinoin makes your skin more sensitive, things like cold weather, wind, and lime peels can cause even more irritation. Try to protect your skin from things that will make it more irritated. If your skin gets irritated from weather or from other skin products, wait until those effects go away before you apply tretinoin.
Common questions about Tretinoin
You might notice an improvement in your acne 2 to 3 weeks after you start using tretinoin. But it could take 6 weeks or more for you to see the full effects on your skin. Some people might experience worse symptoms (e.g., new pimples, redness) at the beginning of treatment before their skin starts to look better. This usually goes away after 2 to 4 weeks. Tell your prescriber or dermatologist if you don't see any improvement in your acne after you use the medication for a few months. And when your skin does start to clear up, be sure continue to use tretinoin so that it keeps treating your acne.
There isn't enough information to know how safe tretinoin is to use during pregnancy. In general, it isn't recommended to use tretinoin while you're pregnant. This is because a similar acne medication called isotretinoin is known to have a high risk for birth defects. And some tretinoin can still get absorbed into your bloodstream through your skin. This could raise the risk of harm to your unborn baby. Discuss the risks and benefits of using tretinoin with a healthcare professional if you're pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant.
Tretinoin is typically used once a day before bedtime. Follow your prescriber's instructions carefully because they might be different, depending on how well your skin reacts to the medication. For example, your prescriber might suggest that you use tretinoin less often than every day if you have a lot of skin irritation from the medication.
Before you apply tretinoin, gently wash your skin with a mild cleanser and pat it dry. For the cream, wait 20 to 30 minutes before applying the medication; you could experience more irritation if you apply the medication when your skin is still wet. Place a small amount of tretinoin onto your fingertip. Then, apply a thin layer of the tretinoin cream or gel over the affected area(s) on your skin. Avoid getting medication in the corners of your nose, mouth, eyes, or open wounds. Wash your hands afterwards to avoid getting medication into your eyes or on other parts of your body. Ask your prescriber or pharmacist if you have questions about how to use tretinoin.
No, tretinoin isn't a steroid. It belongs to the drug class called retinoids. Both retinoids and steroids can help lower inflammation. But steroids are typically reserved for more severe acne since they can cause many side effects.
No, tretinoin isn't available over the counter (OTC). You'll need a prescription from a primary care provider or dermatologist in order to use this medication.
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Risks and warnings for Tretinoin
Tretinoin can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Skin irritation
- Risk factors: Sensitive skin | Eczema | Extreme weather
Tretinoin can cause skin redness, dryness, pain, and irritation where you apply the medication. Avoid applying the medication to areas of skin that are sunburned or have eczema, since these areas are more prone to irritation.
Be aware of how often you wash the affected area(s) since washing it too often can cause your skin to dry out. Use a mild cleanser that won't irritate your skin, and consider using a moisturizer to help with dry skin.
Stop using the medication until your skin heals if your skin irritation doesn't go away. Discuss with your primary care provider or dermatologist to see whether you need to use tretinoin less often so that you can tolerate it better or whether you need a different medication.
Sunburns
- Risk factors: High levels of sun exposure | Having skin that burns easily | Living in a hot climate | Working outdoors
Using tretinoin can make your skin more sensitive to both natural sunlight and artificial sunlight from sunlamps. This can cause your skin to burn more easily. Having skin that's more sensitive to light might also raise your risk of early aging of the skin or skin cancer.
It's important to protect your skin from sunlight. Some ways to protect your skin include finding shade outdoors, using sunscreen when you're outside (even on cloudy days), and wearing sun-protective clothing (like hats). Also avoid using sunlamps. Ask your primary care provider or dermatologist about which SPF (sun protection factor) level of sunscreen will protect you best. Stop using tretinoin until your skin fully heals if you get sunburned.
Use with caution for people with fish allergies (Atralin gel and its generics only)
- Risk factors: Allergy to fish or fish-containing products
Some tretinoin skin products, such as Atralin gel and its generic formulations, are made with fish proteins. Be careful using this medication if you have an allergy to fish. Let your prescriber know if you develop a red, itchy rash (hives). You might have to stop using tretinoin.
Tretinoin dosage
Tube of gel| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45g of 0.05% | 1 tube | $101.78 | $101.78 |
Typical dosage for Tretinoin
Interactions between Tretinoin and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
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