How to Get and Save Money on Tretinoin
Key takeaways:
Tretinoin (Retin-A, Renova) is a topical medication that treats acne and wrinkles. It’s available in many forms, such as creams, gels, and lotions.
Getting tretinoin without a prescription isn’t possible because it isn’t available over the counter (OTC). You’ll need to meet with a healthcare provider to get tretinoin.
GoodRx can help you find ways to save money on your tretinoin prescription, with exclusive savings on brand-name Retin-A products.
Table of contents
Tretinoin is a topical medication that treats acne and wrinkles. You may recognize it by its brand names: Retin-A, Renova, and Atralin — just to name a few.
Tretinoin isn’t available over the counter (OTC), so you can only get it with a prescription from a healthcare provider. But it may not be as complicated to get tretinoin as you think. Here’s what you need to know about getting a tretinoin prescription and how to save.
What is tretinoin?
Tretinoin is a topical retinoid. Retinoids come from vitamin A. They may help improve the appearance of your skin.
For example, retinoids can minimize the appearance of wrinkles by improving your skin’s elasticity, or “stretchiness.” They also help with acne by stimulating new cell growth. As new skin cells rise to the surface of the skin, dead skin cells clear away. This can help unclog your pores.
Other ways retinoids help treat acne and improve skin appearance are by lowering oil production and reducing inflammation.
What are the different tretinoin products?
Tretinoin products come in many forms. The topical retinoids currently on the market are approved to treat acne or wrinkles. But they’re sometimes used for off-label reasons, such as keratosis pilaris (chicken skin), psoriasis, and actinic keratosis (a skin condition that can occur from excessive sun exposure).
Renova cream is the only tretinoin product that’s FDA approved to treat wrinkles. It also comes as a branded generic (Refissa). The topical tretinoin products that are FDA approved to treat acne include:
Tretinoin cream and gel are available as generic products.
How to get tretinoin
You can’t get tretinoin OTC. But there’s another topical retinoid product — adapalene gel (Differin) — that you can get OTC.
Adapalene is FDA approved to treat acne. But it’s sometimes used off-label for wrinkles, too. When comparing adapalene versus tretinoin for acne, some research shows tretinoin is more effective. But other research shows the two retinoids are equally effective. When comparing adapalene versus tretinoin for wrinkles, both seem to be effective. Though we have more studies on tretinoin for this use.
Since you can’t get tretinoin OTC, you’ll need a prescription from a healthcare provider in order to pick up tretinoin from the pharmacy. Luckily, there are a couple ways to get your tretinoin prescription.
Online telemedicine appointment
One way to talk to a healthcare provider about getting tretinoin is by setting up a telemedicine appointment. A telemedicine appointment lets you see a provider online. This may be through an app or video chat.
Your online visit may feel similar to an in-person appointment. You’ll talk to your provider and let them know why you scheduled the appointment. If you want to talk about tretinoin, they’ll likely ask you whether you’re looking to manage acne or wrinkles.
There are many companies that offer telemedicine appointments, including GoodRx Care. With GoodRx Care, you can connect to healthcare professionals all over the U.S. Among the many services GoodRx Care can offer is acne treatment and prevention and wrinkle reduction. And with GoodRx Gold, you can have your prescription mailed to you.
See your primary care provider or dermatologist in person
If you prefer to see your healthcare provider in person, you can talk to your primary care provider or dermatologist about receiving a tretinoin prescription.
What are the possible side effects of tretinoin?
The most common side effect of tretinoin is skin irritation. This is especially true with higher doses. Skin irritation may look like:
Redness
Scaling or peeling
Itching
Dryness
Stinging
Warmth
It’s important to note that tretinoin can also cause your skin to look worse when you first start the medication — and may include more acne. This is common, but it should improve after a few weeks as your skin gets used to tretinoin. Using a moisturizer after applying tretinoin can help prevent some types of irritation, like dryness.
It’s also important to use sun protection with tretinoin products. This is because tretinoin can make you more sensitive to the sun’s harmful rays. Healthcare providers recommend using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 or higher every day when using tretinoin. You should also wear protective clothing when you’re in the sun and avoid tanning beds.
Serious side effects
Although rare, more serious tretinoin side effects can also occur. This includes severe skin irritation or sunburns. If you have severe skin irritation, let your healthcare provider know. They may recommend a lower strength of tretinoin, or recommend that you apply the product less frequently. If this doesn’t work, they may recommend another product altogether.
Rarely, tretinoin can also cause severe allergic reactions. If you experience hives, tightness in the throat, and swelling around your mouth, stop tretinoin and get medical help right away.
Pregnant women shouldn’t use retinoids. Though the evidence on topical retinoids in pregnancy isn’t clear, it’s best to avoid them as a precaution. If you become pregnant while using tretinoin, stop taking it and let your provider know.
How to save on tretinoin
There are ways to save on tretinoin products, which are available as both a brand-name and generic medications. GoodRx can help you find ways to save money on your prescription, with exclusive savings on brand-name Retin-A products.
Save with GoodRx. Anyone with a valid prescription, regardless of insurance status, can use GoodRx to purchase brand-name Retin-A cream for as little as $39.04 for a 45 gram tube. GoodRx also offers exclusive savings on Retin-A gel, with prices as low as $39.04 for a 45 gram tube. You may also save up to 80% off the average retail price of generic tretinoin with a free GoodRx discount.
Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Retin-A, Retin-A Micro, or Renova’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.
The bottom line
Tretinoin is a topical retinoid product that treats acne and wrinkles. But if you’re wondering how to get tretinoin, you’ll need a prescription from your healthcare provider.
But getting a tretinoin prescription may be easier through telemedicine appointments with a provider. This is an online appointment where you talk to a provider about your concerns. If they think you are a good candidate for tretinoin, they can write you a prescription. With GoodRx Care and GoodRx Gold, you can meet a provider online 7 days a week, and even have your prescription mailed to you.
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References
Bausch Health US, LLC. (2016). Atralin [package insert].
Bausch Health US, LLC. (2017). Retin-a micro [package insert].
Bausch Health US, LLC. (2019). Retin-a [package-insert].
Bausch Health US, LLC. (2020). Altreno [package insert].
Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. (2018). Avita- tretinoin cream [package insert].
Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. (2018). Avita- tretinoin gel [package insert].
Yoham, A. L., et al. (2022). Tretinoin. StatPearls.
Zasada, M., et al. (2019). Retinoids: Active molecules influencing skin structure formation in cosmetic and dermatological treatments. Postepy Dermatologii I Alergologii.
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