What is tretinoin topical?
Tretinoin is a topical (applied to the skin) form of vitamin A that helps the skin renew itself. The Retin-A and Avita brands of tretinoin are used to treat acne. The Renova brand of tretinoin is used to reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles and mottled skin discoloration, and to make rough facial skin feel smoother. Tretinoin topical may also be used for purposes other than those listed here.
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What are the possible side effects of tretinoin topical?
Stop using this medication and get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face,
lips, tongue, or throat.
Other, less serious side effects are more likely to occur. Keep using the medication and
talk to your doctor if you have any of these side effects: burning, warmth, stinging, tingling,
itching, redness, swelling, dryness, peeling, irritation, or discolored skin.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any
unusual or bothersome side effect.
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How should I use tretinoin topical?
Use tretinoin topical exactly as your doctor has prescribed it for you. Using more medicine or applying it more often than prescribed will not make it work any faster, and may increase side effects. Do not use this medication for longer than your doctor has prescribed. Wash your hands before and after applying tretinoin topical. Before applying, clean and dry the skin area to be treated. Applying tretinoin topical to wet skin may cause skin irritation. If you use Renova, wait at least 20 minutes after washing your face before applying a thin layer of the medication.
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What is the most important information I should know about tretinoin topical?
Avoid exposure to sunlight or artificial UV rays (sunlamps or tanning beds). Tretinoin topical can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight and sunburn may result. Use a sunscreen (minimum SPF 15) and wear protective clothing if you must be out in the sun. Avoid getting this medication in your eyes, mouth, and nose, or on your lips. If it does get into any of these areas, wash with water. Do not use tretinoin topical on sunburned, windburned, dry, chapped, irritated, or broken skin. Also avoid using this medication in wounds or on areas of eczema. Wait until these conditions have healed before using tretinoin topical.
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What happens if I miss a dose?
Use the medication as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and wait until your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not apply extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
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What other drugs will affect tretinoin topical?
Do not use skin products that contain benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, resorcinol, or salicylic acid unless otherwise directed by your doctor. These products can cause severe skin irritation if used with tretinoin topical. The following drugs can interact with tretinoin topical, which can make your skin more sensitive to natural and artifical sunlight. Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are using any of these: a diuretic (water pill); tetracycline (Sumycin, Panmycin, Robitet), minocycline (Minocin), doxycycline (Doryx, Vibramycin), demeclocycline (Declomycin), and others; Back to Top
Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?
Topical tretinoin has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Oral tretinoin has been shown to be teratogenic and fetotoxic in high dose studies conducted in rats. Topical tretinoin was associated with fetal malformations and teratogenicity in some animal studies. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. However, there have been reports of possible teratogenicity related to topical tretinoin use during early pregnancy, including case reports of holoprosencephaly, ear malformation, limb reduction defects. Some experts suggest that topical tretinoin does not increase the risk of malformations, while others recommend avoiding its use during the first trimester or during the entire pregnancy. Topical tretinoin is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.
There have been two reports of possible teratogenicity associated with topical tretinoin. In both cases, the mother had used tretinoin before conception and for several weeks during the first trimester. One baby was born with an ear malformation and the other had multiple congenital defects (including limb and heart abnormalities).
A retrospective study of 215 women presumably exposed to topical tretinoin during the first trimester was conducted by Jick and colleagues. The occurrence of major anomalies among offspring of exposed women was 1.9% as opposed to 2.6% for those born to 430 age-matched nonexposed women. The authors concluded that topical tretinoin was not associated with an increased risk for major congenital disorders.
There are no data on the excretion of tretinoin topical into human milk. The manufacturer recommends that caution be used when administering tretinoin to nursing women.
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Who should NOT use this medication?
- Known hypersensitivity to tretinoin or any ingredient in the formulation.
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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Tretinoin topical is not expected to cause overdose symptoms.
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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using tretinoin topical?
FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Tretinoin topical passes into breast milk. Do not use tretinoin topical without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.
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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.
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Where can I get more information?
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