Health Information
Topical Retinoid Medicines for Acne
What To Think About
At first, topical retinoids may make acne worse. You may notice redness and peeling of your skin when you first use topical retinoids.
Topical retinoids, especially tazarotene, are not recommended during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor before using topical retinoids if you are pregnant or think you could become pregnant. Also, if you are breast-feeding, talk with your doctor before using topical retinoids.
Tretinoin works best if you start with a lower strength and change to a higher strength as needed. Doing this may reduce redness and peeling of your skin. If your skin becomes very red and peels, try using topical retinoids every other night or every third night instead of every night.
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| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: February 3, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Reference Alexander H. Murray, MD, FRCPC - Dermatology |
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