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Significant Interactions:
Tell your health care professional if you are using any other topical prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine that is to be applied to the same area of the skin. When you are
using topical Retin-A, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:
- Acitretin (e.g., Soriatane)
- Etretinate (e.g., Tegi
son)
- Retin-A, oral ¡XMay increase chance of getting severe dryness or redness of skin
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Before Using This Medicine
Allergies¡XTell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to acitretin, etretinate, isoRetin-A, Retin-A, or vitamin A preparations. Also tell your health care professional if y
u are allergic to any other substances, such as preservatives or dyes.
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What is this medicine
For patients using Retin-A for the treatment of acne:
- Regular use of water-based creams or lotions helps to reduce skin irritation or dryness that may be caused by the use of Retin-A.
For
patients using Retin-A for the treatment of fine wrinkling, dark spots, and rough skin caused by the sun:
- This medicine should be used as part of an ongoing program to avoid further damage to y
our skin from the sun. This program includes staying out of the sun when possible or wearing proper clothing or hats to protect your skin from sunlight.
- Regular use of oil-based creams or lotio
ns helps to reduce skin irritation or dryness caused by the use of Retin-A.
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Why is this medication prescribed?
Retin-A comes in topical liquid, cream, and gel. Retin-A usually is used daily at bedtime or once every 2 or 3 days. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or
pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use Retin-A exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
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Possible Side Effect
In some animal studies, Retin-A has been shown to cause skin tumors to develop faster when the treated area is exposed to ultraviolet light (sunlight or artificial sunlight from a sunlamp). Other stud
ies have not shown the same result and more studies need to be done. It is not known if Retin-A causes skin tumors to develop faster in humans.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if a
ny of the following side effects occur:
- Burning feeling or stinging skin (severe); lightening of skin of treated area, unexpected; peeling of skin (severe); redness of skin (severe) ; u
nusual dryness of skin (severe)
- Darkening of treated skin
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Precautions while Using this Medicine
Using these products along with Retin-A may cause mild to severe irritation of the skin. Although skin irritation can occur, some doctors sometimes allow benzoyl peroxide to be used with Retin-A to tr
eat acne. Usually Retin-A is applied at night so that it does not cause a problem with any other topical products that you might use during the day. Check with your doctor before using topical medicin
es with Retin-A.
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