Tazarotene may get you results much faster than tretinoin, especially if you have a lot of very visible sun damage on your face, and in one study tazarotene worked more effectively for photodamage, fine wrinkling, mottled hyperpigmentation, and coarse wrinkling.
Another randomized vehicle controlled parallel comparison trial of tazarotene cream at various strengths compared to tretinoin 0.05% cream and found tazarotene at higher concentrations (0.1%) was associated with improved mottled hyperpigmentation and fine wrinkles compared to the tretinoin 0.05% group.
Tazarotene, like Tretinoin, is a topical prescription retinoid that is usually available as a cream. It also treats acne, evens out skin tone and improves the appearance of wrinkles. There's a lot of marketing that describes Tazarotene as “stronger than Tretinoin”.
Retinaldehyde is considered the closest over-the-counter alternative to tretinoin and is suitable for all skin types. It provides comparable skin renewing benefits while being less irritating, making it a suitable choice for those looking for effective yet gentle retinoid options.
Start small and increase slowly
When you first start using tretinoin, you may start with a lower percentage that you apply just two or three times a week. After two weeks, if your skin is adjusting well to the tretinoin, you can consider increasing use to every night as tolerated.
It may take longer than 12 weeks before you notice full improvement of your acne, even if you use the medicine every day. Check with your doctor if skin irritation becomes severe or if your acne does not improve within 8 to 12 weeks.
You should aim to use tretinoin every night, however, you must start slowly as your skin needs to get used to it. The first 2 weeks apply it 2 to 3 nights per week, after that try applying it every other day, and then if your skin can handle it, apply it every night.
Alternating Tretinoin with Retinol
Retinol is converted to retinoic acid in your skin (which is what tretinoin is). Retinol is less irritating than tretinoin.
The strongest dose (concentration) of tretinoin is 0.1% which is sold as a cream under the brand name of Retin-A and is sold as a gel under the brand name Retin-A micro.
Adapalene tends to be better tolerated overall, with fewer reported side effects. Versatility: Tretinoin has a broader range of uses, including treating fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. Adapalene is primarily used for the treatment of acne vulgaris and may be less effective for signs of ageing.
Microneedling is a more effective and permanent treatment option for comedonal acne compared with tretinoin. Patients' satisfaction with the improvement in acne severity is also higher with microneedling procedure.
Prescription tretinoin typically comes in strengths between 0.02% to 0.1%, with higher concentrations being more potent leading to quicker results, but also potentially causing more irritation, she explains. But remember, more potent doesn't always equate to better effectiveness.
Retinal is the most powerful form of vitamin A that consumers can access without a prescription. According to skin experts, this ingredient is more potent and works faster than retinol. As it is for the latter, use of this potent ingredient with caution to avoid skin sensitivities, drying, redness, and flaking.
If you're looking for more dramatic results, a dermatologist can recommend medical treatments for wrinkles. These include prescription creams and serums; injections of medicine such as Botox, Jeuveau, Xeomin, Daxxify, Sculptra, Radiesse; chemical peels; microneedling; and laser treatments.
Most people start to see the benefit of daily derm-grade retinoid use around 6 weeks. If used every 2-3 days, then it would take around 10 weeks to see. If only used once weekly, it may take up to 3 months to start seeing results.
Retin-A, a brand name for tretinoin, is a topical medication often used to treat acne. It may also be used off-label to reduce wrinkles by promoting skin cell turnover. The average retail price for a tube of Retin-A cream ranges from $40 to $115, depending on the pharmacy you choose, your location, and other factors.
Is tazarotene stronger than tretinoin? Yes, tazarotene is more potent than tretinoin which means it shows results faster but it also can be more irritating to the skin.
Skin purging typically lasts anywhere between four to six weeks which is roughly in line with how long it takes for your skin cells to naturally turnover. During this phase, it might seem like your skin is getting worse but it should settle down and improve after you've passed this period.
Tretinoin generally comes in 0.025%, 0.05%, and 0.1% strengths. Start with the lowest strength your doctor has prescribed you. They may decide to offer you a higher strength later on.
In general, Hydroquinone is a powerful skin-lightening agent often compounded with Tretinoin to target hyperpigmentation and melasma. In addition to its own skin brightening effects, Tretinoin also enhances Hydroquinone's penetration. As such this duo work well together to tackle dark spots and uneven discolouration.
Option one: The sandwich technique
After washing your face, apply a layer of moisturiser. Allow it to dry down for 5-10 minutes. Then, apply a pea-sized amount of tretinoin to your entire face. Allow this to dry down for 5-10 minutes.
Avoid other topical retinoids, and skin care products containing retinol, with tretinoin. You may also want to avoid salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and erythromycin gel (Erthygel), as these ingredients and products can cause dryness.
Your Retinoid is Being Inactivated
Retinoids are inactivated by UV light, so must be applied at night. Additionally, retinoids can be inactivated by other topical skin care ingredients, most commonly salicylic acid. Avoid using products which contain salicylic acid in your night-time skin care routine.
Although there has been no reported experience with acute tretinoin overdose in humans, our patient took a dose approximately 3 times the recommended maximum tolerated daily dose in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome or solid tumors (195 mg/m2 per day).
This means starting on the lowest dose of Tretinoin that your doctor can offer (in our case that is 0.025 Tretinoin cream) and using once or twice a week initially. The trick is to then slowly increase the frequency as your skin builds tolerance until you can use it mostly every night without any problems.