Retinoids for topical use in acne

Tretinoin

Approved 14 May 2026TopicalGel

The FDA lists this product in 30 strengths and forms.

Indications

Tretinoin gel (microsphere) is indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. Tretinoin gel (microsphere)is a retinoid indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. (1)

Contraindications

None. None. (4)

Warnings and precautions

Local Skin Irritation: Tretinoin gel can cause local skin irritation, including excessive dryness, redness, swelling, peeling, itching, blistering, burning, or stinging (5.1) Avoid use on eczematous skin or during weather extremes, such as severe wind or cold. To reduce the risk of local skin irritation, wash the treated skin gently, using a mild, non-medicated soap, avoid washing the treated skin too often or scrubbing it hard when washing, and apply a topical moisturizer.

If severe local skin irritation occurs, discontinue use temporarily or permanently. Initial Worsening of Inflammatory Acne Vulgaris: During the early weeks of tretinoin gel treatment, an apparent exacerbation of inflammatory lesions may occur. If tretinoin gel is tolerated, this should not be considered a reason to discontinue therapy. (5.2) Photosensitivity: Tretinoin gel can cause photosensitivity. Advise patients to avoid or minimize unnecessary exposure to UV light, including sunlight and sunlamps.

Advise patients to use sunscreen (SPF ≥15) and sun-protective clothing if UV light exposure cannot be avoided. Avoid use on sunburn skin. (5.3)

5.1Local Skin Irritation

Tretinoin gel can cause local skin irritation, including excessive dryness, redness, swelling, peeling, itching, blistering, burning, or stinging [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . Use of tretinoin gel in greater than the recommended dosage (more frequent than once daily application or excessive application) will not result in more rapid or improved acne results and may result in marked redness, peeling, or discomfort.

Tretinoin has been reported to cause severe local skin irritation on eczematous skin. Weather extremes, such as severe wind or cold, may increase the risk of skin irritation in patients using tretinoin gel. To reduce the risk of local skin irritation, instruct tretinoin gel treated patients to: Avoid use of tretinoin gel in areas affected by eczema. Minimize or avoid use of tretinoin gel with weather extremes. Wash the treated skin gently, using a mild, non-medicated soap, pat it dry, and avoid washing the treated skin too often or scrubbing it hard when washing.

At a glance

Brand name: Tretinoin
Drug class: Retinoids for topical use in acne, Retinoids for cancer treatment
Route: Topical
Dosage form: Gel
Applicant: Amneal
Status: Prescription
FDA approval: 14 May 2026
Application: ANDA217497-001
RxCUI: 10753

Indications

Warnings and precautions

Advise patients to use sunscreen (SPF ≥15) and sun-protective clothing if UV light exposure cannot be avoided. Avoid use on sunburn skin. (5.3)

5.1Local Skin Irritation

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

8.1Pregnancy Risk Summary

Available data from published prospective observational studies and retrospective cohort studies over decades of use of topical tretinoin in pregnant women have not established a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes (see Data ) . In animal reproduction studies with pregnant rats, alterations in the vertebrae and ribs of offspring were observed with daily topical dosing of 0.1% tretinoin gel (microsponge) during organogenesis at 5 to 10 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD).

In animal reproduction studies with pregnant rabbits, fetal malformations, such as domed head and hydrocephaly, were observed in the offspring with daily topical dosing of 0.1% tretinoin gel (microsponge) during organogenesis at 10 to 19 times the MRHD [see Data ] . The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes.

In the US general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4%, and 15% to 20%, respectively. Data Human Data: Published data from prospective observational studies and retrospective cohort studies on the use of topical tretinoin products during pregnancy have not identified an association with topical tretinoin and major birth defects or miscarriage.

The available studies have methodologic limitations, including potential misclassification of exposure, small sample size and in some cases, lack of physical exam by an expert in birth defects. Animal Data: For purposes of comparison of the animal exposure to systemic human exposure, the MRHD applied topically is defined as 1 gram of tretinoin gel microsphere, 0.1%, applied daily to a 60 kg person (0.017 mg tretinoin/kg body weight).

Pregnant rats were treated with 0.1% tretinoin gel (microsponge) at daily dermal doses of 0.2, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg/day tretinoin on gestation days 6 to 15. Alterations were seen in the vertebrae and ribs of the affected offsprings at 0.5 mg/kg/day tretinoin, 5 to 10 times the MRHD based on body surface area (BSA) comparison. Pregnant rabbits were treated with 0.1% tretinoin gel (microsponge) at daily dermal doses of 0.2, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg/day tretinoin on gestation days 7 to 19.

Doses were administered topically for 24 hours a day while wearing Elizabethan collars to prevent ingestion of the drug. Increased incidences of certain alterations, including domed head and hydrocephaly, typical of retinoid-induced fetal malformations in this species were observed at doses of 0.5 and 1 mg/kg/day. Similar malformations were not observed in the offspring at 0.2 mg/kg/day, 4 times the MRHD based on BSA comparison.

In a second rabbit study, pregnant rabbits were treated with 0.1% tretinoin gel (microsponge) at daily dermal doses of 0.5 or 1 mg/kg/day tretinoin on gestation days 7 to 19. Doses were administered topically for six hours per day while pregnant rabbits were restrained in stocks to prevent ingestion. The offspring of pregnant rabbits exposed to 0.5 or 1 mg/kg/day tretinoin did not show any malformations at doses up to 19 times (1.0 mg/kg/day) the MRHD based on BSA comparison, but fetal resorptions were increased at 0.5 mg/kg (10 times the MRHD based on BSA comparison).

Malformations (shortened or kinked tail) were observed in the offspring of pregnant rats treated with topical tretinoin at doses greater than 1 mg/kg/day during the period of organogenesis (10 times the MRHD based on BSA comparison). Anomalies (humerus: short 13%, bent 6%, os parietal incompletely ossified 14%) have also been reported in offspring when 10 mg/kg/day was topically applied to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis.

Supernumerary ribs have been a consistent finding in newborn rats when dams were treated topically or orally with retinoids. Oral administration of tretinoin during organogenesis has been shown to cause malformations in the offspring of rats, mice, rabbits, hamsters, and nonhuman primates. Fetal malformations and death were observed when tretinoin was orally administered to pregnant rats during organogenesis at doses greater than 1 mg/kg/day (10 times the MRHD based on BSA comparison).

Fetal malformations were reported at doses of 10 mg/kg/day or greater when administered to pregnant cynomolgus monkeys, but none were observed at 5 mg/kg/day (95 times the MRHD based on BSA comparison), although increased skeletal variations were observed at all doses. Dose-dependent increases in embryolethality and abortion also were reported. Similar results have also been reported in pigtail macaques. In peri- and postnatal development studies in rats with oral tretinoin, decreased survival of neonates and growth retardation were observed at doses in excess of 2 mg/kg/day (19 times the MRHD based on BSA comparison).

Oral tretinoin has been shown to be fetotoxic in rats when administered at doses 24 times the MRHD based on BSA comparison. Topical tretinoin has been shown to be fetotoxic in rabbits when administered at doses 10 times the MRHD based on BSA comparison.

Adverse reactions

Most common adverse reactions were skin irritation, skin burning, erythema, peeling, dryness, itching, and dermatitis. (6.1) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Amneal Pharmaceuticals at 1-877-835-5472 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

6.1Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Tretinoin gel, 0.1% The safety of tretinoin gel, 0.1% for the treatment of acne vulgaris was evaluated in two multicenter, double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled clinical trials (Studies 1 and 2).

A total of 347 subjects with acne vulgaris were treated in Studies 1 and 2 in which 172 subjects received tretinoin gel, 0.1% and 175 subjects received vehicle, applied topically once daily in the evening, for 12 weeks. Mean age was 19 years (range 11 to 40) and 55% were female [see Clinical Studies (14.1) ] . Tretinoin gel is not approved for use in pediatric patients younger than 12 years of age [see Indications and Usage (1) ] .

In Studies 1 and 2, subjects treated with tretinoin gel, 0.1% had increased cutaneous irritation scores for erythema, peeling, dryness, burning/stinging, or itching that peaked during the initial two weeks of therapy and decreased thereafter, compared to those treated with vehicle [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] . During the 12-week treatment period, no more than 3% of tretinoin gel, 0.1%-treated subjects had cutaneous irritation scores indicative of severe cutaneous irritation and 6% (14/224) of tretinoin gel, 0.1%-treated subjects discontinued treatment due to cutaneous irritation.

Of these 14 subjects, four had severe cutaneous irritation after 3 to 5 days of treatment, with blistering in one subject. Tretinoin gel, 0.04% The safety of tretinoin gel, 0.04% for the treatment of acne vulgaris was evaluated in two multicenter, double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled clinical trials (Studies 3 and 4). A total of 451 subjects with acne vulgaris were treated in Studies 3 and 4 in which 225 subjects received tretinoin gel, 0.04% and 226 subjects received vehicle, applied once daily in the evening, for 12 weeks.

Mean age was 19 years (range 11 to 49) and 57% were female [see Clinical Studies (14.2) ] . Tretinoin gel is not approved for use in pediatric patients younger than 12 years of age [see Indications and Usage (1) ] . In Studies 3 and 4, subjects treated with tretinoin gel, 0.04% had increased cutaneous irritation scores for erythema, peeling, dryness, burning/stinging, or itching that peaked during the initial two weeks of therapy and decreased thereafter, compared to those treated with vehicle [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] .

Approximately half of the 225 subjects in the tretinoin gel, 0.04%-treated group had cutaneous irritation at Week 2. Of the subjects who experienced cutaneous irritation, most had signs or symptoms that were mild in severity (severity was ranked on a 4-point ordinal scale: 0=none, 1=mild, 2=moderate, and 3=severe). Less than 10% of tretinoin gel, 0.04%-treated subjects experienced moderate cutaneous irritation, and none had severe cutaneous irritation at Week 2.

In Studies 3 and 4, during the 12-week treatment period, the majority of tretinoin gel, 0.04%-treated subjects experienced cutaneous irritation (mild, moderate, or severe), of which, 1% (2/225) of subjects had cutaneous irritation scores indicative of a severe irritation and 1.3% (3/225) of subjects discontinued treatment due to cutaneous irritation, which included dryness in one subject and peeling and urticaria in another.

Tretinoin gel, 0.04% and 0.1% In a double-blind trial, 156 subjects with acne vulgaris were treated for 12-weeks with tretinoin gel, 0.04% (n=78) or 0.1% (n=78) topically once daily. In this trial, the most frequently reported adverse events affected the skin and subcutaneous tissue (15% in the 0.04% group, and 21% in the 0.1% group). The most prevalent events in the 0.04% group were skin irritation (6%); and in the 0.1% group, skin burning (8%), erythema (5%), skin irritation (4%), and dermatitis (4%).

In this trial, 63% of the adverse events were of mild intensity, and 34% were of moderate intensity.

6.2Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of tretinoin gel and other topical tretinoin products. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Hyper- or hypopigmentation has been reported with repeated application of tretinoin.

Tretinoin

Indications

Contraindications

Warnings and precautions

5.1Local Skin Irritation

At a glance

Two medicines in one question?

Tretinoin

Indications

Contraindications

Warnings and precautions

5.1Local Skin Irritation

At a glance

Two medicines in one question?

5.3Photosensitivity

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

8.1Pregnancy Risk Summary

Adverse reactions

6.1Clinical Trials Experience

6.2Postmarketing Experience

Composition

Strengths and forms

Official product information