Retin A

Tretinoin should be applied once daily at bedtime to lightly cover the areas being treated. The area of application should be thoroughly cleansed with a mild soap and water and patted dry with a soft towel. Apply a small amount (about the size of a pea) on your fingertip and spread it on the skin where acne lesions appear. Use only enough medication to cover the affected areas lightly. Avoid rubbing the medication into the skin.

Keep the medication away from the corners of the nose, mouth, eyes, and easily irritated areas. Avoid applying excess amounts as the medication may run into the eyes and other areas that should be avoided. Tretinoin should not be applied to areas of the skin where you have other problems such as Eczema, severely inflamed skin, or open skin lesions. After you wash your skin in the morning, it is recommended that you apply a moisturizer or a moisturizer with sunscreen that will not aggravate your acne.

After 3 to 6 weeks of treatment, you may notice new blemishes. Keep using Retin A (Tretinoin-topical) as you will notice a gradual improvement over 8 to 10 weeks.

Prolonged exposure to sunlight, sunlamps, wind, and cold should be avoided during treatment. If exposure to the sun is unavoidable, use a sunscreen with minimum SPF 15 and wear protective clothing.

Many things can affect the dose of medication that a person needs, such as body weight, other medical conditions, and other medications. If your doctor has recommended a dose different from the ones listed here, do not change the way that you are using the medication without consulting your doctor.

It is important that Retin A (Tretinoin-topical) be applied exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you miss a dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule. Do not apply a double dose to make up for a missed one. If you are not sure what to do after missing a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Store Retin A (Tretinoin-topical) at room temperature and keep it out of the reach of children. Gel products are flammable and should be kept away from heat of flame.

Do not dispose of medications in wastewater (e.g. down the sink or in the toilet) or in household garbage. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medications that are no longer needed or have expired.

In addition to its desired action, this medication may cause some adverse effects, notably: it may cause dryness and peeling of the skin; it may make your skin more sensitive to UV rays (e.g., sunlight, tanning lamps) - avoid exposure to UV rays as much as possible and protect yourself when out in the sun; it can cause dryness of the skin; it may cause local redness. Each person may react differently to a treatment. If you think this medication may be causing adverse effects (including those described here, or others), talk to your health care professional. He or she can help you to determine whether or not the medication is the source of the problem.

Cream

0.05%
Each gram of cream contains 0.05% tretinoin in a bland, hydrophilic base. Nonmedicinal ingredients: butylated hydroxytoluene, isopropyl myristate, polyoxyl (40) stearate, purified water, sorbic acid, stearic acid, stearyl alcohol, and xanthan gum.

Gel

0.025%
Each gram of gel contains 0.025% tretinoin. Nonmedicinal ingredients: butylated hydroxytoluene, undenatured ethanol, and hydroxypropyl cellulose.

Do not use Retin A (Tretinoin-topical) if you are allergic to tretinoin or any ingredients of the medication.

There may be an interaction between tretinoin and any of the following:

• benzoyl peroxide
• medications that increase the skin's sensitivity to sunlight (e.g., Isotretinoin, sulfamethoxazole, Trimethoprim, Minocycline, ciprofloxacin)
• medicated or abrasive soaps and cleansers
• multivitamins with vitamin A
• other skin-applied medications
• products with high concentrations of alcohol, astringents, spices, or lime
• skin preparations containing sulfur, resorcinol, or salicylic acid
• soaps and cosmetics with a strong drying effect

If you are taking any of these medications, speak with your doctor or pharmacist. Depending on your specific circumstances, your doctor may want you to:

• stop taking one of the medications,
• change one of the medications to another,
• change how you are taking one or both of the medications, or
• leave everything as is.

An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of them. Speak to your doctor about how any drug interactions are being managed or should be managed.

Medications other than those listed above may interact with Retin A (Tretinoin-topical). Tell your doctor or prescriber about all prescription, over-the-counter (non-prescription), and herbal medications you are taking. Also tell them about any supplements you take. Since caffeine, alcohol, the Nicotine from cigarettes, or street drugs can affect the action of many medications, you should let your prescriber know if you use them.

Before you begin using a medication, be sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions or Allergies you may have, any medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breast-feeding, and any other significant facts about your health. These factors may affect how you should use Retin A (Tretinoin-topical).

Application: Avoid contact with the eyes, eyelids, angles of the nose, mouth, easily irritated areas, or other areas where treatment is not intended. Tretinoin should not be applied to severely inflamed skin or to open lesions. Avoid applying more of Retin A (Tretinoin-topical) than is recommended or applying it more often than recommended by your doctor. This will irritate your skin and will not cause the acne to clear up any faster.

Skin care: You may use cosmetics, but be sure to thoroughly cleanse the areas to be treated before applying the medication. Oil-based cosmetics should be avoided. Instead, use oil-free, water-based products. If your doctor prescribes an additional acne treatment, it should be applied at a different time of day than tretinoin.

Try to avoid products applied to the skin that have high concentrations of alcohol, spices, or lime as they cause stinging and burning on treated skin. If possible, avoid simultaneous use of harsh abrasives and other skin treatments, including sun lamps.

Hair removal is permitted as usual (e.g., plucking, electrolysis, depilatories) but avoid these procedures at night before applying tretinoin as they may result in skin irritation.

Permanent wave solutions, waxing preparations, and medicated soaps and shampoos can sometimes even irritate skin that is not being treated with Retin A (Tretinoin-topical). Use caution so that these products do not come into contact with skin treated with tretinoin.

Skin irritation: Some people may experience temporary skin irritation, especially in the early weeks of treatment. If excessive reactions occur, and the skin becomes extremely red, swollen, and crusted, stop taking the medication and contact your doctor.

An apparent worsening may develop due to the medication's effect on existing deep lesions. This is a normal part of the treatment effect and will clear up with continued treatment.

Your skin may be more sensitive to exposure to wind and cold while you are using Retin A (Tretinoin-topical).

Sunlight exposure: Exposure to sunlight, including ultraviolet sunlamps, may cause more irritation. Therefore, avoid or minimize this type of exposure while you are using tretinoin. If you cannot avoid exposure to sunlight, use sunscreen products (minimum SPF 15) and wear protective clothing over treated areas. Do not apply Retin A (Tretinoin-topical) to skin that has a Sunburn until the skin has fully recovered.

Pregnancy: Retin A (Tretinoin-topical) is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Women who may become pregnant should use an effective method of birth control while they are using Retin A (Tretinoin-topical). If you become pregnant while using Retin A (Tretinoin-topical), stop using it immediately and contact your doctor.

Breast-feeding: It is not known if tretinoin passes into breast milk. If you are a breast-feeding mother and are using Retin A (Tretinoin-topical), it may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about whether you should continue breast-feeding.

Children: The safety and effectiveness of using Retin A (Tretinoin-topical) have not been established for children less than 12 years of age. Topical tretinoin is not recommended for this age group.

This medication is to be applied on the skin. To use: Clean the affected area. Apply a small quantity, and limit the application to the affected area. Wash your hands after applying the medication - unless, obviously, you applied the medication on your hands! Do not let this product come in contact with your eyes or lips. Do not apply it on skin that has been cut or scratched. This medication is typically used only once a day. However, your pharmacist may have suggested a different schedule that is more appropriate for you. Apply it regularly and continuously to maintain its beneficial effect. Important: Follow the instructions on the label. Do not use more of this product, or more often, than prescribed.