Retin-A Cream

tretinoin

Retin-A Cream is used for treating acne. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

What is Retin-A Cream?

Retin-A Cream is a vitamin A derivative. How it exerts its beneficial effects against acne is not fully known. Tretinoin appears to increase skin-cell turnover and to reduce the tendency for skin cells to stick together. This reduces the formation of acne and allows quicker healing of acne that does develop.

Before taking Retin-A Cream

Some medical conditions may interact with Retin-A Cream. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have eczema, an abnormally high white blood cell count, or a sunburn

Ask your health care provider if Retin-A Cream may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

How should I take Retin-A Cream?

Retin-A Cream 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. Wait about 20 minutes before applying the medication so your skin is completely dry. The treated area should be washed no more than twice daily. 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.

Keep the medication away for the corners of the nose, mouth, eyes and mucous membranes. Avoid applying excess amounts as the medication may run into the eyes and other areas that should be avoided. Avoid 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 this medication as you will notice a gradual improvement over 8 to 12 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 a 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 taking the medication without consulting your doctor.

It is important that this medication be applied on a regular schedule and exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible and continue with your regular schedule. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Retin-A Cream side effects

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Redness, peeling, or feeling of warmth; sensitivity to sunlight; skin irritation; stinging at application site.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); severe redness, swelling, blistering, or crusting of the skin.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms may include clumsiness; dizziness; excessive redness, peeling, and discomfort; flushing; headache; stomach pain. Retin-A Cream may be harmful if swallowed.

Precautions

• Retin-A Cream is for external use only. Avoid getting Retin-A Cream in your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you get Retin-A Cream in your eyes, rinse thoroughly with water.
• Retin-A Cream may cause you to become sunburned more easily. Avoid the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to Retin-A Cream. Use a sunscreen or wear protective clothing if you must be outside for more than a short time.
• For the first 2 to 3 weeks of treatment, your skin condition may appear to worsen. This is expected. Do not stop using Retin-A Cream at this time.
• Talk with your doctor before you use any other medicines or products on your skin. While you are using Retin-A Cream, you may use cosmetics.
• Do not apply Retin-A Cream to skin that is sunburned. Wait until the burn is fully healed before using Retin-A Cream.
• Do NOT use more than the recommended dose or use for longer than prescribed without checking with your doctor.
• Avoid using other topical medication, cosmetics, or other products that have a strong drying effect. If you have dry skin from using these products, allow your skin to "rest" before using Retin-A Cream.
• Do not use Retin-A Cream for any condition other than that for which it was prescribed.
• Weather extremes, such as windy or cold weather, may irritate your skin more while you are using Retin-A Cream.
• Retin-A Cream may cause harm if it is swallowed. If you may have taken it by mouth, contact your poison control center or emergency room right away.
• PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Retin-A Cream while you are pregnant. It is not known if Retin-A Cream is found in breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you use Retin-A Cream, check with your doctor. Discuss any possible risks to your baby.

Do NOT use Retin-A Cream if you are allergic to any ingredient in Retin-A Cream.

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Retin-A Cream. Because little, if any, of Retin-A Cream is absorbed into the blood, the risk of it interacting with another medicine is low.

Notes

This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Retin-A Cream. If you have any other questions, please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.