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Adapalene
AdapaleneActive
A gentler vitamin A made for acne. The lower strength is sold over the counter in the US; the stronger one needs a prescription.
What it does
It works on the vitamin A receptors tied to clogged pores, which is why it’s aimed at acne. It holds up in light better than tretinoin and is usually easier on skin. It hasn’t been timed on acne alone; across the vitamin A family, texture and tone changes showed from week 12.
The evidence, graded
strongNo topical retinoid is recommended in pregnancy. The class covers tretinoin, adapalene, tazarotene, trifarotene, retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl palmitate and hydroxypinacolone retinoate. Studies of accidental exposure, mostly to tretinoin and adapalene early in pregnancy, are reassuring. They are not strong enough to recommend any retinoid in pregnancy. The caution extends to the other retinoids as a class-effect. Oral isotretinoin is a separate case, with an absolute contraindication.ACOG 2022 · ACOG patient FAQ ↗
strongThe retinoid trials Drop has read measured improvement in fine wrinkling and mottled pigmentation at 12–24 weeks of use, and improvement had not plateaued when the trials ended at 24 weeks. A review of the same family records change still accruing past 52 weeks of treatment, and says more than six months is needed before the dermal-level change appears.Kang 2005 · Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology ↗
expert consensusWhile breastfeeding, NIH's LactMed rates topical tretinoin as low risk to the baby and adapalene as probably low risk, because little is absorbed through the skin. Both come with the same care: keep them off the nipple and breast, and keep your baby's skin off the skin you treated. A 2023 review agrees that topical retinoids become acceptable while breastfeeding. This covers these two only. Retinol, retinal and the other retinoids in skincare products are still best avoided while breastfeeding.Drugs 2024 · LactMed, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NCBI Bookshelf) ↗
expert consensusUnder 18, Drop does not suggest a retinoid to prevent aging. No source Drop has read tested one for that in anyone under 18, and the only under-18 data in the retinoid review it cites comes from people with acne. Acne is different: the American Academy of Dermatology's acne guideline covers patients from age 9 and strongly recommends topical retinoids for acne. That is a conversation with a doctor.Motamedi 2022 · Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery ↗
emergingFine in one routine if split — benzoyl peroxide in the morning, tretinoin at night. Mixed with benzoyl peroxide and left in light, tretinoin lost more than half its strength in about two hours and 95% in a day. That was a lab mixture, not skin. A product that contains both is used as its label says.Martin 1998 · British Journal of Dermatology ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Also known as
differin
Pairs worth knowing
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