• Tretinoin is a medication used to treat acne and sun-damaged skin. It can't erase deep wrinkles, but it can help improve the appearance of surface wrinkles, fine lines, and darks spots. Tretinoin is also known as retinoic acid. It's the generic name for synthetic vitamin A.
• It may sound counterintuitive, but tretinoin works by irritating the skin.
• Tretinoin is able to speed up the life cycle of skin cells. It makes them divide faster and die faster, so newer, healthier cells can take their place.

It’s been used to treat mild to moderate acne for almost 50 years. Tretinoin combination products sometimes contain antibacterial ingredients for treatment of acne. ResearchTrusted Source has shown that tretinoin is helpful in:

•  Reducing inflammation associated with acne
•  Preventing follicular plugging
•  Exfoliating the skin

With regular use, tretinoin may help clear existing acne and reduce the number and severity of acne outbreaks.Other research suggests that tretinoin may:

• reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• improve the health of sun-damaged skin
• improve skin texture and tone
• reduce the appearance of dark spots

•  Remember, tretinoin is likely to irritate your skin a bit when you first start using it. In the first few weeks of treatment, it’s normal to have mild to moderate redness, dryness, peeling, and itchiness.
•  These side effects should lessen as your skin adjusts to the medication. Stop using tretinoin and talk to your doctor if irritation doesn’t improve within a few weeks, or if you develop:
•  persistent or worsening irritation
•  blistering, crusting
•  swelling
•  excessive redness
•  temporary change in skin pigmentation

•  Pregnancy. There haven’t been enough controlled studies yet to evaluate tretinoin’s safety during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant, or plan to be, discuss the potential harms and benefits so you can make an informed decision.
•  Breastfeeding. It’s not clear whether tretinoin can pass through breast milk.
•  Sun exposure. Tell your doctor if your job requires you to spend a lot of time in the sun.
•  Medications. List all the medications you’re currently taking, including anything you put on your skin. It’s important for your doctor to know if there could be any interactions with tretinoin.
• If your doctor or dermatologist thinks that tretinoin is right for you, make sure you know how it should be used, how long it will take to know if it’s working, and signs that you should stop using it.