Lisa Benest, M.D. , a Los Angeles dermatologist in private practice, provided her clinical opinion regarding the use of topical retinoids for the treatment of acne.
Topical retinoids are a standard component of acne treatment. They are useful for the management of both comedonal acne (blackheads and whiteheads) and inflammatory acne. In addition to generic tretinoin, there are several commonly prescribed brands of topical retinoids, including Differin™, Retin A Micro™, Tazorac™ and generic tretinoin. There are also newer brands that combine a topical retinoid with another acne medication, such as Epiduo™ (adapalene combined with benzoyl peroxide) and Ziana™ (tretinoin combined with clindamycin).
Dr. Benest wrote that “Topical retinoids (vitamin A related creams) play an integral role in the treatment and also prevention of acne. Almost all patients will benefit from a topical retinoid. The process of unblocking pores takes time and patience, often months. However, some results are seen almost immediately, they just continue to improve over time.”
Topical retinoids may be prescribed alone, particularly for cases of mild acne, or in combination with other topical or oral acne medications. They may also be prescribed for long-term use after the acne lesions have cleared to provide long-term acne control.
Dr. Benest provided her expert opinion regarding acne treatment with topical retinoids along with other leading dermatologists enrolled for the Vivacare patient education service.
