Skip to the answer

Tretinoin

Tretinoin is a vitamin A–related retinoid used on the skin for acne vulgaris and, with one brand, fine facial wrinkles, and taken by mouth as a capsule to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).

Brand names VesanoidRetin-AAltrenoAvitaAtralin +4 more
Drug class Retinoid
Rx Forms 2
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Reviewed by Last reviewed Jul 10, 2026 Content updated Oct 2, 2026
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand

The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 56 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →

✓No current FDA shortage listed · checked Oct 5, 2026
Other forms & routes:
Topical
Tretinoin at a glance The quick version — the full detail is in the Patient Information Guide below.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
The Pharmacist’s Take By · Clinical pharmacist · Written

Tretinoin, a vitamin A relative around since about 1973 and available as a generic, is a long-standing first choice for acne as a cream or gel (it unclogs pores), also comes as Renova for fine facial wrinkles, and as a capsule treats acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) by helping leukemia cells mature. The skin products are far milder, though warmth, stinging, redness, peeling and dryness are common early on, and sunburn comes more easily. The capsules carry a boxed warning for birth defects and pregnancy loss and for differentiation syndrome, a reaction that can be fatal, so fever, trouble breathing, weight gain or swelling needs emergency care.

Clinical pearls

  • Apply a thin, pea-sized layer to dry skin in the evening; extra does not clear acne faster, it only irritates more.
  • Keep it away from eyes, mouth and nose creases, and use it cautiously on eczema-prone skin, which can flare badly.
  • Capsule patients who could get pregnant need a negative pregnancy test and two birth control methods through a month after treatment.
  • With the capsules, avoid vitamin A supplements, tetracycline antibiotics and tranexamic acid, and check any new antifungal with your pharmacist.
How we write & review this content — our editorial policy →
How you get itPrescription only
Comes asTopical cream, ointment or gel, Capsule
Earliest FDA record1971
Companies listing it with the FDA26
FDA label last updatedApr 16, 2026
FDA’s strongest warning (boxed)None on the label

Patient information guide A plain-language walkthrough of Tretinoin, written from its FDA label.

What Tretinoin is used for

▾

Tretinoin has different uses depending on the product.

  • Acne vulgaris: topical products including Retin-A, Retin-A MICRO, Atralin and Altreno.
  • Retin-A MICRO: ages 12 and older.
  • Altreno lotion: ages 9 and older.
  • Renova cream: add-on for fine facial wrinkles with skin care and sun avoidance.
  • Tretinoin capsules: inducing remission in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).

How Tretinoin works

▾

Tretinoin is a metabolite of vitamin A that attaches to retinoic acid receptors in cells and changes gene activity. On the skin, it reduces how sticky follicle cells are, which helps prevent clogged pores. It also speeds cell turnover to push out existing clogs.

In APL, it causes leukemia cells to mature and slows their growth. The exact mechanism is not known.

Tretinoin dosage

▾

Topical tretinoin is usually applied once daily in the evening or at bedtime to clean skin. Capsules are taken by mouth twice daily until remission and stopped as directed.

  • Cleanse the area before applying topical products.
  • Use a thin layer; extra does not work faster.
  • Avoid eyes, mouth and mucous membranes.
  • Follow your prescriber and label.

Dosing details from the FDA-approved label

From the Tretinoin prescribing information (“Dosage and Administration”). Doses are set by your prescriber for your product, condition, kidney function and age — never change a dose on your own.

  • Acne (Tretinoin gel, microsphere)
    • Apply a thin layer once a day, in the evening (before bedtime), to the skin where acne lesions appear, using enough to cover the entire affected area
    • Efficacy has not been established for less than once daily dosing frequencies
  • Fine facial wrinkling (Renova, tretinoin cream 0.02%)
    • Apply to the face once a day in the evening, using only enough to cover the entire affected area lightly
    • A small pearl-sized (about ¼ inch or 5 mm diameter) amount
    • Wash face gently with mild soap, pat dry, and wait 20 to 30 minutes before applying
    • Up to 6 months of therapy may be required before effects are seen; safety and effectiveness of daily use for greater than 52 weeks have not been established
  • Acne (Retin-A Gel or Cream)
    • Apply once a day, before retiring, to the skin where acne lesions appear, using enough to cover the entire affected area lightly
    • Therapeutic results should be noticed after 2 to 3 weeks but more than 6 weeks of therapy may be required
  • Acne (Tretinoin Cream)
    • Apply once a day, before retiring, to the skin where acne lesions appear, using enough to cover the entire affected area lightly
    • Therapeutic results should be noticed after 2 to 3 weeks but more than 6 weeks of therapy may be required
  • Acne (Atralin Gel)
    • Apply a thin layer once daily, before bedtime, to the skin where acne lesions appear, to cover the entire affected area
    • Excessive amounts of gel will not provide incremental efficacy
  • Acne (Retin-A MICRO 0.04%, 0.06%, 0.08%, or 0.1%)
    • Apply a thin layer to skin where acne lesions appear (cover the entire affected area), once daily in the evening, after cleansing with a mild, non-medicated cleanser and patting dry
    • Improvements may be noticed after two weeks, but more than seven weeks of therapy may be needed
Read the label’s full dosing text

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION For topical use only. Not for ophthalmic, oral, or intravaginal use. Tretinoin gel (microsphere) should be applied once a day, in the evening, to the skin where acne lesions appear, using enough to cover the entire affected area in a thin layer. Areas to be treated should be cleansed thoroughly before the medication is applied. If medication is applied excessively, no more rapid or better results will be obtained and marked redness, peeling, or discomfort may occur. A transitory feeling of warmth or slight stinging may be noted on application. In cases where it has been necessary to temporarily discontinue therapy or to reduce the frequency of application, therapy may be resumed or the frequency of application increased as the patient becomes able to tolerate the treatment. Frequency of application should be closely monitored by careful observation of the clinical therapeutic response and skin tolerance. Efficacy has not been established for less than once daily dosing frequencies. During the early weeks of therapy, an apparent exacerbation of inflammatory lesions may occur. If tolerated, this should not be considered a reason to discontinue therapy [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ]. Therapeutic results may be noticed after two weeks, but more than seven weeks of therapy are required before consistent beneficial effects are observed. Tretinoin gel (microsphere) should be kept away from the eyes, the mouth, paranasal creases of the nose, and mucous membranes. Patients treated with tretinoin gel microsphere may use cosmetics. Concomitant topical medication, medicated or abrasive soaps and cleansers, products that have a strong drying effect, products with high concentrations of alcohol, astringents, or spices should be used with caution because of possible interaction with tretinoin. Avoid contact with the peel of limes. Particular caution should be exercised with the concomitant use of topical over-the-counter acne preparations containing benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, resorcinol, or salicylic acid with tretinoin gel (microsphere). It also is advisable to allow the effects of such preparations to subside before use of tretinoin gel (microsphere) is begun. Apply a thin layer of tretinoin gel microsphere once daily, before bedtime, to skin where lesions occur. Keep away from eyes, mouth, nasal creases, and mucous membranes.

Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →

Tretinoin side effects

▾

Side effects differ by form.

Common side effects

  • Skin warmth or slight stinging when applied (topical)
  • Redness, peeling or dryness at the application site (topical)
  • Headache (capsules)
  • Fever and shivering (capsules)
  • Dry skin and mucous membranes (capsules)
  • Bone pain (capsules)
  • Nausea or vomiting (capsules)
  • Rash (capsules)
  • Capsules: headache, fever, dryness, bone pain, malaise, shivering, nausea or vomiting, rash, swelling.

When to get medical help

  • Capsules: fever, trouble breathing, weight gain, swelling or low blood pressure could signal differentiation syndrome. Get emergency help right away.
  • Capsules: severe headache, vomiting or vision changes could signal raised pressure around the brain.
  • Capsules: sudden chest pain, leg swelling or stroke symptoms could signal a blood clot.
  • Capsules: contact your care team about signs of liver problems.
  • Capsules: allergic reactions with rash, itching, face swelling or breathing trouble need urgent care.
  • Topical: severe redness, burning, stinging or peeling means you should call your prescriber, who may lower how often you use it.

Tretinoin warnings and precautions

▾
  • Capsules can cause birth defects and pregnancy loss.
  • Capsules can cause life-threatening differentiation syndrome, usually in the first month.
  • Capsules can cause high white blood cell counts, raised brain pressure, abnormal lipids, liver changes and clots.
  • Topical tretinoin increases sunburn risk, so use sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) and protective clothing.
  • Eczema-prone skin can become severely irritated.

Tretinoin interactions

▾

Capsules have the most important interactions.

  • Strong CYP3A inhibitors, such as certain antifungals, can raise tretinoin levels.
  • Strong CYP3A inducers may lower its effect.
  • Vitamin A can add to side effects.
  • Tetracyclines can raise brain pressure risk.
  • Anti-fibrinolytics can raise clot risk.
  • Renova should not be used with photosensitizing drugs.

Interactions listed in the FDA-approved label

From the Tretinoin prescribing information (“Drug Interactions”): what the manufacturer studied or reported to the FDA.

  • Strong CYP3A inhibitors: Concomitant use increases tretinoin plasma concentrations, which may increase the risk of adverse reactions. Avoid concomitant use of tretinoin capsules with strong CYP3A inhibitors if possible and monitor more frequently if concomitant use is unavoidable.
  • Moderate CYP3A inhibitors: Patients taking them with tretinoin capsules may have more adverse reactions. Monitor patients more frequently for adverse reactions.
  • Strong CYP3A inducers: Concomitant use may decrease tretinoin plasma concentrations, which may reduce its efficacy. Avoid concomitant use if possible.
  • Products known to cause intracranial hypertension (such as tetracyclines): Intracranial hypertension has been reported with tretinoin capsules, and concomitant use of other such products may increase the risk. Avoid concomitant use of tretinoin capsules with other products that can cause intracranial hypertension.
  • Vitamin A: Concomitant use with tretinoin capsules may lead to vitamin A related adverse reactions. Avoid concomitant use of tretinoin capsules with vitamin A.
  • Anti-fibrinolytic agents: Fatal thrombotic complications have been reported with tretinoin capsules, and concomitant use of anti-fibrinolytic agents may increase the risk. Avoid concomitant use of tretinoin capsules with anti-fibrinolytic agents.
Read the label’s full interactions text

Drug Interactions: Concomitant topical medications, medicated or abrasive soaps, shampoos, cleansers, cosmetics with a strong drying effect, products with high concentrations of alcohol, astringents, spices or lime, permanent wave solutions, electrolysis, hair depilatories or waxes, and products that may irritate the skin should be used with caution in patients being treated with RENOVA (tretinoin cream) 0.02% because they may increase irritation with RENOVA (tretinoin cream) 0.02%. RENOVA (tretinoin cream) 0.02% should not be administered if the patient is also taking drugs known to be photosensitizers (e.g., thiazides, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, phenothiazines, sulfonamides) because of the possibility of augmented phototoxicity.

Read the full Drug Interactions section on DailyMed →

Not a complete list. The label covers the interactions the manufacturer studied or reported, and our own interaction database does not cover every medicine either. Bring your full medication list, including vitamins and herbal products, to your pharmacist.

🌿52 supplements and herbs with documented Tretinoin interactions, ranked by severity Check Tretinoin against a supplement or herb →

Before taking Tretinoin

▾
  • Do not take capsules if allergic to tretinoin or other retinoids.
  • Capsule users who could become pregnant need a negative test and two forms of birth control.
  • Renova is not for those pregnant or planning pregnancy, or with sunburn or facial eczema.
  • Breastfeeding: with microsphere gel, use the smallest area and avoid the nipple.
  • Gel (microsphere) has not been established under age 12, and older adults were not well studied.

Tretinoin overdose

▾

Too much tretinoin capsule can cause signs of too much vitamin A, such as headache, nausea, vomiting and skin or mucous membrane symptoms. These have been reversible. There is no specific antidote, and treatment should be in a specialized hematology unit.

What Tretinoin does in the body

▾

On the skin, tretinoin is absorbed in small amounts, and blood levels stay close to baseline. In APL, it causes immature leukemia cells to mature, followed by repopulation of the marrow with normal blood cells in patients who reach remission.

How your body processes Tretinoin

▾

Capsules reach peak levels in 1 to 2 hours, with about 50% absolute bioavailability. Tretinoin is more than 95% protein bound. It speeds its own breakdown, so levels drop to about one-third after a week. It is broken down by liver enzymes (including CYP3A4) and cleared mainly in urine and feces. Topical absorption is about 1% or less.

How to store Tretinoin

▾

Store at controlled room temperature 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) with excursions permitted between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F). Protect from freezing. Keep out of reach of children.

Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

52

Supplements & herbs that interact with Tretinoin

52 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Tretinoin in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.

Severity mix
  • Major · 2
  • Moderate · 37
  • Minor · 13
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL Major VITAMIN A Major AFRICAN WILD POTATO Moderate ALFALFA Moderate ANGELICA ARCHANGELICA Moderate ARRACH Moderate BERGAMOT Moderate BISHOP'S WEED Moderate +44 more
Every supplement checked against Tretinoin — ranked by severity The full interaction hub: 2 major · 37 moderate · 13 minor · every one linked to its full report. Check Tretinoin against your exact supplements

Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.

1

Nutrient depletion considerations

Tretinoin has been associated with lower levels of 1 nutrient in the clinical literature. This does not mean a deficiency will occur — it means these may be worth discussing with your pharmacist or healthcare provider, especially with long-term use.

FOLIC ACID Moderate Depletion
See the full Tretinoin nutrient depletion report

Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — not medical advice. Do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.

Tretinoin: pharmacist answers to common questions

Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Tretinoin — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.

What is tretinoin used for?

▾
It depends on the form. Creams, gels and lotions treat acne, and Renova eases fine facial wrinkles. The capsules treat a blood cancer called acute promyelocytic leukemia.

How do I use the skin products?

▾
Wash the area, pat dry, and apply a thin layer once daily, usually in the evening. Keep it away from your eyes, mouth, nose creases and mucous membranes. More does not work faster and can cause redness and peeling.

What side effects should I expect on the skin?

▾
Mild warmth or stinging, redness and peeling are common. If it becomes severe, call your prescriber, who may have you use less or pause. Acne can seem to flare early on, which is not a reason to stop.

Do I need to protect myself from the sun?

▾
Yes. Tretinoin makes you burn more easily, so avoid sunlamps and limit sun. Use sunscreen of at least SPF 15 and protective clothing.

Is tretinoin safe in pregnancy?

▾
Tretinoin capsules can cause serious birth defects and pregnancy loss. You need a negative test and two forms of birth control. Renova should not be used if you are pregnant or planning pregnancy, so talk to your prescriber about any topical use.

What should I watch for if I take the capsules?

▾
Call for emergency help if you get fever, trouble breathing, rapid weight gain or swelling. Also report severe headache with vision changes, chest pain, or signs of a clot. Avoid vitamin A supplements and tell us about all your medicines.

Is Tretinoin available over the counter?

▾
No. Tretinoin is a prescription medicine: every Tretinoin product listed with the FDA is prescription only, so it is not sold over the counter. Your prescriber decides whether it is appropriate for you, and your pharmacist dispenses it.

When was Tretinoin first available?

▾
The earliest FDA record we hold for Tretinoin is from 1971: its first approval in Drugs@FDA or its earliest product listing in the NDC Directory, whichever is older. Many older medicines were in use before their first formal FDA approval, so this is the earliest date on record, not necessarily when Tretinoin was first used.

Who makes Tretinoin?

▾
26 companies currently list Tretinoin products in the FDA's NDC Directory, including Bausch Health US, LLC, Encube Ethicals, Inc., A-S Medication Solutions. That count includes repackagers and distributors as well as manufacturers (companies that sell only the raw ingredient are not counted), so fewer companies actually make it; the label on your bottle names the one that supplied yours.

Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

More about Tretinoin on HelloPharmacist

📊Tretinoin supplement interactions52 checked — ranked by severity 🌿Drug & Supplement CheckerTretinoin vs. vitamins & herbs 💬Ask a PharmacistFree answer, usually < 24h 🔎NDC & pricing lookupFind Tretinoin NDCs & costs 🅰️Browse Drugs A–ZLook up any medication
Detailed data & references for Tretinoin Forms & strengths, pricing, billing codes, manufacturers, safety reports and sourcing — the data behind the page. Most people can stop here. Each section below opens on a tap.

Tretinoin forms and strengths (how it comes)

Tretinoin is available in 2 forms. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.

Topical cream, ointment or gel

On the skin
Brands Altreno Atralin Renova Retin-A Retin-A MICRO
How this form is used
What it may be used for
  • Retin-A MICRO is used for acne vulgaris in ages 12 and older.
  • Altreno is used for acne vulgaris in ages 9 and older.
  • Retin-A and Atralin are used for acne vulgaris.
  • Renova is used as an add-on for fine facial wrinkles.
Important instructions
  • Retin-A MICRO is applied as a thin layer once daily in the evening to cleansed, dry skin.
  • Atralin is applied once daily before bedtime, away from eyes, mouth and mucous membranes.
  • Altreno is applied as a thin layer once daily, avoiding eyes, mouth and nose creases.
  • Renova is applied to the face once a day in the evening.
Available strengths 9 strengths
0.1 mg/g 0.2 mg/g 0.25 mg/g 0.4 mg/g 0.5 mg/g 0.6 mg/g
Show 3 more strengths Show fewer strengths
0.8 mg/g 1 mg/g 0.05 g/100 g
140 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

Capsule

By mouth
How this form is used
What it may be used for
  • Tretinoin capsules are used to induce remission in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in adults and children 1 year and older in specific situations.
Important instructions
  • Tretinoin capsules are taken by mouth twice daily until complete remission, then stopped as directed.
  • Tretinoin capsules require a negative pregnancy test before starting in females who could become pregnant.
Available strengths 1 strength
10 mg
15 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

Tretinoin on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands

How Tretinoin appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.

26 companies list 83 Tretinoin product records with the FDA, mostly as topical cream, ointment or gel, capsule; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 1971. Brand names on the directory include Vesanoid, Retin-A, Altreno and 6 more; the rest are generics.

2
Dose forms ⓘ
26
Labelers (makers, repackagers, distributors)
8
Brand names
83
FDA-listed product records ⓘ
1971
Earliest FDA record ⓘ

FDA-listed product records by dose form (tablet variants merged) — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Powder (18) — bulk drug substance sold to compounders/manufacturers and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.

Bausch Health US, LLC14%
Encube Ethicals, Inc.8%
A-S Medication Solutions7%
Bryant Ranch Prepack7%
Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.7%
NuCare Pharmaceuticals,Inc.7%
Other makers48%

Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

How widely Tretinoin is used (Medicaid data)

A general measure of how commonly Tretinoin is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.

Think of this as a proxy for how widely Tretinoin is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.

1,345,058
Medicaid prescriptions filled (Q1–Q4 2025)
$69.1M gross Medicaid reimbursement (before mandatory rebates — net cost is lower)

How commonly is Tretinoin prescribed? Of the 1,601 medications we measure, Tretinoin ranks #138 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 91% of them.

Where Tretinoin ranks among the drugs we measure · Q1–Q4 2025 · neighbors ±5
Total prescriptions — #138 of 1,601
#133 Glipizide 1,400,626 Rx #134 Buprenorphine Buccal (... 1,379,027 Rx #135 Buprenorphine 1,379,027 Rx #136 Chlorhexidine 1,373,852 Rx #137 Simvastatin 1,357,663 Rx #138 Tretinoin 1,345,058 Rx #139 Tretinoin Topical 1,344,781 Rx #140 Dapagliflozin 1,339,664 Rx #141 Benztropine 1,314,428 Rx #142 Diphenhydramine 1,303,409 Rx #143 Dexamethasone Injectio... 1,290,031 Rx

Utilization by Tretinoin product

Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.

The 0.25 mg/mL topical cream is the most-dispensed Tretinoin product — about 50% of these Medicaid prescriptions.

tretinoin 0.25 MG/ML Topical Cream Most dispensed

675,435 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 50% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $23.9M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $35 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 14 of 30 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 106302

tretinoin 0.5 MG/ML Topical Cream

384,214 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 29% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $18.2M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $47 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 10 of 19 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 106303

tretinoin 1 MG/ML Topical Cream

181,320 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 13% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $9.1M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $50 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 14 of 33 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 198300

tretinoin 0.00025 MG/MG Topical Gel

41,772 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 3% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $3.1M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $74 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 6 of 15 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 313451

tretinoin 0.0001 MG/MG Topical Gel

37,977 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 3% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $2.7M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $72 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 6 of 15 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 313450

tretinoin 0.0008 MG/MG Topical Gel

11,120 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $7.8M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $704 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 4 of 7 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1488045

tretinoin 0.0005 MG/MG Topical Gel

7,122 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $1.8M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $258 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 2 of 4 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 245723

tretinoin 0.0004 MG/MG Topical Gel

3,962 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q3 2025) <1% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $1.5M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $376 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 3 of 14 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 359050

tretinoin 0.001 MG/MG Topical Gel

1,029 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $316,747 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $308 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 3 of 12 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 313453

tretinoin 0.5 MG/ML Topical Lotion

736 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $71,763 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $98 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 2 of 6 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 250939

tretinoin 10 MG Oral Capsule

277 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $511,282 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $1,846 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 2 of 16 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 199159

tretinoin 0.0006 MG/MG Topical Gel

94 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Tretinoin prescriptions shown $82,591 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $879 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 3 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1987644

Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.

Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Tretinoin, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 67 of 174 listed Tretinoin NDCs with Medicaid activity.

Compare Tretinoin products

A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Tretinoin — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)

Showing 83 of 83 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 83 Tretinoin NDCs →

Tretinoin recall history

A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.

The FDA’s enforcement reports list no Tretinoin recalls since July 2021.

✅No Tretinoin recalls on record since July 2021

Source: FDA enforcement (recall) reports, via openFDA; our copy was last updated Sep 24, 2026.

RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength

This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.

Ingredient (IN) Tretinoin RxCUI 10753 5 dose forms · 17 strengths
  1. Dose form (SCDF) Oral Capsule RxCUI 374187 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 10 MG RxCUI 199159
  2. Dose form (SCDF) Topical Cream RxCUI 377828 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) Emollient tretinoin 0.5 MG/ML RxCUI 2117659 0.2 MG/ML RxCUI 252265 0.25 MG/ML RxCUI 106302 0.375 MG/ML RxCUI 997641 0.5 MG/ML RxCUI 106303 1 MG/ML RxCUI 198300
  4. Dose form (SCDF) Topical Lotion RxCUI 379379 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 0.25 MG/ML RxCUI 106304 0.5 MG/ML RxCUI 250939
  5. Dose form (SCDF) Topical Solution RxCUI 374188 No current FDA listing
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 0.5 MG/ML RxCUI 313452

Look up RxCUI 10753 in the RxCUI Atlas →

RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.

💵 What Tretinoin costs pharmacies (NADAC benchmark)

The national average invoice price pharmacies pay for the drug itself, from CMS's NADAC survey (data as of Sep 30, 2026). This is a supply-cost benchmark — not a retail price and not what you'd pay at the counter.

FormStrengthPharmacy acquisition benchmark
Cream · Topical 0.25 mg/g $0.720–$0.721 per gram NDC details & price history
Cream · Topical 1 mg/g $0.960–$0.962 per gram NDC details & price history
Cream · Topical 0.5 mg/g $0.721–$0.721 per gram NDC details & price history
Gel · Topical 0.1 mg/g $0.955 per gram NDC details & price history
Gel · Topical 0.25 mg/g $0.960–$1.69 per gram NDC details & price history
Gel · Topical 0.8 mg/g $17.54 per gram NDC details & price history
Gel · Topical 0.6 mg/g $17.43 per gram NDC details & price history
Gel · Topical 0.5 mg/g $3.93 per gram NDC details & price history
Capsule · Oral 10 mg $8.53 per capsule NDC details & price history
Lotion · Topical 0.5 mg/g $2.44 per gram NDC details & price history
Why show this? Your out-of-pocket cost depends on insurance, pharmacy markup, and discounts — but the acquisition benchmark tells you whether the medication itself is inexpensive or costly, which strengths cost more per dose, and whether a cash-price quote is in a reasonable range. Each row links to the NDC-level record with its full price history.

Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC), a survey of retail pharmacy invoice prices. Benchmarks shown are the range across package sizes of a representative product for each form and strength — other manufacturers' products may differ.

Tretinoin brand names

Tretinoin is sold under 9 brand names in the FDA directory — Vesanoid, Retin-A, Altreno, Avita and others. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.

Vesanoid Retin-A Altreno Avita Atralin Renova Refissa Tretin X Retin-A MICRO

Who makes Tretinoin: manufacturers and labelers

26 companies list Tretinoin products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Bausch Health US, LLC, Encube Ethicals, Inc., A-S Medication Solutions. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.

Bausch Health US, LLC 12 Encube Ethicals, Inc. 7 A-S Medication Solutions 6 Bryant Ranch Prepack 6 Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. 6 NuCare Pharmaceuticals,Inc. 6 Padagis US LLC 5 Obagi Cosmeceuticals LLC 4 Oceanside Pharmaceuticals 4 Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc. 3 Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited 3 Northstar Rx Llc 3 Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc. 3 Aurobindo Pharma Limited 2 Preferred Pharmaceuticals Inc. 2 Actavis Pharma, Inc. 1 American Health Packaging 1 Amneal Pharmaceuticals NY LLC 1 Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA 1 Major Pharmaceuticals 1 Mayne Pharma 1 Par Health USA, LLC 1 Remedyrepack Inc. 1 Redpharm Drug 1

…and 2 more on the FDA NDC directory.

Tretinoin drug class (RxNorm)

Tretinoin belongs to the Retinoid class.

Pharmacologic class Retinoid
Drug family (ATC) Retinoids for topical use in acne, Retinoids for cancer treatment

Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.

Sources for this Tretinoin page

Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.

📄
FDA-filed drug labels (SPL) Uses, dosing, warnings & side effects from SPL records retrieved through openFDA; the linked representative set can be verified on DailyMed. ✓ Linked label effective Apr 16, 2026
🏭
Forms, brands & labelersAggregated from ingredient-matched FDA National Drug Code Directory product records for Tretinoin.
📈
Real-world reportsThe FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), served through openFDA.
🚨
Recalls & shortagesopenFDA drug-enforcement reports and the FDA drug-shortage database.
🧾 Clinical label set — FDA-filed SPL labels retained for Tretinoin after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching
Clinical labels in scope
56
Finished products in the current FDA directory
83
Companies listing them (makers, repackagers, distributors)
26
FDA labeler codes behind them ⓘ
28
Linked representative label ⓘ
Encube Ethicals, Inc.
Linked label effective
Apr 16, 2026
Composite sections available
24
Linked SPL Set ID
57558405-42fa-40bb-a61c-48e030d976de
Linked SPL Document ID
8cc4690a-be86-4f4a-8bd1-ff9f5d5d5747
Open the linked representative label on DailyMed ↗
NDC package records associated with this linked SPL 2

How this page is built

HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records and does not author the underlying clinical facts. The plain-language sections are written with AI from the FDA-approved label text and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Encube Ethicals, Inc. is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates. This is general education, not medical advice: always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines. How we build and review drug pages →