Retin-A Cream
Retin-A Cream is a tretinoin cream for acne and fine lines, available in 0.025% and 0.05% tubes and ordered here in packs of 3, 10 or 15.
Details
- Conditions
- Acne · Fine lines
- Therapeutic Class
- Retinoid
- Pharmacological Class
- Retinoic acid
- Minor Side Effects
- Redness, Peeling, Dryness
- Moderate Side Effects
- Itching, Burning
- Dosage Forms
- Cream
- Administration Route
- Topical
- Originator
- Janssen
- Onset Time
- Several weeks for results
- Duration
- Daily application
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature.
- Drug Interactions
- Benzoyl peroxide, Abrasive cleansers
- Age Restrictions
- Typically adolescent through adult
What you will receive
Retin-A Cream is the originator brand name, made by Janssen. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Retin-A Cream.
- The same active ingredient (Tretinoin) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which Retin-A Cream strengths and pack sizes can I order?
Retin-A Cream comes as 0.025% or 0.05% tretinoin in tubes, in packs of 3, 10 or 15 tubes. The pack contains generic tretinoin, not the original Retin-A Cream. Larger packs cost less per tube.
How is Retin-A Cream delivered to Hong Kong?
Retin-A Cream tubes are sent in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing on the outside about the contents. Orders can be cancelled within 24 hours if not yet dispatched. Support answers 24/7 in English and Cantonese by live chat.
Does Retin-A Cream have other names?
Retin-A, Altreno and Renova are brand names of tretinoin, which is also sold as Airol, Atralin, Avita and Refissa. Here, tretinoin can be bought online as generic Retin-A Cream, and also as A-Ret, generic Renova and tretinoin cream. These are generics, not the original brand.
How much Retin-A Cream should I use?
One pea-sized blob is enough for the whole face — dot it on the forehead, cheeks and chin and smooth a thin film over the skin. More cream does not speed things up; it just raises the chance of stinging and peeling. Once a day at bedtime is the usual routine.
How long does Retin-A Cream take to work?
Give it weeks, not days. Acne can look worse for the first two to four weeks as blocked pores clear, and smoother skin with fewer spots usually shows after two to three months of nightly use.
Is Retin-A Cream the same as tretinoin cream?
Yes — tretinoin is the active ingredient and Retin-A is one of its brand names. The tubes sold here hold generic tretinoin in 0.025% or 0.05%, the strengths the brand also comes in.
Can I use moisturiser with Retin-A Cream?
You can. Let the cream dry for about 15 minutes, then apply a plain, fragrance-free moisturiser to cut down dryness and flaking. Use sunscreen in the morning too, since treated skin burns more easily in sunlight.
Can I use Retin-A Cream with benzoyl peroxide or acids?
Not in the same application. Benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, glycolic acid and strong astringents all add to redness and peeling when layered with tretinoin, so many people use the wash or acid in the morning and the cream at night.
About Retin-A Cream
A vitamin A cream for acne and fine lines
Tretinoin belongs to the retinoid family, which comes from vitamin A. Spread on the skin, it speeds up how quickly surface cells are replaced, so pores are less likely to block and the skin looks smoother with time. It is used for acne, and also for fine lines and uneven colour that come with sun damage. Retin-A Cream holds 0.025% or 0.05% tretinoin in a tube.
How to apply it
Use it once a day, at bedtime. Cleanse with something mild, then wait 20 to 30 minutes before you apply — skin that is still damp stings more. A thin film over the whole face is all that is needed; a heavier layer does not work faster and makes redness more likely. Dot it on the forehead, cheeks and chin, smooth it in, and keep it clear of the eyes, lips, the folds beside the nose and any broken skin. Wash your hands afterwards.
What the first weeks are like
For the first weeks the skin is often red, dry and flaky, and it may itch or sting. That usually eases as it adjusts. Spots can look worse for a time, because blocked pores come to the surface. A real change takes weeks, and the full effect shows after two to three months of steady use. If the skin is sore, use a smaller amount or apply the cream every other night, then build back up.
Sun, other products and side effects
Treated skin burns more easily. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning, cover up outdoors and avoid sunbeds. Other acne treatments, exfoliating acids, astringents and alcohol-based toners all add to the irritation, so keep them apart from your retinoid step. Waxing, chemical hair removal and dermabrasion on treated skin should wait. Blistering, crusting or swelling means the cream is not suiting you. Pregnancy is the one situation where tretinoin is not used. Keep the tube capped and store it somewhere cool, out of direct sun.
Strengths and other tretinoin listings
0.025% is the gentler strength, a sensible first course or for skin that reddens easily; 0.05% is stronger, for skin that has already adjusted. Cream is the more emollient of the two forms. The tubes sold here contain generic tretinoin rather than the original brand. Other listings with the same ingredient include Retin-A Gel at 0.01% and 0.025%, A-Ret at 0.1%, Renova across 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.1%, and Tretinoin Cream in the same two strengths as this one. The tretinoin page covers them all.
Sources
- Tretinoin Topical: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / National Library of Medicine
- Acne: Diagnosis and treatment - American Academy of Dermatology — American Academy of Dermatology