Tazorac
Tazorac is a tazarotene topical retinoid in tubes, applied once at night for plaque psoriasis and acne, with pack sizes for long courses.
- Category
- Skin Care
- Active ingredient
- Tazarotene
- Route
- Topical
- Form
- Cream, Gel
- Strengths
- 1/5%
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Therapeutic Class
- Retinoid
- Pharmacological Class
- Retinoid
- Minor Side Effects
- Dry skin, Peeling, Itching, Redness
- Moderate Side Effects
- Burning sensation, Skin irritation
- Dosage Forms
- Cream, Gel
- Administration Route
- Topical
- Originator
- Bausch Health
- Onset Time
- 4–6 weeks
- Duration
- Ongoing
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature away from light.
- Drug Interactions
- AHA/BHA products, Sulfur, Resorcinol
- Age Restrictions
- Consult a physician for paediatric use.
What you will receive
Tazorac is the originator brand name, made by Bausch Health. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Tazorac.
- The same active ingredient (Tazarotene) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which Tazorac pack sizes can I order?
Tazorac tubes come in packs of 2, 4 or 6, depending on the option you pick. This is generic tazarotene, not the original Tazorac. The page shows the price per tube in Hong Kong dollars, and larger tube packs lower the price per tube.
How is Tazorac delivered to Hong Kong?
Tazorac tubes are sent in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing outside about the contents. Tracked courier takes 5 to 9 business days with online tracking, while standard airmail takes 14 to 21 business days and is untracked. If a parcel arrives damaged, it is sent again free.
How long does Tazorac take to work?
Give it weeks rather than days. Psoriasis patches often begin to flatten within about a month of nightly use, while acne tends to improve more slowly, over two to three months. Early redness and flaking are part of the skin getting used to the retinoid, not a sign that it has failed.
Can I use benzoyl peroxide or other acne treatments with Tazorac?
You can, but putting them on the same patch together usually means more stinging and peeling. A common arrangement is the acne wash or benzoyl peroxide in the morning and Tazorac at night. Wait until the skin has settled before adding a second product.
Can I wear makeup or moisturiser over Tazorac?
Yes, once the medicine has dried. A plain, fragrance-free moisturiser softens the tight, flaky stage without stopping the tazarotene from working. Save foundation and powder for the morning, and apply them over clean skin rather than over the evening dose.
What if I miss a night?
Use the tube the following evening and carry on as before. Doubling up to catch the missed dose is more likely to leave the skin red and raw than to speed anything up, and the results come from steady use over weeks.
About Tazorac
A retinoid that thins plaques and unblocks pores
Tazarotene belongs to the retinoid family, the vitamin A relatives used on skin. Plaque psoriasis replaces skin cells far too quickly, and the surplus builds into raised patches with silvery scale; tazarotene slows that replacement so the surface flattens and sheds normally. Acne begins in the pore, where the lining thickens and traps oil; the same medicine keeps that lining from clogging, which eases the pressure behind blackheads and inflamed spots. Psoriasis usually responds within a few weeks, acne over a couple of months.
Putting it on, and the first fortnight
Picture bedtime, face just washed. Pat the skin dry, because the medicine stings more on damp skin, then smooth a thin film over the patches or spots only. A pea-sized amount is enough for the whole face and a larger patch needs a little more. Keep it off the eyelids, lips and nostrils, wash your hands afterwards and leave the area uncovered. Once a night is the whole routine, and bedtime keeps treated skin out of daylight.
Stinging when the medicine goes on, tightness, flaking and blotchy redness are common at the start, and they usually settle as the skin adapts. A plaque may look angrier before it flattens; spots often surface more in the second week. Stop the tube if the skin blisters, weeps or swells badly. A swollen face or throat with trouble breathing needs urgent help.
Sunlight, other skin products and pregnancy
Skin under treatment burns more readily in sunshine, so wear a sunscreen by day, cover up outdoors and skip sunbeds and sunlamps. Scrubs, toners, drying acne washes, benzoyl peroxide and other retinoid creams pile on the irritation; if you also use an acne wash, keep it for the morning and save the tazarotene for bedtime. Tazarotene is avoided during pregnancy and by anyone hoping to conceive, and it should not go on infected or badly irritated skin.
Choosing a pack
One patch of psoriasis on an elbow will stretch a tube for a long time, while a forehead and both cheeks use it up much faster, so pick the pack by the area you treat. The tubes here are generic tazarotene sold under the Tazorac name, and the ingredient has its own page at tazarotene.
Sources
- DailyMed - NIACINAMIDE 4% / TAZAROTENE 0.05% cream — DailyMed / U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Psoriasis: Symptoms, Causes, Images & Treatment — National Psoriasis Foundation