Tazarotene is in a class of medications called retinoids and is used to treat acne and reduce facial wrinkling.¹ 

It works to treat acne by slowing skin cell overgrowth and decreasing skin cell inflammation, which can lead to acne or psoriasis. It works to reduce facial wrinkles and discoloration by causing an increase in the thickness of the outer skin layers.²

Tazarotene cream is usually used once a day in the evening. Use tazarotene at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use tazarotene exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.³

Tazarotene comes as a cream, foam and gel to apply to the skin. Use tazarotene once per day at around the same time every day, usually in the evening. Use tazarotene exactly as directed and follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain anything you do not understand. Do not use more or less of it, or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Your doctor may adjust the strength of tazarotene, change how often you use it or temporarily stop your treatment, depending on the improvement of your condition and the side effects that you may experience. Be sure to tell your doctor how you are responding to your treatment.

If you are using tazarotene to treat acne, your symptoms should improve in about four weeks. If you are using tazarotene to treat psoriasis, your symptoms should improve in about one to four weeks with treatment with tazarotene. If your symptoms do not improve or get worse, call your doctor.

Tazarotene foam may catch fire. Stay away from open fire, flames and do not smoke while you are applying tazarotene foam and for a short time afterward.

Do not apply tazarotene to skin that is sunburned, irritated, scraped or covered with eczema (a skin disease). If you have any of these conditions, do not apply tazarotene to that area until your skin has healed.

You may use moisturizers as often as you would like, however, wait until the moisturizer is fully absorbed in the skin (usually one hour) before applying tazarotene.⁴

RedBox Rx offers tazarotene cream at 0.1% strength.

Tazarotene and tretinoin are both retinoids and function similarly with similar side effects. The main differences are potency and price.

Tazarotene

• More expensive than tretinoin

• Studies have shown that it works faster and more effectively on sun-damaged skin⁵

• Higher strength tazarotene is more potent⁶ has been associated with more side effects⁷

Tretinoin

• More affordable than tazarotene

• The first topical retinoid introduced with a long history of use and research⁸

• Less potent than tazarotene, with fewer side effects⁹

If you are using tazarotene to treat acne, your symptoms should improve in about four weeks.¹⁰ It may take up to six months to see improvement in fine lines and wrinkles.¹¹

Before taking tazarotene:¹²

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to tazarotene, any other medications or any of the ingredients in tazarotene cream, foam or gel. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins and nutritional supplements you are taking or plan to take while using tazarotene. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.

• If you are also using benzoyl peroxide (Benzaclin, Duac, Epiduo, others), apply it a different time of day than when you apply tazarotene.

• Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had skin cancer, if you have or have ever had eczema or any other skin condition, or if your skin is unusually sensitive to sunlight.

• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. You should not become pregnant while using tazarotene. Talk to your doctor about birth control methods that you can use during your treatment. If you can become pregnant, you will need to have a negative pregnancy test within two weeks before starting treatment. You should start using tazarotene during your menstrual period, to be sure you are not pregnant. If you become pregnant while using tazarotene, stop using tazarotene and call your doctor immediately. Tazarotene may harm the fetus.

• Plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to real and artificial sunlight (tanning beds and sunlamps) and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses and sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, especially if you sunburn easily. Also avoid prolonged exposure to cold or wind. Tazarotene may make your skin sensitive to sunlight or extreme weather.

• Tell your doctor about all skin or hair care products that you use, including soaps, shampoos, permanent wave solutions, cleansers, moisturizers and cosmetics. Many skincare products can irritate your skin if you use them with tazarotene, especially those that are harsh, dry out the skin or contain alcohol, spices or lime rind. If you have been using these products, your doctor may want you to wait before you begin using tazarotene. Ask your doctor to recommend products that will not irritate your skin.

• Be careful not to get tazarotene in your eyes. If you do get tazarotene in your eyes, wash with plenty of water.

• Do not use hot wax or electrolysis to remove unwanted hair from the area that you are treating with tazarotene during your treatment with this medication.

Apply the missed dose as soon as you remember it, unless it is almost time for your next dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and continue with your normal dosing schedule.¹³

Tazarotene may cause side effects. The following symptoms are likely to affect the skin you are treating with tazarotene. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:¹⁴

• Itching

• Burning

• Redness

• Rash

• Peeling

• Stinging

• Pain

• Dryness

• Swelling

• Discoloration

• Irritation or swelling of the eyelid or eye

• Chapped or inflamed lips

• Swelling in arms or legs

Tazarotene may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.¹⁵

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

If you stop using tazarotene before your care professional recommends, any positives from using the cream may be reversed.¹⁶ Do not stop using tazarotene cream unless directed by your care team.¹⁷

Tazarotene cream is only available with a doctor's prescription.¹⁸ While you can’t get it over the counter, you can buy tazarotene online, if prescribed through telehealth providers, like RedBox Rx. Start an online consult for acne or anti-aging to see if tazarotene cream is right for you.

At RedBox Rx, tazarotene cream costs $75 for a 30 g tube (45-day supply), $140 for a 60 g tube (90-day supply) and $215 for a 90 g tube (135-day supply), some of the lowest pricing available. Our online consultation for acne or anti-aging costs only $25.

Tazarotene cream requires a prescription. Start an online doctor consult for acne or anti-aging with RedBox Rx to determine if tazarotene cream is right for you.

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Do not freeze.

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children, as many containers (such as weekly pill organizers and those for eye drops, creams, patches and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away, and out of their sight and reach.¹⁹ http://www.upandaway.org

If someone swallows tazarotene, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.²⁰

Keep all appointments with your doctor.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all prescription and nonprescription (over the counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.²¹

Brand names for tazarotene cream include:²²

• Avage®

• Fabior®

• Tazorac®

• Duobrii® (as a combination product containing halobetasol, tazarotene)

We offer a variety of prescription medication options for anti-aging, including:

• Tretinoin cream (generic Retin-A®)

• Tretinoin gel (generic Retin-A®)

• Adapalene gel (generic Differin®)

• Azelaic acid 15% gel (generic Finacea®)

• Hydroquinone 4% cream (for melasma, dark spots)

We offer a variety of prescription medication options for acne, including:

• Tretinoin cream (generic Retin-A®)

• Tretinoin gel (generic Retin-A®)

• Adapalene gel (generic Differin®)

• Benzoyl peroxide

• Clindamycin phosphate solution (generic Cleocin T®)

• Metronidazole cream (generic MetroCream®)

• Metronidazole gel (generic MetroGel®)

• Spironolactone (generic Aldactone®)

1. National Library of Medicine

2. National Library of Medicine

3. National Library of Medicine

4. National Library of Medicine

5. National Library of Medicine

6. Healthline

7. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

8. National Library of Medicine

9. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

10. National Library of Medicine

11. National Institutes of Health

12. National Library of Medicine

13. National Library of Medicine

14. National Library of Medicine

15. National Library of Medicine

16. Harvard Health Publishing

17. Cleveland Clinic

18. Mayo Clinic

19. National Library of Medicine

20. National Library of Medicine

21. National Library of Medicine

22. National Library of Medicine