Approved use
Tretinoin cream is FDA-approved for topical application in the treatment of acne vulgaris. The label notes that the safety and effectiveness of long-term use for other skin conditions have not been established.
- FDA-approved medication, described here only for its FDA-approved uses.
- Packaging illustration. Your pharmacy label provides your prescribed directions; do not use this image for dosing.
- No outcome is guaranteed. Individual results vary.
Women's Health
FDA-approved · Topical cream · Rx only
Acne Treatment
Prescription acne care, provider-guided
Tretinoin cream is an FDA-approved topical prescription for acne vulgaris. It is prescribed online only if a licensed provider decides it is right for your skin and health history.
Coming soon to Forever Health Rx. Not available for purchase yet. Prices shown are estimates and may change.
Notify me when availablePrescription only. A licensed provider decides.
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- SecurePatient portal
What it may help with
The benefits of Acne
Tretinoin cream is an FDA-approved topical prescription; if a licensed provider prescribes it, it may help with:
Acne vulgaris
Approved for topical treatment of acne vulgaris.
Loosens clogged pores
Works by loosening the cells that block pores, so fewer new clogged pores form and existing ones are pushed out.
A vitamin A acid
Tretinoin is a form of vitamin A acid applied to the skin; your provider decides the strength and how to use it.
Expect an adjustment period
Some people notice what looks like a flare in the first weeks; responses vary from person to person.
Licensed provider review
Prescribed only if a licensed provider decides it is right for your skin and health history.
Not medical advice. Individual results vary. A licensed provider decides whether a treatment is right for you.
Understanding Acne
What to know first.
How it works
Tretinoin is a vitamin A acid (retinoic acid) applied to the skin. Its exact action is not known; the label explains that it appears to loosen the cells that block pores, so fewer new comedones (clogged pores) form and existing ones are pushed out. During the first weeks some people notice what looks like a flare of acne, and responses vary from person to person. Your provider decides the strength and how to use it.
Who it may be for
A provider may consider tretinoin cream for people with acne vulgaris. It may not suit people with eczema, sunburned skin, very sun-sensitive skin or a lot of sun exposure at work, and anyone who is pregnant, may become pregnant or is breastfeeding should discuss it first. Its safety has not been established in children under 12. Your provider decides.
How it works
Three steps, all online.
Complete your online visit
Answer questions about your health history, medications and goals. Submitting a visit does not guarantee a prescription.
A licensed provider reviews
A provider licensed in your state decides whether treatment is appropriate for you, or recommends a different path.
If prescribed, delivered
A licensed pharmacy dispenses your medication and ships it to your door. Follow-up continues through the patient portal.
What is tretinoin?
Tretinoin is a prescription vitamin A acid (retinoic acid) that is applied to the skin. Tretinoin cream is FDA-approved for acne vulgaris, the common form of acne with clogged pores and spots. A licensed provider reviews your skin concerns, health history and the other products you use to decide whether it is appropriate for you and how it should be used.
Is some irritation normal?
A brief feeling of warmth or slight stinging, redness and peeling can happen. The label says that if your skin becomes excessively red, swollen, blistered or crusted, you should stop using it and contact your provider. Keep it away from the eyes, mouth, the corners of the nose, mucous membranes and open wounds. Your provider can adjust how often you use it if irritation is a problem.
Do I need to avoid the sun?
Yes, as much as you can. Tretinoin makes skin more sensitive to sunlight, so minimize sun exposure and do not use sunlamps. Use sunscreen and protective clothing over treated areas when you cannot avoid the sun, and do not apply tretinoin to sunburned skin until it has fully recovered. Wind and cold can also irritate treated skin.
Can I keep using my other skincare products?
Check with your provider first. The label advises caution with other topical medicines, medicated or abrasive soaps and cleansers, strongly drying cosmetics, and products high in alcohol, astringents, spices or lime, and particular caution with products containing sulfur, resorcinol or salicylic acid. The patient instructions suggest a mild, non-medicated soap and a non-comedogenic moisturizer, with sunscreen, each morning.
Why might my acne look worse at first?
The label explains that during the early weeks an apparent flare of inflamed spots may occur, because the medicine acts on deeper lesions that were not yet visible, and that this alone is not a reason to stop. If irritation is severe or you are worried, contact your provider. Responses vary from person to person.
Can I use tretinoin if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
Tell your provider first. There are no adequate, well-controlled studies of tretinoin in pregnant women, and the label says it should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. It is not known whether tretinoin passes into breast milk. Your provider will weigh these factors with you before prescribing.
How does the online visit work?
You complete a health assessment online and a licensed provider reviews your answers and history. If they decide tretinoin cream is appropriate, a licensed pharmacy dispenses it. Forever Health Rx is a telemedicine platform, not a pharmacy, and completing an assessment or paying does not mean you will receive a prescription. Not everyone qualifies, and individual results vary.
Important Safety Information — Acne Treatment
What is it approved for?
Tretinoin cream is FDA-approved for topical application in the treatment of acne vulgaris. The label notes that the safety and effectiveness of long-term use for other skin conditions have not been established.
Do not use if
- Known allergy (hypersensitivity) to tretinoin or any ingredient in the cream
- On sunburned skin, until it has fully recovered
- In or near the eyes, mouth, corners of the nose, mucous membranes or open wounds
Before starting, tell your provider if
- Eczema, because tretinoin can cause severe irritation on eczema-affected skin
- Other skin treatments, medicated or abrasive cleansers, strongly drying cosmetics, and products with sulfur, resorcinol or salicylic acid
- A job or lifestyle with a lot of sun exposure, or naturally sun-sensitive skin
- Pregnancy, plans to become pregnant, or breastfeeding
Serious side effects — get medical help right away
- Severe skin irritation. Stop using tretinoin and contact your provider if your skin becomes excessively red, swollen, blistered or crusted, or if irritation is severe or does not go away.
- Sensitivity reactions. Stop using it and contact your provider if you notice a reaction that suggests sensitivity or chemical irritation. True contact allergy to topical tretinoin is rare.
- Sunburn. Treated skin burns more easily. Minimize sun exposure, avoid sunlamps, and pause tretinoin until a sunburn has healed.
Common side effects
Common side effects: redness, peeling, a brief feeling of warmth or slight stinging, temporary changes in skin color (more or less pigment), and greater sensitivity to sunlight. These are not all the possible side effects.
You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of tretinoin in pregnant women; the label says it should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. It is not known whether tretinoin passes into breast milk. Tell your provider if you are pregnant, may be pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Prescription only. Acne is available only after an online visit with a licensed provider, who determines whether treatment is appropriate for you. This summary does not replace the full prescribing information. Not medical advice. Results may vary.
Sources
Forever Health Rx does not provide emergency medical care. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if you are experiencing a medical emergency. For urgent questions about a serious side effect, message your care team through the patient portal and seek in-person care if symptoms are severe.
Coming soon
Be the first to know.
Acne is coming soon to Forever Health Rx. Contact us and we will let you know when it is available.
Have a question before you start? Call our support team:
Prescription required. Eligibility is determined by a licensed provider. Not medical advice. Results may vary.
Important safety & regulatory information
Please read before you start.
- Forever Health Rx is a healthcare technology platform operated by . Forever Health Rx is not a pharmacy and does not practice medicine. Medical services are provided by independent, state-licensed healthcare providers of , who exercise their own clinical judgment. Prescriptions are issued only after a provider reviews your information and determines that treatment is appropriate for you. Not everyone qualifies, and no treatment, outcome or eligibility is guaranteed.
- Some medications referenced on this site are compounded preparations prepared by U.S. pharmacies licensed in the state where they dispense. Compounded drugs are not approved by the FDA and are not evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness or quality. They are not generic versions of, or equivalent to, any branded medication. Other medications referenced are FDA-approved products, described only for their FDA-approved uses unless a page states that a use is off-label. Brand names are trademarks of their respective owners; Forever Health Rx is not affiliated with them.
- Every prescription medication carries risks. Product-specific warnings, contraindications and side effects are listed in the safety information on each treatment page; discuss your full medical history and every medication you take with your provider. Treatments shown as coming soon are not yet available for purchase, and their prices may be estimates.
- This website does not provide medical advice and is not a substitute for consultation with a qualified clinician. In an emergency, call 911. To report a side effect, contact your provider through the patient portal or the FDA MedWatch program at 1-800-FDA-1088.
- Weight figures, timelines and projections shown anywhere on this site are illustrative and drawn from published clinical literature, not from Forever Health Rx patient outcomes. Individual results vary.
- Your provider confirms the plan and its cost after review. Payment collected at checkout is refunded in full if a prescription is not issued, and nothing is dispensed. The final amount is always shown at checkout before you authorize payment.
- This website collects no protected health information; your online visit, prescriptions and messages take place inside the secure patient portal, covered by our HIPAA Privacy Policy.
- People pictured on this site are illustrative images, not Forever Health Rx patients. They do not describe anyone's treatment experience and do not depict the results of any medication. Product images are illustrative; actual packaging may vary.