Tretinoin
Prescription retinoid for acne and ageing
The most rigorously studied topical retinoid there is. Compounded to the exact strength your skin tolerates, with tranexamic acid or niacinamide added where your NP judges it useful.
This is not where treatment usually starts. It is prescribed when the manufactured, FDA-approved option has been ruled out for you specifically, and your nurse practitioner has to write down why before it can be sent to a pharmacy. You are welcome to ask about it — just expect the conversation.
Regulatory status
Compounded topical preparation. Not FDA-approved. Tretinoin itself is an FDA-approved active ingredient.
Frequency
Nightly topical
Route
Topical
Supply
90-day supply
Minimum age
18+
What patients get from this
- Reduces fine lines and improves texture
- Clears comedonal and inflammatory acne
- Strength titrated to your tolerance
- Evens pigmentation over time
We will not prescribe this if
- Current pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Planning pregnancy
- Active eczema or rosacea flare at application site
The intake asks about each of these. Some answers stop the process; others are flagged for your nurse practitioner.
Labs your NP may order
- No routine baseline labs are required for this treatment.
Draw at our Fort Lauderdale clinic or a reference lab near you. Your NP reviews the results and posts them to your account.
Please read
- Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved and have not been evaluated by FDA for safety or effectiveness.
- Do not use if pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive.
- Increases sun sensitivity — use daily broad-spectrum SPF.
About compounded medication
A compounded preparation is made for one named patient by a licensed pharmacy. It is not an FDA-approved product: the FDA does not review it for safety, effectiveness or manufacturing quality. Your nurse practitioner has to record a specific clinical reason why the commercially available product will not work for you before this can be prescribed — and cost on its own is not one.
A 503A pharmacy may not supply a clinic with shared stock, so your prescription is filled in your name and shipped to the clinic for you. A nurse cannot administer it without linking the order it came from.