adapalene vs benzoyl peroxide
Side-by-side comparison of adapalene and benzoyl peroxide Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
No formal drug-drug interaction studies were conducted with adapalene and benzoyl peroxide gel 0.1% / 2.5%.
Recommendation: You can use these two products together safely as part of your skin care routine.
Differin
Benzac, PanOxyl
Adapalene and benzoyl peroxide gel is a medicine used on the skin to treat acne. It contains two medicines: adapalene (a retinoid) and benzoyl peroxide.
Benzoyl peroxide is a topical medicine that fights germs on your skin. It helps to clear up acne.
This medicine treats acne, a skin condition with pimples and bumps. You can use this medicine if you are 9 years or older. Apply the gel to the affected areas of your face and/or trunk.
This medicine treats acne. It works by getting inside your pores to kill most acne and pimples. It also helps to stop new acne, pimples, and blackheads from forming.
Adapalene is a retinoid that helps to unclog pores and reduce inflammation. Benzoyl peroxide is an antibacterial medicine that kills acne-causing bacteria. Together, they help to clear up acne.
Benzoyl peroxide is an antimicrobial. This means it helps to kill germs on your skin that can cause acne. This reduces inflammation and clears pores.
- • Dry skin
- • Contact dermatitis (skin rash)
- • Burning feeling on the skin where you put the medicine
- • Skin irritation
- • Dry skin
- • Acne
- • Skin irritation
- • Skin exfoliation
- • Itching
- The medicine did not work 51,276
- Dry skin 44,990
- Burning feeling on the skin 41,633
- Acne 39,264
- Redness 38,379
- The medicine did not work 1,884
- Dry skin 1,504
- Acne 1,471
- Skin redness 1,155
- Burning feeling on skin 974
When using this medicine, avoid sunlight and sunlamps. If you can't avoid the sun, wear sunscreen. This medicine may cause skin irritation, redness, scaling, dryness, stinging, or burning. If this happens, use a moisturizer or apply the medicine less often. If irritation is severe, stop using the medicine.
If you develop a serious allergic reaction (hypersensitivity) such as swelling of the face, eyes, or difficulty breathing, stop using this product and seek immediate medical attention.
If you are pregnant, only use this medicine if the benefit outweighs the risk to the baby. It is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor before using it if you are breastfeeding.
It is not known if benzoyl peroxide can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Also Compare — Nearby Drugs
Compare adapalene with
How to Read This adapalene vs benzoyl peroxide Comparison
adapalene is classified in the Retinoid (Topical) drug class, while benzoyl peroxide sits within the Antimicrobial (Topical) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are available over the counter.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, adapalene has 215,542 submissions while benzoyl peroxide has 6,988. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to there are no known studies showing that these two skin treatments interfere with each other.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between adapalene and benzoyl peroxide — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.