tazarotene vs tretinoin
Side-by-side comparison of tazarotene and tretinoin Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Tazorac
Retin-A
Tazorac Cream contains tazarotene, a retinoid medicine. It is used on the skin to treat plaque psoriasis and acne.
Tretinoin capsules help put acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) into remission. You can use this medicine if other treatments have not worked or cannot be used.
Tazorac Cream is used to treat plaque psoriasis. Psoriasis causes thick, red, and scaly skin patches. Tazorac Cream 0.1% is also used to treat acne. It helps to clear up pimples and blackheads.
Tretinoin capsules treat acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in adults and children at least 1 year old. APL is a type of cancer where there is a problem with certain blood cells. This medicine is for people whose APL has not responded to other treatments or for whom other treatments are not an option.
Tazarotene is a retinoid, which is similar to vitamin A. It helps skin cells grow normally. This reduces skin inflammation and clears up acne.
Tretinoin is a retinoid, which is similar to vitamin A. It helps the leukemia cells mature properly. This can reduce the number of abnormal cells in your body.
- • Itching
- • Skin redness
- • Burning
- • Skin peeling
- • Dry skin
- • Headache
- • Fever
- • Dry skin or mouth
- • Bone pain
- • Feeling unwell
- The medicine is not working 102
- Skin redness 82
- Using the medicine for something it's not approved for 74
- Skin peeling 74
- Pain 64
- Using the medicine for a condition it's not approved for 897
- The medicine is not working 788
- Pain 536
- Using the product for a condition it's not approved for 463
- Throwing up 462
Tazorac Cream can cause birth defects. If you are pregnant or may become pregnant, you should not use Tazorac Cream. You should have a negative pregnancy test within 2 weeks before starting this medicine. Use effective birth control while using this medicine. Avoid sunlight and wear sunscreen, as Tazorac Cream can make you more sensitive to the sun.
Tretinoin capsules can cause serious harm to an unborn baby, including birth defects and miscarriage. If you are a woman who can get pregnant, you must have a negative pregnancy test before starting this medicine and use two forms of birth control during treatment and for 1 month after your last dose. This medicine can also cause Differentiation Syndrome, a serious condition that can be life-threatening. Tell your doctor right away if you have fever, trouble breathing, weight gain, or swelling.
Do not use Tazorac Cream if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It can harm your unborn baby. It is not known if Tazorac Cream passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Tretinoin capsules can cause birth defects or miscarriage. If you are pregnant or may become pregnant, do not take this medicine. Do not breastfeed while taking tretinoin capsules and for 1 week after the last dose.
Also Compare — Nearby Drugs
Compare tazarotene with
Compare tretinoin with
How to Read This tazarotene vs tretinoin Comparison
tazarotene is classified in the Retinoid (Topical) drug class, while tretinoin sits within the Retinoid (Topical) class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, tazarotene has 396 submissions while tretinoin has 3,146. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. 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 tazarotene and tretinoin — 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.