Over-the-counter medication · Retinoid (Topical)
adapalene
Also sold as Differin.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 178,147
- FDA reportsHeavily reported
- 1
- InteractionFew interactions
- $2.45
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
adapalene (Differin) is an over-the-counter Retinoid (Topical), more reported than roughly 9 in 10 tracked drugs (178,147 FDA reports), with 1 documented drug interaction.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$2.45/unit
Generic Available
Yes (18 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Information not available.
Common side effects
Dry skin, Contact dermatitis (skin rash), Burning feeling on the skin where you put the medicine
Key warnings
No specific warnings noted. Always follow your prescriber's instructions.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 178,147 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for adapalene, by number of reports
- Dry skin
Dry skin
44,990 reports
- Burning feeling on the skin
Burning feeling on the skin
41,633 reports
- Acne
Acne
39,264 reports
- Redness
Redness
38,379 reports
- Skin irritation
Skin irritation
26,225 reports
- Skin peeling
Skin peeling
21,251 reports
- Using the product at the wrong time 16,186
Using the product at the wrong time
16,186 reports
- Skin rash 15,520
Skin rash
15,520 reports
- Using too much medicine 13,210
Using too much medicine
13,210 reports
- Skin pain 12,283
Skin pain
12,283 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for adapalene each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where adapalene sits
adapalene has more FDA adverse-event reports than 93% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is adapalene; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 178,147 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
178,147
Reports Mentioning Death
32
0.0% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
358
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | DRY SKIN | 44,990 |
| 3 | SKIN BURNING SENSATION | 41,633 |
| 4 | ACNE | 39,264 |
| 5 | ERYTHEMA | 38,379 |
| 6 | SKIN IRRITATION | 26,225 |
| 7 | SKIN EXFOLIATION | 21,251 |
| 8 | INAPPROPRIATE SCHEDULE OF PRODUCT ADMINISTRATION | 16,186 |
| 9 | RASH | 15,520 |
| 10 | OVERDOSE | 13,210 |
| 11 | PAIN OF SKIN | 12,283 |
| 12 | PRURITUS | 11,826 |
| 13 | HYPERSENSITIVITY | 8,305 |
| 14 | UNDERDOSE | 4,949 |
| 15 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 4,946 |
| 16 | RASH PAPULAR | 4,147 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Known Drug Interactions
No formal drug-drug interaction studies were conducted with adapalene and benzoyl peroxide gel 0.1% / 2.5%.
Mechanism: There are no known studies showing that these two skin treatments interfere with each other.
What to do: You can use these two products together safely as part of your skin care routine.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
What are the common side effects of adapalene?
Does adapalene interact with other medications?
What drug class is adapalene?
Related Medications in Retinoid (Topical)
Other drugs grouped near adapalene - same-class peers and common alternatives.
apremilast
Otezla
Apremilast (Otezla/Otezla XR) is a medicine that can help adults and children manage psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis.
Compare with adapalene →
azelaic acid
Finacea, Azelex
Azelaic acid gel is a topical medicine that helps treat rosacea.
Compare with adapalene →
benzoyl peroxide
Benzac, PanOxyl
Benzoyl peroxide is a topical medicine that fights germs on your skin.
Compare with adapalene →
betamethasone
Diprosone, Luxiq
Betamethasone dipropionate cream is a strong steroid medicine used on the skin.
Compare with adapalene →
brodalumab
Siliq
Siliq is a medicine used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
Compare with adapalene →
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Pain Relievers Compared
NSAIDs vs acetaminophen, which OTC pain reliever to use
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
Why some drugs demand precise dosing and monitoring
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
What the FDA Data Shows for adapalene
The FDA label for adapalene (sold under brand names such as Differin) classifies it as an over-the-counter product in the Retinoid (Topical) class. Regulatory labeling describes its approved uses and the patient populations studied in pre-market trials. Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Dry skin, Contact dermatitis (skin rash), Burning feeling on the skin where you put the medicine.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 178,147 voluntary reports. The database also lists 1 documented drug interaction derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $2.45.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: January 8, 2025
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages