Prescription medication · Retinoid (Topical)
tazarotene
Also sold as Tazorac. Tazorac Cream is used to treat plaque psoriasis.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 1,132
- FDA reportsRarely reported
- 2
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $10.35
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
tazarotene (Tazorac) is a prescription Retinoid (Topical), among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (1,132 FDA reports), with 2 documented drug interactions.
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.
tazarotene (Tazorac) is a prescription Retinoid (Topical). Tazorac Cream is used to treat plaque psoriasis.
Tazorac Cream contains tazarotene, a retinoid medicine. It is used on the skin to treat plaque psoriasis and acne.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$10.35/unit
Generic Available
Yes (7 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Tazorac Cream is used to treat plaque psoriasis.
Common side effects
Itching, Skin redness, Burning
Key warnings
Tazorac Cream can cause birth defects.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from tazarotene's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Tazarotene is a retinoid, which is similar to vitamin A. It helps skin cells grow normally. This reduces skin inflammation and clears up acne.
How to Take It
Apply a thin layer of Tazorac Cream to the affected area once a day in the evening. For psoriasis, start with the 0.05% cream. Your doctor may increase the strength to 0.1% if needed. Make sure your skin is dry before applying the cream. Wash your hands after applying the cream.
This is a plain-language summary of tazarotene's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
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.
This is a plain-language summary of tazarotene's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, apply it as soon as you remember that same evening. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of tazarotene's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store Tazorac Cream at room temperature, between 68°F to 77°F.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 1,132 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for tazarotene, by number of reports
- Skin redness
Skin redness
82 reports
- Skin peeling
Skin peeling
74 reports
- Pain
Pain
64 reports
- Itching
Itching
62 reports
- Skin rash
Skin rash
62 reports
- Headache
Headache
55 reports
- Redness where you put the medicine
Redness where you put the medicine
45 reports
- Acne
Acne
42 reports
- Psoriasis
Psoriasis
40 reports
- Pain where you put the medicine
Pain where you put the medicine
38 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 tazarotene 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 tazarotene sits
tazarotene has more FDA adverse-event reports than 7% 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 tazarotene; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 1,132 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
1,132
Reports Mentioning Death
15
1.3% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
159
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | ERYTHEMA | 82 |
| 4 | SKIN EXFOLIATION | 74 |
| 5 | PAIN | 64 |
| 6 | PRURITUS | 62 |
| 7 | RASH | 62 |
| 8 | HEADACHE | 55 |
| 9 | APPLICATION SITE ERYTHEMA | 45 |
| 10 | ACNE | 42 |
| 11 | PSORIASIS | 40 |
| 12 | APPLICATION SITE PAIN | 38 |
| 13 | DRY SKIN | 38 |
| 14 | DIARRHOEA | 32 |
| 15 | FATIGUE | 32 |
| 16 | NAUSEA | 32 |
| 17 | PREGNANCY | 32 |
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
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
In a trial of 27 healthy female subjects between the ages of 20–55 years receiving a combination oral contraceptive tablet containing 1 mg norethindrone and 35 mcg ethinyl estradiol, concomitant use of tazarotene administered as 1.1 mg orally (mean ± SD C max and AUC 0-24 of tazarotenic acid were 28.9 ± 9.4 ng/mL and 120.6 ± 28.5 ng • hr/mL) did not affect the pharmacokinetics of norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol over a complete cycle.
Mechanism: Clinical studies show that tazarotene does not change the levels of estradiol in your body.
What to do: You can take these medications together without any special changes to your routine.
In a trial of 27 healthy female subjects between the ages of 20–55 years receiving a combination oral contraceptive tablet containing 1 mg norethindrone and 35 mcg ethinyl estradiol, concomitant use of tazarotene administered as 1.1 mg orally (mean ± SD C max and AUC 0-24 of tazarotenic acid were 28.9 ± 9.4 ng/mL and 120.6 ± 28.5 ng • hr/mL) did not affect the pharmacokinetics of norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol over a complete cycle.
Mechanism: Tazarotene does not interfere with how your body processes norethindrone.
What to do: No special precautions are needed when using these two drugs at the same time.
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
Can I use Tazorac Cream if I am pregnant?
How often should I apply Tazorac Cream?
What should I do if I get Tazorac Cream in my eyes?
Can I use Tazorac Cream on broken or irritated skin?
What should I do if my skin becomes too irritated?
Do I need to use sunscreen while using Tazorac Cream?
Can I use other acne or psoriasis treatments with Tazorac Cream?
How long does it take to see results with Tazorac Cream?
What should I do if I accidentally swallow Tazorac Cream?
Can I use Tazorac Cream if I am breastfeeding?
What are the common side effects of tazarotene?
Does tazarotene interact with other medications?
What drug class is tazarotene?
Is tazarotene safe during pregnancy?
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What the FDA Data Shows for tazarotene
The FDA label for tazarotene (sold under brand names such as Tazorac) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Retinoid (Topical) class. Tazorac Cream is used to treat plaque psoriasis. Official labeling lists 5 commonly reported side effects, including Itching, Skin redness, Burning.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 1,132 voluntary reports. The database also lists 2 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $10.35.
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: November 13, 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