What Is the Difference Between Retin-A and Tretinoin?

Tretinoin is a medication used to treat mild, moderate, and severe acne vulgaris. It's a vitamin A derivative and the active ingredient in the brand-name acne treatment Retin-A.

Both the generic tretinoin and the brand Retin A are retinoids, a class of medication that works to exfoliate dead skin cells and promote new skin cell growth.

Other brand-name medications use tretinoin as well to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, make skin smoother, or treat discoloration of skin. Although not approved for these treatments, Retin-A may is sometimes used off-label for these reasons as well.

This article discusses Retin-A and tretinoin and why you can substitute one for the other. It also covers other acne medications with similar names and how they compare to tretinoin.

Retin-A vs. Tretinoin

If you've been given a prescription for tretinoin by your dermatologist when you expected Retin-A, don't worry: Tretinoin is the name of the active ingredient in the brand-name medication.

Products with tretinoin like Retin-A are only available by prescription. They are used to control blackheads and whiteheads, or comedonal acne. They are also called retinoic acid or vitamin A acid.

The brand Retin-A has become the most popular term used when referring to topical tretinoin. Many people use Retin-A and tretinoin interchangeably (even healthcare providers). It's like the way people use the brand name "Q-Tip" rather than the generic term "cotton swab."

Generic Tretinoin

If your healthcare provider prescribes Retin-A, your pharmacist may fill your prescription with generic tretinoin. This is because a generic will often cost less than a brand-name drug.

But don't think that generic medications are of lower quality or that they won't work as well. All tretinoin products work in the same way, by speeding cell turnover rates and keeping pores free from blockages, or comedones.

Tretinoin medications also help soften fine lines, fade dark marks and discolorations, and leave your complexion looking brighter and feeling smoother.

Medications That Contain Tretinoin

Many companies manufacture topical tretinoin medications, so tretinoin is sold under many different names. Some medications, besides Retin-A, that contain tretinoin include:

Tips for Treating Dry Skin from Retin-A
Verywell / Emilie Dunphy

Similar Medications

In skincare, there are so many sound-alike ingredients that do similar things, which can get confusing. Here is a guide to what these products do and how they are related.

Retinoids

As stated, tretinoin (and the brand name Retin-A) is a retinoid. Topical retinoids work by speeding up cell turnover, rapidly exfoliating the skin, and promoting new skin cells. They also help clear out blocked pores and soften fine lines and wrinkles. In addition to being prescribed to treat acne, they are commonly used as anti-aging treatments.

Besides tretinoin, other topical retinoids include Tazorac (tazarotene) and Differin (adapalene). Differin is more aptly described as a retinoid-like compound, to be precise, but works the same way.

Retin-A Micro

Retin-A and Retin-A Micro are both brand names for tretinoin. The main difference between these two medications is how they deliver tretinoin to your skin. Retin-A Micro delivers the medication more slowly and over time, so it's less irritating than Retin-A.

Retinol

Consider retinol an over-the-counter (OTC) version of Retin-A. Like Retin-A, retinol is a topical retinoid. It's derived from vitamin A. It helps soften fine lines and brighten the skin.

Retinol doesn't work as quickly, nor does it work on the deeper layers of the skin like prescription retinoids do. You can find retinol in many OTC anti-aging skincare products.

Isotretinoin

Tretinoin and isotretinoin both are prescription medications used to treat acne. Both are derived from vitamin A. However, that's where their similarities stop.

Tretinoin is used topically to treat acne. Isotretinoin, better known by the now-defunct brand name Accutane, is an oral medication used to treat severe inflammatory acne. Tretinoin and isotretinoin are not interchangeable.

Summary

Retin-A is a brand name for the medication tretinoin. When a doctor prescribes Retin-A, the pharmacist may fill it with generic tretinoin since it's less expensive.

Both brand-name and generic tretinoin have the same effects, including keeping pores clear, softening fine lines, and fading discolorations.

Other medications have similar-sounding names to tretinoin. This includes retinol, which is an over-the-counter version of Retin-A. Isotretinoin is a prescription medication, and like tretinoin, it's derived from vitamin A. However, isotretinoin is an oral medication to treat severe acne, and it's not interchangeable with tretinoin.

5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. MedlinePlus. Tretinoin Topical.

  2. Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc. RETIN-A® (tretinoin).

  3. Zaenglein AL, Pathy AL, Schlosser BJ, et al. Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016;74(5):945-73.e33. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.12.037

  4. Russel, J. Topical Therapy for Acne. American Family Physician.

  5. Kong R, Cui Y, Fisher GJ, et al. A comparative study of the effects of retinol and retinoic acid on histological, molecular, and clinical properties of human skinJ Cosmet Dermatol. 2016;15(1):49-57. doi:10.1111/jocd.12193

Additional Reading

By Angela Palmer
Angela Palmer is a licensed esthetician specializing in acne treatment.