Tazarotene cream uk is a topical medication that’s used to treat acne and plaque psoriasis. It’s also an effective treatment for photodamage and hyper-pigmentation. Tazarotene is a type of medication called a retinoid and is related to vitamin A. It is believed to work by stimulating the skin’s natural collagen production and helping to normalize cell changes that may lead to precancerous lesions. It’s available as the brand-name prescription drug Tazorac and as generic tazarotene cream. Other brand-name tazarotene products include Tazorac gel, Fabior foam and Avage cream.
Chronic sun exposure can lead to the formation of photodamage in the facial skin. This damage is characterized clinically by fine and coarse wrinkles, discoloration, telangiectasia (little red or blue spots) and roughness. Many treatments claim to reduce these signs of photodamage, however the results from randomized controlled trials are mixed. Topical retinoids, especially tretinoin and isotretinoin, have been shown in numerous RCTs to be effective treatments for photodamage in both the short-term and the long-term.
In one 24-week, investigator-masked, randomized study of the efficacy of four concentrations of tazarotene cream applied daily to the face, 0.1% tazarotene was compared with vehicle and 0.05% tretinoin emollient cream. Both tazarotene formulations significantly improved OIA scores of photodamage compared to the vehicle-treated group. This improvement was sustained through the week 26 open-label extension.
The most common side effect of tazarotene cream is skin irritation in and around the area where it is applied. If this is a problem, talk to your doctor. They can suggest ways to manage the irritation and may be able to switch you to a lower strength product that’s less likely to cause side effects. You should avoid sunlight and sunlamps while using this medication as it can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. tazarotene cream uk