ReviewJournal of clinical medicine2025
An Updated Review of Topical Tretinoin in Dermatology: From Acne and Photoaging to Skin Cancer.
Review in Journal of clinical medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Cutaneous eruptions associated with human polyomavirus 6 and human polyomavirus 7 in liver transplant recipients: Two case reports.JAAD case reports · 2026Article
- Efficacy of Topical Tretinoin and Topical Minoxidil Cotherapy in Androgenetic Alopecia: A Review.Skin appendage disorders · 2026Article
- Chemoprevention in Skin Cancer: What Advice?Cancers · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Topical tretinoin (all-trans-retinoic acid) is a first-generation vitamin A derivative with well-established efficacy in acne vulgaris and photoaging. Owing to its pleiotropic effects on epidermal differentiation, collagen synthesis, and skin pigmentation, numerous off-label uses have been proposed across dermatology. This narrative review summarizes current evidence on the efficacy and safety of topical tretinoin for multiple dermatological conditions, based on studies published between January 2000 and July 2025. Robust data from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews support its benefit in acne and photoaging, whereas smaller RCTs and prospective studies indicate potential efficacy for melasma, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, striae distensae, flat warts, alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia, hypertrophic scars and keloids, and actinic keratosis and as pretreatment before chemical peels or laser resurfacing. However, high-quality, adequately powered trials with standardized outcome measures are still needed to establish clinical guidelines. Regarding cutaneous oncology, a large RCT demonstrated no preventive effect of tretinoin on keratinocyte carcinomas. Adverse events are typically mild, localized, and transient, and available evidence does not support an association with systemic adverse effects.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.