Low irritation potential of tazarotene 0.045% lotion: Head-to-head comparison to adapalene 0.3% gel and trifarotene 0.005% cream in two studies

BACKGROUND: Irritation with topical retinoids presents a significant impediment to acne treatment adherence. Two studies assessed the irritation potential of tazarotene 0.045% lotion versus adapalene 0.3% gel and trifarotene 0.005% cream. METHODS: In two double-blind, 12-day modified cumulative irritation patch studies, healthy adults (N = 20 each) had two active patches, containing 0.1 cc of tazarotene 0.045% lotion and either adapalene 0.3% gel (Study 1) or trifarotene 0.005% cream (Study 2), and one control patch (no product) placed on their upper back. Skin irritation was assessed and patches were replaced every 2-3 days. RESULTS: In Study 1, tazarotene 0.045% lotion and adapalene 0.3% gel were both mildly irritating, though irritation was lower overall with tazarotene 0.045% lotion. In Study 2, significantly greater irritation was observed with trifarotene 0.005% cream than tazarotene 0.045% lotion, beginning two days after the first patch application and at each subsequent visit. In sub-analyses of data from both studies, irritation among participants with acne was similar to the overall study populations. CONCLUSIONS: In two head-to-head studies comparing the irritation potential of third- and fourth-generation retinoids, tazarotene 0.045% lotion was significantly less irritating than trifarotene 0.005% cream and numerically less irritating than adapalene 0.3% gel.