Is Tazorten "tazorac" an anti-aging product?

Question

Every question here is about using this product just for acne. I've been using Retin-A .01% for 6 years, and today my dermatologist perscribed Tazorac. Will this product reduce wrinkles and improve collagen?

Sheila Barbarino, MD, FACS · Answer

Yes, Tazorac will reduce wrinkles and stimulate collagen. Tazorac is a form of RetinA which is commonly prescribed by physicians for just that reason. Additionally, Tazorac works wonders on acne also.  Why not enjoy all the benefits Tazorac has to offer?  It's a great medication. Good luck!

Amy Y. Paul, DO, FAAD · Answer

Thanks for your question.  Tazorac is a very strong form of synthetic retin-a, and is useful for more severe acne but also is more drying than regular retin-a.  It can be helpful in anti-aging, but has to be used more sparingly, sometimes only about once a week.  It depends on where you live.  I have found that patients who live in a humid climate tolerate it better than those in a drier climate.  It is nice for men because they can get relatively good skin improvement without doing a nightly routine, or people who don't want to use retin-a every night.
Best of luck!

Emil A. Tanghetti, MD · Answer

Tazorac or Tazarotene cream is FDA approved to treat photo-damage, which includes fine wrinkles, coarse wrinkles, solar elastosis and solar lentigines (sun induced freckles). Our center participated in FDA approved trials with this drug, one of which was a comparative study comparing it to tretinoin .05 emollient cream. The study showed a more rapid response with Tazorac in treating photo-damage and the data suggested that is a superior product to tretinoin. Tazorac is an effective product and from our studies appears to be the most effective topical retinoid in treating photo-damaged skin. The branded name of this product for photo-damage is Avage however, it is simply the same product as Tazorac cream 0.1. The only major difficulty with the product is its cost, as it tends to be more expensive than tretinoin. 
Additionally, our center has done studies using Tazorac in combination with a moisturizer. Using a moisturizer with Tazorac greatly improves tolerability with out diminishing the efficacy of the product. It is a product I use myself to treat photodamage and wrinkles! I think this speaks to my confidence in the product. Good luck!

Tracy Evans, MD, FAAD · Answer

Tazorac is a medication we often use in dermatology to treat mild to moderate acne.  It can also be used in psoriasis.  Tazorac can be used "off label" as an anti-aging product.  There are no studies that prove it is effective an anti-aging treatment.  If you are looking for strictly an anti-aging product/medication, a true retinoid will be superior to tazarotene.  Retin-A is tretinoin, a form of Vitamin A, that helps the skin to turn over faster, which will theoretically help with both acne and anti-aging.

Is Tazorten "tazorac" an anti-aging product?

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