Can Topical Tretinoin Cause Telangiectasias?

Question

I'm a 39-yo man using Retin A 0.1% for rejuvenation. I have small telangiectasias on my nose. Assuming there's nothing else going on (eg,rosacea), could the Retin A be the cause? If so, should I stop it altogether or could I try 0.05%? Will stopping it cause regression of the t'ectasias?

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

Retin-A can cause redness on the skin, rarely actual capillary blood vessels. The linear telangiectases at the grooves around the nostrils occur in many people without Rosacea after the 20s. These are easily treated with V-beam laser treatments and other laser and light sources.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

There is no medical relationship between topical tretinion and capillary telangiectasis. The topicals can thin the skin and help you observe the capillaries that were there. Laser therapy can alleviate in a few sessions.

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Can Topical Tretinoin Cause Telangiectasias?

Answers (2)