Doctors usually prescribe 0.05% Tazorac at first and increase to 0.1% if your skin doesn’t improve (and if you can tolerate it).
“Like all retinoids, it should be started gradually—twice a week for two weeks, then three times a week [every other night], etc.,” says Dr. Waldorf. It’s better to start slowly and allow your skin to acclimate to Tazorac than to overuse it and risk developing dryness and irritation.
“Tazorac is superpowerful, but you have to be so careful with the amount you apply and the frequency,” says cgwalteny, who used Tazorac gel to treat her adult acne. “I finally went down to twice a week, to keep irritation at bay.”
When Tazorac is being used for anti-aging purposes, Dr. Amy Paul, a dermatologic surgeon in Grand Junction, Colorado, says it’s sometimes used just once a week. “It’s nice for men or for people who don’t want to use Retin-A every night, because they can get relatively good skin improvement without doing a nightly routine.”
When treating acne and psoriasis, apply a thin layer of Tazorac to the affected areas, at night. All retinoids can be slightly inactivated by sunlight, which makes nighttime application ideal.
To reduce signs of aging, apply a thin film to your entire face (avoid your eyelids), neck, and even your hands. “More is not better,” says Dr. Waldorf. “A pea-size amount covers the face.”
Gels tend to have a strong drying effect, more so than creams. So when it comes to Tazorac cream versus gel, the main consideration is which you can tolerate and use on a regular basis. “Tazorac gel is the strongest of the retinoid family, so it might make you pretty red if you use it every night,” says Dr. Paul. “I have some patients who love Tazorac gel and don’t get too dry and peel a lot, and some who can’t stand it all.”
Like all retinoids, Tazorac can thin the top layer of skin and leave it more sun-sensitive. To protect the skin, it’s important to take proper precautions, like using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30+ regularly plus protective clothing if you’re using it on your body, to avoid sunburn.
