Adapalene

Key facts

• Adapalene is a topical retinoid applied to the skin to treat acne, unclogging pores and reducing new blemishes.
• You apply a thin layer once daily to clean, dry skin, usually in the evening; it can take 8 to 12 weeks for full benefit, and skin often looks worse before it improves.
• Adapalene increases skin sensitivity to sunlight, so daily sunscreen and limiting sun exposure are essential while you use it.
• Avoid it during pregnancy; although absorption through the skin is low, retinoids as a class are linked to birth defects, so many prescribers advise stopping before trying to conceive.

What adapalene treats

Adapalene treats acne vulgaris, including blackheads, whiteheads, and mild-to-moderate inflammatory acne on the face, chest, or back. It also helps prevent new lesions once existing acne has cleared. It does not treat cystic or nodular acne on its own; that usually needs additional or oral treatment.

How adapalene works

Acne starts when dead skin cells block hair follicles, trapping oil and bacteria underneath. Adapalene normalises how skin cells mature and shed, keeping follicles clear before blockages form, and it reduces the inflammation that turns a blocked pore into a red, swollen spot. Because it acts on the process that starts acne rather than on existing spots, benefits build gradually with continued use.

Before you take it

• Do not use adapalene on broken, sunburnt, or eczema-affected skin until it has healed.
• Avoid it during pregnancy or if you are trying to conceive; tell your doctor if you become pregnant while using it.
• Space it out from other exfoliating products such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or strong scrubs, since combining them increases redness and peeling.
• Wait until recent waxing, sunburn, or a dermatological procedure has settled before starting.

Side effects

Common effects include redness, dryness, peeling, mild burning, and increased sun sensitivity, usually strongest in the first few weeks.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for any of these:

• Severe blistering, swelling, or weeping skin.
• Hives, facial swelling, or difficulty breathing.
• Intense redness or pain that does not settle with reduced use.

Safety essentials

• Sun sensitivity is significant: use a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen and limit direct sun exposure, since sunburn is more likely and more severe while using adapalene.
• Introduce it gradually, every other night at first if your skin is sensitive, before moving to nightly use.
• Avoid use in pregnancy given the retinoid class's association with birth defects, even though absorption through the skin is low.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.