Retin-A (tretinoin) is a skin medication intended for the treatment of acne that comes in the form of gel, cream and liquid. It is supposed to be used regularly to provide for its maximum efficiency. Keep your exposure to sun light or artificial light to a minimum, as this medicine has been reported to increase the sensitivity of your skin. If you have to stay outside for some time and it's sunny - make sure you apply sunscreen and wear protective clothing. Naturally, you especially need to protect the areas being treated for acne. Use Retin-A exactly as prescribed and apply using dry clean hands. If you apply more of this medication - you are unlikely to benefit more from the treatment than if you were just using this drug as indicated, as this can cause irritation and other local symptoms. If you get dry skin - this may be one of the mild side effects sometimes experienced by patients taking Retin-A. You do not have to report it to your health care provider and just use some moisturizer for this problem. The following symptoms may occur, and your health care provider will probably recommend stopping the treatment temporarily to let your skin rest: excessively red, puffy, crusted or blistered skin. This reaction may be caused by the extreme sensitivity of your skin and the fact it needs time to adjust to this medication. Retin-A will be most efficient if you apply it regularly without skipping applications. Since this is a topical medication, some of the most common side effects you may experience are local and can include stinging, itching, burning, peeling, and redness. Just like in case of dry skin, you do not need to do anything about these symptoms - just carry on with the treatment and make sure you are observing all the recommendations your doctor gave. Some other drugs or preparations may not be combined with Retin-A, as they can interfere with its effects or cause unpleasant skin reactions. It's recommended to make a pause between Retin-A and the following drugs and preparations: salicylic acid, preparations containing sulfur, preparations containing benzoyl peroxide, and resorcinol. Your doctor will advise how to combine these medicines right to make sure you benefit from both of them and get no side effects. You will also need to avoid taking medicine that can add to increased light sensitivity Retin-A can cause, such as sulfa drugs, water pills, tranquilizers, and certain antibiotics. Once your acne has responded to the treatment prescribed, you may be recommended to apply Retin-A less frequently or your dose will be lowered. However, any changes of this kind are supposed to be made only after consulting your health care provider. The effects of this medicine in pregnant and breastfeeding women have not been studied properly, and it is not known whether this drug can be absorbed through the skin causing harm to the health on an unborn baby. Therefore, it's very important that you always talk to your doctor beforehand if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have such plans in the nearest future.