Provides complementary comedolytic and bactericidal clearance, combining adapalene's follicular keratinization regulation with benzoyl peroxide's rapid ROS reduction of Cutibacterium acnes.
Read the passportSource3
아다팔렌 · 전성분
Adapalene
A third-generation synthetic naphthoic acid retinoid derivative that selectively binds epidermal RAR-gamma and RAR-beta nuclear receptors to normalize follicular keratinization, prevent microcomedone formation, and reduce inflammatory acne lesions with superior cutaneous tolerance compared to first-generation retinoids.
GentlenessUse with care — two of fiveEvidenceIndicativeTopical
- INCI
- ADAPALENE
Also called Differin · CD-271 · 6-[3-(1-adamantyl)-4-methoxyphenyl]-2-naphthoic acid
Early-stage page
This ingredient page is still early. We're actively researching before it's ready to stand fully on its own — check back as more sections are verified.
The short answer
Four lines, each compressed from the section it links to. Every line carries the sources of the claim it compresses.
- What it does
Comedolytic Clearance and Lesion Count Reduction
See the evidence - Who should pause
pregnancy
See safety in full - Where it goes
specialized treatment step · night
See how to use it - What shows, and when
4 to 8 weeks: Visible reduction in blackheads and microcomedones, smoother skin texture, and decreasing inflammatory papules.
Source1
See the timeline
How to use it
Where it sits in the seven-step ladder, and the record's own fields for the habit.
아침DayDay: not used
저녁NightNight: not used
night
Cleanser클렌저
Toner토너
Essence에센스
Serum세럼
Eye cream아이크림
Moisturizer크림
Sunscreen자외선차단제
Where it sits
specialized treatment step
Everything here comes from the sources below. None of it is a product recommendation.
- Time of day
- night
- Where it sits
- specialized treatment step
- Starting frequency
- once daily at bedtime
- Amount
- thin pea-sized layer for the entire face
- Application
- Apply a thin layer once daily at night to clean, dry skin over the entire face. Avoid immediate periorbital and labial areas. Allow time to absorb before applying a soothing barrier moisturizer. Always apply broad-spectrum SPF during the day.
- Storage
- Store at controlled room temperature. Protect from freezing and direct light.
Plays well with / keep apart
One card per pair. Where the partner has its own passport, the name links to it.
Do layer it with
Strengthens stratum corneum intercellular lipid bilayers and reduces transepidermal water loss to buffer adapalene-induced retinoid dermatitis.
Separate it from
Simultaneous application with high-strength hydroxy acids increases stratum corneum irritation, desquamation, and barrier compromise during adapalene onboarding.
Use AHAs/BHAs on alternate days or in the morning, reserving adapalene strictly for night application.
What to expect, and when
The record's own timeline. Each step keeps the source of the study it came from.
- 1 to 2 weeks
Initial onboarding phase; mild dryness, flaking, or superficial retinoid purging may occur.
Source1
- 4 to 8 weeks
Visible reduction in blackheads and microcomedones, smoother skin texture, and decreasing inflammatory papules.
Source1
- 12 weeks
Clinical clearance of both non-inflammatory and inflammatory acne lesions, with sustained barrier adaptation.
Source3
Is this safe for me
Everything the record says about suitability, consolidated. Pause-first comes first.
Pause first
- pregnancy
- compromised skin barrier
- active eczema or severe facial dermatitis
Pause means check first, not never.
Before you start
May cause initial retinoid dermatitis (dryness, erythema, scaling, and burning) during the first 2-4 weeks of use. Strictly classified as a prescription pharmaceutical in South Korea and the EU (prohibited in cosmetics), and restricted to OTC 0.1% gel in the United States.
Good match for
Packet's own token was "special_care", not a member of this repo's closed GentlenessToken vocabulary (very-gentle/gentle/moderate/high-caution/professional-use, src/domain/primitives.ts). Mapped to high-caution on the retinal.json precedent (a comparable topical retinoid with the same retinoid-dermatitis/photosensitivity profile, also mapped from a non-enum packet description to high-caution). SYNC-RUN-20260911-002 (WO GAP-15 wave 2).
Best match
acne and blemishes
clogged pores and blackheads · uneven skin texture · post-acne marks
Routine
specialized treatment step
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Not medical advice · ask your own clinician
Pregnancy. Contraindicated during pregnancy. Although systemic transdermal absorption is minimal, all topical retinoids should be avoided during pregnancy due to potential teratogenic risks.
Breastfeeding. Use caution during breastfeeding; ensure topical gel is not applied to the chest or nipple area.
| Common, and it usually settles | Stop using it |
|---|---|
| Transient mild-to-moderate dryness, redness, flaking, or burning sensation during the first weeks of application. | severe burning |
| intense persistent facial erythema | |
| allergic contact dermatitis | |
| skin cracking or blistering |
Allergen history
Not yet researched
Research in progress — check back soon. How we verify
Who should not use it
Not yet researched
Research in progress — check back soon. How we verify
What it will not do
- The prescription-strength acne clearance and comedolytic resolution demonstrated by adapalene gel cannot be replicated by general cosmetic face washes or non-retinoid botanical creams.
- Adapalene gel is formulated for topical cutaneous application only and must not be applied to broken, eczematous, or sunburned skin, or used in close proximity to the eyes and lips.
- Topical adapalene does not eliminate deep systemic hormonal causes of nodulocystic acne, which may require oral dermatological management.
The evidence
One card per claim. Concentration, form, population and limitation sit with it, always visible.
Grade legend
- Indicative
- Limited
- Moderate
- Strong
Comedolytic Clearance and Lesion Count Reduction
IndicativeAdapalene 0.3% gel was superior to adapalene 0.1% gel and vehicle in total and non-inflammatory lesion counts and global severity score over 12 weeks, with a dose-dependent increase in clinical benefit and a similar tolerability profile between the two active concentrations.1
- Tested concentration
- 0.1% to 0.3%
- Which form
- Adapalene 0.1% Topical Gel / Cream, Adapalene 0.3% High-Strength Gel
- Population and duration
- 214 subjects with moderate-to-moderately-severe acne treated once daily for 12 weeks
- Limitation
- Requires several weeks of consistent daily application to observe visible comedonal clearance; initial purging may occur in the first weeks.
Comparable Efficacy to Tretinoin with Better Tolerability
IndicativeAdapalene 0.3% and tretinoin 0.05% were comparable in reducing inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne lesions in Mexican patients (Fitzpatrick III-IV); adapalene 0.1% offered a significantly better safety profile with fewer local irritation events than either.1,2
- Tested concentration
- 0.1% to 0.3%
- Which form
- Adapalene 0.1% Topical Gel / Cream, Adapalene 0.3% High-Strength Gel
- Population and duration
- 171 Mexican patients with acne vulgaris treated once daily for 90 days
- Limitation
- Single-center design conducted in one patient cohort (Fitzpatrick skin type III-IV).
Synergistic Dual-Action Clearance in Fixed Combination with Benzoyl Peroxide
IndicativeA fixed-dose combination gel of adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% was significantly more effective than either adapalene or benzoyl peroxide monotherapy in reducing total lesion counts, with differences observed as early as week 1, and a tolerability profile similar to adapalene alone.3
- Tested concentration
- 0.1% Adapalene + 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide
- Which form
- Adapalene / Benzoyl Peroxide Fixed-Dose Combination Gel
- Population and duration
- 517 subjects randomized 2:2:2:1 to combination, adapalene, benzoyl peroxide, or vehicle, treated once daily for 12 weeks
- Limitation
- Fixed-dose combinations carry higher potential for skin dryness and localized peeling compared to adapalene monotherapy.
The clinical recordHow it works · Forms · Manufacturing · Regulations · Study ledger · Gaps · Sources
How it works
- Selective RAR-gamma and RAR-beta Receptor Binding
Selectively binds nuclear retinoic acid receptors RAR-gamma (the dominant RAR in human skin) and RAR-beta without binding RXR receptors, triggering specific transcriptional programs.
What that rests on: clinical trial mechanism-adjacent evidence
Source1
- Follicular Keratinization Normalization
Reverses abnormal follicular hyperkeratosis and squamoid differentiation in the pilosebaceous infundibulum, resolving microcomedones.
What that rests on: clinical comedolytic evaluation
Source1
- AP-1 and Lipoxygenase Pathway Downregulation
Suppresses AP-1 factor expression and inhibits arachidonic acid lipoxidation, blocking neutrophil oxidative burst and inflammatory lesion progression.
What that rests on: clinical trial mechanism-adjacent evidence
Source1
Reading the label
| Attribute | Adapalene 0.1% Topical Gel / Cream | Adapalene 0.3% High-Strength Gel | Adapalene / Benzoyl Peroxide Fixed-Dose Combination Gel |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | The standard first-line retinoid concentration approved for OTC acne management in the US, offering high comedolytic efficacy with tolerability documented as comparable to or better than tretinoin. | Higher-potency prescription-strength formulation. | Fixed-dose synergy combining adapalene's comedolytic retinoid action with benzoyl peroxide's rapid ROS bactericidal activity. |
| Official INCI | ADAPALENE | ADAPALENE | ADAPALENE |
| Where it comes from | Precision organic synthesis (naphthoic acid derivative) | Precision organic synthesis (naphthoic acid derivative) | Precision organic synthesis co-formulated with benzoyl peroxide |
| How it is made | Synthesized through multi-step organic coupling to form the lipophilic adamantyl-phenyl-naphthoic acid core, followed by high-purity crystallization and aqueous carbomer gel dispersion. | High-concentration 0.3% micro-milled adapalene dispersed in an aqueous polymer gel vehicle. | Co-dispersion of micro-milled adapalene and micro-milled benzoyl peroxide in an aqueous gel matrix. |
| Gentleness | Causes mild-to-moderate initial dryness, flaking, or stinging that typically peaks at week 1-2 and subsides with continued use. | Requires careful medical supervision; induces moderate initial retinoid irritation in sensitive skin types. | Higher potential for initial dryness and peeling due to additive benzoyl peroxide oxidation; requires gradual buffering with barrier moisturizers. |
How it is actually made
- Synthesized through chemical coupling of 1-adamantyl-4-methoxybenzene with 6-bromo-2-naphthoic acid derivatives, followed by purification and micro-milling for uniform micronized suspension in polymer gels.
Where the ceiling is set
South Korea
- The rule
- Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) Pharmaceutical Affairs Act
- What it allows
- Classified as a prescription pharmaceutical drug for acne vulgaris treatment. Strictly prohibited from general cosmetic formulations.
United States
In force since 2016-07-08- The rule
- US FDA Rx-to-OTC Switch (Differin Gel 0.1%, NDA 020380/S-010)
- What it allows
- Approved for OTC topical acne treatment at 0.1% concentration for subjects 12 years and older. Adapalene 0.3% and adapalene/benzoyl-peroxide combinations remain prescription drugs.
Source4
European Union
In force since 2009-11-30- The rule
- EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 Annex II
- What it allows
- Classified as a medicinal / prescription active substance. Prohibited in general cosmetic products.
What the evidence rests on
Study records
Randomized, multicenter, investigator-blinded, controlled trial2005
The efficacy and safety of adapalene gel 0.3% in the treatment of acne vulgaris: A randomized, multicenter, investigator-blinded, controlled comparison study versus adapalene gel 0.1% and vehicle
Adapalene gel 0.3% was significantly superior to adapalene gel 0.1% and vehicle in total and noninflammatory lesion counts and global severity score (P<.05), with a similar safety and tolerability profile to 0.1% gel.
Where it falls shortEvaluated over 12 weeks in 214 subjects; initial retinoid skin dryness was observed across active groups.
Source1
Single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial2013
Efficacy and safety of adapalene gel 0.1% and 0.3% and tretinoin gel 0.05% for acne vulgaris: results of a single-center, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial on Mexican patients (skin type III-IV)
Tretinoin 0.05% and adapalene 0.3% were comparable in lesion-reduction efficacy; adapalene 0.1% offered a significantly better safety profile with fewer local irritation events, in 171 Mexican patients.
Where it falls shortSingle-center design in one patient cohort (Fitzpatrick III-IV).
Source2
Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial (2:2:2:1)2007
Adapalene-benzoyl peroxide, a fixed-dose combination for the treatment of acne vulgaris: results of a multicenter, randomized double-blind, controlled study
The fixed-dose combination gel was significantly more effective than corresponding monotherapies in reducing total lesion counts, with differences observed as early as week 1; adverse-event frequency and tolerability were similar to adapalene monotherapy.
Where it falls short517 subjects; controlled-trial results may differ from clinical practice.
Source3
FDA regulatory sNDA review2016
FDA Clinical Pharmacology Review: Differin Gel 0.1% Rx-to-OTC Switch (NDA 020380/S-010)
FDA approval review for over-the-counter acne treatment in subjects 12 years and older.
Where it falls shortPDF content could not be independently text-extracted this cycle; real file confirmed to exist at the FDA's own domain.
Source4
What is still missing
Not yet researched
Research in progress — check back soon. How we verify