Adapalene 0.3% cream: strengths, uses and directions

Is it a cream or a gel?

Adapalene comes in several forms, including creams, gels and lotions. Cream and gel are different products, even if a search box files them under 'close enough'. If a prescription or listing says 'adapalene 0.3% cream', ask the pharmacist to confirm the exact product rather than assuming the gel instructions apply.3

What does adapalene do?

Adapalene is a retinoid, a type of medicine that helps prevent pimples forming beneath the skin. It affects how skin cells develop and how inflammation behaves. Acne starts when hair follicles become blocked with excess oil and dead skin cells; bacteria can then grow inside and cause inflammation and pus.234

Adapalene cream 0.1% reduced acne spots more than its cream base without adapalene in two studies lasting 12 weeks. That finding concerns the 0.1% cream, not a 0.3% cream. Choose the prescribed strength and form rather than treating a larger percentage as an instruction to switch.2

How do you apply adapalene?

1. 1Wash your hands before application.
2. 2Gently wash the affected skin with a mild soap or soapless cleanser, then pat dry with a soft towel. Do not scrub.
3. 3Use your fingers to spread a thin film over the entire affected area, not just individual pimples. Differin 0.3% gel directions specify the entire face and other affected areas once daily in the evening.
4. 4Keep the medicine away from your eyes, lips and mucous membranes. For the cream, also avoid the corners of the nose.
5. 5Wash your hands afterwards, unless your hands are the area being treated.

Follow your prescription label, including any adjustment your prescriber makes for irritation. Applying more adapalene or using it more often will not improve results faster. If you miss an application, use it when you remember unless the next dose is almost due; then skip it. Never double the dose.35

What can you use alongside it?

A moisturizer can help with dryness during treatment. A moisturizer has a practical place alongside adapalene, rather than serving as another supporting character on the bathroom shelf. Avoid abrasive cleansers and products that strongly dry the skin, including products containing alcohol. Do not add other acne medicines to the same area unless your care team tells you to use both.15

For adapalene 0.1% cream, avoid products containing alpha hydroxy acids, including glycolic acid. Take particular care with salicylic acid, sulfur and resorcinol preparations. If those products have already irritated your skin, wait until their effects have subsided before starting the cream. Tell your prescriber about your other skin products and medicines, including topical antibiotics such as clindamycin or erythromycin.25

Adapalene can increase sensitivity to sunlight. Limit sun exposure, avoid tanning beds and sunlamps, and wear sunscreen and protective clothing when exposure cannot be avoided. Wind and cold can also irritate treated skin. Do not wax areas being treated with adapalene.235

How long does adapalene take to work?

Adapalene controls acne rather than curing it. Full benefit can take 8 to 12 weeks or longer. During the first few weeks, previously unseen pimples can come to the surface, so acne can initially look worse. Early worsening alone is not a reason to stop, but irritation needs a separate assessment.23

With 0.1% cream, some benefit can appear after two weeks, but consistent benefit requires at least eight weeks. For Differin 0.3% gel, arrange a treatment review if you notice no results after 12 weeks.12

Who should be careful?

Tell your care team about sensitive skin, eczema or previous allergic reactions before starting. Do not apply adapalene to cuts, broken skin, eczema or sunburn. Differin 0.3% gel is indicated from age 12; younger children need advice from their care team rather than using someone else's prescription.15

Discuss adapalene with your prescriber before use if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding. Safety during pregnancy remains uncertain. Call your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. If using adapalene while breastfeeding, apply the smallest amount and never apply it directly to the nipple or areola, the darker skin around the nipple.235

What side effects mean you should stop?

Redness, scaling, dryness and burning or stinging are common early reactions. With Differin 0.3% gel, these reactions are most likely during the first four weeks and usually lessen with continued use. Depending on severity, the response can be moisturizer, less frequent application or stopping treatment. Contact your care team about burning, itching, crusting or peeling, and about mild irritation that persists or bothers you.15

Stop using adapalene and seek medical help for an allergic reaction. Hives, breathing difficulty or swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue or throat require immediate medical attention.13

See a doctor if acne is deep, painful, causing scars or affecting your mental health, or if treatment is not helping. Hot, swollen and red skin can signal infection and also needs medical assessment; redness can be harder to see on brown and black skin.46

Is adapalene 0.3% available over the counter?

In the US, Differin 0.3% gel is prescription only. Differin adapalene 0.1% gel became available without a prescription in 2016. That switch concerns the 0.1% gel, not the 0.3% gel or the 0.1% cream.17

What is adapalene 0.3% gel?

Differin 0.3% gel is an aqueous gel containing 3 mg of adapalene per gram, used on the skin to treat acne. It is not a cream and is not taken by mouth. If you were expecting a cream but received this gel, confirm the prescription with your pharmacist before substituting products.1