Can you use benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin together?

Why the combination can make sense

Benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin are both topical acne treatments. Acne guidelines recommend using topical therapies with multiple mechanisms of action, but that does not give two separate products a universal layering schedule.23

How to use the combination

1. 1If TWYNEO was prescribed, apply a thin layer to affected areas once daily on clean, dry skin. Those directions are for TWYNEO specifically.
2. 2Keep TWYNEO away from your eyes, lips, the creases beside your nose, and mucous membranes. Wash your hands after applying it.
3. 3If your tretinoin and benzoyl peroxide come in separate products, have the prescriber set the schedule rather than assuming both should go on at once.
4. 4Use moisturizer when your skin feels dry. Applying it after washing helps hold water in the skin; a daily moisturizer can also help skin tolerate acne treatments that dry or irritate it.
5. 5Limit exposure to sunlight and tanning beds while using TWYNEO. When sun exposure cannot be avoided, use sunscreen and protective clothing.

What to expect

In two 12 week trials, 555 people used TWYNEO daily. Among those treated with the cream, application site pain, including stinging or burning, was reported in 10.6%; dryness in 4.9%; peeling in 4.1%; and redness in 4.0%. These are trial rates for TWYNEO, not forecasts for every person or for separate products.1

In trial assessments, signs such as redness, scaling, dryness, itching, burning, and stinging rose during the first two weeks and decreased afterward. TWYNEO was studied daily for 12 weeks, long enough for a calendar to develop a supporting role.1

Who should take extra care

TWYNEO can cause dryness, pain, peeling, redness, dermatitis, itching, and irritation. If irritation develops, its directions allow moisturizer, less frequent application, or stopping the cream, depending on severity. If your skin is easily irritated, ask the prescriber how to adjust use rather than changing a prescribed schedule on your own.1

Discuss TWYNEO with your clinician before using it during pregnancy. There are no pregnancy data for the combination; observational studies of topical tretinoin have not established a drug associated risk of major birth defects or miscarriage.1

Do not apply TWYNEO to cuts, scrapes, skin with eczema, or sunburned skin. The cream can increase sensitivity to ultraviolet light; stop it at the first sign of sunburn and protect your skin from sun exposure while using it.1

When to stop or get help

Do not use TWYNEO if you have had a hypersensitivity reaction to benzoyl peroxide or any component of the cream. Benzoyl peroxide products have been associated with serious allergic reactions, including swelling and hives. Stop TWYNEO immediately and get urgent medical care if a serious allergic reaction occurs.1

Contact a clinician if your acne is painful, getting worse, leaving scars, causing emotional distress, or has not improved after several months of self care and nonprescription medicine.5