{"title":"Adapalene","entity_type":"Ingredient","slug":"adapalene","canonical_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/ingredients/adapalene","dates":{"date_modified":"2026-05-10","date_reviewed":"2026-05-10"},"mcp_eligible":true,"evidence_sources":[{"title":"AAD — Acne: Diagnosis and treatment","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/aad-acne-diagnosis-treatment","original_source_url":"https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/derm-treat/treat","source_type":"medical_reference"},{"title":"AAD — Acne: Tips for managing","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/aad-acne-tips-managing","original_source_url":"https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/skin-care/tips","source_type":"medical_reference"},{"title":"DermNet NZ — Topical retinoids","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/dermnet-topical-retinoids","original_source_url":"https://dermnetnz.org/topics/topical-retinoids","source_type":"medical_reference"},{"title":"MedlinePlus — Acne","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/medlineplus-acne","original_source_url":"https://medlineplus.gov/acne.html","source_type":"medical_reference"},{"title":"Liu 2020 — Cochrane topical acne review","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/liu-2020-cochrane-topical-acne","original_source_url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32356369/","source_type":"peer_reviewed"}],"product_fact_sources":[],"related_entities":[{"title":"AAD — Acne: Diagnosis and treatment","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/aad-acne-diagnosis-treatment"},{"title":"AAD — Acne: Tips for managing","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/aad-acne-tips-managing"},{"title":"DermNet NZ — Topical retinoids","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/dermnet-topical-retinoids"},{"title":"MedlinePlus — Acne","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/medlineplus-acne"},{"title":"Liu 2020 — Cochrane topical acne review","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/liu-2020-cochrane-topical-acne"},{"title":"Blackheads","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/concerns/blackheads"},{"title":"Adult Acne","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/concerns/adult-acne"},{"title":"Differin Gel — Adapalene 0.1% Acne Treatment","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/products/differin-gel-adapalene"},{"title":"Retinoid Dermatitis","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/side-effects/retinoid-dermatitis"},{"title":"Over-exfoliation Irritation","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/side-effects/over-exfoliation-irritation"}],"body_sections":[{"heading":"Quick Summary","paragraphs":["Adapalene is a topical retinoid ingredient available over the counter in the United States at 0.1% gel strength. For blackhead-prone skin, it is relevant because it supports more regular turnover inside the follicle, where comedone plugs begin. It is distinct from retinol and from prescription-only retinoids such as tretinoin. Visible blackhead routines using adapalene should be judged over 8–12 weeks, with gradual onboarding to reduce dryness, peeling, and retinoid-style irritation."]},{"heading":"What It Is","paragraphs":["Adapalene is a synthetic topical retinoid used in leave-on gel formats. In consumer skincare, its most familiar OTC product format is adapalene 0.1% gel.","It is not the same as cosmetic retinol. Retinol is used widely in cosmetic anti-aging routines; adapalene has a different regulatory and evidence context and is more directly tied to comedone-prone skin."]},{"heading":"Mechanism","paragraphs":["Adapalene helps normalize follicular keratinocyte turnover. In plain language: it helps the cells lining the pore shed more regularly, so plugs are less likely to keep forming in the same pattern.","The appearance timeline is slow. A few weeks of dryness or flaking does not mean the routine is failing, but aggressive overuse can make the skin look irritated before blackheads look better."]}],"side_effects":[{"title":"Retinoid Dermatitis","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/side-effects/retinoid-dermatitis"},{"title":"Over-exfoliation Irritation","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/side-effects/over-exfoliation-irritation"}]}