You may have seen the ingredient being grouped with other retinoids like retinol.

There is a however, adifference between tretinoin and retinol.

Lortscher explained that tretinoin is about 20 times more potent than retinol.

Woman with tretinoin on fingertip

Pore minimization is another focal point of many people’s skincare goals.

How can adding tretinoin to your skincare routine help with clearer pores?

Clogged pores are one of the leading causes of pimples.

Closeup of woman’s pores

Dermatologist Anna Karp told Byrdie that one of the uses of tretinoin is to achieve clearer pores.

“Acne is a multi-factorial disease with increased dead skin cells filling up in our pores, causing comedones.

Bacteria often colonize the pore, leading to worse acne,” she explained.

Woman with tretinoin on face

Tretinoin prevents the clogging of pores by getting rid of dead skin cells.

Tretinoin is also great for those looking tobuild a skincare routine for aging skin.

Many dermatologists would recommend only using a pea-sized amount on your face.

Think alpha hydroxy acids and even some beta hydroxy acids, according to dermatologistDr.

SPF protection is a must as well.

According to Karp, dryness is one of the main side effects you should watch out for.

Making sure you apply a moisturizer before tretinoin use can help with this problem.