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Histological effects of tazarotene 0[middle dot]1% cream vs. vehicle on photodamaged skin: a 6-month, multicentre, double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled study in patients with photodamaged facial skin.
MACHTINGER, L. A.; KAIDBEY, K. *; LIM, J. +; LOVEN, K. H. ++; RIST, T. E. [S]; WILSON, D. C. [P]; PARIZADEH, D. D. **; SEFTON, J. **; HOLLAND, J. M. **; WALKER, P. S. **
[Miscellaneous Article] British Journal of Dermatology. 151(6):1245-1252, December 2004.

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Background: Topical tazarotene has been shown to offer efficacy in ameliorating multiple effects of photodamage.

Objectives: To evaluate the histological effects of tazarotene cream on photodamaged skin.

Methods: In this multicentre, double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled study, 50 patients with photodamaged facial skin (at least mild fine wrinkling and mottled hyperpigmentation, with at least one of these being moderate) were randomized to apply tazarotene 0[middle dot]1% cream or vehicle cream to their face, once daily for 24 weeks.

Results: Blinded assessments showed that tazarotene was less likely than vehicle to be associated with an increase in keratinocytic and melanocytic atypia, and more likely than vehicle to be associated with a reduction in atypia. Between-group comparisons in distribution of change from baseline categories of severity were in favour of tazarotene (P = 0[middle dot]055 for keratinocytic atypia, P = 0[middle dot]034 for melanocytic atypia, and P < 0[middle dot]001 for the number of granular cell layers). Compared with vehicle, tazarotene was associated with an increase in epidermal polarity (P = 0[middle dot]008) and epidermal thickness (P = 0[middle dot]012), and a tendency for stratum corneum compaction. Tazarotene was also associated with widened intercellular spaces (reported as epidermal oedema) relative to vehicle (P < 0[middle dot]001).

Conclusions: Treatment of photodamaged skin with tazarotene is associated with an amelioration of keratinocytic and melanocytic atypia, an improvement in epidermal polarity, and an increase in epidermal thickness.