Topical tretinoin (retinoic acid) treatment for liver spots associated with photodamage

A 0.1 percent tretinoin cream applied to the skin may eliminate liver spots in some individuals. Liver spots are pigmented areas on the skin that are believed to be caused by long-term exposure to sunlight. Of 58 individuals with liver spots on their faces and arms, 28 applied the cream to affected areas every night, and 30 applied a cream that did not contain tretinoin. The appearance of their liver spots was assessed visually after two and four weeks of treatment and every month thereafter. A skin biopsy of a liver spot was performed in each individual before and after 10 months of treatment. After 10 months of treatment, significantly more patients in the tretinoin group experienced some lightening of their liver spots, compared with patients in the control group. Analysis of skin biopsies showed individuals using tretinoin had decreased pigmentation in the area of the liver spot.