Topical tretinoin (retinoic acid) therapy for hyperpigmented lesions caused by inflammation of the skin in black patients

Topical tretinoin (retinoic acid) may be an effective and safe treatment for hyperpigmented skin lesions in black individuals. Hyperpigmented skin lesions are dark, irregular spots that can occur after inflammation caused by acne, folliculitis, eczema or shaving irritation. Among 54 black individuals with hyperpigmented skin lesions, 24 were treated with topical tretinoin applied to the face or arms or both and 30 were treated with a placebo cream, or an inactive substance, every day for 40 weeks. Lesions were 40% lighter in the individuals treated with tretinoin after completion of treatment, compared with 18% lighter in the individuals treated with the placebo cream. Treatment with tretinoin reduced the melanin content of the lesions by 23%, compared with a 3% reduction after treatment with the placebo cream.