The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Differin Gel 0.1% (adapalene), a once-daily topical gel for the over-the-counter (OTC) treatment of acne.
For years, the only acne medications approved by the FDA for OTC use have been benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur.
Differin gel works better and faster than any retinol and is shown to treat blackhead, whiteheads and cystic lesions of acne.
The product was originally approved in 1996 as a prescription drug for the treatment of acne vulgaris in patients over 12 years of age.
It contains the first new active ingredient for nonprescription acne therapy to be introduced since the 1980s. While topical retinoid products are often prescribed first-line, Differin is the first retinoid acne treatment to be made available OTC.