A topical cream formulation of tazarotene 0.1% is more effective than a cream containing adapalene 0.1% in the treatment of facial acne vulgaris, according to a study presented at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology [San Francisco, US; March 2003]. This study showed that greater improvements in acne were achieved with tazarotene, compared with adapalene, and that tazarotene was more rapidly effective. Both agents were well tolerated, with minimal levels of skin dryness, peeling, burning and erythema reported. Tazarotene 0.1% cream was also shown to be effective, even in difficult-to-treat acne, in a large clinical practice-based study. The greatest efficacy was observed among patients receiving tazarotene as first-line therapy in this study, although significant improvements in acne severity were also observed in those receiving tazarotene, alone or in combination with other topical acne medications, as a second-line treatment.