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Adapalene Gel USP, 0.3%

Verified·Apr 23, 2026
Manufacturer
Galderma
NDC
72162-2295
ICD-10 indication
L70.0

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About Adapalene Gel USP, 0.3%

What is this medication? Adapalene Gel USP, 0.3%, is a prescription topical retinoid primarily used for the treatment of acne vulgaris. It works by affecting the growth of skin cells and decreasing inflammation and swelling. This medication is specifically designed to help clear up existing pimples and prevent new breakouts from forming by keeping pores clear. It is typically applied once daily to the affected areas as part of a regular skincare routine.

In addition to treating active acne, this medication helps to normalize the process by which skin cells are shed, which prevents the clogging of pores that leads to blackheads and whiteheads. Because it is a more concentrated formulation than some over-the-counter options, the 0.3% strength provides a potent treatment for individuals with more persistent or severe skin concerns. Users should follow their healthcare provider's instructions carefully, as the medication can increase sensitivity to sunlight and may cause initial dryness or irritation during the first few weeks of use.

Copay & patient assistance

  • Patient Copay Amount: Not Publicly Available
  • Maximum Annual Benefit Limit: Not Publicly Available
  • Core Eligibility Restrictions: Not Publicly Available
  • RxBIN, PCN, and Group numbers: Not Publicly Available

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Prescribing information

From the FDA-approved label for Adapalene Gel USP, 0.3%. Official source: DailyMed (NLM) · Label effective Mar 3, 2026

Indications and usage
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE ADAPALENE Gel, 0.3% is indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 12 years of age and older. ADAPALENE Gel, 0.3% is a retinoid, indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 12 years of age and older.
Dosage and administration
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Wash affected areas gently with a non-medicated soap. Apply a thin film of adapalene gel, 0.3% to the entire face and any other affected areas of the skin once daily in the evening. Avoid application to the areas of skin around eyes, lips, and mucous membranes. A mild transitory sensation of warmth or slight stinging may occur shortly after the application of adapalene gel,0.3%. Instruct patients to minimize sun exposure and to use moisturizers for relief of dry skin or irritation. If therapeutic results are not noticed after 12 weeks of treatment, therapy should be reevaluated. For topical use only. Not for ophthalmic, oral or intravaginal use. • Wash affected areas gently with a non-medicated soap. ( 2 ) • Apply a thin film of adapalene gel, to the entire face and other affected areas of the skin once daily in the evening. ( 2 ) For topical use only. Not for ophthalmic, oral or intravaginal use. ( 2 )
Contraindications
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS Adapalene gel, 0.3% is contraindicated in patients who have known hypersensitivity to adapalene or any excipient of adapalene gel, 0.3% [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS (5.1) ]. Contraindicated in patients who have known hypersensitivity to adapalene or any excipient of adapalene gel,0.3%
Warnings and precautions
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS • Allergic/ Hypersensitivity Reactions: Allergy/hypersensitivity reactions include anaphylaxis, angioedema, urticaria, and pruritis. Discontinue adapalene gel in the event of an allergic/hypersensitivity reaction. ( 5.1 ) • Ultraviolet Light and Environmental Exposure: Avoid exposure to sunlight and sunlamps. Wear sunscreen when sun exposure cannot be avoided ( 5.2 ). • Local Cutaneous Reactions: Erythema, scaling, dryness. and stinging/burning were reported with use of adapalene gel. Concomitant use of other potentially irritating topical products (medicated or abrasive soaps and cleansers, soaps and cosmetics that have a strong drying effect and products with high concentrations of alcohol, astringents, spices, or lime) should be approached with caution. ( 5.3 ). 5.1 Allergic/ Hypersensitivity Reactions Adverse reactions including anaphylaxis angioedema, face edema, eyelid edema, lip swelling, and pruritus that sometimes required medical treatment have been reported during postmarketing use of adapalene. Advise a patient to stop using Adapalene gel, 0.3% and seek medical attention if experiencing allergic or anaphylactoid/ anaphylactic reactions during treatment. 5.2 Ultraviolet Light and Environmental Exposure Exposure to sunlight, including sunlamps, should be minimized during use of adapalene gel, 0.3%. Patients who normally experience high levels of sun exposure, and those with inherent sensitivity to sun, should be warned to exercise caution. Use of sunscreen products and protective clothing over treated areas is recommended when exposure cannot be avoided. Weather extremes, such as wind or cold, also may be irritating to patients under treatment with adapalene gel, 0.3%. 5.3 Local Cutaneous Reactions Cutaneous signs and symptoms such as erythema, scaling, dryness, and stinging/ burning were reported with use of adapalene gel, 0.3%. These were most likely to occur during the first four weeks of treatment, were mostly mild to moderate in intensity, and usually lessened with continued use of the medication. Depending upon the severity of these side effects, patients should be instructed to either use a moisturizer, reduce the frequency of application of adapalene gel, 0.3% or discontinue use. Avoid application to cuts, abrasions, eczematous or sunburned skin. As with other retinoids, use of "waxing" as a depilatory method should be avoided on skin treated with adapalene. As adapalene gel, 0.3% has the potential to induce local irritation in some patients, concomitant use of other potentially irritating topical products (medicated or abrasive soaps and cleansers, soaps and cosmetics that have a strong drying effect and products with high concentrations of alcohol, astringents, spices, or lime) should be approached with caution.
Adverse reactions
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The most frequently reported (≥1%) adverse reactions were dry skin, skin discomfort, pruritus, desquamation, and sunburn. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Encube Ethicals Private Limited at 1-833-285-4151 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reactions rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. In the multi-center, controlled clinical trial, signs and symptoms of local cutaneous irritation were monitored in 258 acne subjects who used Adapalene gel, 0.3% once daily for 12 weeks. Of the subjects who experienced cutaneous irritation (erythema, scaling, dryness, and/or burning/stinging), the majority of cases were mild to moderate in severity, occurred early in treatment and decreased thereafter. The incidence of local cutaneous irritation with Adapalene gel, 0.3% from the controlled clinical trial is provided in the following table: Table 1: Physician assessed local cutaneous irritation with Adapalene gel Incidence of Local Cutaneous Irritation with Adapalene gel, 0.3% (N = 253*) Maximum Severity Scores Higher Than Baseline Mild Moderate Severe Erythema 66 (26.1%) 33 (13.0%) 1 (0.4%) Scaling 110 (43.5%) 47 (18.6%) 3 (1.2%) Dryness 113 (44.7%) 43 (17.0%) 2 (0.8%) Burning / Stinging 72 (28.5%) 36 (14.2%) 9 (3.6%) * Total number of subjects with local cutaneous data for at least one post-Baseline evaluation. Table 2: Patient reported local cutaneous adverse reactions with Adapalene Gel Adapalene Gel, 0.3% Vehicle Gel N = 258 N = 134 Related* Adverse Reactions Dry Skin Skin Discomfort 57 (22.1%) 36 (14%) 15 (5.8%) 4 (1.6%) 6 (4.5%) 2 (1.5%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) * Selected adverse reactions defined by investigator as Possibly, Probably or Definitely Related The following adverse reactions occurred in less than 1 % of subjects: acne flare, contact dermatitis, eyelid edema, conjunctivitis, erythema, pruritus, skin discoloration, rash, and eczema. In a one-year, open-label safety trial of 551 subjects with acne who received Adapalene gel, 0.3%, the pattern of adverse reactions was similar to the 12-week controlled study. 6.2 Postmarketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of adapalene: Immune system disorders: angioedema, face edema, lip swelling Skin disorders: application site pain Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate the frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
Use in pregnancy
8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary Available data from clinical trials with Adapalene Gel, use in pregnant women are insufficient to establish a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage or other adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. In animal reproduction studies, oral administration of adapalene to pregnant rats and rabbits_ during organogenesis at dose exposures 40 and 81 times, respectively, the human exposure at the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) of 2 g resulted in fetal skeletal and visceral malformations ( see Data ). The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defects, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies are 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. Data Animal Data No malformations were observed in rats treated with oral adapalene doses of 0.15 to 5.0 mg/kg/day, up to 8 times the MRHD based on a mg/m 2 comparison. However, malformations were observed in rats and rabbits when treated with oral doses of ≥25 mg/kg/day adapalene (40 and 81 times the MRHD, respectively, based on a mg/m 2 comparison). Findings included cleft palate, microphthalmia, encephalocele, and skeletal abnormalities in rats and umbilical hernia, exophthalmos, and kidney and skeletal abnormalities in rabbits. Dermal adapalene embryofetal development studies in rats and rabbits at doses up to 6.0 mg/kg/day (9.7 and 19.5 times the MRHD, respectively, based on a mg/m 2 comparison) exhibited no fetotoxicity and only minimal increases in skeletal variations (supernumerary ribs in both species and delayed ossification in rabbits).

Label text is reproduced as-is from the FDA-approved label. We do not paraphrase, summarize, or omit. Content above is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your prescribing clinician or pharmacist before making decisions about your medication.

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How this page is sourced

  • Drug identity verified against openFDA NDC Directory.
  • Label text (when shown) originates from NLM DailyMed.
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