Can I get it?
Yes, if a doctor decides it is right for you. Tretinoin 0.05% is authorised in the EU and can be prescribed after a medical review.
An EU-licensed doctor reviews your case and, if eligible, issues an electronic prescription valid in any pharmacy in Spain. Consultation €35, refunded if the doctor decides it is not safe to prescribe.

Full refund if a review is not approved · Medication, if prescribed, is dispensed and paid for separately at a pharmacy.
IN PLAIN TERMS
Tretinoin is vitamin-A acid, and it exists as two very different medicines. As a cream or gel it is applied to the skin for acne, where it clears blocked pores. As a capsule taken by mouth it is a hospital cancer treatment for acute promyelocytic leukaemia, given under haematology supervision — the same molecule, a completely different setting and dose. Both are real, authorised medicines; neither is something Hi-Doctor prescribes, because we treat hair loss, weight management and sexual health.
Tretinoin 0.05% is an authorised medicine in the EU, so a licensed doctor can prescribe it when it is clinically appropriate for you.
Yes, if a doctor decides it is right for you. Tretinoin 0.05% is authorised in the EU and can be prescribed after a medical review.
Our doctors review every Dermatology option and recommend what fits your history and goals.
See all Dermatology optionsEvery trial behind Tretinoin 0.05% is listed below with how many people took part and whether the results are peer-reviewed or a company announcement.
Jump to the studiesLocal consultation facts
Yes. People in Oviedo, Spain, can request an online doctor consultation about Tretinoin 0.05% with Hi-Doctor. A licensed EU doctor reviews the case and issues a prescription only when clinically appropriate. If approved, the electronic prescription arrives as a QR code that can be dispensed directly in Spain.
Availability
Tretinoin 0.05% is available to residents of Spain through the online consultation. A prescription follows only if the doctor approves it.
How the EU prescription works where you are: In Spain, an approved prescription arrives electronically with a QR code for direct dispensing.
VERIFIED EVIDENCE
WHAT IT IS
Topical retinoic acid that binds retinoid receptors in the skin, normalising cell turnover, dispersing pigment and increasing dermal collagen formation over months.
DEVELOPMENT STAGE
Every NCT identifier links to its ClinicalTrials.gov record. A readout is not the same as peer-reviewed publication.
| TRIAL / NCT | POPULATION | PARTICIPANTS | STATUS | READOUT / COMPLETION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weiss 1988 (tretinoin 0.1% cream vs vehicle, photoaged skin) | Adults with photoaged facial and forearm skin, 16 weeks, double-blind | — | Read out | 1988 |
| Kang 2005 (tretinoin emollient cream 0.05% vs placebo, 2 years) | Adults with moderate to severe facial photodamage, once daily for up to 2 years | 204 | Read out | 2005 |
Results are grouped by source and evidence grade so journal data and manufacturer announcements cannot be confused.
| DOSE OR GROUP | MEAN WEIGHT CHANGE | WEEKS |
|---|---|---|
| Tretinoin 0.05% emollient cream, once daily | Significantly greater improvement than placebo in fine and coarse wrinkling, mottled hyperpigmentation, lentigines, sallowness and overall photodamage | 104 |
| Placebo (vehicle emollient cream) | Reference | 104 |
Improvements are graded clinical changes, not a return to unexposed skin, and they depend on continued use. The Spanish authorisation of tretinoin 0.05% cream (Retirides, AEMPS FT 60141) covers both acne and adjunctive treatment of photoageing and is supported by this and other randomised trials.
| DOSE OR GROUP | MEAN WEIGHT CHANGE | WEEKS |
|---|---|---|
| Tretinoin 0.1% cream, nightly | Improvement in photoaged skin versus vehicle, with more irritation than lower strengths | 16 |
This first double-blind study used the 0.1% strength; the 0.05% cream prescribed here is better tolerated with a slower onset.
NAMED SAFETY SIGNALS
The Retirides SmPC contraindicates the cream in pregnancy and in women planning or at risk of pregnancy; treatment is stopped if pregnancy occurs.
Transient itching, warmth, mild redness, peeling similar to a mild sunburn, dryness and occasionally severe local erythema or oedema are described in the SmPC, most marked in the first weeks.
Sun sensitivity is increased; daily broad-spectrum sunscreen and avoidance of sunlamps are advised throughout treatment.
Oral tretinoin is a hospital medicine for acute promyelocytic leukaemia. The evidence and safety profile above refer only to the topical cream.
About
Active ingredient: Tretinoin · Dosages: 0.05% cream
Tretinoin is the acid form of vitamin A and the reference prescription retinoid. In Spain the 0.05% cream (Retirides) is authorised for acne and as an adjunctive treatment for photoageing (fine wrinkles, mottled pigmentation, roughness); its use for fine lines, rough texture and sun-damage pigmentation is supported by randomised, vehicle-controlled trials of up to 2 years, and is prescribed at the doctor's discretion.
It is contraindicated in pregnancy and in women planning a pregnancy. A licensed doctor confirms this, checks for eczema or rosacea, and reviews at 3 months and 6 months.
How it helps
Normalised turnover evens out roughness within the first 3 months.
Mottled pigmentation and lentigines fade with continued use.
Collagen formation increases slowly; changes in fine wrinkling are judged at 6 months.
What to expect
Apply a pea-sized amount for the whole face at night, 20 to 30 minutes after washing, avoiding the eyelids, lip corners and nostrils. Follow with a moisturiser. SPF 50+ every morning is part of the treatment.
Doses your doctor can prescribe
Safety first
Tretinoin 0.05% is an effective medicine — and like any medicine it carries risks. Your doctor screens for all of this before prescribing. Here's the honest picture, not just reassurance.
Applied as a very thin layer at night, introduced gradually and paired with daily SPF 50+ protection.
Who should not use it
PRICING
€25/month for weight loss or €15/month (billed €45 every 90 days) for hair growth. €35 one-off is available for sexual health.
ONGOING PLAN
€25/month
Billed €25 every 28 days · cancel anytime
28-day treatment cycle
For ongoing treatment and doctor-reviewed renewals.
Renewals reviewed by your doctor
Full refund if a review is not approved
WHAT'S INCLUDED
ONGOING PLAN
€15/month
Billed €45 every 90 days · cancel anytime
For ongoing treatment and doctor-reviewed renewals.
Lowest monthly price we offer
Full refund if a review is not approved
WHAT'S INCLUDED
ONE-OFF
€35 one-off
One consultation, one doctor, one decision.
Nothing stored publicly, ever
Full refund if a review is not approved
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Full refund if a review is not approved
For a one-off consultation, we refund the €35 consultation fee. For a subscription review, we refund that period's fee and cancel the plan.
Note: The medication, if the doctor prescribes it, is paid separately at the pharmacy at the price it sets. Hi-Doctor does not sell medications.
HOW THE DOCTOR DECIDES
An EU-licensed doctor reads your questionnaire and answers in less than 2 hours on average.
If the doctor decides it is not safe to prescribe, the consultation fee is refunded in full.
Follow-up happens in the private chat inside your account, under GDPR. No WhatsApp, no SMS.
OTHER DERMATOLOGY TREATMENTS
Find out if it's right for you
Answer a few questions and a licensed EU doctor reviews your case in less than 2 hours on average. Refunded in full if it's not right for you.
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