Winlevi® and tretinoin: a powerful combination for acne

Table of Content:
Combined use of Winlevi and tretinoin | Causes of acne | Why Winlevi and tretinoin? | What is Winlevi? | What is tretinoin? | Side effects of Winlevi and tretinoin | How to use them together? | The takeaway

Acne isn’t caused by just one thing—it’s a combination of factors like clogged pores, excess oil, bacteria, and inflammation. Because of this, relying on a single ingredient often isn’t enough to fully address the problem.

That’s why dermatologists commonly use a multi-ingredient approach. By combining treatments that target different causes of acne, it’s possible to achieve better, more balanced results. This approach not only helps clear existing breakouts but can also prevent new ones from forming, leading to more effective and long-lasting improvements.

Using Winlevi and tretinoin together for more effective acne treatment

It’s very common in acne care to use two or more ingredients together—because acne has multiple causes, and different treatments target different symptoms.

One promising combination is Winlevi and tretinoin. While each works well on its own, they complement each other in a unique way.

By combining them, you’re addressing multiple factors behind acne at once—from clogged pores to inflammation and hormonal activity—creating a more complete and effective treatment approach.

In this article, we explore how Winlevi and tretinoin work together, why this combination can be more effective than using a single treatment, and what benefits it may offer for your skin.

What are the three main causes of acne?

Explained in simple terms, there are three closely-related main causes of acne: 

• Hormones: Acne is partially caused by androgens (male sex hormones) that lead to the excessive production of sebum that together with dead skin cells and bacteria causes acne breakouts³.

• Excess sebum (oil) and clogged pores: When there is excessive production of sebum, the failure to properly shed dead skin cells causes a blockage. This blockage occurs when sebum and skin debris accumulate, leading to the formation of comedones (whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, nodules, or cysts)⁴. 

• Bacteria: Consequently, the skin pores become obstructed and colonized by acne-causing bacteria triggering an intensified inflammatory response⁵.

Why can tretinoin and Winlevi be such a powerful combination to combat acne?

The combination of Altreno (tretinoin) and Winlevi can be a potentially powerful acne-fighting duo due to their complementary mechanisms of action and their ability to target multiple factors involved in acne formation.

Winlevi targets the underlying hormonal factors by regulating sebum production and reducing inflammation⁶ while tretinoin helps to unclog pores, reduce existing acne lesions, and prevent new ones from forming⁷.

By addressing all these factors involved in causing acne breakouts, this combination can be particularly effective in achieving clearer and healthier skin.

Together tretinoin and Winlevi combat multiple factors involved in the formation of acne breakouts

What is Winlevi?

Winlevi (also known as clascoterone), is a relatively new topical prescription medication approved by the FDA for the treatment of acne in men, women and children above 12 years of age¹⁰. 

What does Winlevi do?

Winlevi helps reduce the effects of androgens on sebaceous glands, minimizing oil production and inflammation and leading to a significant reduction in acne lesions¹¹.

What is Tretinoin?

Tretinoin, (also known as Retin A or Altreno) is a derivative of vitamin A approved by the FDA for the treatment of acne, photo aging, facial wrinkles, facial roughness, and hyperpigmentation¹². Tretinoin can be used by men women and children over 9 years of age¹³. There are different strengths of tretinoin so it is best to discuss with your dermatologist which one is the right for your skin.

What does tretinoin do?

Tretinoin increases skin cell turnover, preventing the clogging of pores, and reducing inflammation. It has been widely used for years, earning a reputation for its ability to effectively treat various forms of acne, including comedonal acne, inflammatory acne, and even acne scarring¹⁴.

Side effects of using Winlevi and tretinoin at the same time

Since both, Winlevi and tretinoin may cause skin irritation, peeling, redness, itching, stinging and burning^{15 16} when used independently, used together may increase the chance of getting these side effects or even get them stronger¹⁷. However, skin irritation may be drastically reduced, if you switch to Altreno, the new version of tretinoin which includes micronized tretinoin, hyaluronic acid, collagen and glycerin.

Tretinoin causes sensitivity to sunlight, therefore people will burn easily without the use of sunscreen with a high SPF factor.  

Always consult your dermatologist before combining two medications together and do not do it unless under medical supervision. 

Tretinoin and Winlevi should not be used by women who are pregnant or nursing. In the case of tretinoin it has teratogenic effects, which means it may cause birth defects¹⁸. In the case of Winlevi, there isn’t enough research to confirm it is safe to use during pregnancy.

How can you use Winlevi and tretinoin together?

Winlevi and Altreno (tretinoin) can be used together as there are no known drug interactions between the two drugs. You should always follow the instructions of your dermatologist when they give you a prescription, but as a general rule, you will be advised to use Winlevi in the morning and tretinoin at night. 

Otherwise, Winlevi can be used twice a day on alternate days, and tretinoin can be used at night on alternate days while continuing the use of Winlevi in the morning every day. 

 Remember not to use both products together at the same time because they may cause skin irritation.  

After applying Winlevi in the morning you should always apply a sunscreen with a high SPF to prevent sunburn as tretinoin makes skin sensitive to sunlight. 

How to get Winlevi and tretinoin?

To buy tretinoin or Winlevi, you need a prescription from a doctor.

What is the price of Winlevi and tretinoin?

The price for a 60 gr tube of Winlevi with the manufacturer’s co-pay program is $90 (out-of-pocket) which lasts 3 month on average. Since it is a new medication, Winlevi doesn’t have a generic version available*.

The price for a 20 gr tube of tretinoin varies between $20 to $40 for a generic product*.

*The price range listed here is just an estimation. Medication prices may vary depending on the state and the pharmacy selected. Miiskin is not responsible and cannot influence the price of the medication as it is independent from these entities.

The takeaway

While tretinoin and Winlevi have the potential to be a very powerful combination treatment for acne, there isn’t any research about this specific medication combination, however since they complement each other so well, they can be a powerful acne-combating duo.

It is important to consider that both medications tend to cause skin irritation, therefore they may not be suitable for everyone and the effectiveness of the combination may vary depending on individual factors and the severity of acne. 

Consulting with a dermatologist is essential to determine the most suitable treatment approach and to ensure proper usage and potential interactions.

Article references
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijd.16220
https://www.aad.org/media/stats-numbers
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3969667/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015761/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3225141/
https://www.winlevi-hcp.com/androgen-sebum-pathway/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijd.15752
https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/cassiopea-scores-fda-approval-for-winlevi-first-novel-acne-med-decades
https://www.winlevi.com/faq/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/tretinoin-topical-route/side-effects/drg-20066521
https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/tretinoin-topical-with-winlevi-2230-0-4183-19535.html https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/tog.12075#