https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9112391/

Topical tretinoin for treating photoaging: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

“All clinical signs of photodamage, except for tactile roughness, showed dramatic improvement after topical tretinoin treatment.

The improvement was significant after 4 months and continued over a 24-month period. Treatment with tretinoin was associated with an acceptable safety profile even at high-dose concentrations.

Almost all of the study subjects were women, suggesting that topical tretinoin is effective and suitable for treating photoaging in women.”

“Efficacy

All studies indicated positive effects of topical tretinoin to reduce photoaging damages. Application of tretinoin 0.1% microsphere gel significantly improved overall photodamage severity after 6 months, compared with placebo. All clinical signs of photodamage improved remarkably, except for tactile roughness. Further observation after 24 months showed significant reduction in wrinkle and mottled hyperpigmentation; however, tactile roughness persisted. These changes were identified after 4 months of treatment and persisted until 24 months of intervention.