ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This study was funded by Ortho Dermatologics. Medical writing support was provided by Prescott Medical Communications Group (Chicago, IL) with financial support from Ortho Dermatologics; Ortho Dermatologics is a division of Bausch Health US, LLC • Presented at  Fall Clinical 2020 • October 29 - November 1, 2020 • Virtual

SYNOPSIS
 ◾ The ability of a topical medication to spread is an important 
parameter, since only the thinnest layer of medication contacting 
the skin is physiologically active

 ◾ A thinner film is just as effective as a thicker film from an efficacy 
standpoint, but a thinner film will spread farther—exhibiting 
superior spreadability and increasing the number of applications 
while decreasing the cost per application

 ◾ From a rheological perspective, products exhibiting low yield 
stress and lower intrinsic viscosity will have better spreadability 
and require less effort to spread at the surface of the skin1,2

• Yield stress is the minimum force required to make a structured 
fluid flow

• Viscosity describes a fluid’s resistance to flow (eg, the 
“thickness” of a fluid)

OBJECTIVE
 ◾ To compare the spreadability of two topical formulations: 
tazarotene 0.045% polymeric emulsion lotion versus trifarotene 
0.005% cream

 ◾ To relate the rheological profile of topical products to their 
spreadability 

METHODS
 ◾ This double-blind, split-body study enrolled male or female 
adults ≥18 years of age with normal back skin
• Participants, who provided written informed consent, were 

assessed for limited back hair which would prevent application 
of the study products

 ◾ Tazarotene 0.045% lotion was applied to one randomized half of 
the back and trifarotene 0.005% cream was applied to the 
opposite randomized half of the back (Figure 1)
• The back was divided at the vertebral column into right and left
• Drugs were randomized for right or left application; however, 

the left back product was always pigmented blue and the right 
back product was always pigmented green. One toothpick tip 
of blue or green food-coloring gel was used to pigment the 
drugs

A Comparative Clinical Demonstration of the Spreadability of Tazarotene Lotion 0.045% versus  
Trifarotene Cream 0.005%

 ◾ The blinded dermatologist investigator was presented with  
0.1 cc (0.1 mL) of each of the drugs for application by the 
unblinded coordinator

 ◾ Two 10 cm wide application areas were marked with a  
gentian violet marker, one on each side of the back; this mark 
defined the lateral bounds over which the lotion or cream  
were spread 

 ◾ The investigator applied the products with a gloved hand to 
obtain an even film, moving study product down the back until  
it would no longer spread

 ◾ The lower extent of the study product application was marked 
with a gentian violet marker and measured in centimeters

 ◾ A two-tailed Student’s t-test was used to assess the spreadability 
data

FIGURE 1. Study Schematic

tazarotene 0.045% lotion and
trifarotene 0.005% cream

randomized 1:1

Left side of back

10 cm

Right side of back

10 cm

A
p

p
lic

at
io

n
 

ar
e
a

• Spread 0.1 cc of
   lotion and cream
   down the back
• Measure area
   covered

Zoe D Draelos, MD1; Emil A Tanghetti, MD2
1Dermatology Consulting Services, PLLC, High Point, North Carolina; 2Center for Dermatology and Laser Surgery, Sacramento, CA

FIGURE 3. Spreadability of Tazarotene 0.045% Lotion 
and Trifarotene 0.005% Cream on a Participant

CONCLUSIONS
 ◾ The tazarotene 0.045% lotion spread on average  
36.7 square centimeters farther than the 
trifarotene 0.005% cream 

 ◾ These results are supported by the differences in the 
rheological profiles of the two products, in which 
tazarotene lotion exhibits lower yield stress and lower 
intrinsic viscosity versus trifarotene cream3 

REFERENCES
1. Adeyeye MC, et al. AAPS PharmSciTech. 2002;3(2):E8. 

2. Kryscio DR, et al. AAPS PharmSciTech. 2008;9(1):84-86.

3. Data on File. Ortho Dermatologics. 

AUTHOR DISCLOSURES
ZDD received funding from Ortho Dermatologics to conduct the research presented in this poster.

EAT has served as speaker for Novartis, Ortho Dermatologics, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Lilly, Galderma, AbbVie, and 

Dermira; served as a consultant/clinical studies for Hologic, Ortho Dermatologics, and Galderma; and is a stockholder 

for Accure.

RESULTS
 ◾ A total of 30 participants were included in the study
 ◾ Participants ranged from 18 to 59 years of age; 26 (87%)  
were female

 ◾ Tazarotene 0.045% lotion spread over an average area 
measuring 10 cm x 16.70 cm (167.0 cm2) while the  
trifarotene 0.005% cream spread over an average area 
measuring 10 cm x 13.03 cm (130.3 cm2; P<0.001; Figure 2)

 ◾ No adverse reactions or adverse events occurred during  
the conduct of the study

FIGURE 2. Mean Spreadability of Tazarotene 0.045% 
Lotion and Trifarotene 0.005% Cream (N=30)

160

#(

0

40

80

120

167.0

Tazarotene 
0.045% Lotion

M
e
a
n
 A

re
a
 o

f 
P

ro
d

u
ct

 S
p

re
a
d

 (
cm

2
)

130.3

#(

200

Trifarotene 
0.005% Cream

***P<0.001 vs trifarotene.