Written by Meghan Roche Browne, UK midwife and IBCLC (lactation consultant)
“Can I use my retinol while I’m breastfeeding?”
Good news for your skincare shelf!! Retinol creams and serums are classed as LOW RISK while breastfeeding by breastfeeding medication experts.
Here’s why, what the research does and doesn’t tell us, and the one type to avoid.
The short answer
- Retinol creams and serums: low risk while breastfeeding.
- Prescription retinoid creams (like tretinoin and adapalene): also considered acceptable.
- Retinoid TABLETS (like isotretinoin, also called Roaccutane): NOT compatible with breastfeeding.
What actually is retinol?
Retinoids are a family of skincare ingredients made from vitamin A. You’ll see them as retinol and retinal (in beauty products), adapalene (sold as Differin for spots), and prescription creams like tretinoin and tazarotene.
They’re brilliant for spots, fine lines and sun damage. Which is exactly why so many of you want to keep using them!
Why so little reaches your milk
For anything to get into your milk, it has to get into your blood first. And very little of a skin cream gets into your blood.
- The InfantRisk Center says that using retinol products on the skin again and again, even at high doses, doesn’t change the levels of retinol in women’s blood.
- Prescription creams like tretinoin and adapalene are poorly absorbed through the skin. Only around 1 to 2% gets through.
- The Breastfeeding Network says very little of what you put on your skin gets into breast milk, and most creams can be used without stopping breastfeeding.
The honest bit: no study has measured retinol creams in breast milk directly. The “low risk” rating comes from how little gets absorbed through the skin.
What about prescription retinoid creams?
- Tretinoin: hasn’t been studied in breastfeeding, but because so little is absorbed when it’s used on the skin, LactMed (the US National Library of Medicine’s breastfeeding medicines database) considers it low risk.
- Adapalene: low absorption too, so it’s unlikely to be in your milk.
- Tazarotene: this one is stronger and absorbs more (around 6%). InfantRisk says to use it with more caution, and some experts suggest only using it on small areas while breastfeeding. If you’ve been prescribed it, check with your GP or dermatologist.
The one to avoid: retinoid tablets
Retinoid tablets, like isotretinoin (Roaccutane) and acitretin, are NOT compatible with breastfeeding. They’re taken by mouth, they reach your bloodstream, and they’re likely to pass into your milk.
If you’re on them, or a doctor suggests them, tell them you’re breastfeeding so you can talk through other options.
So why does everyone say avoid retinol?
Because retinoids ARE avoided in pregnancy, as they’re linked to birth defects. A lot of advice simply carries that over to breastfeeding.
But breastfeeding is different. Breastfeeding medication experts treat retinoid creams on your face as low risk.
My 3 rules
- Keep it OFF your breasts, nipples and chest. LactMed says not to apply it to the nipple or the area around it.
- Wash your hands after you put it on.
- Keep baby’s skin away from where you’ve applied it. So no cheek-to-cheek cuddles straight after.
And use it as directed: on your face, not over large areas of your body.
Glow on, gorgeous ❤️
Meghan xoxo
More from Can I Have That?
Sources
- InfantRisk Center: Retinoid skincare and nursing, what new moms should know (2025). https://infantrisk.com/content/retinoid-skincare-and-nursing-what-new-moms-should-know
- LactMed, US National Library of Medicine: Tretinoin. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501419/
- Breastfeeding Network: Creams and ointments and breastfeeding. https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/factsheet/creams/
- DermNet: Lactation and medications used in dermatology. https://dermnetnz.org/topics/lactation-and-medications-used-in-dermatology
This is general information, not personal medical advice. If you’re unsure, speak to your GP, pharmacist or health visitor.
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