PlainPill

NMN vs Tretinoin for skin & hair

Short answer: For skin & hair, more users report improvement with NMN — 100% of 14 reports, versus 91% of 35 for Tretinoin.

NMN has 11 meta-analyses and 17 randomized trials on PubMed; Tretinoin has 76 and 265.

Based on 366 reports about NMN and 50 about Tretinoin. Not medical advice.

NMN
Supplement
Tretinoin
Medication
Users say it helped61%helped113 reports · high confidence91%helped23 reports · medium confidence
Verdict
Mostly positive
Mostly positive
ResearchAResearch: StrongAResearch: Strong
Meta-analyses / RCTs11 / 1776 / 265
Mainly used for
Energy
% reporting improvement
92% (77)—
Skin & hair
% reporting improvement
100% (14)91% (35)
Sleep
% reporting improvement
65% (20)—
Performance
% reporting improvement
100% (16)—
Mood
% reporting improvement
100% (13)—
Common side effectsinsomnia, jitteriness, drowsiness, elevated bloodsunburn, irritation, skin peeling
Typical dose reported1 g / dailyNot listed
NMN
Latest review conclusion

Overall, NAD⁺ augmentation shows clear biological activity, but clinical effectiveness for anti-aging or wellness outcomes remains inconclusive. Larger, well-designed randomized trials with longer follow-up and prespecified clinically meaningful endpoints are needed, particularly for parenteral approaches.

Ageing Res Rev, 2026 ↗
What a user said
“I've been using NMN for 3 years now, and I had great results with it along with many other supplements. I'm 47 and I look a lot younger and healthier than when I first started NMN.”
Full NMN profile →
Tretinoin
Latest review conclusion

These guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for the management of acne vulgaris.

J Am Acad Dermatol, 2024 ↗
What a user said
“I have gotten good result on the acne front with tretinoin and azelaic acid.”
Full Tretinoin profile →

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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate