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Head-to-head evidence comparison — which supplement is right for you?
Adapalene wins 2 of 3 categories. Both are solid choices — the best pick depends on your specific goals.
Verdict
Mostly mechanism / observational
Top outcomes
Verdict
Mostly mechanism / observational
Top outcomes
Topical use. Adapalene 0.1% (OTC) or 0.3% (prescription) gel/cream is applied as a thin layer to the whole affected area once daily, usually at night, starting every other day and building to nightly as tolerated. Full benefit takes ~8-12 weeks. There is no oral or systemic dose — it is not ingested. It is most effective combined with benzoyl peroxide. This library does not provide an ingestion protocol.
evening
Adapalene 0.1% gel/cream (OTC), applied nightly to the whole area
Topical cosmetic only. Centella/cica is used in serums, creams, and balms (often standardized to madecassoside/asiaticoside) applied to clean skin once or twice daily, popular for soothing and post-procedure care. There is no oral, injectable, or systemic dose in this cosmetic context — oral gotu kola is separate. This library does not provide an ingestion protocol.
any
Leave-on serum, cream, or balm standardized to centella triterpenes
Throughout
8-12 weeks
Throughout
First weeks
Throughout
2-8 weeks
1-4 weeks
12-24 weeks
A comparison of the efficacy and tolerability of adapalene 0.1% gel versus tretinoin 0.025% gel in patients with acne vulgaris: a meta-analysis of five randomized trials.
Br J Dermatol (1998) · Meta analysis · n=900
Meta-analysis of five randomized investigator-blind trials (900 patients) in mild-to-moderate acne
Adapalene-benzoyl peroxide, a fixed-dose combination for the treatment of acne vulgaris: results of a multicenter, randomized double-blind, controlled study.
J Am Acad Dermatol (2007) · Rct · n=517
Pivotal 12-week double-blind RCT (n=517) of adapalene-BPO vs adapalene, BPO, or vehicle
Topical preparations for the treatment of mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris: systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Br J Dermatol (2021) · Systematic review
Systematic review and network meta-analysis of 40 trials (18,089 participants) of topical acne treatments
Clinical, biometric and structural evaluation of the long-term effects of a topical treatment with ascorbic acid and madecassoside in photoaged human skin.
Exp Dermatol (2008) · Rct · n=20
Randomized double-blind study (n=20) of topical 5% vitamin C + 0.1% madecassoside on photoaged skin over 6 months
Randomized-Controlled Trial Comparing Safety and Efficacy of Repairing Balm vs Topical Antimicrobial for Post-Procedural Wounds.
J Drugs Dermatol (2025) · Rct · n=60
RCT (n=60) after cryotherapy for actinic keratoses: a non-prescription balm with panthenol, madecassoside, and metal salts vs a topical antibiotic
A Systematic Review of the Effect of Centella asiatica on Wound Healing.
Int J Environ Res Public Health (2022) · Systematic review
PRISMA systematic review identified only four clinical trials meeting inclusion criteria — a small human evidence base
Adapalene has a higher evidence score (9/10 vs 5/10) and wins in 2 of 3 categories.
No known interactions between Adapalene and Centella Asiatica (Cica) have been documented in our database. However, always consult a healthcare provider before combining supplements.