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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
Shared outcomes (1)
Outcomes where both Adapalene and Panthenol (provitamin B5) have evidence — compare verdict strength side-by-side.
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. Panthenol/dexpanthenol is used at roughly 1-5% in moisturizers, soothing creams, and after-procedure ointments, applied to the skin as directed. There is no oral, injectable, or systemic dose in this context — oral vitamin B5 is separate. This library does not provide an ingestion protocol.
any
Leave-on moisturizer or soothing/repair cream containing panthenol (≈1-5%)
Throughout
8-12 weeks
Throughout
First weeks
Throughout
1-4 weeks
1-2 weeks
Throughout
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
A new topical panthenol-containing emollient: Results from two randomized controlled studies assessing its skin moisturization and barrier restoration potential, and the effect on skin microflora.
J Dermatolog Treat (2017) · Rct · n=23
3-week intra-individual RCT (n=23): a panthenol-containing emollient vs control on SDS-challenged skin
Dexpanthenol enhances skin barrier repair and reduces inflammation after sodium lauryl sulphate-induced irritation.
J Dermatolog Treat (2002) · Rct
In an SLS-irritation model, dexpanthenol cream twice daily accelerated barrier repair significantly more than vehicle or untreated skin
Accelerated wound healing with a dexpanthenol-containing ointment after fractional ablative CO2 laser resurfacing of photo-damaged skin in a randomized prospective clinical trial.
Cutan Ocul Toxicol (2019) · Rct · n=38
Split-area trial (n=38) after fractional CO2 laser: dexpanthenol ointment vs petroleum jelly
Adapalene has a higher evidence score (9/10 vs 6/10) and wins in 2 of 3 categories.
No known interactions between Adapalene and Panthenol (provitamin B5) have been documented in our database. However, always consult a healthcare provider before combining supplements.