not sure I can give you the science, you can look that up on line - but for me tazorac works to keep the pores clean- it is very similar to Retin A
many people get an initial breakout as it purges the pores, this can last a while - I found after a couple of months the blackheads came out very easily
some say it will help with scarring and wrinkles, I haven't really noticed that, but it does keep the pores clean
I use it at night because of the sun sensitivity
Tazorac is a topical retinoid and thus works mainly by normalising hyperkeratinisation (i.e. excess and uneven skin cell shedding within pores) but also partly by reducing inflammation:
Therefore, Tazorac works mainly by ensuring that skin cells within pores are only shed at such a rate as to never overcrowd the pores and so potentially block the outflow of sebum.
See these classic posts by Antony for further info on hyperkeratinisation:
Therefore, Tazorac works mainly by ensuring that skin cells within pores are only shed at such a rate as to never overcrowd the pores and so potentially block the outflow of sebum.
personally, I am a bit skeptical about the theory of hyperkeratinisation. I used to have flawless skin, except for a couple of years when I had a very oily skin. And during this period I developed clogged pores and acne. Now that my skin returned to normal sebum production, I am still dealing with trying to get rid of the clogged pores. Retenoids work with the skin renewing more fast, and during this process all excess sebum that got stuck in the skin (for years) is pushed to the surface.
What role hyperkeratinisation exactly plays, if any, I don't know, but I believe retenoids work most with the skin unclogging pores with trapped sebum.