Obagi Tretinoin 0.1% CreamTopical treatment for acne vulgaris. Available by prescription only; all Obagi tretinoin formulations are fragrance free. Tretinoin is the generic name for synthetic, first generation all trans retinoic acid. Topical tretinoin first arrived on the dermatology scene in the 1960s. It is a prescription drug approved to treat acne, and in a few other FDA approved products (which does not apply to our tretinoin products) as an adjunctive agent to treat