Previous investigations have reported the efficacy of tazarotene 0.1% cream for the treatment of dyschromia associated with photoaging and for acne vulgaris. The present investigation assessed tazarotene 0.1% cream for the treatment of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) in a double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled study of 74 patients from darker racial ethnic groups who had acne. Once-daily application of tazarotene cream was shown to be effective against PIH, achieving significantly greater reductions compared with vehicle in overall disease severity and in the intensity and area of hyperpigmentation within 18 weeks (P< or =.05). Mean levels of erythema, burning, and peeling were no more than trace in both groups throughout the study, and mean levels of dryness were no more than mild in both groups. In our study, tazarotene cream was effective and well tolerated in the treatment of PIH in patients with darker skin.