Retin A, a drug used for more than 20 years to fight acne, may not yet be approved for the treatment of wrinkles, but according to one Harvard dermatologist, there's no reason it shouldn't be.

Dr. Harley A. Haynes, director of the dermatology division at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said yesterday that studies demonstrate the drug's effectiveness against wrinkles and certain types of pre-malignant lesions, purposes for which it is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The lesions, known as solar or actinic keratoses, commonly appear as rough red areas on the skin. Wrinkling--technically known as photoaging--and the lesions are different abnormalities related to exposure to dangerous ultraviolet rays.

An advantage of Retin A treatment is that it requires no surgery. Haynes said the drug sometimes causes temporary redness or peeling, but said these conditions cease once use is discontinued--a description very different from that by a congressional report earlier this week which claims that patients may be "risking permanent disfigurement or potentially fatal illnesses" by using the drug.

"You can't take anyone and make them look 19 again," Haynes said. "But there seems to be no question that there is significant improvement."

Haynes, who is also associate professor of dermatology at the Medical School, said that although he first recommends sunscreen to patients with ultraviolet-related skin problems, Retin A is a possible next step.

"It's become almost part of what dermatologists would use in these situations," Haynes said.