Several profiles on social media recommend tretinoin as a miracle cure for the skin, but anyone who tries to buy the cream online may be guilty of a crime. Customs is now warning of consequences.
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What is tretinoin?
Tretinoin is a strong drug primarily used to treat acne. Despite this, several influencers have promoted the product as a beauty product that can be the key to perfect skin.
Doctors are now warning that tretinoin should not be seen as an ordinary beauty cream. Olle Larköwho is a dermatologist and professor at Sahlgrenska Academy, emphasizes that tretinoin is a prescription drug that should only be used if it has been recommended by a doctor.
– It is directly inappropriate to highlight this as a beauty product. It is a medicine that should be used to treat skin diseases on a doctor’s prescription, says Olle Larkö in an interview in The evening paper.
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There are serious risks
Tretinoin can cause side effects such as dry and scaly skin, and if pregnant women use the agent in tablet form there is a risk of birth defects. Olle Larkö also advises women who are breastfeeding against using tretinoin.
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May be illegal to order – risk of fines
Although tretinoin is a prescription product in Sweden, several influencers have suggested that you can buy the cream from British online pharmacies, since the UK is no longer part of the EU. But this may be illegal.
According to Martin Norellwho is an expert at the Swedish Customs Administration, medicines may not be sent from countries that are not part of the EU to Sweden via post. Anyone who orders tretinoin in this way risks a fine and thus ending up on the criminal record.
– Medicines may not be transported by post from third countries. It doesn’t matter what preparation it is, says Martin Norell to Aftonbladet.
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