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Hormonal acne has been the bane of my existence for several years now.
Jasmine Browley
And even with insurance, its sometimes hard to get covered.
Tretinoin, also known as retinoic acid, is available in various concentrations, from 0.01 to 0.1 percent.
Tretinoin was first approved by the FDA in 1971under the brand name Retin-Aas a topical acne treatment.
Jasmine Browley
By the mid-1980s, it was clear that it could alsobuild collagenand smooth fine lines.
TikToksDiscover page for Acretinreviews contains more than 560 million posts, some with as many asfive million views.
Though the UAE governments website states Acretin isa prescription-only drug, anecdotal evidenceincluding my own experiencesuggests otherwise.
Jasmine Browley
One London-based TikTokusershared she was able to purchase 0.05 percent tretinoin for $16 during a trip to Dubai.
For a similar item, she would have paid 100 a pop in the UK.
This content can also be viewed on the site itoriginatesfrom.
This is a growing movement that goes beyond tretinoin, by the way.
After hearing so much about Acretin on TikTok, I became one of them.
And it cost less than a Chipotle bowl.
There are some pretty good reasons why tretinoin requires a prescription in the U.S.
Though its annoying to hear, tretinoin is still largely gatekept in the US for our own protection.
The doctors seemed to agree that the ingredient tretinoin itself is not costly.
Getting tretinoin is like buying a pair of jeans, Dr. Gohara says.
Different means of production lead to varying price points.
The market forces and patent protections we have in the US can make drugs pricier, sometimes prohibitively so.
Affordable tretinoin might not always be the safest or most effective tretinoin.
Its always wise to consult with a board-certified dermatologist who understands these nuances, especially for long-term treatments.
Dr. King echoes this sentiment and implores people not to be wooed solely by low cost.
Platforms likeApostropheandNurxoffer e-consultations without the patient having to visit a physician in person.
My skin is thriving on the tretinoin I got in Abu Dhabi.
I began using the Acretin cream as soon as I returned home from my trip in mid-October.
They said peeling and sensitivity to sun was likely to occur.
After the end of the second week, everything becamesosmooth.
It was like magic, honestly.
Just be sure to send your dermatologist a postcard.
