The EU retinol ban

[ilovesummerdays]

I've seen various news reports to say retinol is going to be banned in the EU over 0.3% (unless on prescription). I can't find an answer on whether this will also apply to the UK? Does anyone know?

It's looking likely but will take a while to come into effect. Companies are being given a couple of years to reformulate their products

I hope it will. Long overdue

Why is that?

It won't unless the UK also ban it. Obviously some products from the EU might not be available including to UK customers after it comes in.

It doesn't have to follow the EU but I guess most UK/EU products will follow the larger market with the lower amount permitted.

Because high levels of retinol (vitamin a) can be harmful to liver health if not carefully monitored by a health care professional. Higher strength retinol (tretinion) will still be available on prescription to those who need it

Cream from dermatica on your face could harm your liver? Really?

Yep unfortunately. Vitamin a can be absorbed through the skin barrier and is fat soluble so not one you just wee out if you have too much. The eu ruling is probably a bit overkill but there is a reason why they are implementing it

Link to a study on vitamin a toxcitity https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532916/#:~:text=Prolonged%20and%20excessive%20vitamin%20A,after%20discontinuing%20vitamin%20A%20intake.

That is about toxicity from food and supplements. Not about skin creams. Tbh this topical drug has been used so often by so many it seems insane to ban it now …

I do agree it's overkill, but the potential for vit a toxcitity from long term use of skin creams is still there, and unfortunately, there is no accounting for stupid when it comes to large populations

I also wonder about the long term effects of retinol. Cells can only replicate a certain number of times before dying, if it speeds this process up does this mean they die off quicker and then you skin will suddenly age more rapidly?

Yeah, right. Smoking, lead in petrol, thalidomide. I love your logic

I am reluctant to put anything on my skin I wouldn’t be happy eating. It all gets absorbed into your blood stream. I hope in future Phthalates and Parabens will also be banned.

It’s been sold OTC for decades at this point all over the place. Honestly it’s the best skin cream you could ever use and literally the only thing to worry about is irritation. Wild you are comparing OTC creams to known carcinogens, toxic pollutants and teratogenics

Dermatica, Skin and Me and Uncouth all present themselves as online dermatologists giving out prescription skincare. Will this affect these companies or it’s literally OTC products?

@Bridgetta but the point is we are always learning and adding things to the list of carcinogens.

This paper forms the basis of the EU recommendation. NB it includes extensive discussion of animal testing although, if you just read the conclusion, there is nothing about animals in that.

The evidence for a significant risk from cosmetic preparations at the concentrations permitted in Europe seems pretty tenuous. A cynic might wonder about the influence of pharma companies - the restriction on retinols in cosmetic products is going to push a lot more people to use prescription-only preparations.

In answer to PPs' questions above, though - of course products applied to the skin can be absorbed and affect the body as a whole - opioid patches and HRT gels, for example.

Treatments applied to the skin are an effective method to deliver drugs (provided the molecules are small enough) and they tend to provide a more stable, predictable absorption than drugs that you ingest. The reason they are not more widely used is cost and practicality - they tend to be more expensive to produce and store.

So it is definitely possible in theory for retinols in skin care to affect the liver and cause other side-effects. But it's not clear to me that the EU has shown that they actually do.

Yes. Why would that be so difficult for people to comprehend? If you consider most forms of HRT now are transdermal for example, steroid creams for eczema, etc etc many things that we use on our skin can have a huge effect on our whole body.

Treatments applied to the skin are an effective method to deliver drugs (provided the molecules are small enough) and they tend to provide a more stable, predictable absorption than drugs that you ingest

I don’t think this is quite right. The oral vitamin A derivative (accutane) is much more potent and must be used under the guidance of a doctor. Retinoids are much less effective (well for acne anyway) and don’t need doctor guidance in the same way

But cheap retinols are not affected somehow?

What do you think is not right about it? I'm talking about topical (applied to skin) treatments generally- some PPs questioned whether substances that are applied to the skin can be absorbed systemically. They definitely can.

Cheap retinols are affected btw. The EU is proposing banning cosmetic use (other than via prescription) of all retinols above a certain concentration .

No. It doesn't work like this. I've attached an explanation

Yup, and lead is the best additive for petrol without a doubt. You do know that leaded petrol was sold ‘OTC’, as indeed were cigarettes for a few hundred years? So your point is what?

Thanks @wompwomp My a level in human biology didn’t cover off that bit, maybe I might try retinol after all!