Skin lighteners & hidden medicines
Tretinoin
Banned in European Union, United Kingdom and ASEAN countries; its status in Nigeria is not confirmed.
Why it matters
Retinoic acid works as a drug even at low strength (0.01%), so it belongs in prescription medicines, not cosmetics.
What to look for on the label
Tretinoin, retinoic acid, all-trans retinoic acid.
Full name: Tretinoin (retinoic acid)
Country by country
Around the worldBanned in European Union, United Kingdom and ASEAN countries; its status in Nigeria is not confirmed.
Why: Retinoic acid works as a drug even at low strength (0.01%), so it belongs in prescription medicines, not cosmetics.
| Place | Status |
|---|---|
| Nigeria | not confirmed |
| European Union | bannedAnnex II #375: tretinoin (retinoic acid and its salts) |
| United Kingdom | bannedRetained Annex II #375: tretinoin (retinoic acid and its salts); 2009 text |
| United States | medicine onlyTretinoin creams 0.025-0.1% are labelled Rx only |
| Canada | medicine onlyHotlist prohibited; Rx topical drugs contain as little as 0.01% |
| ASEAN countries | bannedAnnex II #375: tretinoin (retinoic acid and its salts) |
Sources: Reg 1223/2009 Annex II as adopted (legislation.gov.uk) · DailyMed (NLM) tretinoin cream labels · Health Canada: Changes to the Hotlist · ASEAN Cosmetic Directive Annex II (June 2026). Checked 2026-10-19; rules change, so check the regulator before relying on it.
Is it in your product?
Paste the ingredient list, scan the barcode or read it from a photo. The check flags tretinoin and anything else worth knowing.
Read next
Education, not legal advice. Rules change: check with your country's regulator before relying on this.