Prescription skincare is on the rise due to TikTok and social media trends. Do you really need it? [Video]

The rise of influencer beauty culture has supercharged the demand for prescription skincare. Once a more niche category, internet skincare forums are full of posts about accessing medical treatments to treat cosmetic concerns such as ageing or pimples.

In our beauty-obsessed culture, the line between aesthetic and medical concerns is increasingly blurred. But what exactly is prescription skincare? And who is it for?

What is prescription skincare?

The most common skincare ingredient that requires a prescription are retinoids a kind of vitamin which can be taken orally, such as Accutane, or applied topically. Some online services also “prescribe” ingredients such as vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, which are not classed as drugs and do not need a doctor to be administered.

According to experts, it’s important to distinguish between retinols, which are widely available, and retinoids, …