A 20-year-old woman has been arrested in Hong Kong for selling a banned acne cream.
In a joint sting between the Department of Health and the police, a shop in Yuen Long was raided yesterday after a member of the public complained that it was selling Obagi Medical Tretinoin Cream, a form of spot cream known widely by the brand name Retin-A.
Tretinoin, the active ingredient in the product, is labelled as a Part I poison, meaning it should only be sold upon a doctor’s prescription.
It is commonly used to treat acne as the high concentration of Vitamin A helps the skin renew more quickly.
It can cause dryness and photosensitivity of the skin, however, as well as blistering in extreme cases.
The 20-year-old woman is suspected of the illegal sale of a Part I poison, which carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment and a fine of HKD100,000.
If you have some Tretinoin cream and you’re now too scared to used it, you can drop it off for disposal at the Department of Health’s Drug Office Room (Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai) during office hours.
No spot cream related incidents occur outside of office hours anyway.
Reader Interactions