AKLIEF
Get your AKLIEF treatment* online in a few simple steps, without having to see your doctor. Our virtual care service connects you to highly trained clinicians who can assess your health needs and safely prescribe your treatment.
Aklief key facts

Other known brand names
N/a
About Aklief
Aklief contains the active ingredient trifarotene, a new fourth-generation topical retinoid specifically developed to treat acne. It is applied once daily to the affected areas of the face and/or trunk. Aklief is available as a cream formulation and is designed for use in individuals aged 12 years and older.
Aklief is commonly prescribed to treat acne vulgaris, a condition in which the skin’s pores become blocked by oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria, leading to inflammation, pimples, and blackheads. Trifarotene works by targeting the retinoic acid receptor gamma (RAR-γ), which plays a key role in skin cell turnover. By promoting the shedding of dead skin cells and preventing clogged pores, Aklief helps to reduce breakouts and improve skin texture.
Aklief is not a hormonal treatment and does not function as a contraceptive. It is a prescription-only medication and may be recommended when other topical treatments have not been effective or are not well tolerated. NowPatient offers Aklief as a treatment for acne following an online consultation with a prescriber.
Key facts of Aklief
- For the treatment of acne, including acne on the face, chest, and back
- Aklief has some common side effects which include skin irritation, redness, dryness, and peeling, especially during the first few weeks of use
- It can interact with other topical products or irritants. If you’re not sure if it is safe to use with other skincare treatments, discuss this with the prescribing clinician
- Aklief is not a contraceptive and does not contain hormones
- Aklief should generally be used when other topical acne treatments have not been effective or are not suitable
- You should stop using Aklief if your skin condition has cleared up and your prescriber advises it is no longer needed
Who is Aklief suitable for?
Aklief is suitable for most healthy individuals aged 12 years and over who have acne.
Who is Aklief not suitable for?
Aklief may not be suitable for some people. To make sure it’s safe for you, speak to the NowPatient prescribing clinician before using Aklief if you:
- Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
- Are breastfeeding
- Have very sensitive skin or conditions such as eczema or rosacea
- Have a history of allergic reactions to topical retinoids or any ingredients in Aklief
- Are using other acne treatments, especially those that may cause skin irritation
- Are exposed to a lot of sunlight or using sunbeds, as Aklief can increase skin sensitivity to UV light
- Have broken or damaged skin in the area where Aklief would be applied
How and where to get Aklief?
You can buy Aklief safely and securely from NowPatient. You can start a consultation today for free and if you qualify for treatment, you only pay for the cost of the medication. Delivery is made to your home or office from our registered pharmacy.
Our service is certified, safe and effective, and we only ever treat conditions. If you book a consultation with a prescribing clinician for the treatment of severe acne, you can discuss if Aklief is a suitable treatment option for you.
At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if a treatment plan is suitable for you. If it is, the clinician will issue you with a prescription which can then be ordered, paid for and delivered directly to your chosen address by NowPatient.
Dosage and strength for Aklief for acne
Aklief cream comes in a 70g pump canister and is applied topically.
The typical dose is a thin layer applied once daily in the evening to the affected areas of the face and/or upper body, as directed by your prescribing clinician.
What happens if you use too much Aklief?
Using more than the prescribed amount of Aklief will not improve your acne faster and can increase the risk of side effects such as redness, dryness, irritation, or peeling.
If you have applied too much and experience discomfort or skin reactions, speak to your doctor or reach out to one of our prescribing clinicians.
What are the side effects of Aklief?
Side effects of Aklief are split into common and serious.
Common side effects include:
- Redness
- Dryness
- Peeling or flaking skin
- Burning or stinging sensation at the application site
- Itching
- Increased sensitivity to sunlight (photosensitivity)
Serious side effects include:
- Severe skin irritation or allergic reaction
- Swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
- Blistering or severe burning at the application site
- If you experience any serious side effects, you should contact NHS 111.
If you experience a serious allergic reaction with the signs shown below, you should contact emergency services on 999:
- Your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- You’re breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you’re choking or gasping for air)
- Your throat feels tight or you’re struggling to swallow
- Your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- You suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- Someone faints and cannot be woken up
Always report adverse effects to the MHRA Yellow Card reporting system. You can read more about this here: How and where do I report side effects of my medication?
Information about using Aklief with other medications or skincare products
Using Aklief alongside other topical treatments, especially products containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or alpha hydroxy acids, can increase irritation. Let your prescribing clinician know if you are using any other medications or skincare products.
Why might Aklief not work for acne?
Aklief may take several weeks to show visible results. If, after 12 weeks, your acne has not improved, you should speak with your healthcare provider for further advice.
Can Aklief be used long term?
Aklief can be used as long as your clinician recommends. Once your acne has cleared, they may advise stopping or reducing use. Long-term use should always be monitored by a healthcare professional.
How to store Aklief
- Keep Aklief out of the sight and reach of children.
- Do not use this medicine after the expiry date shown on the carton and tube/pump (marked as “EXP”). The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
- Discard the tube or pump 6 months after first opening.
- No special storage conditions are required for this medicine.
- Do not dispose of unused Aklief cream in wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to properly dispose of medicines you no longer use. These steps help protect the environment
Is there a herbal Aklief?
No. Herbal Aklief does not exist. If you have been marketed such a product, it may be counterfeit or unsafe.
Should I avoid any particular food or drink when using Aklief?
You can eat and drink normally while using Aklief. However, it’s important to avoid excessive sun exposure and use a non-comedogenic sunscreen daily.
What lifestyle changes can I make to help with acne?
There are several lifestyle changes that may improve your skin:
- Reduce stress
- Get good quality sleep
- Exercise regularly
- Maintain good hygiene
- Follow a healthy, balanced diet
- Avoid touching your face frequently
- Use sunscreen daily
Alternatives to Aklief
Alternatives for the treatment of acne include:
Topical treatments – Duac gel, Treclin gel, Epiduo gel
Oral treatments – Oxytetracycline, lymecycline, doxycycline
Your prescriber will help decide which option is most suitable for your skin.
Medical Disclaimer
NowPatient has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that all material is factually accurate, complete, and current. However, the knowledge and experience of a qualified healthcare professional should always be sought after instead of using the information on this page. Before taking any drug, you should always speak to your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider.
The information provided here about medications is subject to change and is not meant to include all uses, precautions, warnings, directions, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or negative effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a particular medication does not imply that the medication or medication combination is appropriate for all patients or for all possible purposes.
Service Guide
Everything you need to know about Getting Treated Privately with Aklief
What does the Get Treated Privately service for Aklief do?
The Get Treated Privately service is a private prescribing service which is designed for adults aged 18 years and over, who are experiencing health issues and who would like to receive a fast-track assessment and if applicable, a treatment plan from a qualified prescribing clinician. Treatments for Aklief are dispensed and delivered to your home or workplace from our regulated online pharmacy.
Is this a safe Aklief prescribing service?
Yes. Our formulary of medications prescribed and conditions treated are controlled, governed, and continuously risk-assessed by our Medical Director, Dr. Aseel Hamoud. Unlike other prescribing services which operate using faceless questionnaires, our Aklief prescribing service is conducted through remote video consultations, also known as synchronous consultations. This builds patient safety and prescribing appropriateness into our service, ensuring our prescribing clinicians can be satisfied with who and what they are treating. There is no guarantee of supply of medications, and any prescriptions supplied are at the sole discretion of our clinician prescriber. There is no charge for the Aklief consultation.
What is a prescribing clinician and is it safe for me to use them on the NowPatient platform?
Our prescribing clinicians are board-certified pharmacists, nurses, or doctors who can also prescribe any medicine for any medical condition, subject to accepted accreditation and good clinical practice. They are all registered with their respective regulatory bodies. For example, a pharmacist independent prescriber is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Each prescribing clinician undergoes an extensive background check including a disclosure and barring service check (DBS). In addition, they undergo a rigorous license verification process. When you book an appointment with our prescribing clinicians you will see their full name, license number, and any specialized credentials they have.
Is the service available worldwide?
Yes, you can get treated privately for Aklief worldwide.
Do I need to pay for this service?
Yes. This is a private service. You do not need to pay for the consultation. You only pay for the cost of the Aklief you are prescribed.
How do I book a consultation?
Once you have logged into your account, you will need to navigate to the Get Treated Privately service card which is located as a service item on the dashboard.
Using the action button on the service card, you can select one of the following – ‘Search Treatments’ or ‘Search Conditions’. From here you can search for Aklief.
Depending on the search type and the product/condition that you would like to get treated, you will be taken to a consultation booking screen. Follow the simple steps to complete your booking. During the booking confirmation, you will be able to select a date and time that is convenient for you, along with the preferred language and gender of the prescribing clinician you wish to choose. You will then see a list of all available expert clinicians who are trained to assess the medication or condition chosen. Once you have confirmed your booking, you will see a summary of the appointment including preliminary information about the consultation. At this point, you will also be able to add a reminder to your calendar. Always ensure your account health profile is up to date before any consultation. This ensures that our clinicians have the most up-to-date information about your current health status and anything that may influence their prescribing decisions. You will receive a push notification, SMS notification and email reminding you of your consultation, 30 minutes before the virtual consultation is due to start.
Depending on certain medications which require our clinicians to have your up-to-date blood pressure readings, you may be required to submit a virtual blood pressure check, using your smartphone or device. We will provide you with full instructions, when this is required.
What happens during the remote video consultation?
During the consultation, the clinician will ask you a series of questions that will allow the clinician to assess your condition and potential treatment options including Aklief. At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if Aklief is a safe and suitable option for you.
If it is, the clinician will discuss the treatment option, so that you can jointly agree on the treatment plan. Once you have jointly agreed on a treatment plan, the clinician will issue a prescription for Aklief which will be available in your Cart at the end of the consultation.
Also, with your consent, the clinician may wish to inform your doctor of the treatment that was prescribed. We recommend that you agree to this since your doctor is responsible for your overall care and they should have a record of this consultation and medication prescribed. In addition, our clinician may take the opportunity to advise you on your overall health including advice on healthy living or stop smoking.
What happens at the end of the Aklief consultation?
At the end of the consultation, you will receive a notification which will summarise the outcome. It will also advise you if any referrals were made to your doctor, along with any other advice that was given to you by the clinician.
If a referral letter was issued to your doctor, you will be able to view a copy of this in the ‘Documents’ section of the dashboard.
If you were prescribed a treatment, it will now be available in your Cart.
When you go to your Cart, you will be able to select the treatment, checkout and make payment. Once the checkout is complete, your prescription order will be sent to our regulated online pharmacy for processing.
What if the prescriber does not prescribe Aklief?
We operate a safe prescribing service. This means that our prescribing clinicians always exercise their clinical judgment when prescribing . Unfortunately, we do not operate a self select service where you can choose a medication and simply buy. If the clinician that sees you does not prescribe anything, then you will not be charged.
Will I get status updates for my Aklief order?
Yes. When your Aklief prescription is approved, and after you have checked out and paid for your order, we will keep you fully updated with the status of your order. Every time the status of your order changes, you will be notified immediately. These notifications will appear in the ‘Notification Feed’ section on the dashboard.
How will my Aklief be delivered?
All orders are shipped in discreet and unmarked packaging. This means it is suitable for delivery wherever you require (home, work, or a neighbour).
For thermo-sensitive orders (e.g. Insulin or weight loss injections) we use cold chain-validated packaging. Your parcel will normally receive an estimated delivery window from the courier on the day of delivery.
For your protection and safety, your first order can only be delivered to the address that is registered with NowPatient. Future orders can be delivered to any other address, for example, your workplace.
Do you ship cold-chain or temperature sensitive products?
Yes. We use a specialist courier service for all thermo-sensitive deliveries. This is to ensure that cold chain integrity is always maintained and thus the product quality, safety and efficacy.
Learn more about how we handle the delivery of temperature sensitive products.
Where do you deliver?
We currently deliver to all postcodes/zipcodes worldwide. Some postcodes in rural areas may have a slightly longer delivery time.
When will my order arrive?
We aim to ship all orders placed Monday – Friday before 3pm on the same day. Orders placed outside these times will be shipped the next working day. All deliveries are shipped by Royal Mail, which delivers Monday through Saturday in the UK. For deliveries outside of the UK, please check with your national postal service for accurate delivery days.
Our delivery options have the following delivery times:
- UK – Royal Mail Tracked 24 & Signed for Delivery – Next day delivery
- Europe – Royal Mail Tracked – Typical delivery of 3-5 working days
- Worldwide – Royal Mail – Typical delivery of 5-7 working days. If a tracked option is available for your country via Royal Mail, this service will be applied.
What should I do if my order has not arrived?
Delivery is normally made promptly after your dispatch notification is received. You can check the tracking details of your Aklief order in the ‘Notification Feed’ section of the dashboard, at any point after dispatch.
Unfortunately, packages can sometimes get lost in the delivery system. If after 10 days you have not received your delivery, please contact us and we will do all we can to resolve the problem.
Can you prescribe GLP-1 weight loss injections?
Yes. However, with GLP-1 weight loss medications, the license requires that there are support resources put in place as part of the plan including coaching for a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and diet. Our clinicians will discuss this with you, if you are prescribed this type of treatment.
You can learn more on our Weight Loss Programs feature page.
What’s included with my order?
If you are ordering prescription medication, your order will contain your medication only.
If you are ordering weight loss injections, your order will contain:
- Your prescription of pre-filled weight loss injection pens
- Needles
- Sharps bin for safe disposal of needles (if ordered as part of the bundle)
Can I reorder my medication, if I have already been prescribed a course?
Yes. However, as a responsible prescribing service, we do not issue more than one monthly cycle of medication at a time.
This means that, if you would like to reorder, you will need to rebook a consultation.
This is important, because it allows our clinicians to keep track on the progress of your treatment plan and ensure that the medication remains safe and effective for you.
What is the earliest I can reorder my medication or treatment?
14 days after you have received your first monthly supply of Aklief, we will send you a notification to advise you that you are eligible to reorder your medication. To ensure that we are able to safely prescribe Aklief for the next supply, you will need to rebook a consultation.
This ensures that our clinician can check in on your treatment plan and ensure it is working as intended and continues to be safe, suitable and appropriate for you.
How do I reorder my Aklief?
When you are eligible to reorder your next Aklief prescription, we will send you a notification reminder. This notification reminder will request that you book a consultation with a NowPatient Clinician.
You should book a suitable time and date for the consultation.
At the end of the consultation, the clinician may advise you to either
- Stop the treatment
- Stay on the current dose of Aklief
- Increase the dose of Aklief
If our clinician deems it safe for you to continue with Aklief, the prescription will be added to your cart, from where you can checkout.
Delivery will be made in line with our delivery timescales.
As a responsible prescribing service, we will always monitor your Aklief treatment plan to ensure that it remains safe, effective and suitable for you.
How do I reorder weight loss medication?
Our weight loss programs are built to closely monitor treatment progress and safety. Please refer to the Weight Loss Programs Service Guide that explains how you can reorder or step edit your dose.
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NowPatient is owned and operated by Infohealth Ltd, a licensed online pharmacy with services spanning the UK, US and Rest of the World. Infohealth Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 04004930 and our registered office is at Lynwood House, 373 – 375 Station Road, Harrow, England, HA1 2AW.
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Our dispensing pharmacy is regulated and authorized for internet sales by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), registration number 1036487. You can view our license credentials on the General Pharmaceutical Council website. Our superintendent pharmacist who is responsible for the safe and effective oversight of medicines supplies is Mr Amish Patel (Registration Number 2042705).
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• treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
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• caring for adults over 65 years old
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