Produced by ITN Productions, the film sees Toff, who has previously taken a well-known but controversial prescription acne medication called Roaccutane, looks into how the drug may affect some users.
With her acne recently flaring up, she is deciding whether to embark on another course of the drug – but first she wants to learn more about its rare dangerous side effects. Roaccutane has been linked to depression, sudden psychotic episodes and even suicide. With the numbers taking it in the UK on the rise, she investigates whether it is always being prescribed correctly in the UK – and whether patients are always being told the risks before starting the drug.
Toff also examines the murky world of cosmetic claims, asking if we can always trust the science behind the big claims being made by skincare brands. Working with a cosmetic chemist, she creates a fake spot cream, which she sends off to a cosmetic testing company and is shocked at the results.
Georgia Toffolo: In Search of Perfect Skin is commissioned for ITV by Satmohan Panesar, Commissioning Editor, Factual Entertainment. Satmohan said:
“Huge numbers of young people and beyond suffer from acne, which can have a significant impact on their well-being and they rely on treatment they can trust. As someone who has had to deal with this condition, Toff is the perfect guide through the industry that profits from selling products to sufferers and she is determined to find out what is really going on.”
Emma Slifkin, Director at ITN Productions, said:
“Toff’s brave and hard-hitting investigation reveals a startling number of truths about the spot-fighting industry.
Whilst acne can have a huge impact on someone’s mental health, the documentary questions whether its treatment is worth potentially devastating consequences.
It will be revelatory to anyone that has previously put their faith in shop bought cosmetic products. Consumers trust that these products will live up to their promises, but as we discover, the cosmetic claims industry can be the ‘wild west’.”
Georgia Toffolo: In Search of Perfect Skin is due to air on ITV2 on 28 November at 9pm.
