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The Myths of “Medical-Grade” Skincare (with video)

December 5, 2020 By Michelle 54 Comments

Affiliate Disclosure: I receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links.

There’s a lot of misinformation about how “medical grade”, “clinical” or “professional” skincare products are guaranteed to be better than drugstore or “over-the-counter” (OTC) products you can buy at the supermarket.

Like a lot of other myths, this myth has mostly been promoted by some well-intentioned people who have unfortunately been fed the wrong information by brands who know better (or should know better, if they’re not being negligent).

But there are also a lot of people (mostly estheticians based in the US, it seems) who use this myth to bully and belittle other people: for “ruining their skin” by using non-medical-grade products in their routines, or for being stupid enough to believe that non-medical-grade products can achieve results, or for not having the means to pay for more expensive products.

This is shitty behaviour even if it was the truth, but since it’s a myth, it’s even worse. While this myth might not be as directly harmful as, say, myths about sunscreen being dangerous, it’s definitely a myth that leads to harm. So let’s bust it.

Why do people claim that “medical-grade skincare” is better?

(Note: We’re talking about products you buy and use at home, not peels etc. that can only be used in certain clinics.)

Here’s the video, scroll down for the text version…

“The FDA regulates medical-grade skincare differently”

A lot of the confusion comes from the frequently-promoted idea that there’s an official difference between how medical-grade skincare and “over-the-counter” (meaning drugstore) skincare are approved by the FDA, or other government regulatory authorities. This isn’t the case.

Medical Grade Skincare

In the US, the vast majority of skincare products fall into the cosmetic category, which means they don’t require regulatory approval or proof of efficacy (outside of not containing banned ingredients, or restrictions on ingredient concentrations) whether they’re medical-grade or not. This is also the case in most places around the world.

The confusion partly comes from the fact that “over-the-counter” is a term used in drug regulation to describe drugs that can be bought without a prescription, like sunscreen, aspirin, cough medicine and antihistamines. In contrast, prescription medications require a prescription from an appropriately authorised health professional, like a doctor or nurse practitioner. Both over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs are regulated by authorities like the FDA or TGA.

There are a few skincare products that are usually regulated as drugs. For example, there are prescription-only tretinoin and tazarotene creams, and over-the-counter sunscreen, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, salicylic acid and adapalene products. Ironically, these are usually found in drugstores rather than in “medical-grade” ranges.

Related post: My Routine for Starting on Tretinoin (Retin-A) Cream

For drugs, depending on the actives and the claim, testing methods differ – some products aren’t tested for efficacy (e.g. benzoyl peroxide products just need to contain a certain percentage). Products that are regulated as drugs will be clearly labelled. For example, in the US, there will be a “Drug Facts” label, and in Australia there will be an AUST R or AUST L number and active ingredient concentrations on the front. In some countries (Japan, Korea), cosmeceuticals and quasi-drugs are regulated in addition to drugs, but again these will be clearly labelled.

So… “medical-grade” skincare IS “over-the-counter” skincare, since it isn’t prescription-only.

“There’s rigorous testing/clinical studies/research so it does what it says” “They use higher quality ingredients”

Because “medical-grade”, “professional” and “clinical” aren’t regulated terms, there’s no guarantee of any sort of testing.

Some medical-grade brands will do rigorous testing and clinical studies, but anyone can use the term “medical grade” and decide to only sell their products through skin clinics.

Many drugstore products will have rigorous testing and clinical studies too. Some of the ones regulated as drugs, like sunscreen, will have mandatory clinical trials. Many of the more dermatologist-friendly brands targeted at sensitive skin, like QV or Bioderma, will also have conducted clinical trials on their products.

“They contain higher percentages of actives” “They’re allowed to penetrate deeper than over the counter and drugstore products”

Unless they’re drugs, again there isn’t any regulatory difference. You can get the highest percentages of actives with brands like Paula’s Choice, The Ordinary, Drunk Elephant etc.

Medical-grade skincare is just like any other type of skincare. Whether they’re good, or effective, or worth the price, or have clinical studies to back up their effects has to be judged on a brand-by-brand or product-by-product basis.

Final Note

When I posted about this myth on Instagram, I had a bunch of estheticians tell me my opinion wasn’t worth shit and block me. I did also have lots of estheticians who thanked me, along with a few medical-grade brand educators, so no, it’s not attacking medical-grade brands or estheticians… just those who knowingly perpetuate this myth and use it to harass others.

So here are some reasons why perpetuating this myth is NOT a good idea, if you’re an esthetician:

  • If a product is honestly amazing, it doesn’t need to be puffed up with myths about FDA regulation, or how deep they’re allowed to go into the skin, or how toxic drugstore products are, etc. If a product has worked wonders for you and others you know in the past, just say that! If there’s an amazing team of researchers and formulators who made it, if there are great B&A photos to back it up, if it has effective actives that you rarely find in other products – again, just say that.
  • Deceptive marketing is unethical and illegal, and you can be reported for it.
  • People who discover that they’ve been sold a myth tend not to be repeat customers.

Related Posts

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Filed Under: Analysis, Skincare, Video Tagged With: analysis, mythbusting, skincare, video

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Comments

  1. alex says

    March 14, 2019 at 10:18 pm

    go offff michelle!

    Reply
  2. Susan says

    March 14, 2019 at 11:26 pm

    Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Kim says

    March 14, 2019 at 11:44 pm

    Amen. Literature citations are not magical incantations brands can invoke to claim efficacy. Drunk Elephant is currently facing a class action suit about its Shaba Complex Eye Serum’s failure to deliver on claims. You should read the complaint. It alleges deceptive practices citing the oft-used language of US cosmetic brands such as “cell-communicating,” “skin identical,” and “promoting firmness.” Though it will likely go no further than pretrial it certainly puts sciencewashing under the lens of increased legal scrutiny.

    Reply
  4. Virginia Tunstall says

    March 15, 2019 at 12:46 am

    This is a much needed blog. Thank you!

    Reply
  5. Turok says

    March 15, 2019 at 1:05 am

    I hope to god this post is not sponsored by Drunk Elephant.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      March 15, 2019 at 9:27 am

      I’m not sure why you’re insinuating it is. Do I have a history of not disclosing sponsored posts? Do I have a history of being biased towards Drunk Elephant? Even if it was sponsored by them, is any part of this post inaccurate?

      I hope to god your comment isn’t sponsored by internet bullies.

      Reply
      • Ardith says

        March 20, 2019 at 4:37 am

        Tell it like it is, Michelle, and thank you for this post. Well done you. Cheers, Ardith

        Reply
      • Linda Libra Loca says

        March 21, 2019 at 8:43 pm

        *facepalm* I am so sorry for comments like that, Michelle.

        Reply
    • Britt says

      April 12, 2019 at 3:38 am

      Mentioned among three other brands that are similar. Smh. People comment idiotic things.

      Reply
    • Jason says

      December 7, 2020 at 7:09 am

      @ Turok, your comment makes absolutely no sense.

      Michelle is talking about how some brands and their pushers use false logic to promote expensive products (sometimes junk) as “medical-grade” skincare which supposedly is more effective than drugstore brands.

      Drunk Elephant would be a beneficiary of bullshit arguments favoring more expensive products; Michelle is saying the exact opposite that cheaper products can be just as good. Why would Drunk Elephant want to sponsor an argument against its own interest?

      Reply
  6. Renata Boyle says

    March 15, 2019 at 1:25 am

    Brilliant article – I hope you don’t mind but I’ve shared this link in a private facebook skincare group (set up with ‘beautiful with brains) so others can read it.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      March 15, 2019 at 9:27 am

      Thank you so much for sharing it! Don’t mind in the slightest 😀

      Reply
  7. Jennifer H. says

    March 15, 2019 at 1:33 am

    You are amazing! I SO appreciate your work & that you take the time to share & educate on these things. I have watched you for a long time & you have GREATLY helped me navigate these foggy waters. Stay strong dear one! Again, thank you! ❣️

    Reply
  8. Ann Marie Strong says

    March 15, 2019 at 1:59 am

    Very helpful. Thanks so much, Michelle.

    Reply
  9. Dafna Gorriti says

    March 15, 2019 at 3:50 am

    Thank you thank you thank you! I’ve been having this conversation with friends for ages and they do not believe me.

    Reply
  10. rach says

    March 15, 2019 at 3:55 am

    im sorry those estheticians attacked you. so not right

    Reply
  11. Pam | The Beauty Conservator says

    March 15, 2019 at 4:31 am

    This esthetician thanks you! Exactly my thoughts, but unpopular on esthetician forums!

    Reply
  12. Kira Miftari says

    March 15, 2019 at 5:17 am

    So glad yo keep harping on this issue – thank you!

    Reply
  13. Estynyack says

    March 15, 2019 at 6:11 am

    Love your honesty.

    Reply
  14. Veena says

    March 15, 2019 at 10:46 am

    YES!! Thank you Michelle. I love that you’re using this space to call for more integrity. I’ve generally found that the ‘quieter’ and ‘to-the-point’ product descriptions/claims are more trustworthy.

    Reply
  15. harsha says

    March 15, 2019 at 6:11 pm

    Love your blog and your comments on various products have been an eye opener,coming from a developing country (India) the problem is much worse here.We are systematically fed information about the use of various brands through commercials etc. Often times these are not regulated and lead to harm !
    Skin whitening tops the list. there is an absurd obsession here with being whiter !!

    Reply
  16. Anna says

    March 15, 2019 at 8:21 pm

    Nice one Michelle.

    I do find the fact that some creams are regulated differently in different countries confusing, like azelaic acid is sold over the counter in Australia, but is prescription only in the USA. Or conversely, that adapalene is over the counter in the USA, but prescription only in Australia…

    Reply
  17. Marie says

    March 16, 2019 at 7:01 am

    Thank you for being so honest and educational! Anyone who who harass you for citing facts just cannot have honest intentions.

    Reply
  18. Mary Fieber says

    March 16, 2019 at 10:22 am

    Your posts entertain and inform and I learn something new every time! Stay strong and keep up the good work!

    Reply
  19. Haley says

    March 16, 2019 at 12:52 pm

    Yes!! I see so many Instagram esthetician’s believe medical grade is better and the only way to get results. It is merely just marketing.

    Reply
  20. Remy says

    March 16, 2019 at 6:03 pm

    I love your no-BS attitude, and thank you for debunking this! Deceptive marketing really gets on my nerve, but I’m not sure if companies can be legally prosecuted for it in the U.S. though. It seems like our regulation is too loose that people can just get away with pretty much anything.

    Reply
  21. SherryG says

    March 17, 2019 at 2:41 am

    Thank you for this article. Very informative and easy to read for us laypeople. I also appreciate you not letting the internet hate stop you from getting the truth out there. It must be frustrating at times. Thanks again.

    Reply
  22. Cassie says

    March 18, 2019 at 5:12 am

    Do you have a list somewhere of brands that do good clinical trials? Or can I tell from a brand website?

    Reply
  23. Charlotte says

    March 19, 2019 at 1:24 am

    Thanks for writing this! 🙂 I’m also following you on instagram, where you post about those fake “sciency” things. But you break up those posts in the comments and the part 2, 3, etc are difficult to find when there are a lot of commenters. Can you transform those insta posts into blog posts? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      March 24, 2019 at 12:01 am

      I will once they’re all posted! I’m glad you’re enjoying it 🙂

      Reply
  24. alex says

    March 26, 2019 at 12:06 pm

    Coincidentally I was just reading this article “Keep consumer hand lotions at home” from the American Nurse Today journal. Hospital grade lotions apparently have the same qualities that are recommended for regular consumer products even though they’re for professionals who are constantly washing their hands. They’re just more stringent about avoiding fragrance and allergens, and have some extra issues like petroleum deteriorating latex gloves.

    Reply
  25. JD says

    March 26, 2019 at 4:08 pm

    This is an absolutely brilliant post! Most consumers, and that includes me, do not have the background and facts, and assume that certain claims have specific meanings – which as it turns out, is a wrong assumption. Marketing companies, including big companies and “natural” beauty companies, take advantage of that. I know that I have fallen for these claims. Thank you for this.

    Reply
  26. Kyra Rodriguez says

    April 2, 2019 at 12:32 pm

    I love your courage!! Thank you for being so honest and for sharing this very informative post!

    Reply
  27. Mayumi Sugai says

    April 4, 2019 at 5:43 pm

    Great article! Thank you so much for educating us about this! Cheers xx

    Reply
  28. Medlife offers says

    April 8, 2019 at 9:37 pm

    Thanks for giving this useful information. I appreciate your work. You are doing very good. keep sharing because this type of posts helps everyone.

    Reply
  29. April says

    April 16, 2019 at 3:22 am

    If you compare many “medical grade” products with OTC’s you find that their ingredients are very similar. There’s a reason why “generics” exist in medicine, so I don’t see why a “generic” in skincare is any different, especially when they contain the same ingredients. An OTC sunscreen that has 2% Titanium Oxide in it isn’t much different from a brand name one with the same formulation. All you end up paying for is the brand name and the status. That’s it.

    Reply
  30. maurice C says

    July 5, 2019 at 5:53 pm

    WoWWWWWWW.

    I just downloaded your exfoliation free guide. So what do you think about the clarisonic alpha. Inconjunction with exfoliation. Mr newbie. It sucks getting old.

    Reply
  31. Shawn says

    August 26, 2019 at 7:00 am

    Hi Michelle,
    Why is salicylic acid in the drug category but not glycolic acid?

    Reply
    • Jason says

      December 7, 2020 at 2:24 pm

      Salicylic acid is derived from the same ingredient used to make aspirin. Ergo, it too is regulated like a drug.

      Of course because of this requirement, a lot of indie or clean beauty brands avoid salicylic acid since regulation would be expensive for them. They therefore use willow bark extract instead to avoid the drug regulation and pretend it’s the same thing even though it’s not.

      Reply
  32. :) says

    October 19, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    So is there any makeup that is actually good for your skin with great application results as well?

    Reply
  33. illumination consulting says

    October 28, 2019 at 8:14 pm

    Thanks for this informative blog. It is amazing for skincare products marketing.
    Well written keep writing.

    Reply
  34. Kathleen B. says

    December 9, 2019 at 5:50 am

    Hi Michelle,

    Thank you as always for another great article!

    Reply
  35. Aleksandra says

    January 29, 2020 at 12:06 pm

    I agree that there are a lot of great products not necessarily fund in a medical spa . But I attended a lot of trainings and there are a lot of companies that do sell more concentrated products to medical facilities. The same company’s have a line of products for a regular spa and another line of products ( more concentrated, stronger ingredients) for medical spa. Always read the labels and become an educated consumer so you can make a best decision for yourself.

    Reply
  36. Valerie says

    April 25, 2020 at 4:06 am

    Could you provide the research that refutes these claims?

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      April 27, 2020 at 2:51 pm

      These aren’t claims that you need peer-reviewed research to refute. It’s like saying “Cats called Barry are smarter than all other cats,” then when someone calls you out on that, you ask them to provide research to refute your claim.

      Reply
  37. Chelsea Renae says

    May 4, 2020 at 3:59 pm

    Hi Michelle!

    I recently read your exfoliation guide and have since bought (yet to begin) your e-book! As an esthetician I have heard both sides on the topic of “medical-grade” skin care. I understand this isn’t a regulated term. Could you clarify what you know further on the term “pharmaceutical grade”? Is this an FDA regulated term? I know of a skin care line that uses an FDA approved medical lab to produce their products. The claim is that pharmaceutical grade (not speaking distribution channel) has to be 99.9% pure, where cosmetic grade has to be only 70% pure. Pharmaceutical grade is required to provide testing up to 10 years, where cosmetic grade isn’t required to provide FDA testing. The last main point to this claim is that pharmaceutical grade is required to provide testing for all efficacy claims, and cosmetic grade is not required to provide efficacy claims. The company who’s claims I’m referring to resides in the US. Any information you could help me to understand further on this would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply
  38. Medit says

    July 1, 2020 at 4:45 am

    Great read. Thanks for all the work you put in!

    Reply
  39. gyselle says

    August 4, 2020 at 7:51 am

    very interesting and easy to read blog, I really appreciate your courage and your honesty … congratulations

    Reply
  40. Simbel says

    August 25, 2020 at 10:30 pm

    Thanks so much for this great article! I had my first aesthetician experience today as I got a PDL treatment for some capillaries around the nose, and during the consultation the tech went off about how my drugstore skincare routine – which has basically healed my hormonal breakouts – can’t possibly be any good for me and that there’s no active ingredients in it, and medical grade skincare was the only answer… and wouldn’t stop peddling this nonsense for the entire appointment. It was a deeply frustrating experience and she certainly lost a repeat customer right then and there 😀

    Reply
  41. Jasmine says

    September 19, 2020 at 8:30 pm

    I was re-reading this and read the link your provided. From what I saw from the FDA, the terms aren’t recognized but a cosmetic vs. a drug is based on intent. And their example was essential oils: fragrance=cosmetic, aromatherapy= drug.

    Reply
  42. Georgia says

    December 6, 2020 at 12:34 am

    Huge! I visited a skin clinic last week (in Melbourne) that tried to sell me into their “cosmedical” products even after I’d told my esthetician that I was really happy with my skincare products and routine. She tried to sell me nearly identical products to things I already use and noted in my client form – saying that these “cosmedics” are of a different grade to drugstore items. Never going there again.
    Georgia recently posted…The Myths of “Medical-Grade” Skincare (with video)My Profile

    Reply
  43. Audley Aldwyn says

    December 6, 2020 at 12:35 am

    Hi Michelle,

    Great work as always. Thank you.

    Please consider a study/post on surgical scar prevention/mitigation. I am having my thyroid removed along with a partial masectomy. You might think scarring is the least of my worries, but it helps to have something else to think about. Any recommendations on collagen sheets vs products like Mederma? Or old wives tales about onion skin?

    Keep fighting the good fight.

    Cheers,

    Reply
  44. Robin says

    December 6, 2020 at 3:06 pm

    Thank you for helping people to understand how they are misled. I also admired you recently, doing the same with your exposĂŠ on Clean Beauty.

    Reply
  45. Sabrina says

    January 11, 2021 at 9:02 pm

    As an esthetician I completely agree with you! I recently was scrutinized by other estheticians about recommending “over the counter” products saying I should know better as an esthetician *eyeroll* this is exactly why I left the industry to begin with… I hated the better than attitude and how it’s an Industry for only “the rich and privileged” not everyone can afford or has access to these “medical grade” “professional” products.. does that mean they shouldn’t be given product reccs that do for within their budget?! Not at all.. therefore I’ll continue recommending products based on my knowledge of ingredients etc and not based on the price. All this to say, I am glad someone wrote this article!

    Reply

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Michelle
Hi! I'm Michelle, chemistry PhD and science educator, and I'm here to help you figure out which beauty products are worth buying, and which ones aren't using science!

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