Do we need to rethink the term 'Medical Grade' skincare?

Used to separate high street products from those recommended in-clinic, reporter Becki Murray investigates whether the term ‘medical-grade’ skincare is as confusing for practitioners as it is for clients

Terms such as ‘medical-grade’ and ‘cosmeceutical’ skincare are used frequently in aesthetics, and, on the face of it, they seem like a positive way to guide your in-clinic portfolio, especially when recommending aftercare. After all, the right at-home skincare can help reduce and control your patients’ downtime, while supporting their skin goals.

Yet, when we asked practitioners what the term ‘medical-grade’ actually stands for, there was a problem. Considering the skincare sector’s growing saturation and customers’ vocal appetite for better access and education, the phrase now feels ill-defined, confusing, and increasingly unfit for purpose. Here’s why it’s time to choose an alternative when describing your clinic’s skincare offering.

WHAT IS ‘MEDICAL-GRADE’?

‘Medical-grade’ is a marketing term constructed to bridge the gap between widely available high-street products and prescription-based skincare. It’s frequently used to identify products that are designed for recommendation by practitioners in-clinic, while not requiring customers to have a prescription.

Over time, ‘medical-grade’ skincare gained an air of science-backed exclusivity, due to its alignment with experts, traditional lack of availability in ‘standard stores’, and often a luxury price tag. Some brands have also encouraged the assumption that ‘medical-grade’ formulas contain ‘stronger’ or ‘better’ actives in the highest percentages. Yet, while many brands aligned with the term do offer industry-leading and award-winning products, that assertion isn’t necessarily true, which is where the confusion starts.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

Firstly, the terms ‘cosmeceutical’ and ‘medical-grade’ aren’t legislated. “There is no validated definition for ‘medical-grade skincare’,” explains the aesthetic doctor and founder of skincare brand CellDerma, Dr Dev Patel. “There is no regulatory authority or independent body that uses this term, nor are there any recognised criteria that would qualify a product as medical-grade.”

While brand representatives may promote ‘medical-grade’ as having higher efficacy and superior ingredients, those claims aren’t certified by the use of the term. Plus, while a brand may recommend their products be sold in-clinic by individuals with medical expertise, that doesn’t make them ‘prescription’ products – a blurred line that, accidentally or otherwise, causes uncertainty.

“The term medical-grade skincare means nothing specific,” affirms the award winning aesthetic doctor Dr Sophie Shotter. “It is a marketing term used to imply that a product has a medical seal of approval. However, there is no benchmark for what this actually means: what concentrations of active ingredients, what delivery mechanisms or what efficacy of action these products have.”

Therefore, in a skincare market where both practitioners and customers are increasingly demanding robust skincare evidence, ‘medical-grade’ is a marketing tool that doesn’t hold up to scrutiny, regardless of the quality of the products under its umbrella.

“Without further definition, I don’t feel the term is useful for anybody,” continues Dr Shotter. “It means nothing beyond a term that people use when they want to convince potential customers that their product is better than something on the high street.” But “many great, clinically evidence-based brands are now available there.”

The skincare market has changed significantly over the past decade. Consider the number of ‘medical-grade’ brands also using direct-to-consumer sales techniques, so that traditional cosmeceuticals and high-street brands are now sold side-by-side.

How customers buy skincare is changing too. The recent focus on ‘buzz-worthy’ ingredients means customers are just as likely to ask what the best hyaluronic acid or retinoid is, as they are to ask about a particular brand. This requires a different approach to selling products in-clinic, which the broad stroke of ‘medical-grade’ simply struggles to provide.

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?

Choosing the right skincare products for your clinic’s shelves can feel complicated, but you can simplify the process by re-defining your in-clinic skincare approach not by ‘medical-grade’, but with the three Es: “Evidence, Expertise, and ultimately Efficacy.”

EVIDENCE

‘Medical-grade’ labelling has the assumption of scientific rigour, but for the best skincare choices, don’t rely on a term – ask for evidence.

“In terms of claims, for me, the strongest is ‘clinically evidenced’. I would like to see more data within the aesthetic space, and an ability to prove claims being the benchmark we ask for,” Dr Shotter reveals. “One thing I would urge consumers and physicians to avoid is consumer-driven data - statistics like ’92% of women felt…’. This does not represent clinical efficacy and is an easy trap to fall into.”

“To really understand the efficacy, we want to see independent scientific research, not only on the component ingredients but on the final formulations; as clinicians, we all shouldn’t be afraid to ask for this data,” continues Dr Shotter. “If we define what medical grade skincare means in terms of efficacy and data, then the term could stand for something useful to doctors and patients.”

EXPERTISE

Another way to revitalise your skincare approach is to place your expertise as a practitioner centre-stage. Consider swapping discussions around ‘medical-grade’ for a focus on ‘consultationled skincare’, which puts expert guidance at the heart of posttreatment routines and can avoid any loss of investment, as you can still recommend the brands you know and love.

With a consultation-first approach, practitioners can advise clients on how products work together – cutting through the noise of the skincare industry to provide solid, effective routines. Consultations are an opportunity for clients to ask questions, while practitioners can make tweaks to an existing regime to maximise results, building trust in your skincare offering.

This method is especially useful when it comes to trending skincare actives, such as alpha-hydroxy acids and retinoids, which garner consumer excitement but can also cause side effects. ‘Medical-grade’ skincare marketing tends to tap into the ‘stronger is better’ concept, but that’s not necessarily true. “There is so much to chemical formulations so comparing percentages is rarely of value but unfortunately, many consumers still do,” explains Dr Dev Patel.

“Retinol feels like the holy grail for a lot of skincare customers, but there is still a lot of drop off and people that are noncompliant, because of its effect on the skin,” explains the cosmetic doctor for sk:n Clinics, Noreen Hashmi. “That’s why it is so useful for customers to come into a clinic and get their hands held. It is about highlighting that consumers are best off in the hands of medical skin professionals for skincare advice.”

“When a skincare programme is advised by an expert, one is likely to get more return on their investment,” confirms Dr Dev Patel. “I can take someone’s budget into account and tailor their regime accordingly. In my clinic Perfect Skin Solutions, we have seen incredible clinical outcomes with the use of just one CellDerma product. The only reason the brand is not readily available in the shops is that it encourages consumers to seek expert advice via a stockist, to ensure the most cost-effective regime can be implemented.”

THE FINAL WORD

By turning your focus from stocking ‘medical-grade’ skincare to marketing your expertise through consultation and evidencebased skincare, you’ll open the door for a more tailored service. It’s that bespoke and clear strategy that can set a clinic’s skincare offering apart.

If you still like the idea of a catch-all term: “I like the ‘physician-dispensed’ term,” suggests Dr Shotter. “In some cases (like SkinBetter Science) this means the brand is only available via physicians, but for me, ‘physician dispensed’ conveys that we are talking about skincare which has been recommended by a doctor or healthcare professional.” It also arguably avoids the term “recommended” that tends to suggest endorsements and advertising.

As such, physician-dispensed skincare helps identify why a product is being stocked in-clinic, while clinically-backed highlights the brands that have the appropriate data to convince both client and practitioner to invest.

Just don’t forget that the skincare industry is constantly evolving, so stay curious and abreast of new developments. While every new product may not be a significant breakthrough, your in-clinic skincare selection must mirror the desires and expectations of the ever-evolving skincare client and that means better results all-round.