Nurse practitioner Dr Jenni Thain examines whether ‘medical-grade’ skincare offers distinct clinical advantages
Skincare has evolved from an adjunct to aesthetic treatments into an integral part of patient management. Whether preparing the skin before procedures, optimising healing or maintaining long-term outcomes, topical skincare is now widely recognised as an important component of evidence-based aesthetic practice.¹˒² Alongside this shift has come growing popularity of products marketed as ‘medical-grade’ or ‘professional-grade,’ often available exclusively through healthcare professionals.
However, these terms have also become increasingly controversial because unlike medicines, cosmetics in the UK are regulated under the UK Cosmetics Regulation, which does not recognise ‘medical-grade’ as a legal or regulatory classification.³ In my opinion, this is where much of the confusion and debate begins over whether these products genuinely offer clinical advantages or whether terminology has become…
