Red flags and referrals

Since pharmacy teams are often the first point of contact for conversations about at-home devices, it is important to know when to ask a few more questions, and when to point someone towards further advice.

“I would say to advise caution wherever light meets something medical,” says Dr Bratu.

“For example, photosensitising products are the obvious pharmacy overlap: oral tetracyclines such as doxycycline, isotretinoin, St John’s Wort and thiazide diuretics, plus topical retinoids and acids all lower the threshold for a reaction. 

And any blue-light setting needs the supplied eye shields, as retinal injury has been reported after LED mask use.”

Dr Bratu’s advice is to refer customers on to the pharmacist if they mention:

• A diagnosed skin condition they’re hoping the device will treat
• A new, changing or bleeding pigmented lesion anywhere on the face
• Rosacea, melasma or a photosensitive condition such as lupus
• Current isotretinoin, or a list of medicines they’re unsure about
• Distress about their appearance that seems out of proportion to what you can see.

“That last one matters most, and a gadget is never the answer,” Dr Bratu says.

“A proper consultation offers what a bathroom device cannot: a diagnosis, a controlled dose and supervision.”

As ever, the most valuable thing pharmacy teams can offer customers isn’t a verdict on any one product.

It’s a calm, evidence-led perspective that takes the trend seriously without taking the marketing at face value, and knows when a conversation needs to go further than the shop floor.