Medical Review Policy

Why we have a review process

Hair and skin content sits close to health content. A great deal of it can be written safely as general cosmetic information. Some of it cannot — hair fall can point to anaemia or thyroid disease, persistent acne can relate to PCOS, and pigmentation can be caused by conditions that need clinical attention.

Because that line is easy to cross without noticing, we have doctors check our work.

Our medical review board

Dr. Tannu Rathee, MBBS — reviews hair, scalp and general health content Dr. Muskan Dhaiya, MBBS — reviews skin, ingredients and women’s wellness content

What gets reviewed

An article goes to medical review if it does any of the following:

• Discusses a health condition, symptom or physiological process
• Mentions a medication, supplement or medical treatment, even in passing
• Covers pregnancy, the postpartum period, PCOS, menopause or hormonal health
• Explains how an active ingredient works on or in the skin
• Advises a reader on when to see a doctor

Straightforward product reviews, styling guides and buying comparisons that make no health claims do not require medical review, and are published under the writer’s byline alone.

How the review works

1. The article is written and self-edited
2. It goes to the reviewer whose area it falls under, with the sources used
3. The reviewer checks factual accuracy, flags anything overstated or missing, and checks that referral advice is present where needed
4. The article is either approved, or returned with changes and re-checked
5. Once approved it is published with a “Medically reviewed by [name], MBBS” line and the review date

What medical review does not mean

Medical review confirms that an article is factually accurate and appropriately cautious. It does not make the article medical advice.

Our reviewers are not treating you. They have not seen your history, examined you or run any tests. Nothing on this site — reviewed or not — replaces a consultation with your own doctor or dermatologist. If you have a specific concern, please see a doctor.

Our reviewers are not available for individual consultations, and we cannot pass reader questions to them for personal advice.

Re-review

Reviewed articles are re-checked when guidance changes, when a reader flags a problem, or at least once a year for our most-read pages. The review date on the article always reflects the most recent check.