Information and Alerts

Ad Review

On January 10, 2023, BBB contacted this business regarding the advertising claims on their website, specifically the claims regarding the bio-identical hormone treatments and the outcomes consumers may experience.  The business provided a response stating the outcomes listed were provided by the manufacturer.  BBB contacted the manufacturer, who did not list the same possible outcomes.  BBB then contacted the business again and requested that the claims for the efficacy or outcomes listed on Skin Rehab PLLC's website be modified to be in line with what was listed on the manufacturer's website.  The business did not respond further to BBB.    In addition, the website offered a 'free' book about the treatments. BBB requested a copy of the book and assurances that all consumers could get a copy at no charge. The business stated they would provide a copy to BBB, but no copy was received by BBB. 

BBB encourages consumers to check with their primary medical caregiver before using a treatment. 

BBB Code of Advertising states: 

The BBB Code of Advertising states: 1. Basic Principles of the Code
1.1 The primary responsibility for truthful and non-deceptive advertising rests with the advertiser. Advertisers should be prepared to substantiate any objective claims or offers made before publication or broadcast. Upon request, they should present such substantiation promptly to the advertising medium or BBB.
1.2 Advertisements which are untrue, misleading, deceptive, fraudulent, falsely disparaging of competitors, or insincere offers to sell, shall not be used.
1.3 An advertisement as a whole may be misleading by implication, although every sentence separately considered may be literally true.
1.4 Misrepresentation may result not only from direct statements, but by omitting or obscuring a material fact.

14. “Free”
14.1 An advertiser may use the word “free” in advertising whenever the advertiser is offering an unconditional gift. If receipt of the “free” product or service is conditional on a purchase:
14.1.1 The advertiser must clearly and conspicuously disclose this condition with the “free” offer (not simply by placing an asterisk or symbol next to “free” and referring to the condition(s) in a footnote); and
14.1.2 The advertiser must not have increased the normal price of the product or service to be purchased nor reduced its quantity or quality.
14.2 The “free” offer should be temporary; otherwise, consumers may view it as a continuous combination offer, no part of which is free. Thus, where it would otherwise confuse consumers, a product or service must not be advertised with a “free” offer in a trade area for more than six (6) months in any 12 month period. At least thirty (30) days must elapse before another such offer is promoted in the same trade area.
14.3 In a negotiated sale, no “free” offer of a product or service should be made where it would likely mislead consumers, such as where:
14.3.1 The product or service to be purchased usually is sold at a price arrived through bargaining, rather than at a regular fixed price; or
14.3.2 There may be a regular price but other material factors such as quantity, quality or size are arrived at through bargaining.
14.4 Offers of “free” products or services which do not meet the provisions of this section may not be corrected by the substitution of such similar words such as “gift,” “given without charge,” “bonus,” “complimentary” or other words which can convey the impression to the consumer that a product or service is “free.”
14.5 Because the consumer continually searches for the best buy and regards the offer of “free” products or services to be a special bargain, all such offers must be made with extreme care so as to avoid any possibility that consumers will be misled or deceived. Representative language frequently used in such offers includes:
“Free”
“Buy 1-Get-1 Free”
“2-for-1 Sale”
“50% off with Purchase of Two”
“$1 Sale”
“1/2 Off”
“Gift with Purchase”
Literally, of course, the advertiser is not offering anything “free” (for example, an unconditional gift), or 1/2 free or 2 for 1 when making such an offer, since the consumer is required to purchase a product or service in order to receive the “free” or “2 for 1” item.
14.6 Whenever such an offer is made advertisers must make clear at the outset all the terms and conditions of the offer.

34. Claimed Results
Claims relating to performance, energy savings, safety, efficacy or results for a product or service should be based on recent and competent testing or other objective data.