Your guide to getting personalized prescription skincare online

Table of Content:
Are they the same? | Prescription skincare | Personalized skincare | How to get it? | How to choose an online service? | Quick comparison | Miiskin | Curology | Musely | Agency | Nurx | Rory | Hers | Prose | Proven Skincare

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What is prescription skincare?

Prescription skincare refers to topical or oral treatments that are prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider, such as a dermatologist, to address specific skin conditions like acne, rosacea, eczema, or hyperpigmentation. These products contain active ingredients at concentrations not available over the counter and are typically regulated by health authorities. Because of their potency and potential side effects, they require professional diagnosis and monitoring during use.

What is personalized skincare?

Personalized skincare involves products and routines tailored to an individual’s unique skin type, concerns, lifestyle, and environmental factors. This customization is usually based on skin assessments, quizzes, or AI analysis. Personalized skincare aims to optimize effectiveness and minimize irritation by using ingredients and formulations specifically chosen for the user’s needs, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach.

Are prescription skincare and personalized skincare products the same?

No, prescription skincare and personalized skincare products are not the same. While both aim to address specific skin concerns, prescription skincare is medically regulated and requires a doctor’s prescription, and they often target skin concerns with stronger ingredients. Personalized skincare, on the other hand, is typically available without a prescription and focuses on customizing products for individual preferences and general skin improvement.

What can you target with prescription skincare?

These treatments are regulated and often require a licensed provider’s approval due to the strength of active ingredients.

• Moderate to severe acne (inflammatory, cystic)
• Rosacea and redness
• Melasma and dark spots (hyperpigmentation)
• Fine lines and wrinkles (anti-aging)
• Psoriasis, eczema, and other chronic conditions
• Hormonal acne (oral medications like spironolactone)
• Skin texture issues (e.g., roughness, scarring)
• Sun damage and photoaging
  

Common prescription ingredients: tretinoin, clindamycin, hydroquinone, azelaic acid, metronidazole, oral antibiotics, spironolactone.

What can you target with personalized skincare (OTC)?

These products are customized to your skin’s needs but don’t include prescription-strength ingredients.

• Mild to moderate acne
• Dryness or oiliness
• Uneven skin tone and mild dark spots
• Dullness and lack of radiance
• Fine lines (early signs of aging)
• Dehydrated or sensitive skin
• Prevention and maintenance routines
  

Common OTC ingredients: niacinamide, vitamin C, retinol, hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid, AHAs, ceramides.

How to get a personalized skincare with prescription ingredients?

Via Miiskin, you can have a consultation with an independent, board-certified dermatologist. They will evaluate your photos and your skin’s needs and will issue a prescription for your personalized formula with prescription-strength ingredients. After you get your prescription, you can order it online, from a reputable online pharmacy. Remember to mention you want a personalized formula to your dermatologist, to ensure this is the type of medicine you get.

Consultation price is around $59 and medication refills are around $39. You need to pay separately for your prescription at the pharmacy when you order it. You will not be enrolled in any monthly subscriptions and you will only buy your medicine once your run out of it.

How to choose an online personalized prescription skincare service?

Qualified providers

• Some services offer care by licensed dermatology providers, which is not the same as board-certified dermatologists. For example, when you can choose care via Miiskin, you can select a specific board-certified dermatologist from whom you wish to get care from.

Personalized assessment

• Some formulas are pre-set and some formulas are fully personalized to your skin’s needs. For example, the dermatologists in the Miiskin network will evaluate your unique skin needs and will write you a prescription for a customized formula with prescription-strength ingredients.

Effective, safe ingredients

• Understand the active ingredients in your formula and their purpose. Choose services that use research-backed ingredients with minimal fillers.

Transparent pricing & flexibility

• Most services are subscription-based. Look for flexible plans with easy cancellation or adjustments. Services like Miiskin, provide you with a prescription and allow you to order your prescription on-demand from a reputable mail-order pharmacy.

Ongoing support

• Access to experts for follow-up and side effect management is key. For example, when you choose care via Miiskin, you have a few days to message the provider and ask questions about the personalized prescription they have chosen for you.

Reputation

• Read reviews on trusted platforms and make sure it is a reputable provider.

9 online brands for personalized and prescription skincare

Company	OTC or Prescription	Type of Dermatology Provider	Subscription
Miiskin	Prescription	Board-certified dermatologists	Yes
Curology	Prescription	Licensed providers (includes dermatologists)	Yes
Musely	Prescription	Board-certified dermatologists	Yes
Agency (by Curology)	Prescription	Licensed providers (includes dermatologists)	Yes
Nurx	Prescription	Licensed medical providers	Yes
Rory (by Ro)	Prescription	Licensed medical providers	Yes
Hers	Prescription	Licensed medical providers	Yes
Proven Skincare	OTC	No medical providers (AI-driven)	Optional
Prose	OTC	No medical providers (AI-driven)	Optional

Miiskin

• What you get: prescription for personalized prescription skincare
• Focus: Acne, rosacea, anti-aging, dark spots
• How it works: Have a virtual consultation with a dermatologist, you get an e-prescription and then you buy your medication on-demand at an online pharmacy.
• Also offers: online treatment for most common skin problems with a board-certified dermatologist licensed in your state.

Curology

• What you get: Monthly subscription of personalized prescription skincare 
• Focus: Acne, dark spots, fine lines
• How it works: Online quiz and photos reviewed by a licensed provider
• Also offers: Over the counter products

Musely

• What you get: A monthly subscription of prescription skincare featuring pre-set formulas tailored to concerns like dark spots, acne, and aging.
• Focus: Melasma, dark spots, aging, acne
• How it works: Online dermatologist visit
• Also offers: Treatment for menopause

Agency 

• What you get: Monthly subscription of pre-set prescription skincare
• Focus: Anti-aging, dark spots, fine lines
• How it works: Skin quiz + provider assessment
• Also offers: Over the counter products

Nurx

• What you get: Monthly subscription of prescription skincare (mainly generics and some some pre-set personalized formulas)
• Focus: Acne
• How it works: Online health questionnaire + provider review
• Products: Retinoids, topical antibiotics, oral meds
• Also offers: Birth control, weight loss, STI testing

Rory 

• What you get: Monthly subscription of personalized prescription skincare 
• Focus: Anti-aging, dark spots
• How it works: Online consultation with provider
• Also offers: Weight loss, fertility and multi-vitamins

Hers 

• Type: Monthly subscription of prescription skincare (with some personalization)
• Focus: Acne, anti-aging
• How it works: Telehealth consultation
• Products: Tretinoin, clindamycin, dark spot correctors
• Also offers: Haircare, mental health, sexual wellness

Prose

• What you get: Monthly subscription of personalized skincare (non-prescription)
• Focus: Hydration, texture, sensitivity
• How it works: AI-driven quiz selects from 185+ clean ingredients 
• Also offers: Custom serums, moisturizers, routines

Proven Skincare

• What you get: Monthly subscription of personalized skincare (non-prescription)
• Focus: Acne, aging, dryness, sensitivity
• How it works: 3-step AI quiz using 47,000+ ingredient data
• Also offers: Cleansers + SPF daytime and night creams