It’s Not Just a Phone, It’s a Medical Device

Close to 15,000 people were duped into buying phone apps that were touted as curing acne.  Using deceptive advertising, the marketers of two different apps were able to convince acne sufferers that the health of their skin would improve by resting their mobile devices against their skin for minutes a day while light shone from their screens.  Below are some of the deceptive claims that helped convince people to buy one of the apps.  Our favorite part of this ad, however, was the concluding sentence hidden at the bottom after you’ve read all the reasons that you simply most buy the app.  It stated, “This app is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended for treatment of any disease or medical condition.”

iTunes REVIEWS

• “I will have to say that I was skeptical at first but am amazed by the results of really dedicating time to this.”
• “I was very hesitant to purchase it a (sic) first because I thought it was simply exploiting peoples’ insecurities, but it works! Maybe the best app I’ve bought!”
• “This is the best money I have ever spent[.] [I]t works amazing for me[.] [A]lready seeing the difference in 2 days. It stops me form (sic) getting spots and reduces the redness of the present acne. It’s a gotta buy for people suffering with acne. 5 stars”

IMPORTANT STUFF:  This app was developed by a dermatologist.

A study published by the British Journal of Dermatology showed blue and red light treatments eliminated p-acne bacteria (a major cause of acne) and reduces skin blemishes by 76%.  Studies showed that light treatments were almost twice as effective as benzoyl peroxide, the main ingredient in Proactiv and other common over-the-counter blemish treatments.

See more shady ads here.