Safety & Contraindications

Most of what is sold in the hair-care aisle carries no real risk beyond a wasted month. Some of what we sell does: a light device and a microneedling roller are not cosmetics in the way a shampoo is. This page states plainly who should not use each Folliq product, what to watch for, and when to stop.

We would rather you read this before your first session than after a reaction. If anything here applies to you and you are unsure, ask your doctor or pharmacist — not us, and not a review section.

Folliq products are cosmetic scalp-care products. They are not medical devices, they are not FDA-cleared, and they are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Nothing on this page is medical advice.

Red Light Scalp Massager

Do not use if

You have a diagnosed photosensitivity disorder — for example lupus, porphyria, solar urticaria or polymorphic light eruption.
You are taking a medication that increases light sensitivity. Common examples include isotretinoin, tetracycline and doxycycline, some diuretics, some antipsychotics, methoxsalen and other psoralens, and St John's wort. If your medication leaflet mentions sun sensitivity, treat that as applying here and ask your pharmacist first.
You have an active skin cancer, a suspicious mole or an undiagnosed lesion on the scalp, or a history of skin cancer on the scalp. Do not shine light on tissue a doctor has not looked at.
The skin is broken, burned, infected, weeping or sunburned. Wait until it has healed.
You have had a hair transplant, scalp surgery or scalp injection in the last four weeks, unless your surgeon has told you otherwise.
You have an implanted electronic device — pacemaker, defibrillator, cochlear implant, neurostimulator. The massager vibrates and carries a battery; check with your cardiologist or the implant manufacturer before use.
You are under 18.

Ask a doctor first if

You are pregnant or breastfeeding. There is no evidence of harm, and there is also no research establishing safety in pregnancy. We would rather say that than imply an all-clear nobody has demonstrated.
You have photosensitive epilepsy. The device is not a flashing light, but ask anyway.
You have psoriasis, seborrhoeic dermatitis, eczema or lichen planopilaris on the scalp, or any condition currently under treatment.
Your hair loss came on suddenly, in patches, or with itching, pain, scaling or scarring. That pattern needs a diagnosis before it needs a device.

Using it safely

Do not look into the LEDs. The light is not a laser and is not classed as an eye hazard, but staring into any bright source is a bad idea. Keep the head against the scalp, where it belongs.
Do not exceed the built-in session. A session is six minutes and the device switches itself off. Longer is not better — light therapy has a biphasic dose response, meaning more light past a certain point produces less benefit, not more. Three to five sessions a week is the intended use.
Use it on a clean scalp, free of thick styling product.
The device is rated IPX7 and is safe on wet hair and in the shower. Do not submerge it, and never charge it while wet or in the bathroom.
Do not use a damaged device — cracked housing, bent bristles, a swollen battery or a cable that has been chewed or frayed. Stop using it and contact us.
Charge only with the supplied USB-C cable and a standard 5V USB adapter. Not a fast-charge laptop brick.

Stop and contact a doctor if you notice

Burning, stinging or a rash that does not settle within a few hours; blistering; a headache or dizziness during sessions; worsening shedding after eight weeks; or any new or changing lesion on the scalp.

Scalp Derma Roller

This is the product on this page that carries the most real risk, because it breaks the skin.

Do not use if

You are taking, or have taken within the last six months, isotretinoin (Accutane, Roaccutane).
You have a history of keloid or hypertrophic scarring.
You have an active infection on the scalp — bacterial, fungal, or a cold-sore/herpes outbreak anywhere near the area.
You have active acne, pustules, open wounds, sunburn, eczema or psoriasis in the area you intend to roll.
You are on blood thinners (warfarin, apixaban, clopidogrel, high-dose aspirin) or have a bleeding disorder, unless your doctor approves it.
You are immunosuppressed, on chemotherapy, or have poorly controlled diabetes, which slows wound healing.
You have moles, warts or raised lesions in the area. Roll around them, never over them.
You are pregnant or breastfeeding, or under 18.

Using it safely

The roller is yours alone. Never share it. It draws blood at a microscopic level and sharing one carries a genuine bloodborne-infection risk.
Disinfect before and after every use — soak the head in 70% isopropyl alcohol for around ten minutes, then air-dry on a clean surface. Rinsing under a tap is not disinfection.
Replace the head roughly every 10–15 uses. Blunt needles tear rather than pierce, which hurts more and heals worse.
Two to three times a week at most, never on consecutive days on the same area. Light pressure — the needle length does the work, not your hand.
Do not apply minoxidil, retinoids, acids, alcohol-based products or anything fragranced immediately after rolling. Freshly opened micro-channels absorb far more than intact skin, which is the point, and also the hazard. If you use minoxidil, leave at least 24 hours between rolling and applying it, and confirm the interval with your doctor.
Expect mild redness for a few hours. Expect nothing more than that.

Stop and see a doctor if you notice

Redness spreading or lasting more than 24 hours; pus, crusting, swelling or warmth; a fever; a cold-sore outbreak; or raised scarring at the rolled sites.

Rosemary Serum and Scalp Nourishing Oil

Do not use if

You are allergic to rosemary or to plants in the Lamiaceae family (mint, lavender, basil, sage, thyme), or to jojoba, argan, castor or peppermint.
You have a tree-nut allergy — argan comes from the argan nut. Please read the ingredient list rather than relying on this summary.
The scalp is broken, infected or freshly microneedled (see the interval above).

Ask a doctor first if

You are pregnant or breastfeeding — concentrated rosemary and peppermint are commonly advised against in pregnancy — or if you have epilepsy or high blood pressure, both of which appear in cautions around concentrated rosemary preparations.

Patch test first, every time

Apply a small amount behind the ear or on the inner forearm and leave it 24 hours before using it on the whole scalp. Do this even if you have used similar products before — sensitisation develops with exposure, so a reaction can appear on the tenth use having been absent on the first nine.

Also

External use only. Not to be swallowed. Keep away from the eyes; if it gets in, rinse with cool water for several minutes.
Keep out of reach of children and pets. Concentrated essential-oil blends, peppermint in particular, can be seriously toxic to cats and dogs if ingested or applied.
Store below 25°C, away from direct sunlight.

When to see a doctor rather than buy anything

A device is the wrong first move if your hair loss involves any of the following. These patterns point to causes that a scalp product cannot address, and some of them get harder to treat with delay.

Sudden loss over days or weeks, or loss in discrete round patches.
Loss with pain, burning, intense itching, scaling, pustules or visible scarring. Scarring alopecias destroy the follicle permanently and are time-critical.
Loss alongside fatigue, weight change, irregular periods, new facial hair, or a change in your skin or nails — which may point to thyroid, iron, hormonal or autoimmune causes worth testing for.
Hair loss in a child or teenager.
Loss following a new medication.

If you are not sure where you sit, our article on what blood tests to ask for is a reasonable place to start a conversation with your GP.

Reporting a problem

If a Folliq product caused a reaction, or a device behaved in a way it should not have, email hello@myfolliq.com with your order number and a photo if you have one. We read every one of these, we will refund you without asking you to argue for it, and if a fault points to a batch we want to know early.

In an emergency, contact your local emergency number or poison control service first. Email us afterwards.

Last reviewed: 9 September 2026. This page is written by Folliq and has not been reviewed by a medical professional; where that changes, we will say so here.