Top 3 Reasons to Choose Medical Grade Skin Care
Buying skin care can be fun, exciting and it can also be daunting. I recently went on an online search for skin care products while prepping for this blog, and within a few minutes I was convinced that I needed a lip mask, a sleeping beauty oil, a mud treatment for my knees and elbows and a $400 eye cream! The packaging all looked amazing, the ingredients sounded exotic and the celebrity endorsements all reinforced the need for these products! Thankfully I am a doctor, and quickly came out of this product hallucination coma to explain to you 3 important reasons to carefully select your skin care products.
1. Choose products backed by science.
What makes medical grade skin care so beneficial is the science behind it. It is so tempting to buy a product because of its packaging or the random claims of what it can do, but it is hard to argue with clinical studies. Take, for example, one of our best-selling products – TNS Essential Serum by SkinMedica. Over 11 clinical studies have been conducted looking at its cosmetic efficacy. That’s more than any other growth factor product in the market today. Similarly, SkinCeuticals is the only brand to formulate antioxidants according to parameters outlined by The Duke Antioxidant patent:
- pure vitamin C
- acidic pH within 2.5 – 3.5
- concentration between 10% – 20%
In fact, all the products we offer from Alastin, SkinMedica, ZO, Vivier and SkinCeuticals have scientific data and evidence to prove their efficacy. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for many of the products sold in large department stores and drug stores.
2. Measurable Active Ingredients
I don’t like playing a guessing game when it comes to skin care. It sounds very romantic to apply an “overnight retinol beauty veil” when going to sleep, but I would prefer to know the percentage of retinol I am actually applying. Applying a “time to wake up vitamin C serum” sounds like fun. But we are adults here. I would rather know that the Vitamin C serum I am applying contains 15% L-ascorbic acid in a stable solution that won’t oxidize the minute I open it. Look for measurable active ingredients in the skin care products you buy. These are the work horse ingredients of the product that are actually supposed to help you achieve the results that the products claim to produce.
3. Accompanied with a consultation.
Probably the most important reason! We encourage our patients to take advantage of a comprehensive skin care consultation before spending their hard-earned money on products. Different skin types require different skin care regimens. Sometimes the products in your existing regimen are negatively affecting your skin. Many of us still don’t even know our skin types to begin with! This makes the consultation so valuable as it provides you insight into the workings of your skin and your skin’s reaction to the use of different active ingredients. We encourage a skin consultation at least once a year.
What I still find so interesting is the misconception that medical grade skin care means pricier products. As I said earlier, I came across a $400 eye cream on Sephora! Medical grade products are often cheaper than their department store competitors but have all the scientific date and evidence to support their efficacy.
So, take these 3 reasons into consideration before you impulsively buy a product that may be wrong for you. As always, we are here to help demystify this for you every step of the way!