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Skincare is big business. Everyone wants beautiful, clear, young-looking skin, after all – especially in an age of social media and selfies. Skincare routines and products can get expensive, however, and not everyone can afford the various serums, creams, lotions, and other treatments designed to keep us young.
Whether a skincare product is classified as a medical grade product or over the counter product is determined by its intended use:
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines medical-grade skincare products as "articles intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease" and "articles intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals." There are multiple rules, regulations, and laws on the books that apply to these products. These are all mandated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The question, then is this: Should we really care where we get our skincare products? Does it ultimately make a difference if we buy mass-produced items instead of pharmaceutical grade? Big box department stores offer a wide selection of products, many of which seem to be high quality and generally aren’t as expensive. But – do they actually work?
"Let’s face it (pun intended) – there are always pros and cons to using one product over another. –
Here we take a look at the differences between medical grade and over the counter skincare products."
Pharmaceutical Grade Skincare Products
Medical grade skincare products are accessible only with a prescription from a medical professional. They contain prescription-strength ingredients, and - because use of these products requires expert knowledge - a doctor’s supervision is necessary for use.
There are a number of benefits to using medical-grade products as part of your skincare regimen. Let’s take a look -
The Good
These products are verified by clinical studies and scientific research
Medical-grade skincare products are scientifically proven to produce results. As we mentioned above, the FDA regulates medical-grade products, requiring that every product is first researched and then tested in a thorough manner to ensure both its safety and the efficacy of use.
Basically - in order for the product to hit the market, there needs to be scientific proof that it won’t harm you, and that it will product the result it advertises. There are no such regulations for over the counter products.
They nourish skin inside and out
These products are made to reach all the way to the hypodermis, which is the deepest level of the skin - as backed by the research we mentioned above. This not only improves the look of your skin on the surface, but also stimulates collagen and elastin production to reduce wrinkles and fine lines, as well as any scarring (from acne or otherwise) or age spots.
Plus - the FDA also stipulates that medical grade skincare products have 99% concentration of active ingredients. This is considerably higher than anything you’ll find in a department store, as we will discuss momentarily.
You can customize your own skincare routine
Everyone’s skin is different, and needs different things to be healthy. Pharmaceutical grade products allow you to treat your skin specifically - products can be tailored to meet specific needs, skin types, and goals. Along with a physician and their team of experienced, licensed providers who make expert recommendation products, active ingredients, and strength, you can completely customize your skincare regimen.
The Bad
Costs are sometimes higher
All of the aforementioned items do come at a price, however. Because they are made with highest-quality ingredients (in their purest form), pharmaceutical grade skincare products are generally more costly than your average over the counter product.
However - this also depends on what you are using. If you’re picking up a basic face lotion at your local CVS, yes it will be cheaper. On the other hand, there are plenty of designer brand over the counter products that cost just as much as anything pharmaceutical grade.
Some of these treatments require a doctor’s prescription.
You will need a prescription from a medical doctor to access many of the best, strongest, or most effective pharmaceutical grade skincare products. This is an added step that can prove difficult for many people - extra travel time, or access to the right medical professional in the first place can create a barrier to access
But not all require a prescription - much of what we sell at Jaime Leigh Aesthetics is ready and available for purchase. Get in touch with us here to chat more about this issue!
Over the Counter Skincare Products
You can get over the counter skincare products at just about any department store or supermarket - Walgreen’s, CVS, Target and more have wide selections to choose from, no prescription required. Is this the way to go? Let’s take a look at the positive and negative aspects of taking this route:
The Good
These products are readily available
Over the counter products are available to anyone and everyone, as stated above. This allows you to choose your own products (everyone has a favorite!) at any point, and whenever you need or want them, without a medical professional giving advice or needing a prescription.
And they are generally cheaper
As mentioned before - and because there are so many different products available on the shelves of these stores - you can generally find something in your price range. If one item is too expensive, there is usually an off-brand alternative that keeps your costs low. This is a major win, as costs should never be a burden or barrier to having healthy skin
The Bad
These products generally have fewer, and a lower concentration of, active ingredients
Because they are unregulated, some (or many) of these products have high levels of water and/or filler ingredients. In fact, this lack of regulation means over the counter products are legally only allowed to have a small number of active ingredients - around 10% of ingredients are active here, unlike the 99% found in pharmaceutical grade products.
Plus, they only sit on the surface of the skin, without penetrating deeper
As a result, these products only reach the surface of the skin, and often leave those added extras sitting unused on your skin as well. These products are thus unable to effectively treat deeper issues related to aging, acne, spots, etc.
Simply - they aren’t going to work as well.
Thus - you risk not getting the results you’re looking for
If you have specific issues you’re trying to address with your skin regimen, it’s near impossible to know if you’ll get the results you want. Furthermore, over the counter items often make false claims or include misleading information on their label (again - unregulated), which promise results that might never come to be, especially as they simply don’t have the ingredients that medical grade products do.
So - what to do?
At the end of the day, the ingredients speak for themselves. As we always say - if you’re concerned with what you’re putting in your body, eating healthy and staying fit, you should also be concerned with what you’re putting on your body. Your skin is your largest organ, after all, and it deserves to be treated well.
Plus - while pharmaceutical grade skincare products might be more expensive initially, you will get better results, and you won’t need to use as much. This means you’ll probably spend considerably less money in the long run, as well as actually achieving the results you’re looking for. You don’t have to buy the most expensive products either. There are plenty of great products that are reasonably priced. It is important to do your homework on the products you are investing in and putting on your face.
Get in touch with us here to discuss the best skincare routine for you - Browse our services
