OTC vs Medical Grade Skincare
It’s easy to be fooled by fancy packaging, trends, “miracle in a bottle” promises, and celebrity influencers with perfect skin.
Most OTC (Over The Counter) products are less about science/research and more about proven marketing tactics.
There are big quality, potency, and effectiveness differences between OTC and medical grade skincare products that everyone should understand.
Medical Grade vs. Over the Counter
Beauty and personal care isles in department stores, drug stores, and even grocery stores sell promises of youthful, glowing skin. If you’re not walking the isles, these products and more are available on Amazon, Ulta, Sephora, eBay, and other online stores.
These OTC skincare products are limited to lower concentrations of active ingredients due to regulations set by the FDA. In addition, OTC products are designed for general use and must accommodate a wide range of skin types, making milder formulations more suitable for a larger number of consumers.
Medical grade skincare products contain higher concentrations of active ingredients and are designed to penetrate deeper into the skin layers, resulting in more effective treatments for specific concerns such as aging, acne, scars, hyperpigmentation, and just plain distressed skin.
Advanced Ingredients Unavailable in OTC Products
Medical grade skincare products not only contain higher concentrations of active ingredients than their over-the-counter counterparts, but they also feature specialized ingredients that simply aren’t available in retail products.
Why does this matter? Because these exclusive formulations address skin concerns at their source rather than just on the surface.
For example, medical grade products often contain growth factors and biosomes that the FDA does not allow as ingredients in OTC skincare formulations.
Growth factors stimulate cellular regeneration and collagen production at the molecular level.
Biosomes are sophisticated delivery systems that ensure these active ingredients penetrate to the deeper layers of skin where they’re most effective.
These regenerative aesthetics ingredients are the most advanced skincare science, and are only available through licensed medical professional practices.
FDA-Approved and Scientifically Validated
Medical-grade skincare products undergo rigorous testing and clinical trials to ensure their safety, efficacy, and reliability. These trials often include multiple phases, from initial exploratory studies to post-approval evaluations, where researchers assess factors such as ingredient potency, side effects, and long-term outcomes on diverse populations under controlled conditions.
Additionally, advanced techniques like high-resolution imaging systems and Human Repeat Insult Patch Tests are used to measure skin responses and detect potential irritations or allergic reactions.
The data collected during these trials is crucial for obtaining regulatory approval and refining formulations to meet stringent medical standards.
Why Medical Grade Products Are Essential
Medical grade skincare products undergo rigorous testing and clinical trials to ensure their safety, efficacy, and reliability. These trials often include multiple phases, from initial exploratory studies to post-approval evaluations, where researchers assess factors such as ingredient potency, side effects, and long-term outcomes on diverse populations under controlled conditions.
Additionally, advanced techniques like high-resolution imaging systems and Human Repeat Insult Patch Tests are used to measure skin responses and detect potential irritations or allergic reactions.
The data collected during these trials is crucial for obtaining regulatory approval and refining formulations to meet stringent medical standards.
1. Specialized Ingredients for Different Skin Concerns
- Peptides to stimulate collagen production
- Growth factors to accelerate cell regeneration and tissue repair
- Biosomes to enhance ingredient delivery and cellular absorption
- Antioxidants to combat free radical damage
- Anti-inflammatory compounds to soothe and calm distressed skin
- Barrier-repair lipids to restore compromised skin barriers
2. Targeted Solutions Mean Fewer Products
Rather than purchasing multiple products that address individual concerns, medical grade skincare often offers comprehensive formulations that target multiple issues simultaneously, streamlining your routine. This is particularly beneficial for those dealing with both aging and distressed skin, as these specialized products can address multiple concerns without overwhelming sensitive skin.
3. Preventing Rather Than Correcting
Perhaps most importantly, using medical grade skincare as part of your skin health strategy helps prevent many skin concerns before they develop and effectively manages chronic skin conditions, potentially saving you from more costly corrective treatments down the road.
Medical Grade Products Are FDA-Approved and Scientifically Validated
Medical-grade skincare products undergo rigorous testing and clinical trials to ensure their safety, efficacy, and reliability. These trials often include multiple phases, from initial exploratory studies to post-approval evaluations, where researchers assess factors such as ingredient potency, side effects, and long-term outcomes on diverse populations under controlled conditions.
Additionally, advanced techniques like high-resolution imaging systems and Human Repeat Insult Patch Tests are used to measure skin responses and detect potential irritations or allergic reactions.
The data collected during these trials is crucial for obtaining regulatory approval and refining formulations to meet stringent medical standards.
Medical Grade Skincare Products Complement Professional Treatment
Medical-grade skincare products complement the professional skin rejuvenation treatments by accelerating healing, amplifying results, and helping skin function better at a cellular level for maintaining long-term results.
These products are formulated with high concentrations of active ingredients like retinoids, peptides, and antioxidants, which prepare the skin for treatments by improving texture and resilience.
Products applied post-treatment containing advanced ingredients like growth factors, peptides, biosomes, and exosomes.
- Growth factors stimulate collagen and elastin production, promoting skin repair and renewal
- Peptides enhance cellular communication to strengthen the skin barrier and improve elasticity.
- Exosomes, as powerful messengers carrying bioactive molecules like growth factors and peptides, optimize cellular regeneration
- Biosomes ensure the targeted delivery of these potent ingredients deep into the skin layers, maximizing their efficacy.
Integrating medical grade skincare with skin rejuvenation treatments delivers accelerated healing, prolonged results, and better healthy skin glow. We call that optimal results, and that’s what we want for everyone we treat.
If you’d like to talk with us about our medical grade skincare products and what might be right for you, you can call, text, or schedule a complimentary consultation.
