Skincare is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States—browse around the cosmetics aisle of any supermarket or department store and you will find hundreds of products promising to give you healthier, better-looking skin. With pretty packaging, sophisticated formulas and “all-natural” options crowding the shelves, you might be wondering, do I really need medical grade skincare? The answer is YES, and here's why...
Although you may think your skin is getting all the essential ingredients it needs to maintain a healthy, younger looking complexion, the truth is over the counter products contain only a fraction of the active ingredients you’ll find in medical grade products. This is true even of drugstore skincare labeled as “clinical strength.” Why? Products sold without a supervising physician are simply not allowed to exceed a certain level of active ingredients. This helps ensure that a product won’t harm someone who doesn’t use it as directed—but it also means that OTC products are often too weak to achieve real results.
On the other hand, medical grade skincare contains much higher concentrations of active ingredients, and therefore is subject to greater safety and efficacy standards. Medical grade products also use highly stabilized ingredients that last longer and take longer to degrade, and many use more involved mechanisms of absorption to enhance delivery to deeper areas of the skin.
This is a huge plus of medical grade skincare. Having your skin evaluated by an experienced aesthetician who can recommend the right products, helps you avoid wasting time and money on things that aren’t right for your skin type. A knowledgeable skin care professional will adjust your regimen according to your changing skin conditions, so you can feel confident that you are always getting the most effective products, even as your needs or goals change.
You will likely save money in the long run by choosing medical grade skincare vs over the counter. Think about it; how many partially used products have you stashed under your bathroom sink or thrown out because they didn’t work? Probably a LOT! View it as an investment in your skin: while you may pay a little more up front, you’ll get the results you seek within a reasonable time frame.
Plus, just because you’re purchasing your skincare from a medical spa doesn’t mean you can’t get a great deal! Many of the medical grade skincare lines we carry at Acacia, such as SkinMedica® and Obagi®, have rewards programs, which let you earn points to use toward future purchases.
As the body’s largest organ, our skin is exposed to toxins, pollutants, chemicals, and UV rays on a regular basis. To give it the best care possible, you need the best skincare products on the market. Think of medical grade products as a long-term solution for your skin’s health and wellness.Because higher doses of ingredients are working at a much deeper skin layer, you can expect better results in less time, and the longer you use it, the less likely you are to need cosmetic treatments to correct a skin condition as you get older.
