Choosing the most effective products for your skin can be a daunting task. Visit a department store, and you’ll be bombarded by options. Stop by the local drug store, and you’ll find even more. It can be overwhelming, especially when the mass media begins touting certain ingredients as cure-alls for everything under the sun.
With so much information being bantered around, it can be difficult to know what’s real and what’s fiction. Medical grade skincare sets itself apart from the competition by offering research-backed ingredients in formulas that really work to transform skin. Here are some thing you should know.
Labeling Practices and the FDA
You might be surprised to learn that most skincare products don’t have FDA approval – nor is it necessary. If a product makes a claim to physically alter the skin, such as reduce wrinkles, then that is a medical claim and must be backed by scientific evidence. When manufacturers put phrases like “reduces the signs of aging” on a label, they’re usually referring to the product’s ability to moisturize the skin and make those wrinkles less visible (although they still remain the same and only look less obvious until the skin absorbs all the moisture and reverts to its natural appearance).
Potency and Concentration Variations
Pick up a moisturizer with retinol in it from the drug store, and the concentration will probably disappoint you. OTC products are generally less potent and don’t provide the results that medical grade skincare will because of two factors. First, there’s probably a minimal amount of the key ingredient in most OTC skincare. More importantly, the formulation of most OTC products means that they cannot penetrate deep enough into the skin to deliver on the overhyped promises. Medical grade skincare comes in a variety of concentrations and is generally prescribed by a physician who has already learned about your skin and its needs. At the end of the day, if the ingredients aren’t delivered properly in the right concentration, they aren’t worth buying in the first place.
Research-Backed Evidence Means Results
If you’ve ever visited a dermatologist’s office, you probably saw brands you had never heard of in magazines or seen on television. There’s a reason for this. Physicians make conscientious choices when choosing to offer products to their patients, and those decisions are based on evidence, not hype. Medical research is expensive, time consuming, and well documented in published journals because its part of the development process. While some variations show up in OTC products, the concentration will always be lower because the product will be purchased by a consumer who won’t necessarily have expert guidance available by phone or during an office visit.
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When seeking real life results, medical grade skincare will usually outperform its drug store competition. Adding the right cleanser, serum, and moisturizer to your routine will save you money in the long run because you won’t be tossing useless products in the garbage every other month. Sometimes a bargain makes sense, but when you want to make the most of what Mother Nature gave you, it’s best to treat it with reputable products that have a proven track record of delivering high quality results. Check out our skin quiz to learn more about products that are suited to your unique needs.
To getting the best skin for your dollar,
Team Reflect
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