Medical Grade Skincare

[kizaaa]

Hello, I want to know if medical grade skin is really worth it. Years back, I had cystic acne all over my face and went on tretnoin( which I’m no longer using). Once my cystic acne lessened, the dark spots became the challenge. I consulted with a esthetician and she emphasized the need for medical grade skincare including brands such as skinceuticals, pca skin and obagi. I have used almost all these brands, but I have seen very minimal improvements in my dark spots. I wanted to know, is there really a vast difference in medical grade products vs non medical grade? Please let me know. Also, it would be great if I could be recommended a new moisturizer as well. Thank you💖! 

[dride25]

Also- 

Skinceuticals is an over the counter product line

Obagi is a mostly over the counter line that also has a few prescription required (medical grade) products- like their tretinoin

PCA skin looks like its a professional line but I can't find anything about a prescription on any products

*The confusing part for consumers is that the FDA regulates the prescription based products and their % of actives but does zero regulation on the lines and products that are not. Which just means that lines can call themselves professional (which makes clients think medical grade) when they just want to sell them through spas and esthetics studios. Very confusing in general. 

[mantia]

It's been very good to hear more about the skin care products ..

[dride25]

Licensed esthi here. Calling something or insisting on medical grade skincare is ultimately just gate keeping if it isn't something that a dermatologist is prescribing for you. 

There is prescription skincare and then there is over the counter skincare and the main difference between those is the % of the the active ingredient in the product. Legally, medical grade skincare is regulated to have a 99% actives concentration. (FDA regulated) It is also only available thru prescription from a medical doctor at a dermatology office, plastic surgery center or some med spas that work with a doctor. 

Over the counter product, which is what you would be getting from a licensed esthetician at a place like a regular day spa cannot provide that % of actives. Which is why you aren't noticing drastic differences in skin. 

[mantia]

I talked with an esthetician and she stressed the requirement for clinical grade skincare including brands, for example, skinceuticals, pca skin and obagi. I have utilized practically this large number of brands, however I have seen exceptionally negligible enhancements in my dim spots.

[dride25]

Yeah it can be frustrating! The most important thing for seeing changes in skin- consistency in your routine.

Spf (esp if you get dark spots) will need to be applied religiously. And reapplied thru the day.

Retinol at night (this is the one thing that in my opinion you will get the best and fastest result from a medical grade (prescription) product bc they can prescribe a higher % than you can get otc.) 

Gentle exfoliation (like first aid beauty peel pads) that you can do in the morning followed by a good vitamin c serum, followed by moisturizer followed by spf. 

protect your moisture barrier so you don’t end up getting redness or irritation from all these things. Ceramide based products for moisturizing— they are your friend!