Why are They Still Using That?

When patients come in for a consultation, I always go over their current skincare routine.  When I hear that they are using retail products, I usually have two things to say. First, I congratulate them on having a skincare routine. Next, I ask them if they’ve seen a change in their skin since they’ve started using it. Most will say “maybe a little bit” or “not really.”  So why are they still using these products? If they’ve made it to our office, then they are looking for more change. I usually recommend switching out to professional products, but inevitably I still get the question, “What products are good that I can get at (insert big box retail store name of choice)?” Listen, I shoot straight from the hip. None of the products you get at big retail chain stores are going to make significant visible changes in your skin. I’m not saying they’re all bad; I’m saying that if patients want to see visible signs that their skin’s health is improving, they need prescription-grade products with professionally curated ingredients in therapeutic doses and professional direction on how to use them.

Why Use Cosmeceuticals?

Professional products, or cosmeceuticals, are products that are FDA regulated and can only be dispensed by a licensed skincare professional such as an aesthetician, aesthetic nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or physician. Why, you ask? These products have active ingredients formulated at a pharmaceutical-grade level with delivery systems that work, and white paper clinical studies to support their claims. While we, in the industry, refer to these products as cosmeceuticals, the FDA simply defines them as drugs.

Why Cosmeceuticals are Better

Let’s explore that a little bit more. Notice that cosmeceutical manufacturers do significantly less marketing. No billboards, no TV commercials, and very few magazine ads. That’s because they are putting their money into research and development and clinical testing so that each product is FDA approved and regulated before it hits the market. Retail skincare products are NOT FDA regulated. Look it up if you don’t believe me. In fact, there is no regulating agency that keeps retail skincare companies from making false claims about what their product does. I have seen some of the before and after photos they use in their ads, and their results are amazing, but not possible from any topical product within the timelines they are claiming. Are you confused because you know of retail serums have retinol in them? Active ingredients, such as retinols and acids, are measured by percentage. The higher the percentage, the more aggressive the ingredient. It takes education and experience to properly titrate these ingredients into a daily regimen. Many retail skincare lines put buzz word ingredients into their products at a low strength making it easy to fly under regulatory radar. They are safe, but not very effective. They know you are looking for those buzz word ingredients, their marketing department has told them so. So, since they aren’t able to use therapeutic percentages of these ingredients without submitting to expensive FDA testing, they either buffer the ingredients or lower the percentages. That way, they can use the ingredient name on their packaging and in their marketing materials.

This brings me to cost. Many of our patients are on a budget, but there’s a difference between cost and value. I don’t know about you, but I want value. What good is an inexpensive product that doesn’t really do that much for you and that runs out every 4 weeks? Anti-aging products that can be found at CVS cost as much as $30 for a one-month supply and, again, you are paying for their marketing and not their science. A good cosmeceutical product averages $100 for a 4-month supply that is results driven with clinical studies to back their claims. $360/year for little to no result, or $300/year for high end professional product. No brainer, right? The bottom line is, there are no miracles in a tube or jar. Healthy skin takes time and work and the advice of a professional like you, who has studied and worked with skin…or you could let your patients take the advice of an accounting major that’s working seasonal retail.

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