Medical-grade skincare lines are dermatologist-recommended that contain purer forms of key ingredients at higher, more concentrated levels and often work better for people with more specific skin concerns. Because of that, they are sold through physicians trained to evaluate the needs of their clients and able to dispense the right product to make changes in their skin.
What Are The Common Ingredients Found In Medical-Grade Skin Products?
Here is a list of the most common medical-grade ingredients.
Retinol
A vitamin A derivative, retinol is known for its anti-aging effects that can boost collagen and firm the skin. Some brands use trace levels in over-the-counter products, and others may go up to 0.5 or even 1% retinol. Medical-grade retinol products have much higher levels and must only be administered by a physician.
Glycolic Acid
This chemical exfoliator helps remove the skin’s outermost layer, often used in chemical peels. Medical-grade glycolic acid products contain ingredients with much higher concentrations — as high as 70% in peels administered by a professional, giving dramatically different results.
Hyaluronic Acid (HA)
This compound is ideal for revitalizing dry, dull skin and acts as a natural humectant, restoring moisture and plumpness. Medical-grade hyaluronic acid has an ultra-low molecular weight — below 10,000 daltons, which means its molecular size is much smaller. It absorbs more deeply into the skin, working within the lower layers.
Polyglutamic Acid
Once exclusively found in medical-grade skincare, this peptide that helps improve skin moisture can now be purchased over the counter. Typically, polyglutamic acid is found only in medical-grade products and is ten times as potent as hyaluronic acid in binding moisture deep within the lower layers of the skin.
Salicylic Acid
This treatment is ideal for acne and is recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology as the single most effective active ingredient. Salicylic acid is a milder anti-acne agent for people with more sensitive skin, people with primary comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), and women with adult acne. The main effect is to unclog skin pores and prevent blackheads and whiteheads, and it has some anti-inflammatory effects.
What Medical Grade Skin Care Line Is The Best?
Since medical-grade skincare products have more sophisticated ingredients, they can reach deeper skin parts because of better absorption qualities. Nonetheless, there isn’t considered the best medical-grade skincare line as each brand offers effective products that can treat various skin conditions.
PCA Skin
With 30 years of experience in the skincare products field, PCA Skin houses a wide range of medical-grade products that are scientifically and clinically proven. In fact, the brand prioritizes making skincare easy, simple, and highly customizable for all skin types and concerns. Moreover, the brand includes cleansers, toners, moisturizers, spot treatment products, hydrators, smoothening formulas, brighteners, award-winning retinol products, and more.
iS Clinic
One innovative way to treat several skin concerns with one product is iS Clinic. Their products help address aging, acne, and dull skin in one innovative formula. In fact, their iS Clinic Active Serum is one of the products that reduce the appearance of acne, hyperpigmentation, and fine lines.
The professional pharmacologists and physicians behind are Clinic strives to create long-lasting results. Their medical-grade products combat aging signs’ appearance while enhancing the skin’s health.
SkinCeuticals
They are the gold standard in combining multiple active ingredients to achieve astounding results. As a matter of fact, their product named C E Ferulic contains ferulic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin C that offers the following effects: reduced fine lines and wrinkles, brighter skin, evened skin tone, and higher skin protection due to antioxidants.
Moreover, their Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier is another example of the use of multiple active ingredients that contains purple rice, licorice root, and hyaluronic acid, which can enhance the HA effects. The skin will get plumper and more supple compared to a regular HA product. Indeed, SkinCeuticals take the best of what nature and science offer since they use bio-available ingredients to formulate moisturizers, sunscreens, topical vitamin C, and antioxidant treatments.
Skinmedica
Another brand that combines different cosmetically beneficial ingredients to the next level, quick results can be expected to last long from their products, professionally made from scientifically proven compounds. Correspondingly, Skinmedica products range from pigment-correcting serums, hydrators, retinol, exfoliators, cleansers, sunscreens, moisturizers, topical vitamin products, and many more. Indeed, one can count on Skinmedica to provide a medical-grade solution for any skin concern.
EltaMD
The brand offers superior sun protection formulas for all individuals, regardless of skin tone or type. The zinc oxide formulation provides maximum-efficacy sun protection solutions to provide long-lasting protection from UVA and UVB, with SPF ratings ranging from 30 to 50. Although EltaMD emphasizes sun protection, they also offer cleansers, moisturizers, toners, eye care, rejuvenating serums, hand creams, and many more. Since it’s highly effective, EltaMD products are easy to use, such as topical products that are light, creamy, and non-comedogenic.
Epionce
Backed by 20 years of knowledge and experience, Epionce products go through at least twelve clinical studies to prove their efficacy in preventing signs of aging and treating common skin conditions. These therapeutic products repair and restore damaged skin cells while strengthening the skin’s natural defenses.
Epionce’s lotions, cleansers, eye creams, nourishing creams, therapeutic serums, barrier creams, sunscreens, hand creams, toners, masks, and more products target conditions like acne eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. This results-driven line is reliable, so it can assure that these products will work.
Obagi
This medical skincare line remains one of the most trusted innovative medical-grade skincare brands, backed by almost 35 years of experience producing powerful formulas that restore and encourage skin health. Obagi products use powerful cosmetic ingredients to treat various skin conditions like acne, discoloration, and dry and aging skin for every skin tone and type.
In addition, their wide range of products includes toners, cleansers, moisturizers, serums, eye care, masks, sun protection, and body care. However, some of Obagi’s products require prescriptions since they are medical-grade.
ZO Skin Health
With the power of science, ZO Skin Health can help achieve optimum skin health. ZO Skin Health combats sun damage and hyperpigmentation and strengthens the skin’s defenses against future damage.
ZO Skin Health prioritizes patient-physician relationships; patients can only access ZO products through Physician Online Stores and ZO-authorized physicians. This approach helps ZO become one of the most trusted medical-grade skincare brands.
The Bottom Line
Medical-grade skincare offers the quality and concentrations in which they are found in those products. The Sand Bar Beauty Company offers Medical Grade Skin Care Line, such as Neocutis, ZO Skin Health, and Revision Skin Care, which are medical-grade skincare lines clinically proven to reduce the signs of aging, improve overall skin health, and address a wide range of concerns. Furthermore, these lines of medical skin care products focus on some of the most challenging skin problems to slow down the aging process.