Medical Grade Skincare vs. Over-The-Counter Products

It’s a Sunday afternoon…  you’re perusing the aisles of your local TJ Maxx when you just so happen to stumble upon their infamous skin care aisle. The shelves are overflowing with an abundance of shiny bottles, wrapped in alluring labels. You begin to notice some familiar brands so you decide to take a little gander and do some exploring, because after all.. Everything is on sale!  “$5.99 for a Retinol!?? I’ll take them all!” 

If it sounds too good to be true… it probably is. 

For discount shoppers, the thought of splurging on a $130 overnight cream sounds absolutely insane, leading many to seek out cheaper alternatives. With the plethora of beauty bloggers going the extra mile and posting their “skincare dupes,” it’s easy to get sucked in. 

Perhaps social media is also partly to blame for this. Influencers will have you convinced that their $30 Retinol is going to drastically change the overall health and appearance of your skin. 

The truth is… most, if not all of these products are all hype. Over-the-counter beauty brands (OTC for short) are notorious for placing more of their focus on how their products are packaged and marketed towards consumers, while skimping on the quality of their ingredients. 

Beware of fillers and added ingredients

Over-the-counter products are not held to the same standards as medical-grade products. Because of this, many over the counter brands contain low-quality filler ingredients such as harmful parabens, sulfates, and silicones. These ingredients may cause irritation to your skin; ranging from mild to severe. Parabens, which preserve the shelf-life of products, are commonly to blame for allergic reactions. Sulfates have nice foaming properties, however most of these ingredients can actually strip the proteins that are beneficial for balancing your skin. This may lead to dry, flaky skin. 

Over-the-counter exfoliants and scrubs often tout that they have “microbeads” to exfoliate your skin. These are actually tiny solid plastic particles that give the illusion of scraping away the dead skin. They may however cause tiny micro tears on the surface of the skin. Ouch!

10 Reasons to Choose Medical Grade Skincare Products 

1. While medical grade skincare products have higher price points, they are more cost effective in the long run.
2. Medical grade skincare products can only be sold by a licensed physician.
3. Medical grade skincare products contain more potent ingredients. Only a small amount of the product is needed for each use, so they generally last longer than less expensive OTC brands.
4. Medical grade skincare products are held to high standards by the FDA. They are also required to contain 99% pure ingredients that have been clinically proven to meet their claims.
5. Medical grade skincare products contain a  higher percentage of active ingredients.
6. Medical grade skincare products do not contain fillers or impurities.
7. Medical grade skincare products are capable of penetrating the deeper layers of the skin.
8. Medical grade skincare products undergo clinical trials on humans.
9. Medical grade skincare products protect against future skin damage.
10. Medical grade skincare helps correct existing skin conditions. 

Suddenly, investing in that luxurious $130 overnight cream doesn’t sound so bad anymore!