Medical Grade vs Drugstore Skincare: What You Need to Know

Between social media, cosmetics counters, and your dermatologist’s office, the skincare advice just keeps coming. Unfortunately, it’s not all good advice. Everyone is quick to sell you the “next best thing”, but not everyone cares about real results or your well-being.

It’s generally safer, with the help of an expert provider, to select medical-grade skincare over drugstore products, but with a a steeper price tag Is medical-grade skincare really worth it? Before you take the plunge, let’s explore the proven differences between medical grade and drugstore skincare.

The Big Differences between Medical-Grade and Drugstore Skincare

Here are a few factors to consider if you’re trying to determine the best way to banish wrinkles, age spots, and more with your at-home routine…

1. Concentration of active ingredient

By law, medical-grade products are required to contain 99.9% active ingredient. Over-the-counter products, on the other hand, are not as closely regulated. Therefore, they can make claims on their packaging without backing them up. Many drugstore products describe the active ingredients included in their products, but fail to mention that the concentration is so low that the results will likely be minimal — if any at all.

The high concentration of active ingredients found in medical-grade skincare guarantees that you’ll get better results faster versus drugstore solutions!

2. Quality of ingredients

Most medical-grade companies use more expensive, higher-quality, and highly stabilized ingredients that take longer to degrade. When it comes to drugstore products, you may be getting a whole host of synthetic additives… yuck!

3. Level of penetration

Over-the-counter products sit on the top layer of the skin. On the other hand, because of its high-quality ingredients, medical-grade products can penetrate the epidermis and change the deeper layers of the skin. Many medical-grade companies formulate their products using more involved mechanisms of absorption to ensure deeper product delivery.

4. Clinical research

Medical-grade products are placed through years of extensive research and testing. Not only are they more powerful, but they are also more reliable because we know more about their effectiveness and risks. They are also proven effective in clinical studies — all which are available for the public to read and review — the same can’t be said for over-the-counter alternatives.

5. Accessibility

Of course, it’s easy to run into your local drugstore and grab some skincare items. This is one area where drugstore skincare has medical-grade skincare beat. Fortunately, medical-grade products are becoming more accessible than ever. Just pop into your trusted skin care provider — like The G Spa — and grab your favorite, high-quality skincare goodies!

6. Professional customization

One of the best things about medical-grade skincare is that you can have your skin evaluated before buying the product. Our experts at The G Spa can analyze your skin type, assess various conditions and concerns, and select a product that is proven to work for skin like yours!

7. Try before you buy

Do you have sensitive skin and find that you end up wasting hundreds on products your skin doesn’t agree with? Med Spas often offer testers or samples to try out medical-grade skincare products before you commit to buying! On the other hand, over-the-counter products hardly ever offer these.

Make the Smart Skincare Investment

So, when considering how to invest your money, keep in mind that it might make sense to purchase 1-2 skincare products that are guaranteed to transform your skin versus dozens of products that may or may not make a difference.

The world of skincare can be confusing and overwhelming — we are here to help! Call us today at (805) 682-4772 and we’ll answer all of your burning questions and help guide you on the journey to your ideal skin!