In today’s high standards of skin care, we meet Kimberly, one of Toronto Dermatology Centre’s medical estheticians. Well-versed in the knowledge between the standards imposed on medical grade skin care versus store bought brands, Kimberly explains the three P’s that will lead to better skin for all patients.
Over-the-counter products have a high rate of allergens and irritants, whether or not they claim to be hypoallergenic. About 4 out of 10 people will find they have an allergy or intolerance to many products found on the shelf. With the extensive testing and requirements required to be accepted as medical grade, for most people these intolerances are avoided.
Over-the-counter products tend to be high in emollients, which is the “slip” you feel when applying the product. For some, this may actually feel nice, but unfortunately the heavier the slip and the cheaper the ingredients, the less chance the product will actually penetrate into the skin. In order for ingredients to benefit the health of the skin, they either need to reach the epidermis or the dermis. While the skin may feel nice on the surface, lesser quality ingredients cannot break the surface barrier, thereby providing no real benefit to the structure or function of the skin.
What about active ingredients? While some products claim to contain ingredients such as retinol, glycolic acid or antioxidants, is their percentage high enough to actually make a difference? In almost all cases the answer is no. They contain enough active ingredients to be allowed to list that ingredient on their label; however it is commonly sub- par. For example, if you buy a cashmere sweater, and it is only 10% cashmere, it certainly won’t compare to a sweater that is 80-100% would it? With quality and quantity, both found in medical-grade skin care, skin quickly begins its transformation with visible efficacy.
Kimberly explains the medical grade lines that are available at Toronto Dermatology Centre and where their specialties lie. For a more comprehensive understanding, any of our medical estheticians are always ready to supply a complimentary skin analysis and recommend
~ Sheri Roselle, Medical Esthetician at Toronto Dermatology Centre
