Click on each buttom above to learn about each product we carry in each brand. 

These products are always available in our office, please come in any time and pick some up!

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Ever felt stumped on which product to choose in the skincare aisle?  

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Spending money on over-the-counter products might seem like a savings opportunity. But can drugstore products help you achieve the results you’re after?   Which ones actually work for your skin?

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This is one of the most common questions we get from our patients during cosmetic consultations here at Glass Dermatology.

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 While maintaining a skincare routine at home in itself is an act of self-care, the actual products you use within that routine matter just as much—if not more.

They are key to optimizing and maintaining your results from any cosmetic treatment you may have done with us in office and promoting the appearance and health of your skin.
 

What’s out there?

There is a broad range of skincare products available to use today, ranging from drugstore brands to high-end products sold at department and retail establishments.

 

Then you have as the products sold at doctor’s offices! These are considered "Medical grade" skincare.

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Medical office brands promise better results with higher amounts  and high quality of active ingredients than in-store brand products. 

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“What does ‘medical-grade’ mean when it comes to skincare products?”

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Medical grade products are specially formulated by dermatologists and leading skincare experts. These skincare products are manufactured in a pharmacy and cannot be obtained by clients or patients on their own; they must purchase from the doctors’ office or medi-spas.

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Investing in medical-grade skincare products means you’re getting the purest ingredients in concentrations that will actually make a difference in the health of your skin long term.

 

Without the proper guidance, finding what works best for you can easily cause frustration or confusion.  So we are happy to help if you dont know where to start !

Our medical aesthetican can go through with you what is best for your skincare needs and goals. 

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"But there are a ton of over-the-counter products that do the same thing… "

Correction. There are a ton of over-the-counter products that claim to do the same thing. 

Although OTC skincare products can work, if you really want to see drastic and positive changes in your skin and get the best results—not just for your aesthetic, but for your skin’s health—you’re going to need to start using medical-grade.

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Comparing Medical-Grade vs. OTC Skincare Products

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Whether it is a moisturizing lotion, retinoid cream, or sunscreen, here are some key factors you should consider when comparing medical-grade skincare products with OTC products. 

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Quality of Active Ingredients

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The best skincare products are considered “medical grade” because of the ingredients they use. These ingredients have spent years through the ringer: being discovered, analyzed, and developed into new, innovative formulas. Only scientific researchers and global skin experts take on this expensive and tedious task. 

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On the other hand, OTC product companies do not typically invest this level of time and resources into their formulas, but rather stick to more conventional and/or safer ingredients. Because they are marketing and selling to a wider range of people (you don’t need a prescription to get these products), they naturally must be made up of these types of components. 

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Sometimes, these companies will “borrow” research and formulas from medical-grade skincare product companies. These products essentially depend on the ground-breaking research done by medical-grade companies to understand the latest innovations in skincare. Then these formulas get applied into products made for the masses.

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What’s in medical-grade skincare products?

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The most important components of medical-grade skincare products are:

• Ingredients shown in published, peer-reviewed dermatology research to improve the condition and appearance of the skin.

• Bioavailable forms of those ingredients (versus distant cousins)

• Concentration of actives are high enough to actually make a difference (many products contain tiny amounts solely so it can be included on the ingredient list )

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In a medical setting, these medical-grade products can also be paired with non-invasive procedures such as chemical peels, microneedling, laser treatments, and regular  medical facials to obtain the best skin health under the direction of the physician or the physician’s delegated providers. 

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What’s NOT in true medical-grade products

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What IS NOT in medical-grade products is just as important as what is. This is extremely important to understand, since many people are sensitive to or allergic to many of the ingredients in non-medical grade products. 

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• Fragrances & perfumes.

• Other “natural” ingredients known to cause contact or allergic dermatitis (for instance, some botanicals).

• Harsh solvents and detergents, which strip the skin’s barrier. (We reserve such ingredients for our chemical peels!) Note that some OTC “moisturizers” actually contain these to create an ongoing need to purchase more and more product!

• Parabens and other harsh preservatives (which are often the culprit of skin reactions for people with sensitive skin. These are often found in many OTC sunscreens!)