When it comes to skin care products many people think that the one thing that sets prescription products apart from over-the-counter products are the ingredients. This is not true. In reality, regular skin care products and prescription skin care products usually contain the same ingredients. The real difference is in the dosage strength of these ingredients. Regular skin care products contain lower doses of these ingredients than do prescription products. What are some of these ingredients? Let’s find out:
Tretinoin
Since it was invented in the early 1970’s, Tretinoin (sometimes known as Retin-A) has been used to fight acne and breakouts. In more recent years, research has also found Tretinoin to be successful in visibly improving both the texture and tone of the skin. How does it work? By removing dead skin cells, Tretinoin allows for new skin cells to arise.As the old skin cells are being removed, Tretinoin fights against breakouts, evens out skin tone, and reduces the appearance of age spots, wrinkles, and lines. Unfortunately, there can be some side effects to using Tretinoin. These include swelling, tightness, peeling, and redness. Any women who are nursing or pregnant should avoid all Tretinoin products.
Salicylic Acid
Sometimes referred to as Beta-Hydroxy acid, salicylic acid is another form of exfoliate that is used to improve the texture and tone of the skin. As the salicylic acid exfoliates the skin, it also helps to reduce breakouts and acne scarring. You can find Salicylic acid in many regular skin care products, but larger doses can only be found in prescription products.
Hydroquinone
Hydroquinone is a product that is used to bleach the skin and treat dark spots. Hydroquinone prescriptions are typically available in several different dosages, with concentrations of three and four percent both available. A skin care professional will be able to assess your own personal needs and prescribe you to the proper concentration.
If you suffer from skin care issues, speak to your dermatologist. If you have mild or moderate issues with your skin, you may want to try over the counter skin care products before trying prescription ones. As said previously, many over-the-counter skin care products contain the same ingredients as prescription ones, just in smaller dosages. Over-the-counter skin care products are recommended for anyone who has mild to moderate skin care issues. If you have more severe skin care issues, or if you have tried several over-the-counter products with no results, you may need to consult a dermatologist.
With a dermatologist, you can learn exactly what is causing your skin care issue and determine how to deal with it using skin care products. Dermatologists and skin care professionals are the only ones who can prescribe you with professional skin care products. If you find that nothing seems to work for your skin, speak to your dermatologist as soon as possible. They are the only ones with access to some of the best prescription products available.
If you are looking for prescription strength acne treatment, check out Obagi Nu-Derm Starter Set – Normal to Dry at dermahut.com.
