Today's Choices In Skin Care Products Can Be Overwhelming...And Potentially Harmful

by Andrea Algar
Contributing Author

It’s hard to resist the lure of beauty product and their promises. We are all in search of the product that will give us youthful, healthy looking skin. So you purchase a product you've heard about, thinking that this will be the solution. Then the next hot product comes along, and it looks even more promising so you purchase that. In fact, you probably shelf the other product before it's had much of a chance to start showing much benefit. Then you end up repeating the cycle again and again. This can be frustrating and expensive!

Psychology experts call this pattern a hedonic treadmill. According to clinical psychologist Richard Raynard, Ph.D., author of books on emotions, “You basically believe the better is just around the corner, despite advances you may have already made.” You derive pleasure from purchases you make, hoping that each new one will bring you more happiness. These goals may or may not be obtainable, but the impulse to satisfy the desire is very strong.This pattern leaves you on a constant and sometimes unsatisfying quest for the perfect product.

Having a makeup counter bursting with beauty products may also encourage you to slather on more than one skin care product at once. Many think that if applying one product is good, then using three or four must be better! This can be a big mistake. Most professional grade products you obtain from a plastic surgeon's office are armed with ingredients more powerful than those you would find over-the-counter in a drug store or even at the counters at expensive retailers. It is best to use these products as instructed by a professional such as your plastic surgeon, aesthetic nurse or esthetician.

“It's harmful to go overboard with skin care products daily because it can cause skin sensitivity,” explains dermatologist Debra Jaliman, MD, the author of Skin Rules: Trade Secrets From a Top New York Dermatologist.

Sometimes when you begin a new skin care regimen, your outer layer of skin can become irritated with redness and peeling. It's usually best to slowly introduce new products into your daily routine, following the instructions for use closely. Also use the products in the morning or at night as directed for best results, and speak to your skin care professional if you have any problems or concerns.

L'Oreal Receives Warning From FDA

Last month, the FDA sent a warning to cosmetic giant L'Oreal to stop advertising skin care products with language that makes the products sound like they are providing the same benefit as prescription products (drugs). A September 11, 2012 Reuters article detailed several L'Oreal products which have come under scrutiny including: Genifique Repair Youth Activating Night Cream and Absolute Eye Precious Cells Advancing Regenerating and Reconstructing Eye Cream.

Lancome's Genifique Repair

The FDA will go so far as to seize products and issue injunctions against manufacturers and distributors when claims are made that products act as drugs.

Lancome USA, a L'Oreal subsidiary, reportedly crossed the line with advertising on it's website. One actual on-line ad read, "You sleep. Genes don't. Wake up to smooth, fresh, visibly repaired skin. During the night, the speed of cell regeneration doubles. By screening over 4,000 genes, Lancôme's laboratories identified the genes responsible for making this activity happen and used their discoveries to create nighttime skincare that boosts the activity of genes². Night after night, skin is appears younger and more rested, as if you had slept at least two extra hours.¹"
(¹Based on consumer evaluations, ²Based on in-vitro tests on genes.)

This type of advertising violates FDA rules.

Other claims on products have included skin creams which could "boost the activity of genes" or "stimulate cell regeneration" to reduce signs of aging. According to the FDA, "any product that is intended to affect the structure or function of the human body is classified as a drug." The product must undergo testing and approval from the FDA before these types of claims can be made. The process is rigorous and involved.

Many of the products we sell at our Medical Day Spa are prescription products that have been cleared by the FDA for sale as medical grade products. Yet we notice products all the time in magazines, non-physician offices, stores, and on-line that imply that products offered are as effective as prescription skin care products. It is difficult for most consumers to know the difference. In many women's magazines, you can see prescription items reviewed right next to products that have ingredients with far less effectiveness. Many consumers do not know the differences between Retin A and retinoid complexes for example. The names sound similar, and implies the same type of benefit, but they are not equivalent in effectiveness. It is also important to note that prescription-strength products cannot legally be sold on-line without a prescription.

Dr. Robert Young recommends a consultation with a skin care professional who is trained to match products with the specific skin care issues you are facing. When a skin care professional works under the guidance and supervision of a physician you have access to products which have been approved both in effectiveness and safety by the FDA.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION:
FDA - Buying Medicines and Medical Products Online
Mayo Clinic - Buying Prescription Drugs Online: The Do's and Don'ts
Medicine Net - Information on how to safely buy prescription drugs online

New Sciton Laser - Non-Surgical Procedures With Amazing Results

For many years, Dr. Young and Aesthetic Enhancement Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center have been in the forefront with the latest technologies in skin care. With the addition of our new Sciton ProFractional Laser, we're able to offer a wider range of treatments and options in terms of down-time.

Traditional Laser Resurfacing, for instance, while affording great results, has long down-times that many busy men and women simply cannot take. With the Sciton ProFractional Laser and the Sciton MicroLaserPeel, resurfacing has been brought into the future by reducting downtimes to as little as a few days. The Sciton also offers advances in BBL/IPL treatments to treat age spots, redness, broken capillaries and remove unwanted hair. The SkinTyte is designed to tighten skin and stimulate production of your body's own collagen. Combined with the BBL, we see improvement in tightened skin and reduction of sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles.

We'll bring more detailed news on how this new technology works, and what it can do for you, in future articles and invite you to join our newsletter by signing up (you can register by following the link to the right). Get the latest news in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery and Professional Skin Care. If you would like more immediate information on how you may benefit from these technologies, please call our office at 210-496-BODY (2639) and ask for a complimentary Sciton consultation.