What is the Difference Between OTC and Cosmeceutical Skincare?

Skincare is one of the most important factors in changing the look and feel of your skin and is one of the least invasive ways to improve your skin. It is essential to be knowledgeable of the difference between OTC (over-the-counter) and Cosmeceuticals to improve the overall look and feel of your skin. OTC represents any product that you can get without a prescription, these products do contain a less amount of active ingredients compared to Cosmeceutical products. Active ingredients are ingredients that positively improve you skin, such as, reduce wrinkles, brown spots, and hydrate. Water is usually the main ingredient in any skin care product; however, it doesn’t do anything which is why it is not considered an active ingredient. Cosmeceuticals are pharmaceutical grade products, which contain active ingredients, that are only available through a licensed physician or esthetician.

At Carolina Facial Plastics we carry Image Skincare, a line of products that are developed and formulated by internationally recognized chemists working together with a board of physicians. All Image Skincare products are manufactured in the USA and are unparalleled in their quality in today’s marketplace. Their philosophy is to use superior ingredients to achieve outstanding results. Image Skincare is dedicated to offering safe products without the use of chemical preservatives like parabans. The biggest difference between over the counter and medical grade skincare is not only active ingredients and their amounts, but the level of penetration into the skin. Medical grade products have the ability to penetrate the epidermis or top layer of skin to hit the dermis or lower layer of skin. This is where Collagen, Elastin and Pigmentation lay as well as where our new skin cells are produced. Since the loss of Collagen and Elastin in the dermis are what age us, we need to use products that can penetrate to that level.

Image Skincare offers six different product lines and each regimen is very easy.  It requires three easy steps in the morning and night which can drastically improve your skin.

MORNING                                                                     EVENING
Step 1: CLEANSE                                                          Step 1: CLEANSE
Step 2: ANTI-AGE                                                        Step 2: ANTI-AGE
Step 3: PROTECT/MOISTURIZE                            Step 3: REPAIR