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Therapeutic skin treatments

The term ‘cosmeceuticals’ was introduced by Albert Kligman (the ‘father’ of skin research and Retin-A) to describe products, claiming to have a therapeutic effect on the skin, when applied topically. Their classification falls between a cosmetic and a pharmaceutical product.

Examples of products typically labeled as cosmeceuticals include anti-ageing creams, sun protection formulations and moisturisers. They are cosmetic products with biologically active ingredients claiming to have medical or drug-like benefits. Dermatological research suggests that the bioactive ingredients used in cosmeceuticals do indeed have benefits beyond the traditional moisturiser (e.g., Chen et al., 2005; Zettersten, Ghadially, Feingold, Crumrine, & Elias, 1997).

The therapeutic effect is achieved due to a high concentration of active ingredients, which are mainly derived from botanical and natural products such as acids, enzymes, extracts, oils, and proteins aimed at producing real changes in the skin. Cosmeceuticals, initially developed for anti-ageing reasons, are now used to treat a plethora of conditions, such as anti-ageing, acne, hair loss, skin lightening, cellulite reduction, sun damage, etc. The active ingredients include vitamin A (Retinol), vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), peptides and co-enzyme Q10.

The role of sun protection in skin ageing
Skin ageing is caused by intrinsic factors such as the passage of time and genetic predisposition. Skin damage is also caused by extrinsic factors such as exposure to the sun or pollution and diet or lifestyle choices such as smoking, late nights and alcohol. The sun and pollution account for most skin ageing, with photo ageing considered the primary cause of wrinkles, pigmentation and degenerative conditions such as cancer. That’s why it is essential to educate clients about sun protection to prolong the effect of your non-surgical aesthetic treatments.

Cosmeceuticals not only help to protect the skin from the environment but also reverse some of the signs of ageing. They are produced by numerous companies including: SkinCecuticals, Jan Marini Skin Research, SkinMedica etc. This module aims to cover the key types of cosmeceutical products, including:

If you are new to cosmeceuticals, a basic skin care package to recommend to all patients would be a glycolic acid facial cleanser to open up the pores of the skin and a highly enriched vitamin C cream to help moisturise and act as an antioxidant. The most important product to recommend is a sunscreen to protect against UVA, and UVB radiation. Remember to protect the lips with something like Mene & Moy Advanced Nutri Lip. An example of a basic skin care package, for example:

CODE AFA members recently received a new module on Cosmeceuticals, which outlines the products development, the range, the main ingredients as well as the benefits of offering these products to your patients.  The module is available for members to download from the website it contains:

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