The Science of Medically Based Skin Care

At Hubbard Plastic Surgery our medically licensed skin care specialist utilizes a variety of scientifically proven products, peels and procedures to rejuvenate and protect the skin.

World-renowned plastic surgeons and dermatologist have come to agreement on the scientifically proven effectiveness of only a few products. Studies have proven the value of the following:

1) the tretinoin products, most commonly Retin-A and Renova,
2) hydroquinone most commonly used as a 4% compound,
3) alphahydroxy acids such as glycolic acid and lactic acid and finally,
4) topical Vitamin C products but only in specific concentrations and forms.

Microdermabrasion and other peels allow for better penetration of products. These peels also equalize irregular pigmentation on the face and some have been shown to improve fine lines with regular treatment. There are a variety of other treatments and skin care products that are categorized as providing "comfort" but have no scientifically proven value in reversing aging and sun damage of the skin.

These include the many thousands of cosmetics that we encounter in advertising daily, the many forms of "facials" and all forms of topical oxygen therapy to the skin. Let's make no mistake, there are other very powerful treatments for the skin that reverse aging and sun damage but they fall more into the realm of surgery. These include laser resurfacing, surgical chemical peels, and dermabrasion.

Let's look more closely at those select few proven skin care products.

These agents are highly successful at the four general goals we have from a medical scientific point of view for skin care:

1) they remove solar elastosis, that dominate the appearance of sun damaged aged skin when examined under a microscope
2) they augment the production of the major skin component of glycosaminoglycans that hold hydration in the skin
3) they increase the production of new collagen or protein and elastic fibers, and
4) they promote the development of new blood vessels.

The tretinoin group accomplishes all four of these goals. Again, these are the Retin-A and Renova products. They require considerable patience due to their skin irritation properties in the early weeks of treatment. Persistence though is extremely valuable, as the rewards long term are great.

Next in our select group are the alphahydroxy acid products which have been proven to increase glycosaminoglycans to more normalize hydration of the skin. The latest formulations of topical Vitamin C can penetrate the skin to accomplish levels 20 times higher than what can be obtained with oral Vitamin C.

It has been shown to increase collagen or protein in the skin but Vitamin C's greatest contribution is prevention of ongoing and future sun and environmental damage. As a free radical scavenger it protects our DNA, it protects our immune system that has been shown to be harmed by sunlight, and it has been shown to immediately and dramatically decrease inflammation in the setting of sunburn. No longer is a sunscreen alone sufficient when outside. Overall protection is much more dramatic when accompanied by properly formulated and applied topical Vitamin C.

Finally, hydroquinone is proven extremely effective at correcting the blotchy irregular pigmented appearance of sun damaged skin. Its scientific mechanism of action is clearly understood. Experience has shown that hydroquinone is significantly more effective when used simultaneously with a tretinoin product and/or an alphahydroxy acid.

"Often spas may offer services or products that carry the same name or ingredients as those offered through medical offices.  However, these products fail to penetrate the skin as needed to truly reverse signs of damage or aging.  Using products that provide permeation enhances delivery to healthy beautiful skin!"