Medical grade skincare refers to a skincare line which has been specifically developed for cellular level correction of skin conditions and concerns. Aspen Aesthetics + Wellness offers ZO® Skin Health, a results-driven medical skincare line, which has specific protocols and combinations of products which reduce inflammation associated with acne or rosacea, to suppress and lighten brown pigment or age spots, as well as growth factor based protocols for collagen strength and anti-aging effects. These products come with a higher concentration of active ingredients. Medical-grade skincare brands have often been subjected to rigorous clinical studies, which means they have been proven in a lab to be effective in treating the condition for which they have been developed.
If a brand comes with a medical-grade label, it has scientific, clinical based evidence that it is formulated with strong concentrations of active ingredients. Active ingredients are things like hydroquinone, retinol, AHAs, BHA, and Antioxidants, as well as growth factors and peptides.
They are designed to penetrate deeper into the skin where problems like age spots and collagen loss occur. This is how a specific combination of products can deliver more dramatic results. Picking up a product that's labeled medical-grade is not a replacement for seeing a professional about your skin. It's also important to note that, while these products might be effective, some ingredients require extra supervision, monitoring and adjustments to protocol while they are being used.
While pharmaceutical-grade skincare is often more expensive than drugstore skincare products, they come with a larger amount of each active ingredient, making them more potent, more effective and better at protecting your investment in skincare treatments.
Over the counter skincare products are not required to have clinical studies done. They are not held to the same standard as medical grade products. Medical grade products go through extensive testing and years-long research. By law, they must have a 99.9% pure active ingredient.
ZO® skincare is based upon the fundamental principle of a strong skin barrier. The skin barrier breaks down with age, climate extremes, hormonal fluctuations, chronic illness and environmental free radical exposure over time. Addressing and improving the health of the skin barrier always starts with the fundamental principles of Getting Skin Ready, followed by Prevent and Correct products, along with soothing and hydrating products paired with a preventative SPF.
ZO® focuses on the principles of hydrators that promote intrinsic skin hydration to help with acclimation and skin tolerance, while promoting intrinsic skin hydration. This can be achieved through skincare containing ingredients that turn on the intrinsic sprinkler system cells in our skin, while also preventing it from evaporating. This process forces the skin cells to make their own hydration, rather than rely on a cream which is not able penetrate the skin's surface.
The detailed protocols within the ZO® skin health corrective line incorporates highly concentrated ingredients and are extremely effective at stimulating cellular turnover, collagen production, hydration and reversing dry, dull skin. This is because the getting skin ready and oil control steps prior to the application of treatment based products have exfoliated the skin properly and reduced the oily sebum. You can’t put a water-based product over an oily skin surface and receive any penetration. Oil and sebum control are KEY to getting your treatment products down to the skin cells where they really work.
Retinol and Retinoid are derived from Vitamin A. The difference is how they penetrate in the deep layers of the skin to create cellular turnover. Retinol penetrates the cell walls easier than Retin-A or Retinoic acid. Retinols convert to Retinoic acid inside the cells. Retinols tend to be easier to tolerate than Retinoic acid causing less irritation. Retinols come in varying strengths like Retinoic acid, so the higher the strengths the greater their effectiveness. Both Retinol and prescription Retinoid products are used in the ZO® Skin Health products.
Retinol creates irritation, which initiates the controlled inflammation and exfoliation which can upcode skin cell DNA to reverse the aging cells function. ZO® Skin Health retinol products have the addition of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory ingredients, and plant bases which allow for better penetration of this Vitamin-A molecule with less redness, flaking and irritation.
Retinols and Retinoic acid in ZO® Skin Health products are effective to exfoliate the outer layer of the skin and prevent build up of dead layers of cells. Both create growth of healthy cells, exfoliate the dead outer skin layer, reduces brown spots to even skin tones and diminish signs of aging.
Hydroquinone is a melanin (pigment) blocking agent used for suppressing the pigment producing cells of the dermis. Many issues like scaring, acne, bug bites, and sun exposure produce “post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation”, which contribute to visible dark blotches on the skin. Many people suffer from pigment disorders such as melasma, which is very difficult to treat. A skin care prescription which incorporates this hydroquinone ingredient is an essential modality in the short and long term treatment of these skin concerns.
The proper order of application allows your skin to receive the maximum benefits of each product. Therefore, the products will elicit the full amounts of efficacy as the products work synergistically to enhance your skin results. Another important factor to consider is the time it takes for your skin to absorb your products. Order is important, but timing is more crucial. The main goal is results and efficacy, in order for the maximum benefit to be obtained and for the skin to absorb the ingredients. We recommend to allow at least a minute between each application.
If you have been looking at ZO® products and the ZO® principles, you may be wondering what Getting Skin Ready means. Getting Skin Ready is an essential ZO® Principle for both daily maintenance and preparing the skin for therapeutic medical and corrective products. This technique ensures that the skin functions properly, tolerating daily exposure and activities and preventing skin conditions. Adopting Getting Skin Ready (GSR) will prevent and control acne, rosacea, shaving bumps, skin pigmentation issues, enlarges pores, rough and damaged skin texture.
A simple tip is to apply your products from thinnest to thickest or from liquid to oil. During the day we typically recommend a simple cleanser, scrub, toner, antioxidants, corrective products, skin strengthening products, eye creams and of course, sunscreen. At night, that’s when you load up on skin care actives to nourish your skin throughout the night.
Step 1: Cleanse
Step 2: Scrub (2-3 times a week)
Step 3: Oil Control or Tone
Step 4: Correct
Step 5: Stabilize/Strengthen
Step 6: Stimulate
Step 7: Protect
This order of application allows for greater absorption of ingredients.
It’s very important to remember that your skin needs to complete at least a 6 week cycle of stimulation prior to cellular correction and new skin cell growth. Once that initial phase is complete, the skin cell barrier is much stronger and healthier. Therefore, much more tolerant to the highly corrective ZO® protocol.
Generally, it takes 6 weeks for adjustment and tolerance to a corrective skincare line, but you can begin to see cellular turnover within 2 weeks. As you continue to use and adjust to your regimen, with proper exfoliation, brown spots will reduce, skin texture will become smoother, fine lines and wrinkles will be reduced.
As you are applying the corrective products and your skin becomes red, sensitive, and flakey, you should reach out to us any time your getting concerned about the sensitivity and redness of your skin an Aspen+ Provider can review your progress and advise on adjustments or breaks between certain products based on your skin's response.
ZO® Skin Health offers various skincare products to be used daily and at every stage of your life. As your skin changes, so can your ZO® skincare regimen.
At Aspen Aesthetics + Wellness we are committed to helping you look and feel your best.
Your journey with us begins with a consultation and mutual decisions based on your individual needs. We will create a customized anti-aging and skin health plan just for you. Rather than trying to change your appearance, we will enhance and balance your features as well as restore your youth, resulting in a natural, refined, and refreshed version of you.
Call us today to schedule a consultation at 719.256.0272.
We begin clients on ZO® Skinhealth products with either our Getting Skin Ready or a full corrective protocol. The exact cost will depend on your specific treatment plan.
For your convenience we offer several ways to finance your facial rejuvenation investment. Call to schedule a consultation today and find out more about our services, packages and membership options
