Often times an idea for a blog post comes from discussions I have with my esthetic clients. And this blog post is exactly that! As an esthetician, I always know what my clients use for skincare, their skincare routine/habits, and if they are being prescribed something by a dermatologist. What I found so interesting is that SO many people have prescription items from their derm that they use as instructed but have no idea what the product is or what the ingredients are. You know my philosophy behind skincare, I want you all to have the most information possible; the more you understand your skincare products the better you can care for your skin.

So if you left your last dermatologist appointment with a product in hand that targets your skincare goals (clear skin, brighter skin, antiaging) but you feel a bit unclear as to what this product actually is then THIS is the blog post for you.

This guide is in no way meant to replace your dermatologist. I am not diagnosing skin or personally recommending these products to anyone, I am simply sharing information that may be helpful for some.

Topical products your dermatologist might prescribe:

Tretinoin -

Tretinoin is a retinoid product. Retinoids are concentrated vitamin A products that provide the skin with rapid cell turnover. Tretinoin is often prescribed for treating cystic acne and/or lines and wrinkles. Retin-A is a common brand-name tretinoin product. Tretinoin doses range from 0.01-1%

3 tips I have as an esthetician:

1. I feel that a lower dosage is better (0.01-0.15%). It’s less aggressive on your skin and still gives you the cell turnover you want

2. I wouldn’t recommend using this product daily. 2-5x a week is best. Daily use could sensitize your skin’s barrier and create redness, dry skin, and or breakouts.

3. Always, always use DAILY SPF when you have tretinoin or any vitamin A product in your routine. These products make the skin more likely to get damaged by the sun.

scrub me secret: Retinol is a common over-the-counter topical ingredient that is a form of retinoid, just like Tretinoin is. I actually just wrote a blog post called “not everyone needs retinol”, I’d love to know what you think!

Adapalene -

Adapalene is another retinoid product derived from vitamin A. This prescription item is a bit different than tretinoin because it is formulated to travel into the pore and attack acne at the source. While tretinoin is often prescribed for aging skin AND acneic skin, adapalene is mainly prescribed for acne. Differin Gel is a common brand name for an adapalene product.

3 tips I have as an esthetician:

1. If your skin starts to feel red, itchy, or textured from use of this product, reduce the number of times a week you use it.

2. Remember, this is a retinoid product so you must use daily SPF to prevent markings or pigment caused by UV damage.

3. A product like this is best used in the PM

Hydroquinone -

Hydroquinone is a pigment-lightening product that works by reducing the number of melanocytes in the skin. This means it can lighten skin that has been pigmented by sun damage, acne, or abrasions. Dermatologists often prescribe this item for those who wish to reduce dark spotting on their skin.

3 tips I have as an esthetician:

1. Never use Hydroquinone during the daytime, this could cause your pigment to darken.

2. Research has shown that hydroquinone is toxic to our organs, especially in larger amounts. If you’re using hydroquinone I suggest using it as a spot treatment only and for a limited period of time.

3. If you have this ingredient in your skincare routine, I find it pairs really nicely with using a vitamin C serum in the morning. Hydroquinone at night and vitamin C during the day.

Azelaic Acid -

Azelaic acid treats rosacea and acne by working to reduce the bacteria in the skin that comes with these skin issues. Prescription azelaic acid comes in wash or gel form with 15%+ azelaic acid, over-the-counter skincare items with lower percentages of this ingredient. Azelaic acid is meant to reduce the redness, and swelling, along with killing the bacteria that come with acne and rosacea.

3 tips I have as an esthetician:

1. I would suggest that my client try out a more gentle, over-the-counter azelaic acid before trying prescription strength.

2. Azelaic acid can pair nicely with calming skincare products, like anti-inflammatory/hydrating toners and moisturizers.

3. It takes azelaic acid a bit of time to start showing results (1-2 months) so be patient!

Clindamycin -

Clindamycin comes in both topical and oral forms. I come across clients who are prescribed the topical form, so that’s what I’m focusing on today. Topical clindamycin is an antibiotic that is made to treat cystic acne, large pustules, and other skin conditions. This antibiotic is often prescribed in conjunction with other products that treat acne.

3 tips I have as an esthetician:

1. I have met a lot of people that have found clindamycin to be effective for their body breakouts. I have seen it work well on the body and clear larger acne breakouts/

2. Since this is a topical antibiotic, you won’t want to use it for a long amount of time. Less than 3 months.

3. Just like most breakout-clearing topicals, clindamycin can result in some irritation around the area it is applied. A cool facial roller is so nice to have to combat this. If your skin is feeling too irritated I would reconsider use.

Benzoyl Peroxide -

Benzoyl peroxide is another bacteria-killing ingredient made to treat acne. Just like azelaic acid, this ingredient is available over the counter in percentages under 10%. In prescription skincare treatment items you will sometimes find a blend of benzoyl peroxide and another ingredient.

scrub me secret: There are a lot of different prescription products and brands on the market. Some of these items are blends of ingredients (for example benzoyl peroxide and Adapalene) and some are singular ingredients. This blog post should help you get to know the common names of prescription items and ingredients so you can decode any product.

3 tips I have as an esthetician:

1. Speaking as an esthetician, I like benzoyl peroxide best in a spot treatment type of product. It is so aggressive that it can make the skin red and flaky in some places if you use it all over the face. Spot-treating pimples with benzoyl peroxide is much better.

2. You must have some kind of calming or healing item in your skincare routine when using benzoyl peroxide. This way you can heal and reset your barrier with some kind of toner, moisturizer, or balm that heals.

3. Sometimes I find that my clients only need their benzoyl peroxide products for a limited period of time. Once their acne starts to clear, we transition to different products.

Oral treatments your dermatologist might prescribe:

scrub me secret: Taking an oral antibiotic or medication for acne is a serious decision to make. Not only do these take a toll on organs like your liver, but they have other negative side effects for our body that we want to take into account before making a decision.

Isotretinoin -

Isotretinoin, otherwise known by its popular brand name Accutane is an oral form of vitamin A. A dermatologist would prescribe isotretinoin to treat stubborn or severe acne. This aggressively works to create cell turnover and kill bacteria that cause acne.

Tetracycline -

This oral antibiotic is used to treat bacterial infections in the body. A dermatologist might prescribe this to help treat a patient with severe acne. Doxycycline is a common brand name for this medication.

I hope this blog post was helpful for you all! This will be a really great guide for me to direct my facial clients to that have questions or need reminders about their dermatologist-prescribed items.