Pharmaceuticals
Intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or intended to affect the structure or function of the body.
Cosmetics
Products intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering appearance.
Cosmeceuticals
Topical skin care containing sunscreens, retinoids, moisturisers, AHA`s, BHA`s, bleaching agents, antioxidants, vit. C, copper, botanicals and other ingredients.
Goals of cosmeceuticals
- Reduce age spots and hyperpigmentation
- Help produce even skin tone
- Reduce fine lines and wrinkles
- Increase skin moisture
- Defend against additional sun damage
- Restore skin elasticity
- Regulate skin oil production
- Improve skin smoothness
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(1) The Acids
Alpha Hydoxy Acids (AHA)
Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA)
Applications.
- Accelerating the cell renewal process
- Has been used for centuries to reverse the aging process
- Exfoliate the epidermis (remove dead skin cells from surface)
- decrease wrinkles and age spots
- improve acne
- Stimulate dermal collagen production
- decrease fine lines and wrinkles
- Improve elastin
- increase skin tone and elasticity
Examples.
| BHA: |
Salicylic acid ( fat soluble acid and can penetrate into the pores) |
| AHA: |
Lactic acid (from milk) |
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Citric acid (from oranges) |
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Malic acid (from apples) |
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Glycolic acid (sugar cane extract) , etc. |
(2) Retinoids
Are vitamin A derivatives
Application
- Improve sun damage
- Excellent for acne treatment (decrease comedones)
- Increase epidermal turn over
- Stimulate collagen production to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles
- Evens out pigmentation
Examples
- Tretinoin : Retin-A, Retin-A micro, Renova
- Adalapine : Differin gel
- Tazarotene : Tazorac (less irritating than tretinoin)
- Retinol : Over the counter ( more irritating than tretinoin)
Side effects
- Initial : redness and flakiness
clears up soon
- Increased photo sensitivity (sun sensitivity)
- must apply sunscreen when outside
- better applied at night before bedtime
- After use for 3 months can expect a decrease in fine lines and wrinkles
(3) Bleaching agents
Used to lighten freckles, sun spots (solar lentigos) and hyperpigmentation caused by pregnancy and oral contraceptives, etc.
- Hydroquinone : 2-4 %
(Note: Retinoids and Hydroquinones are not compatible. Mix before application only).
- Kojic acid : Suppresses melanocytes to produce melanin
- Natural alternatives : Liquorice, Thyme extracts, Kojic acid.
(4) Anti-oxidants / Vitamins
Green tea extract (on skin and taken by mouth)
- helps protect skin from UV light
- helps to prevent prostate cancer
Vitamin C.
- stimulate collagen production
- strong antioxidant
- anti inflammatory properties
- photo protection from sunlight
- reduces erythema (redness) and facial veins (Rosacea)
- promotes healing with burns, eczema, psoriasis.
Vitamin E.
- reduce adverse responses to the sun (redness and swelling)
(5) Botanicals
Has healing, hydrating and antiseptic properties.
Promotes a beautiful complexion.
Examples.
- Arnica Montana : lighten dark circles under eyes.
- Willow Herb : anti inflammatory effect comparable with 1 % cortisone
- Green tea concentrate : polyphenols for absorption of free radicals to prevent
damage to cell membranes
- Seaweed extract : provide cellular nutrition and increase cell turnover.
- Others ; Aloe, Camellia, Chamomile, Cypress, Geranium, Lavender, Liquorice, Oak moss, Palmarosa, Rosemary, Shea butter, Tea tree oil, Witch hazel.
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