This question comes up a lot lately, and I think it’s
important to understand the main differences between skin care products that you
can by over-the-counter (OTC) compared to those that you can only purchase from
a doctor’s office.
The key is looking at the ingredients. What are the main ingredients
or active medicines in the product? More importantly, HOW MUCH of the ingredients
are in the product? Due to FDA regulations, once the amount of certain
ingredients in a product become high enough, they need to be sold by a
physician to ensure safety and compliance of that product.
For example, hydroquinone is an ingredient in skin lightener
creams.  You can purchase creams with hydroquinone
OTC at a maximum percentage of 2%.  In my
office, you can get hydroquinone with concentrations of up to 8-10%.
Higher concentration means more aggressive treatment. This
can be very beneficial for those who are looking for a more significant result.
Also, don’t forget that purchasing a medical-grade skin care
product from a physician also comes with expert guidance.  We can help you with everything from which
products are best, what is the best way to use them, what combinations of
products work the best, and what result you can expect to see. 
And often in the end, the cost difference can be minimal to
non-existent. Remember that most medical grade skin care products do not have a
large budget for marketing and advertising that you see with many big OTC
products. That cost savings helps keep prices lower for medical-grade products.
With more active ingredients, expert guidance from our
office, and similar pricing to OTC products, you are truly getting more for
your money when using medical-grade skin care products at home. Consider these
products as the “insurance on your investment” of keeping your face young and
healthy.
Here’s to the beautiful human face,

-Dr. Yamamoto