Medical grade skin care products are composed of medically proven ingredients that are only available through a licensed healthcare practitioner. Most of these products have been developed through clinical research and the concepts that are found only through development. Over the counter skin care products are sometimes based on clinical research as well, but the dosage of the ingredients used is minimal compared to what is found in a medical grade skin care product. Over the counter skincare lotions and creams typically are not designed for deep penetration, instead they stay on the surface of the skin and do not actually correct or heal a problem. They are a surface treatment and not a medical treatment.

The ability of medical grade skin care products to produce such great results is associated with the products and ingredients ability to penetrate the top layer of skin. Medical grade products work at the dermis, or middle layer of the skin, where collagen and elastin are contained and the basal, or bottom layer of the skin, where new skin cells are produced. Over the counter products, however, work only on the epidermis, or top layer of skin, where we shed skin cells and the new skin cells, created in the basal layer, eventually show up.