Treatment protocol and effectiveness of cosmeceuticals in aesthetic practice

Abstract

Pharmaceuticals are essentially drug products containing active ingredients that prevent, mitigate, treat disease and/or affect the anatomy or physiological functions of the body. Cosmeceuticals is a term blending the meaning and action of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, resulting in a product that cannot exert a biological effect on cells, but can nonetheless improve the quality and condition of the skin. Traditional medical methods of treating acne centre around antibiotic use and oral isotretinoin. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem, and it means aesthetic practitioners must find alternatives. Attention is turning to cosmeceuticals as a solution, but this raises the question of the level of evidence for their growing use.