Dr. Patrick Blake shares the vital information you’ll need to offer expert skincare advice to your patients. He discusses his recommended products and how to create a healthy skincare regimen so patients can stay radiant longer.

A board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Blake practices in San Diego and has over 12 years of experience in the medical field. He shares his take on which products to use, the best order to use them in, and tips for using new products for the first time.

You’ll become knowledgeable enough to confidently sell dermatologist-approved skincare products at your practice, adding to the patient experience while generating additional income for your practice.

Daily steps for a great skincare practice

“First thing, at least once a day wash your face. Beyond that, definitely sunscreen and make sure there’s enough of it!”

You can recommend the basic daily practice below that Dr. Blake outlined for patients concerned with keeping their skin healthy and glowing. Most brands he mentions carry a full product line, which can make a treatment plan easier, as those products are guaranteed to go well together. He says skin needs are different in the morning than in the evening.

Morning skincare practice

In the morning, facial skin needs cleansing and protection to prepare for the day’s stresses.

Facial cleanser

“I just tell people to use the face wash that they like and typically go for something gentle. There are tons of brands that I think are great, from inexpensive ones like CeraVe^Ⓡ to more expensive ones like Alastin^Ⓡ or La Roche-Posay^Ⓡ.”

La Roche-Posay^Ⓡ markets a comprehensive line of premium facial washes.

Alastin^Ⓡ has foaming and milky facial cleansers.

CeraVe^Ⓡ is an excellent choice for budget-minded individuals that offers a complete range.

Advise your patients to use a gentle face wash. Patients with acne or rosacea will need a special preparation.

Glycolic acid product

“For skin texture, I do like glycolic acid products — that’s probably one of my favorite ingredients.”

Drunk Elephant™ Glycolic Acid lotion and serum.

SkinCeutical C + AHA provides environmental protection and exfoliation.

For a beautiful skin texture, recommend a glycolic acid product. This should go on after using the facial cleanser in the morning because glycolic acid will break down evening products like retinol or Retin-A.

Vitamin C preparation

“You can use vitamin c once or twice a day as an environmental protectant. Some of my favorites are iS Clinical’s Super Serum Advance+ and SkinCeutical’s Vitamin C Serum.”

SkinCeutical Vitamin C Serum comes in several formulas.

iS Clinical Super Serum Advance+ premium anti-aging product.

Vitamin C goes on next as an environmental protectant. Patients can use it once or twice daily.

Sunscreen

“You should use a nickel-sized amount for the face, which is quite a bit.”

Alastin^Ⓡ makes high-quality, broad-spectrum, mineral-based sunscreens.

EltaMD^Ⓡ offers many different high-quality sunscreen formulas.

Drunk Elephant™ has tinted and sheer sunscreens.

Dr. Blake feels strongly that mineral-based sunscreen is the most critical element in skincare. Advise your patients to use a nickel-size amount on their face and renew it every two hours if they’re in the sun. Makeup with sunscreen is insufficient because people only use small amounts of makeup.

Chemical-based sunscreens aren’t reliable because they can break down quickly and can cause irritation and allergies.

Evening skincare practice

In the evenings, facial skin needs a gentle cleansing agent again, pampering to repair environmental damage and hydration.

Retinol

“The most important thing at night is retinol.”

Just like Dr. Blake feels that sunscreen is the crucial element in the morning, he states that retinol is critical at night because it repairs skin damage and prevents skin cancer. He suggests using a small pea-sized amount applied evenly. Start with twice a week and gradually work up to daily use because retinol can be irritating initially.

Retinoid is available over-the-counter in several different strengths.

Drunk Elephant™ A-Passioni™ Retinol Cream

If your patients experience irritation, using a good repair moisturizer right after retinol can help. Another option available by prescription is Retin-A, derived from vitamin a and used for skin that is too sensitive for retinol.

Moisturizer

“I like the EltaMD^Ⓡ Barrier Renewal Complex — it’s a bit of thicker moisture that nobody has any issues with it. For a regular moisturizer on more of a budget, I’ll have patients use VANICREAM^Ⓡ Moisturing Cream.”

EltaMD^Ⓡ Barrier Renewal Complex premium moisturizer.

VANICREAM^Ⓡ Moisturizing Cream budget-friendly moisturizer.

Use moisturizer after retinol because thick moisturizer may serve as a barrier for retinol, which must penetrate the skin to be effective.

Suggestions for using a new product

Patients often ask these questions when using a product for the first time.

What’s the best way to approach introducing a new product?

Add new products one at a time to enable easy tracking of new ingredients. Then, if irritation does occur, you’ll know which product caused it. At least a week is necessary for trying out new products before adding another one.

Another tip is to stick with a brand a patient likes because all the ingredients will work well together.

How long does it take to see the results?

Results often take time to develop — sometimes weeks or months. Be patient and give new products time to work.

What are signs that a product does not work?

Unless new products produce an immediate unwanted reaction, give them time. Slight redness or irritation often goes away after sensitive skin has had a little time to adjust. Here are four warning signs:

1. Breaking out
2. Irritated skin
3. Tight or dry skin
4. Excess redness

Conclusion

Dr. Patrick Blake shared actionable tips on what skincare products to sell in your medical aesthetics practice to help clients develop an effective daily regimen. The two biggest factors in keeping the skin healthy are washing the face and using sunscreen daily, so those are two great products to get started with.

To summarize, for morning skincare Dr. Blake recommends a gentle face wash, glycolic acid, vitamin c, and finally sunscreen. For evening care, a gentle face wash, retinol, and a thick moisturizer.

To learn more about how you can incorporate skincare products into your practice, speak to a Portrait specialist today.

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