Online shopping has made purchasing any product under the sun more accessible than ever, but is it the safest route to take when you’re purchasing health and beauty products? While you’re bombarded with ads online, it’s tempting to explore the pop-ups that address your skincare and beauty needs. Be wary of purchasing health and beauty products online as there are some legitimate safety risks to consider.
The Danger
Whether it’s a face cream, oil, moisturizer, cleanser, or anything else, you need to keep in mind that many retailers are third-party sellers. They may not list the ingredients, verify the ingredients or the sources, or be able to offer any expertise on which product may be right for you. After all, they may simply be purchasing the products from a warehouse and then passing them along to you.
What Could It Cost You?
If you’re buying health and beauty products, it’s because you want them to effectively help you deal with current skin concerns — not make them worse. It is a definite risk to shop for skincare products online from third-party retailers. Here are some of the negative reactions and side effects associated with using health and beauty products purchased online:
- Mild redness: This could indicate an allergy or adverse reaction to the ingredients in the product. While this isn’t typically dangerous, skin issues could become a major problem when you want to look your best.
- Skin irritation: Beyond redness, your skin could be at risk for bumps, rashes, itchiness, dryness, or even hives. Your skin is your largest organ and your health’s first line of defense and protection.
- Severe allergic reactions or chemical burns: Many skincare products advertised online are available at rock bottom prices and claim to include trendy ingredients. You don’t necessarily know how your skin will react to these ingredients, nor the composition of the other ingredients and while most reactions tend to be minor, there is a possibility of more severe reactions.
Products that are proven to be beneficial typically undergo a battery of tests before they are made available to the public. Trending ingredients are just that and they change often. Many of these products are manufactured in facilities using substandard ingredients and substandard manufacturing equipment. A good rule of thumb is if you can’t read the ingredients or have no way to verify them, don’t purchase the product or throw it out.
Another skincare trend is “personalized” products. You fill out an online assessment tool which generates a unique cocktail of skincare products that are supposedly tailored to your exact needs. Run, don’t walk, from these offers. A robot can’t assess your personal lifestyle, skincare concerns, allergies, or individual needs in a way that covers all the bases in the same way a knowledgeable professional can.
What’s the Solution?
There are two primary solutions to the above concerns:
- Start with a professional consultation. This is important and allows you discuss your personal needs, present skin concerns, and discuss any products you may have reacted to in the past. A qualified professional can take into consideration any prior adverse reactions and may help explain what the source of that reaction was.
- Determine which products are best suited for your skin type. This goes into far more detail than an online skincare regimen generator, and you can feel confident in walking away with a regimen that you understand. You’ll be able to recognize the ingredients or ask about the ones you don’t and verify the quality of the ingredients.
Call Us Today
Elizabeth Roche, MD MedSpa has a fully equipped and trained staff ready to schedule your consultation. We have a warm and friendly office, and invite you to call or contact us if you’d like to learn more about a skincare regimen that’s right for you. Because Dr. Elizabeth Roche has designed her own line of skincare products, we know what’s in them, and that means you’ll know what’s in them, too. At the Elizabeth Roche, MD MedSpa, I have a knowledgeable staff ready to schedule a consultation if you would like to learn more about a skin care regimen that is right for you. Because I work with the best private label company in the country, you can be assured that the ingredients in my products are proven to work, are of the highest quality, and manufactured in a state-of-the-art sterile facility.
We welcome your questions about our products and the specific ingredients we’ve chosen to include. You can feel confident in investing in a skincare regimen that will help rejuvenate and refresh your skin for years to come.