High-end serums. Proprietary moisturizers. A mass market sunscreen. Dermatologists will suggest all of them to their patients—but only if they believe in the formulation’s ability to repair and protect skin.
A diverse arsenal of products can help a dermatologist better serve a diverse patient group.

“My practice has patients from as young as a few months old, to teenagers with acne, to women concerned with aging, to elderly folks with skin cancer,” noted Dr. Tony Nakhla, a board-certified dermatologist with practices in Santa Ana and San Clemente, CA. “Realizing that you need something for everyone and at different price points, we carry three lines.”

They are: OC Skin Institute, a skin care line (named after his practice) that is designed for a younger, acne-prone patient with treatments like glycolic acid, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide; Luzerne Labs, for the client who wants plant-based regimens and might be nervous about intensive skin care; and Eighth Day, his newest line, which is designed for the serious anti-aging client as it is formulated with human stem cell proteins and is priced between $85-$325.

While Nakhla takes a cutting-edge approach when formulating high-end products like Eighth Day, he will also suggest sunscreens that are available OTC, as well as products for cracked skin, eczema, and fungal rashes that consumers can easily pick up at the local supermarket, mass retailer or pharmacy.
“These include Aveeno Positively Radiant, Aquaphor and Zeasorb AF powder,” Nakhla told Happi.

Meet & Treat
Companies courting today’s dermatologists range from professional/aesthetic focused-brands to mass market stalwarts to those in the naturals space.

Just last month, Derma E announced the “Derms for Derma E” initiative, a new partnership with three dermatologists who will help spread the word that “cleaner ingredient skin care can be equally as effective for real skin solutions.”

As brand advocates, Dr. Shala Fardin, Dr. Diana Camarillo, and Dr. Gervaise Gerstner have partnered with Derma E to offer their patients more natural skin care alternatives, according to the Simi Valley, CA-based firm.

“As a physician and as a mom, I love that the Derma E line offers eco-ethical, botanical-based treatments that deliver real and effective results. For me, it is a must to be able to provide natural alternatives like Derma E products to my patients. I also appreciate that the line is affordable, making it accessible to everyone,” Fardin, co-founder of Southern Marin Dermatology in Sausalito, CA, said in a statement when the initiative was announced.

Derma E’s new initiative came after its parent company, Topix Pharmaceuticals, launched a new, physician-exclusive skin care packaging option at the 2019 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting in Washington, DC this spring.

The AAD event enables skin care companies to get in front of the largest annual gathering of dermatologists in the world; approximately 18,000 people attend each year.

Johnson & Johnson was also present at the meeting in March. According to Josh Ghaim, PhD, chief technology officer, Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, J&J shared science in skin health areas important to the professional community, including hydration, photodamage, low-level light therapy, microbiome and hair loss. In addition, the company discussed recent work in what it believes is the future of skin care—imaging science and personalization.

J&J’s scientific posters, which also featured data from NeoStrata, covered a range of topics, ingredients and skin conditions such as skin with cracking and fissuring, an oil composition containing stabilized retinol with enhanced bioactivity, external aggressors, polyhydroxy/bionic acids, low-level blue light and propionibacterium acnes and antibiotic resistant P. acnes, to name just a few.

Acne was also addressed in posters presented by Rodan & Fields. Founders Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields, and a team of scientists led by chief scientific officer Dr. Timothy Falla, detailed research on Spotless, its teen acne solution. Rodan & Fields conducted an eight-week clinical study of male and female teenagers with mild-to-moderate acne on the efficacy and safety of a two-step acne regimen that uses a patent-pending delivery system leveraging benzoyl peroxide in an innovative liquid form. The technology in the Spotless regimen is said to penetrate biofilms and balance the microbiome inside pores to effectively combat the entire acne cycle. With benefits beginning from first use, 97% percent of those in the study reported significant improvement in overall blemish appearance. In addition, the regimen provided faster onset of benefits and was less irritating than competitor products utilizing benzoyl peroxide, according to Rodan & Fields.

Burt’s Bees is also calling attention to the role that natural skin care products can play in a dermatology practice. Last year at the first annual Integrative Dermatology Symposium (IDS), Hemali Gunt, PhD, head of clinical and scientific affairs, presented posters on Burt’s Bees’ Sensitive Skin Care regimen and its effect on skin barrier function, skin hydration and anti-inflammatory activity. Presentations included: Nature-Based Sensitive Skin Regimen Improved Barrier Function and Maintained Skin Hydration in Patients with Clinically Diagnosed Sensitive Skin; Improved Outcomes Following a Nature-Based Sensitive Skin Regimen in Patients with Sensitive Skin Related to Rosacea or Atopic Dermatitis/Eczema; and Whole Formula Nature Based Sensitive Skin Product Demonstrates In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Activity from Human Epidermal Keratinocyte.

IDS was designed to bring experts from around the world practicing various types of dermatology—think Western, Naturopathic, Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine—for a holistic look at the current dermatology landscape with a focus on improving patient experience. The next symposium is scheduled for Oct. 3-5, 2019 in San Diego.

Products & Procedures
Dermatologists look for robust clinical studies as they source topical products that will address concerns and work conjunction with the procedures they provide in their offices.

Alastin Skincare, a specialty aesthetics company that develops physician-dispensed skin care products, published a clinical study and scientific article in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology that highlights its TransForm Body Treatment with TriHex Technology. A double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of topical body treatments in combination with cryolipolysis procedures (also known as “fat freezing” or CoolSculpting, cryolipolysis involves non-invasive cooling of body fat to break down fat cells).  The trial studied female subjects between 25-65 years of age with clearly visible bilateral subcutaneous arm fat. Following cryolipolysis on the upper arm, subjects were randomized to receive TransForm on one arm and a bland moisturizer on the other, with twice daily applications.

According to Alastin, TransForm Body Treatment accelerates outcomes by supporting the body’s natural repair processes. Of 11 subjects evaluated over a 24-week period, overall contour consistently improved and faster attainment of contour results were achieved on the TriHex arm. The study also demonstrated an improvement in skin laxity in addition to the contour improvement. The article concluded that the application of TransForm helps remove waste lipid products created by the procedures to further enhance results from the procedures. This is achieved through peptides that are primed to stimulate autophagic processes, resulting in enhanced lipid droplet breakdown, macrophage clustering and the optimized resolution of programmed fat tissue destruction, according to Alastin.

“I have been very impressed with Alastin Skincare and their dedication to scientific rigor with a unique focus on disruptive aesthetic technologies, “ said Dr. Suzanne Kilmer, MD, the study co-author.

Colorescience has also published new data. The Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology included results from an 18-week study that assessed the efficacy and tolerability of a daily use, multifunctional topical skin care regimen of the brand’s All Calm Clinical Redness Corrector SPF 50 and Sunforgettable Brush-On Shield SPF 50 alone and in combination with intense pulsed light therapy (IPL) to improve facial redness associated with skin conditions such as rosacea and decrease post treatment side effects.

In the study, 20 patients used a daily topical skin care regimen for 12 weeks. At week 12, those same patients received a single IPL treatment immediately followed by the application of the same skin care products and then continued the topical skin care regimen for six additional weeks. All patients reported their skin looked better immediately following the application of the skin care products across all time points, including immediately post IPL. At week 18, the overall mean redness score significantly improved by 33% from baseline.

The study demonstrates that the skin care regimen applied immediately post IPL and in combination with an IPL treatment produced a significant reduction in overall facial redness in patients with rosacea. According to the clinical study investigator, it showed that “this regimen can achieve significant improvement for patients who suffer with facial redness. Having products like these that work alone or in combination with office-based procedures is a game changer for aesthetic practices.”

Biopelle, a Ferndale, MI-based skin care range that is distributed in 1,500 physician offices and med-spas throughout North America and Australia, recently rolled out Emepelle, which it bills as the first and only clinically proven line that safely and effectively helps address estrogen deficient skin (EDS).

Low estrogen results in skin dryness, atrophy, wrinkling and thinning. In the first five years of menopause, low estrogen levels led to a 30% loss of the skin’s collagen and a subsequent 2.1% loss each year thereafter. According to Eric Fleming, president and COO of Biopelle, there are no cosmeceuticals available that are clinically proven to safely and effectively help address estrogen deficiency of the skin. 

Emepelle’s Serum and Night Cream are powered by MEP Technology, a patented ingredient that helps to restore the natural function of EDS, without hormones. Both formulations, which are fortified with additional ingredients to help provide additional anti-aging benefits, work on all skin types and are recommended for women who are in perimenopause or menopause.

“There is a perception among women that aging skin is a natural part of life and occurs as you age chronologically or through exposure to environmental factors, such as sunlight and pollution. Estrogen loss, however, is a key factor in accelerated facial aging,” noted Dr. Diane Berson, MD, a New York City dermatologist.

To help  more men get on board with a skin regimen, Progenitor Biologics, Carlsbad, CA, rolled out a DefenAge Skincare Men’s Kit. The fragrance-free set is said to take the “guesswork out of results-driven skin care for men using a clearly outlined step-by-step system. The line’s key proprietary ingredient, Age-Repair Defensins, is said to reprogram the skin to become visibly younger every day. Unlike retinoid-based systems, DefenAge does not irritate the skin, providing a unique experience with impressive results, according to the company.

Skin Care For All
Venerable physician-dispensed skin care brand Obagi is making bold moves in the marketplace following its divestiture from parent company Valeant Pharmaceuticals two years ago. In addition to rolling out Professional-C Microdermabrasion Polish + Mask, which contains 30% L-ascorbic acid—more than any other skin care product in the industry—the company has expanded the Obagi Clinical product line into Sephora.com.

More recently, Obagi unveiled a major new initiative called “Skinclusion.”

According to Jaime Castle, president, Skinclusion represents what she sees as her company’s commitment as a leader in skin care to elevate the global dialogue about diversity and inclusion, and spark action and be “reflective of all our beautiful differences.”  The company tapped actor/producer/activist Priyanka Chopra Jonas—recognized by Forbes as one of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women—as an ambassador.

For Obagi, Skinclusion goes beyond a marketing slogan; it helps shed light on research that has been fundamental to the brand since its inception. At an event to unveil the campaign last month, Castle called attention to the firm’s 30-year legacy of providing effective, science-based skin care products for all skin tones, noting that it was the first professional skin care company to specifically design clinical research protocol to include all six Fitzpatrick skin types.

During a panel discussion with Castle, Chopra Jonas and other experts, Dr. Jeanine B. Downie, MD, and director of Image Dermatology P.C. in Montclair, NJ, lauded Obagi’s efforts.

“The reality is that not all skin tones are the same when it comes to determining what kinds of products and treatments are effective,” Downie said. “The fact that the team at Obagi has ensured their clinical trials are designed to include skin types across the entire Fitzpatrick skin spectrum is significant and should be the way forward for the entire skin care industry.”