We scoured the country and asked dermatologists and other licensed skin care professionals (plastic surgeons, estheticians, etc...) what over the counter products they recommended. The problem is that there are so many products available that it can make your head spin just trying to sort through it all and find what you need. So, we wanted to get advice right from the foremost sources - America's dermatologists. These are their top recommended skincare products and many are actually used in their offices:



1. Non harsh soaps and cleansers: Harsh soaps like Dial will dry out your skin and can induce skin problems and early aging (something you definitely don't want). There are numerous soaps and cleansers which will not dry out your skin. Cetaphil and its cheaper generic equivalents, like Walmart's Equate brand, was recommended by almost every dermatologist. These cleaning products will clean your face, won't leave dirt that can clog pores, and will not over dry your skin. They are also hypo-allergenic, so people with sensitive skin types won't get rashes or similar.

2. Non-comodogenic face lotions with sun protection: The higher the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) the better the protection. Every dermatologist basically kept reemphasizing how important it is to stay out of the sun and to protect from sun damage to your skin. UV rays from intense sunlight will age your skin and cause premature wrinkling, sun spots, broken blood vessels and capillaries, and can cause the deadliest of all cancers - malignant melanoma. Some come with botanicals, vitamins and alpha-hydroxy acids (like glycolic and malic acids) which will nourish and strengthen your skin - they also smell nice.

3. Benzoyl peroxide and beta-hydroxy acids for oily prone skin: Some of the dermatologists were for benzoyl peroxide solutions, but most favored the beta-hydroxy solutions as the benzoyl peroxide tended to irritate and dry out the skin too much. The beta-hydroxy acid (salicylic) solutions were more effective at oil removal and fully cleaning out pores.

4. Neosporin: For wound repair and healing from cuts, scrapes, and burns (like chemical peels) nothing was recommended more than Neosporin or an equivalent anti- bacterial ointment. This is documented by many medical studies and numerous articles in medical journals. These antibiotic ointments seal out bacteria and infections and greatly increase healing and lessen any resultant scarring. Dr. Horace Brown in Detroit stated, " The use of antibiotic crèmes and ointments will generally half the normal healing time and if used from day 1 will lessen the chances of scarring. We have also found that patients using it around their eyes as a nightly treatment have plumper and fuller skin than thiose who do not." So, there you have yet another use for antibacterial ointments.

5. Estheticians Choice TCA Skin Peel: Most offer this in office as an out-patient service. This skin peel is a medium depth chemical peel and is used for treating a wide variety of skin conditions and ailments. It is used on everything from aging skin, freckles, sun spots to acne, rosacea and eczyma. This peel has been featured on numerous reality TV shows and results in a younger, fresher look for the patient. This TCA peel is the most effective and the anti-aging results (like skin tightening and treating wrinkles) last, on average, 6 months to 1 year. It is important to note that Estheticians Choice TCA skin peel is available at a great savings for in home use and no prescription is required (see the link below for more on this TCA peel).

So, there you have it, the five most recommended over the counter products from dermatologists nationwide.