If you're a dame who likes to dabble in skin things, chances are you'll feel that when it comes to all different professional treatments and facial procedures out there, things can get pretty confusing.

Whether we're talking medical skincare, anti-wrinkle injections, fillers or everything in between - it may all seem a little overwhelming.

And we're right there with you.

Watch: I asked "The Doll Maker" what she'd do to my face. Post continues below.

That's why we've had a chat with some experts about what we should know - specifically when when it comes to prescription skincare and cosmetic procedures.

Cause these areas of beauty are absolutely BOOMING, but there are some pretty crucial things you should be asking before undergoing any kind of facial treatment or procedure.

To save you the hassle, we've pulled some of the most important questions into a big ol' article.

So, please - grab your notepad and let's make a start, shall we?

What to know before starting medical skincare.

If you consider yourself a bit of a beauty afficionado, chances are you've heard of 'medical skincare' or 'prescription skincare'. It's everywhere right now.

There are approximately eleventy million Facebook groups touting the stuff, prescription brands are all over your Instagram, your best friend swears the stuff cleared her acne, etc. etc.

And it makes sense why it's blown up. Everyone's skin is different - and beauty brands are starting to notice that skincare is not a one-size-fits-all kinda deal. In 2021, there are more customisable options to suit individual needs than ever before.

What makes medical skincare products different?

Good question! Important question.

"Quite simply, prescription products work - and we have good-quality scientific evidence to prove it," said Dr Scott Ellis, Medical Director at Qr8 MediSkin.

Listen: Find out what else you need to know about prescription skincare services, on this episode of You Beauty. Post continues below.

"In Australia every prescription medication is rigorously tested for safety and to make sure it's effective at what it claims to do. In contrast, non-prescription (or over-the-counter) skincare products are not required to prove that they work at all."

Anyone else find that... jarring?

"In fact, almost all 'cosmeceutical-grade' skincare in Australia is officially listed under the cosmetics category alongside lipsticks and foundations."

INTERESTING.

Wondering why your over-the-counter products don't have to be tested to prove they work?

One word: marketing. Knew it!

As Dr Ellis says there's a big ol' marketing loophole in our laws that allows companies to talk about the benefits of certain ingredients that are in their products, without having to provide evidence that the product itself has those benefits.

You know all the buzzy words that are slapped on the front of packaging? Yeah - that kinda stuff. No wonder skincare is so confusing.

"This is an issue, because there are many factors that influence whether skincare works - the form of the active ingredients, what other ingredients are present in the product (and whether they interact) and the pH of the product all have significant effects," said Dr Ellis.

"Unfortunately, many people are using expensive products believing that they will improve their skin biology - the reality is that there is no quality, scientific evidence that they influence the skin more than a nice foundation."

Sad face.

"Prescription skincare, on the other hand, is held to the same standards as any other medication that doctors may prescribe - meaning that we know it works when used for its intended application."

Are prescription ingredients better?

According to Dr Ellis, the fact that prescription skincare is evidence-based makes it generally more effective and well-researched than run-of-the-mill products.

"As an example, a much-loved over-the-counter ingredient is a form of vitamin A called retinol. It's often referred to as the 'holy grail' by skincare companies, marketed as an anti-acne, anti-aging, skin brightening [solution]."

"In reality, the benefits listed on many products containing retinol are based on studies of the prescription medication," he said.

Whilst both over-the-counter retinol and the prescription version are classified in the vitamin A family, Dr Ellis said the prescription version has been shown to be approximately 20 times more effective than retinol.

"Incidentally, retinol products are also often much more expensive than prescription versions - meaning that many [people] are often paying more for less result."

However, it's important to note here that prescription ingredients aren't without some drawbacks - and some specific ingredients can come with important limitations.

If you're familiar with prescription skincare, chances are you've heard of someone who has messed up their skin with prescription vitamin A because they went too hard and too fast. But this is why, unlike over-the-counter products, prescription skincare requires medical supervision.

According to Dr Ellis, the most common mistake he sees is someone using their prescription cream too often when first starting out - which is a very dangerous game to play.

"These ingredients are generally very active, and as such need to be introduced to the body incrementally," he said. "Always follow the introductory protocol that you are provided, and make sure you have clear instructions from your doctor as to what that protocol recommends (it's useful to have a written copy to refer back to later)."

"Well-chosen prescription ingredients are generally better - but the wrong ingredient, applied to the wrong skin in the wrong formulation has the potential to cause problems. That's why the doctor prescribing the ingredients is just as important as the ingredients themselves."

Where can you buy medical grade skincare?

"There's a number of different options for accessing prescription skincare, but they all involve consultation with a doctor. Most commonly they are dermatologists, cosmetic doctors, or general practitioners with a special interest in skin," said Dr Ellis.

"Traditionally, this was always accessed through a physical clinic or hospital - however, thanks to technology, it is now possible to safely and conveniently link with experienced doctors virtually."

Yep, this is a thing friends. There's now a slew of different online services that allow you to have your skin assessed remotely by a dermatologist or doctor in order to obtain a prescription.

Easy as pie!

" Qr8 Mediskin uses technology that takes a person's photographs, and generates a three-dimensional model of their head and neck that allows us to rotate, zoom in and out, and examine the skin in extreme detail."