Dermatologist Review of PCA Skin®

Founded by licensed aesthetician Margaret Ancira in 1990 near Scottsdale Arizona, Physician's Choice of Arizona (PCA) has steadily grown into a leading dermatology-focused skin care company. The growth of the company has accelerated in recent years under the guidance of CEO Richard Linder. Since 2006, PCA's scientific endeavors have been enhanced by the leadership of Chief Scientist Jennifer Linder, MD, a board certified dermatologist, biomedical engineer and chemist. Dr. Linder guides product development and clinical trials for the company.

PCA's product offering is research based. PCA's commitment to research rivals that of many prescription dermatology product companies. PCA's product range is designed and formulated to selectively incorporate the best in skin care technology to provide superior cosmetic results and facilitate the management of skin care problems.

When PCA debuted in 1990, it began a revolution in the skin care industry. PCA remains at the forefront of recent efforts to bridge the gap between skin care and medicine. The line offers medical grade ingredients and formulas which makes it a popular choice among clinical aestheticians and medical professionals. Today, PCA's innovative formulations are available worldwide exclusively through doctors and licensed skin care professionals.

PCA formulations are crafted to help manage a variety of skin conditions. PCA products are beneficial in the management and treatment of acne, rosacea, sun damage, hyperpigmentation and inherent skin aging. Each specific formulation incorporates the latest advances in medical and scientific research to provide an optimized combination of ingredients to achieve gratifying results.

PCA skin care products are designed to be gentle yet effective. They contain no harsh alcohols, artificial dyes, colors or fragrances. PCA is thus an ideal choice for sensitive skin which may be prone to irritation from the synthetic fragrances, dyes and colors sometimes found in other skin care products. PCA also does not contain heavy oils or waxes that might clog pores and worsen acne. PCA chooses ingredients designed to nourish hydrate and rejuvenate the skin and keep it in balance. PCA is a proponent of alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA) which are utilized widely throughout the product offering. In fact, medical textbooks acknowledge PCA as the originator of advanced blended AHA chemical peel formulations. PCA has a very strong AHA offering but overall the brand represents a balanced multidimensional product range that contains an array of key ingredients. In addition to AHA expertise, PCA's product offering contains other key ingredient classes including antioxidants, pigment control agents, peptides, acne control agents and non-physical sunscreens.

PCA's AHA formulations are primarily blends of lactic and citric acids. This mixture allows for the delivery of gentle exfoliation in pH balanced products. PCA also distributes professional and medical strength AHA and TCA (tri-chloro-acetic acid) peeling products to medical professionals. These products are designed for more aggressive in-office therapy.

Antioxidants help repair and prevent cellular damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are very reactive by-products of the natural oxidative process and contribute to collagen and protein damage on a molecular level within the skin. PCA products contain several antioxidants including polyphenols from green tea, soy and fruit extracts, vitamin E, C and retinol.

PCA products address pigment control with a combination of ingredients including hydroquinone, kojic acid, licorice, lactic acid and vitamin C. Hydroquinone is utilized in the more targeted products such as pHaze 13 Pigment Gel.

One of the newer areas of skin care development in recent years has been the inclusion of active peptides within topical formulations. PCA products incorporate key peptide ingredients including Matrixyl 3000, a blend of two advanced peptides that produce visible anti-wrinkle activity. pHaze 25 ExLinea Peptide Smoothing Serum is PCA's flagship peptide product.

PCA has certainly taken aim on acne. The acne care offering includes products containing some of the most effective agents currently available for acne including benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, sulfur and azelaic acid. The products are designed to be as gentle as possible and are packaged to work well within an overall PCA product regimen.

PCA offers a full line of elegant broad spectrum chemical sunscreens that are recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation. Facial products are rated at SPF 25 and body products at SPF 30. PCA prefers chemical to physical sunscreens because they believe chemical sunscreens are more comfortable feeling and have a more uniform appearance on all skin types including darker skin.

PCA has been around in dermatology circles for a very long time. Recently, however, the brand appears to have become more refined and advanced both in terms of product offering and brand marketing. CEO Linder appears to have mastered the delicate balance of growing awareness, availability and distribution of PCA's product offering while enhancing PCA's brand value and exclusivity. The recent significant enhancements of PCA's marketing presence and product offering suggest a bright future ahead for this company and a likelihood of more innovative quality products for its customers.