Why buy skincare from a provider's office?

Some skincare does not turn up with the rest of the shopping, and that is the small oddity behind this question. Where a product is sold is the first thing to check.

What Yahoo News reports about where it is sold

Yahoo News puts it this way: "You may have noticed that recently, certain skin care products aren't available to purchase over the counter — and while they're not exactly considered prescription, you have to buy them from a doctor's office." That is the direct answer to the question. For these products the provider's office is the place they are sold.

The earliest sign is a product you cannot buy directly

The same Yahoo News piece adds: "For this reason, some products aren't available to be purchased directly by the consumer." If a product you read about is missing from a regular store, that gap is the first signal. It points you toward asking an office about it before you try to find it anywhere else.

More reading on skin care and choosing a provider

Cleveland Clinic's newsroom has Dermatologist-Approved Tips for Healthier Skin, and the AAD publishes skin care secrets as general reading. The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery publishes tips for choosing a cosmetic surgeon, and Houston Methodist walks through a skin care routine for your 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond.

What to ask before you buy

Ask the office whether it carries the product and whether you can buy it there directly. Readers in St. Johns, Florida, who find a product listed only through a provider can raise it at their next visit.