Unlock the potential of the US medicated skincare market with our comprehensive report. Our analysis examines consumer consumer attitudes towards medicated skincare products, provides information on US medicated skincare market size, and identifies future trends and opportunities. With our extensive US medicated skincare market report, you can gain a better understanding of how to respond to changing consumer demands and take advantage of new opportunities. Read on to discover our insights.
Medicated Skincare Market – Overview
Personal hygiene behaviors during the pandemic bolstered category sales as consumers dealt with irritated skin from frequent hand washing and sanitization. In 2022, the market stabilized alongside weakening virus fears and a return to typical lifestyles.
Historically high inflation has eroded consumer buying power overall, giving consumers experiencing skin concerns even less motivation to purchase medicated skincare products for minor skin irritations.
US Medicated Skincare Market – Current Trends
Stress and anxiety continue to wreak havoc on consumers. For many, this mental strain is physically manifesting as skin ailments. Many consumers are focused on treating their triggers, either by making lifestyle changes, taking vitamins, minerals, and other other supplements, or identifying triggers with the use of an app. Medicated skincare is often used as a last resort, if symptoms don’t resolve themselves.
Mintel’s medicated skincare market research indicates that consumers remain reactive on the whole. Many only reach for remedies when their skin symptoms worsen. This approach may shift as consumers seek to identify the underlying causes of their skin ailments proactively.
- US medicated skincare market demand:Â The rate at which consumers experience overall skin concerns has increased from 65% in 2021 to 74% in 2022.
- US skincare consumer behavior:Â 40% of consumers cite stress or anxiety as the top reasons for worsening skin conditions, echoing the interconnectivity of various aspects of health.
- Medicated skincare market challenges:Â 32% of consumers take a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to skin conditions. This presents a challenge to medicated skincare brands, since consumers tend to resort to using medicated skincare products only after other treatments don’t work.
Medicated Skincare Market Opportunities
Given consumers tend to be triggered to use products when and if symptoms arise or worsen, if is critical that medicated skincare brands shift mindsets and bring the category into everyday routines. Medicated skincare brands that treat concerns to which consumers remain reactionary will have to find ways to create messaging around a sense of urgency to move consumers to action.
There is an opportunity for medicated skincare brands to respond to consumers’ worsening skin issues with formulations that incorporate ingredients that support other areas of health. Calming ingredients that support sleep health or anti-stress ingredients that nourish the skin can also strengthen appeal amid increasing consumer focus on the importance of mental health.
Read on to discover more about our Medicated Skincare Market Report, read our US Facial Skincare Market Report, or take a look at our Beauty and Personal Care Market Research.
Quickly Understand
- Common skin ailments experienced and how consumers address their skin issues.
- Reasons for worsening skin conditions.
- Factors that consumers consider when purchasing medicated skincare treatments.
- Consumer attitudes and approach to skin conditions and medicated skincare.
- Current usage and future interest in various medicated skincare products.
Products and Companies Covered in this Report
Products: Anti-itch creams/treatments, Lip treatments, Skin growth removers.
Brands: Sanofi-Aventis US LLC, Haleon, Johnson & Johnson, Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc, Bayer AG, Beiersdorf Inc.
Expert Analysis from a Specialist in the US Health Market
This report, written by Dorothy Kotscha, a leading analyst in the health sector, delives in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the US medicated skincare market and add expert context to the numbers.
Consumers continue to experience skin issues as a physical manifestation of both lifestyle choices, such as poor diet and lack of sleep, as well as elevated levels of stress and anxiety. While consumers have adopted a more preventative strategy to managing their overall health, this shift has been slower in the medicated skincare space. Lifestyle changes and remedies in adjacent categories offer consumers even more choice to treat their skin conditions. Many consumers reach for medicated skincare products as a last resort, which has led to relatively slow growth for the category as a whole. However, as the conversation around skin conditions becomes more normalized, more consumers will seek out ways to both manage and prevent skin ailments.
Dorothy Kotscha
Health and Wellness Analyst
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of market, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 2: Medicated skincare category outlook, 2023-28
- Opportunities and challenges
- Consumers use a range of products but remain reactive in their approach to skincare
- Medicated skincare can combat stressed-out skin
- Incidence of skin conditions has remained largely unchanged
- Key consumer insights
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Market Size and Forecast
- Sales resume steady growth after strong post-COVID-19 recovery
- Figure 3: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of market, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 4: Total US sales and forecast of market, at current prices, 2017-27
- Sales resume steady growth after strong post-COVID-19 recovery
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Segment Performance
- Anti-itch treatments drive category sales
- Figure 5: Total US retail sales and forecast of medicated skincare products, by segment, at current prices, 2017-27
- Anti-itch treatments drive category sales
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Market Factors
- Long-term inflation continues to suppress consumer landscape
- Figure 6: Consumer Price Index change from previous period, 2007-22
- Increased diversity will necessitate better representation
- Figure 7: Population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2017-27
- Long-term inflation continues to suppress consumer landscape
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Key Players
- Sales among most top skincare brands remain relatively flat
- Sales of medicated skincare by company
- Figure 8: Multi-outlet sales of medicated skincare, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Don’t overlook men
- Figure 9: Treatments used to address skin conditions, 2022
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- Figure 10: hims custom acne cream, 2022
- Medical-grade skincare ingredients are increasingly accessible
- Ceramides hold promise in both traditional and medicated skincare space
- Figure 11: Cetaphil intensive healing lotion with ceramides, 2022
- Align with movement to embrace the beauty of skin flaws
- Figure 12: Peach & Lily Instagram post, 2022
- The line between medicated skincare and beauty continues to blur
- Don’t overlook men
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The Medicated Skincare Consumer – Fast Facts
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Skin Conditions Experienced
- Greater awareness of skin health contributes to a reported increase in overall skin concerns
- Figure 13: Skin conditions experienced, 2022
- Millennials experience a wide range of skin conditions
- Figure 14: Skin conditions experienced, by generation, 2022
- Medicated skincare brands need to reflect inclusivity
- Figure 15: Changes in skin conditions, by LGBTQ+, 2022
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- Figure 16: Noto Botanics deep serum, 2022
- Hispanic consumers are very aware of changes in their skin conditions
- Figure 17: Changes in skin conditions, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Greater awareness of skin health contributes to a reported increase in overall skin concerns
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Reasons for Worsening Skin Conditions
- Lifestyle choices manifest as skin conditions
- Figure 18: Reasons for worsening skin conditions, 2022
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- Figure 19: Abreva Instagram post, 2021
- Help consumers embrace the transition and age gracefully
- Figure 20: Select reasons for worsening skin conditions, by gender, 2022
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- Figure 21: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, 2022
- Lifestyle choices manifest as skin conditions
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Treatment Options
- Consumers remain reactive to skin ailments
- Figure 22: Treatments used to address skin conditions, 2022
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- Figure 23: Cetaphil smoothing relief body wash, 2022
- Reactionary approach depends on the severity of skin conditions
- Figure 24: Treatment options, by select skin conditions, 2022
- Millennials take a varied approach to addressing skin conditions
- Figure 25: Treatments used to address skin conditions, by Millennials, 2022
- Consumers remain reactive to skin ailments
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Purchase Factors
- Trust is paramount for category shoppers
- Figure 26: Medicated skincare purchase factors, 2022
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- Figure 27: TURF Analysis – Top purchase factors, 2022
- Baby Boomers rely less on product reviews, focus on active ingredients
- Figure 28: Select medicated skincare purchase factors, by generation, 2022
- Black consumers are focused on ingredients and results
- Figure 29: Select medicated skincare purchase factors, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Trust is paramount for category shoppers
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Attitudes toward Skin Conditions
- Provide the final push toward proactive behaviors
- Figure 30: Attitudes toward skin conditions, 2022
- Black consumers manage skin conditions through lifestyle changes
- Figure 31: Attitudes toward skin conditions, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Provide the final push toward proactive behaviors
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Product Interest and Usage
- A need to understand skin conditions supports a preventative approach
- Figure 32: Product interest and usage, 2022
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- Figure 33: Dove Body Love Sensitive Care body lotion, 2021
- Engagement is high among Millennials despite threat from traditional bodycare
- Figure 34: Select product interest and usage, by Millennials, 2022
- A need to understand skin conditions supports a preventative approach
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 35: Total US retail sales and forecast of medicated skincare products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 36: Total US retail sales and forecast of medicated skincare products, by segment, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 37: Total US retail sales of medicated skincare products, by segment, at current prices, 2020 and 2022
- Figure 38: Total US retail sales and forecast of anti-itch treatments, at current prices, 2017-27
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- Figure 39: Total US retail sales and forecast of anti-itch treatments, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 40: Total US retail sales and forecast of skin growth removers, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 41: Total US retail sales and forecast of skin growth removers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 42: Total US retail sales and forecast of cold sore medications, at current prices, 2017-27
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- Figure 43: Total US retail sales and forecast of cold sore medications, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 44: Total US retail sales of medicated skincare products, by channel, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 45: Average annual household spending on medicated skincare products, 2017-22
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- Figure 46: Total US retail sales of medicated skincare products, by channel, at current prices, 2020 and 2022
- Figure 47: US supermarket sales of medicated skincare products, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 48: US drugstore sales of medicated skincare products, at current prices, 2017-22
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- Figure 49: US sales of medicated skincare products through other retail channels, at current prices, 2017-22
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Appendix – Companies and Brands
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- Figure 50: Multi-outlet sales of anti-itch treatments, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
- Figure 51: Multi-outlet sales of skin growth removers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
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- Figure 52: Multi-outlet sales of cold sore medications, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 53: Table – TURF Analysis – Purchase Factors, 2022
- Methodology
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- Figure 54: Select reasons for worsening skin conditions, by Millennials, 2022
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