Skin Care News

My Boys are 22 & 24 years old and spent many long hours in waiting rooms at Dermatologist offices as well has many trips to the pharmacy. When my daughter turned 12, I started her on a very simple skincare regimen of a water-soluble cleanser that simulated the look and feel of soap. She would follow with a very light Daytime Moisturizer that gave her a non-chemical spf. of 15. Her skincare before bedtime always came before brushing her teeth. Alexis avoided the Dermatologist entirely and at 17 has beautiful skin.

The Dermatologist’s Microdermabrasion Vacuum System: $200 Vacuum cleaner that sucks the dead skin cells off your face and then “depositing the powder and exfoliate [dead skin cells] in a sealed collection chamber that can be disposed of after four treatments”, so now you could even start your own dead-facial-skin-cells collection.

Enter, the Foto Facial. Getting a Foto Facial is kind of scary at first. I mean you have to sign this release basically saying that it could burn your face, you may get scars, yada yada. Yet somehow, the desperation takes over and you are willing to do anything to rejuvenate your skin.

This week we're hearing about a laser pointer that way "laid" or "placed" (depending on who is transcribing the story that everyone is repeating) on a dermatology exam table and somehow sparked a fire that caused $200,000 in damages.

It is thought that Rosacea afflicts at least 30% of the Caucasian population, there are still only a handful of treatments for rosacea, and most of those are only by prescription. Some of the topical applications are MetroGel, MetroCream, MetroLotion, and Noritate (i.e., perhaps the creams you found). The active ingredient in each of these is metronidazole, which is considered the primary treatment for this disease. Occasionally, azelaic acid and oral antibiotics are also an option. Because one must experiment until one finds what works best, all these should considered when developing a plan for treating Rosacea.

A Manhattan company called Freedom-2 is introducing a durable but removable tattoo ink. A dermatology professor at Harvard who developed many laser treatments for birthmarks and skin lesions, helped design and ink using FDA-approved, digestible pigment particles.

Lately life is one big doctor appointment. P has 4 appointments this week with 4 different doctors. Monday was an ear follow up and an appointment with his PCM for those weird sores. Today is an appointment with dermatology. Friday is a sports physcial. All I can say is I am uber thankful for health insurance.

Hip cosmeceutical maker Philosophy has sued the South Florida dermatology practice of Dr. Fredric Brandt for trademark infringment. Philosophy claims that when it adopted the mark HOPE IN A JAR for a moisturizing cream, Dr. Brandt responded by marketing a product called MICRODERMABRASION IN JAR. Similarly, according to Philosophy, its MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE product became LASER IN A BOTTLE when Dr. Brandt got a hold of it.

Scars are all different. They may respond differently to different treatments depending on the person, skin type, the direction of the scar (in your case a particularly important point) and the only way to know what the treatment options are is to have someone trustworthy and experienced to give you a hands-on evaluation and an opinion based upon experience with the problem. In my practice, I get doctors and patients sending me people for scar repairs almost every day, so a good deal of my practice profile deals with scars and/or difficult cases.

More and more children are getting diagnosed with melanoma and although sun exposure is one cause there could be other unknown causes.

The most important thing for me right now is to graduate with a B.S. in Microbiology with the premed emphasis in two years. I also have something to prove to a few family members who don't think much of me, who have even gone as far to say that I won't make it. I'm striving to prove them wrong. Ultimately, I want to become a doctor specializing obstetrics, dermatology, anethesia, or internal medicine.

AHA peels, including glycolic, salicylic, lactic and fruit acids, are of the mildest formulas. Most AHA peels can be applied weekly, and help to treat fine lines, dryness, acne, and uneven pigmentation. Treatments, on average, take less than an hour. Recovery time is fairly short, but several treatments are usually required.

Teens and people in their 20s are starting to get a very common form of skin cancer usually found in people over 50, the Canadian Dermatology Association said on Friday.

The talk so impressed the American Cancer Society's chief epidemiologist, Dr. Michael Thun, that the society is reviewing its sun protection guidelines. "There is now intriguing evidence that vitamin D may have a role in the prevention as well as treatment of certain cancers," Thun said.

So, while agencies conduct extensive (and expensive) studies, we recommend moderation.

"The skin can handle it, just like the liver can handle alcohol," said Dr. James Leyden, professor emeritus of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania, who has consulted for sunscreen makers. "I like to have wine with dinner, but I don't think I should drink four bottles a day."

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued warnings about the dangers of tanning beds and skin cancer, especially for young people (www.who.int). The American Academy of Dermatology (www.aad.org) endorses the WHO recommendation to restrict tanning bed use.

This is the time of the year when pollens give you hay fever and your nose is running like crazy. But now, a new photon-based anti-hay-fever technology is available to help, at least if you live in Central Europe. A small Hungarian company, Rhinolight, has developed a new technology using light cannons to help you. Its special lamps, which illuminate your nose with high energy light, have been installed in about 20 medical centers. After two weeks or about six sessions, the company says that you have a 80% chance to be cured -- at least for the current year. But as I haven't read any reports about the efficiency of this method, don't book a flight to Budapest before talking to your physician and read more...

According to the American Academy of Dermatology 85 per cent of people are sensitive to the oil.

Usually within 15 minutes of contact, the urushiol binds to skin proteins. When you know you have been exposed wash within 5 minutes with cold water to completely prevent a reaction. If it is washed off with soap and water before that time, a reaction may be prevented.

I have a skin condition known as ezcema. When the condition flares up, it’s characterized by severely dry skin that itches and flakes. A flare up makes me look like one of the lizard people, scaly and shedding my skin. Oh, and it’s an ugly red color.

Psychodermatology is a burgeoning field of cosmetic medicine that blends dermatology and psychology - and is based on the premise that body and mind are inextricably linked. To learn more...

- Psychodermatology: The Mind-Skin Connection

- Psychodermatology Links

Santa Monica Laser and Skin Care Center, a facility offering the most technologically advanced skin care, has announced that it will now offer VelaSmooth, a new ground-breaking treatment for cellulite. The Center is headed by Dr. Mary Lee Amerian, a top Los Angeles dermatologist, who has grown her practice into one of the most successful dermatology practices in Los Angeles over the past few years.

Studies demonstrate that if sufficient topical corticosteroids are absorbed into the bloodstream, they can reduce the normal function of the adrenal glands that are responsible for producing the body's natural steroid hormones. In some rare cases, this acute adrenal insufficiency can be life-threatening or lead to Cushing's syndrome -- a serious disease causing upper body obesity, weakened bones, and thinning of the skin which makes it fragile and susceptible to infection.

Growth suppression: Long-term systemic exposure to topical corticosteroids may result in slowed body growth and development, a special concern in children who have an increased risk of systemic exposure because of their higher ratio of skin to body volume.

Adverse effects in the skin and eyes: Inappropriate or overuse of topical corticosteroids can lead to obvious visible changes. The most common side effects of topical corticosteroid overuse include thinning of the skin, permanent stretch marks in body fold sites such as the arm pits and behind the knees, swelling of tiny blood vessels beneath the skin surface especially on the face, hypopigmentation and slowed wound healing. Cataracts and glaucoma also could develop.

Two eczema creams, Elidel and Protopic, should carry a strong advisory about a cancer risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday in a warning strongly disputed by the manufacturers.

Research shows the creams are absorbed into the body and may have the potential to cause cancer, the FDA said. It was working on a "black box" warning for the salves -- the strongest warning carried on medicines.

The FDA has approved revisions to the safety labeling for somatropin [rDNA origin] injection (Norditropin), anagrelide capsules (Agrylin), and ammonium lactate 12% cream (Lac-Hydrin).

Until this morning I only had a vague idea about what exactly a boil is. I think I thought it was a blister kind of thing. It’s turns out, though, no. It’s not blistery at all. For starters, boils are caused by staph infections, not some sort of skin irritation. Also, they’re HUGE. And red. And painful. And they make you really, really kvetchy. The raised part of mine is about the size of an olive, but that’s not the showstopper. The part of the boil that is under the skin is about the size of an egg. It feels like I’m holding an orange in my armpit.

Now, “lump” and “armpit” are not concepts that sit peacefully in a girl’s head; we’ve all been poking around for lumps there for decades already. I knew it wasn’t a lump though—it’s a bump (or it was, before it became a grapefruit) and that’s an important distinction. It’s the difference between a quick lancing and so long boobs, hello chemo. I was definitely in the territory of the former.

I called my very cool internist at 9 this morning and she told me to come in at 2. She really is awfully cool. She poked at it, confirmed that it was a boil, and pronounced that it was too “immature” to be lanced just yet. This was good news because I am even less clear about what “lancing” entails than I was about what a boil is, but I am pretty damn sure that it would hurt. Instead, I’ve got 10 days of antibiotics and loads of hot compresses—a bargain by any standards.

You always think of Hollywood stars with perfect skin and the best skin care. Sometimes, though, it's all about skin scare. Here's a fun dermatology site devoted to Hollywood's skin. Hollywood has put the "plastic" back in "plastic surgery".

While exhibiting a highly developed flair for the well-place pun, Vail Reese MD takes us on a dermatological Hollywood epic that includes skin conditions used to convey evil, actors with skin conditions and realistic depiction of skin findings. The site seems to be kept very up to date and includes images from recently released films as well as those still in production.

“As a dermatologist and a film buff, I’ve found a series of skin conditions featured in movies. All of the films listed are readily available on home video. Peruse at your leisure and let me know what you think. You may look at movies in a new way.“