Your dermatologist tells you all the time–”wear your sunscreen!” And your dermatologist has heard all your excuses: “It’s too greasy!  It makes me breakout! I don’t want to be vitamin D deficient!”  Wearing sunscreen daily not only helps prevent skin cancers, like basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, but it keeps you YOUNG!! A new study finds that daily sunscreen use keeps you looking younger longer.

The study followed 900 caucasians in Australia between the ages of 25 to 55.  One test group used SPF15+ sunscreen daily on face, neck, arms, hands and they reapplied throughout the day.  The second test group did not use sunscreen regularly.  After 4 1/2 years, the test group who used sunscreen daily were found to be “24% less likely to show signs of increased aging” (Los Angeles Times 6/4).

To save your skin from skin cancer and wrinkles, we recommend a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 45 or higher.  Sunscreen needs to be reapplied every 1-2 hours when outdoors.  While there are convenient spray sunscreens, your first application should ALWAYS be a lotion or cream for the best coverage.

Photo of trucker who accumulated 28 years of photodamage on left side of face. Photo-Huffington Post.

Summer is quickly sneaking up on us… That means (GASP!) bathing suit season.  Now that you’re tan (out of a can, of course) has faded, you may be noticing unsightly blue, green, and purple veins creating a lovely road map on your lower extremities.  Well fear not!!  All hope is not lost. Leg veins have been treated by injecting a detergent solution (aka: Sclerotherapy) for years.  Patients used to be treated with saline injections, but over the last few years new, more effective solutions have been developed.  We treat our patients with Asclera (Polidocanol), a safe and highly effective detergent solution that causes the superficial unsightly vein to breakdown.  You may ask, “is it safe to collapse those superficial leg veins?”  In a word, yes.  The veins you see represent a vascular insufficiency.  By collapsing the veins that are keeping you out of a swimsuit, the blood is then re-routed through deeper veins, and you get legs you’ll want to show off this summer.  But wait… You worry, “I’ve heard I’ll have to be confined by hot, uncomfortable compression hose!”  Wrong!  Patients aren’t required to wear those awful compression hose any longer and results are just as good.

So no more excuses- say au revoir to veins and bonjour to bathing suits!

Before sclerotherapy for treatment of leg veins

After treatment- notice a significant reduction in the appearance of leg veins

Botox, Dysport and Xeomin are great at minimizing pesky wrinkles in areas like the forehead, and research indicates that botulinum toxins may have another benefit: sebum production reduction.  In other words, botulinum toxin injections seem to reduce oil production!

Researchers Amy Rose, MD and David Goldberg, MD studied 25 oily patients.  After recording their sebum production at base line, they then injected their foreheads with botulinum toxin and measured the sebum production at one week, one month, two months and three months.  Their findings showed that 84% were pleased with the treatment they received to decrease oil production.  Using a sebometer (a device that measures oil production), the researchers found that the patients improved at each time interval.

So, next time you’re on the fence about getting that injection, just think of the added benefit!

The published study can be found in it’s entirety in Dermatologic Surgery (March 2013), “Safety and Efficacy of Intradermal Injection of Botulinum Toxin for the Treatment of Oily Skin.”

Ulthera is a revolutionary treatment option for non-surgical lifting and skin tightening.  However, it may bring to mind the expression, “Beauty is pain.”   Not anymore!  Technology is constantly evolving, and recent changes to the treatment process have resulted in a more comfortable treatment experience.  A mere hour and a half is all that stands between you, a more defined jawline and a younger looking appearance.   If you’re not  quite ready for surgery, or if cosmetic surgery just isn’t an option, Ulthera is your non-invasive alternative!

Before Ultherapy

After one Ultherapy treatment. Notice improved definition of the jawline

About this time of year, your skin may be showing  the after effects of the holiday season.  Resolve to give your skin new life with E Matrix in 2013.

Calling E Matrix a laser is actually a misnomer.  E Matrix is a sublative radio frequency device which places heat deep in the skin with minimal disruption to the outer layer of skin.  What does that mean exactly?  Noticeable results with minimal downtime.  E Matrix can be used to improve hyperpigmentation, melasma, acne, acne scarring, mild to moderate wrinkles and overall improves the appearance of the skin.  E Matrix is safe to use even on darker skin types.  “Downtime” is typically a long weekend for the average patient.

Before treatment with E Matrix to address photodamage on left cheek (driver's side)

After treatment with E Matrix. Notice skin tone and texture is significantly more even

Before treatment with E Matrix to address melasma on the forehead

After treatment with E Matrix. Notice a dramatic reduction in pigmentation