May 22nd – Friday is not Fry Day

This coming Friday the American Academy of Dermatology and the Skin Cancer Foundation have dedicated this day, May 22, as a day to remember not to fry your skin in the sun or in tanning beds.

Preventing Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is an epidemic in this country and this day should prompt you to think and do a few things for your skin and overall health:

1. Use a sunscreen every morning with SPF 15 or 30
2. Stay out of tanning beds
3. When exercising or at the beach remember sunscreens are not permanent and wash off easily and should be reapplied at least every hour
4. Remember to apply sunscreen to your children—their skin is even more sensitive than yours
5. Wear sunglasses with an A and B block because the sun also causes cataracts

Other tips

The most deadly form of skin cancer is malignant melanoma and great strides are being made in the treatment of this disease; however, still of the 55,000 who get this 10,000 will die. Even though the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, will not kill you, it can be very disfiguring and devastating. The other name for this cancer is “rodent ulcer” for good reason. In addition, the sun is the primary cause of the appearance of aging and sunscreen does help to keep this from happening as well.

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Treatments for the Double Chin

I have been asked a number of times about treatment for double chin other than surgical intervention or liposuction and there are some available. Ultherapy, utilizing radio waves, was recently approved by the FDA and does a pretty good job.

Other Double Chin Treatments

Thermage, which has been around longer, uses a different wavelength and also works, but more slowly. The most recent FDA approval for this condition is called ATX101, which is an injection of an enzyme that destroys the fat and produces a little inflammation so that the skin might tighten. It takes a few treatments and is somewhat uncomfortable.

All of these methods are rather expensive with costs over $1000 and don’t forget if the skin is very loose it will not go up and give you a normal line. All these things should be considered and discussed with your dermatologist or plastic surgeon.

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Common Errors in your Skincare

1. Using soap on your face—soap is alkaline and changes the acid/base balance of the skin and dries it out. Use a cleanser or a beauty bar, such as Cetaphil or Neutrogena
2. Using RetinA in the morning—always use it at night. The sun deactivates the molecule and makes it less effective
3. Using sunscreen only while on vacation—use sunscreen with SPF 30 every morning—the sun is always there
4. It is ok to use vitamin C cream that is brown— No it is not. Once the cream is no longer yellow, it is ineffective
5. Patients with rosacea using Retin A—they should not because Rosacea is not a form of acne and the Retin A or retinol may irritate the sensitive skin
6. It does not matter where skincare products are stored— Yes it does. Keep them in a dry cool place and don’t leave them uncovered in the bathroom. The lights there can affect its efficacy.
7. Don’t take hot showers because they remove oil from the skin. The skin has oil only on the face, scalp and upper torso. There is none on the legs, arms etc.
8. Cortisone cream over the counter is always safe. NO Do not use it on babies or young children and do not apply to the groin area as it might thin the skin
9. There are products to apply to hair and nails to increase the strength. NO hair and nails are not alive, but products of the skin and cannot be affected by applying anything
10. If I have herpes, I cannot transmit the virus when the blisters are not present. Yes you can
11. Ringworm is contagious. Most of the time it is not

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Inexpensive and Easy tips for a Beautiful Skin

1. If you like bar cleansers opt for Dove, Cetaphil, Neutrogena or CeraVe
2. Apply cool water to your face and cover with Vaseline for at least 30 minutes
3. After a bath or shower, pat dry, leave a little moisture and apply Vaseline
4. Drink 8 glasses of water a day
5. Use sunscreen every morning
6. Wear sunglasses outside that block UVB and UVA
7. Apply insect repellant to your clothing, not your skin
8. Apply Retinol at bedtime—RoC or Neutrogena—you don’t have to use RetinA®
9. Don’t smoke anything
10. Drink red wine in moderation
11. Keep a steady weight

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