Skin Care Tips

What’s New In Lasers For Skin Problems?

Driven by major recent advances in laser technology, new lasers for skin problems ranging from wrinkles to red spots and from scars to stretch marks are being developed at an unprecedented pace. For example, a whole new generation of lasers for vascular blemishes now exists to treat problems like "broken capillaries" on the face and "spider veins" on legs. Some of these lasers have the potential to clear such lesions without the requisite bruising and "down time" for patients seen with the older systems. A patient may now go back to work the same day with nothing more than a blush on the cheek or nose after some laser procedures.

Skin Rejuvenation for Summer: Healthy Alternatives to the Not-So-Perfect Tan

Summer somehow makes us feel younger, and we all want to look as young as we feel. As summer approaches, too many of us are already rushing outside to work on the perfect tan,î because a tan somehow makes us feel more youthful and more attractive to others. But we all know about the dangers of tanning: exposure to the sun's harmful rays not only promotes skin cancer, but also causes premature aging of the skin. In fact, recent data have shown that even moderate sun exposure, without burning, triggers the activation of enzymes that break down the skin's collagen and elastin, resulting in thin, fragile skin, wrinkling, easy bruising, and that leathery hide look we all fear. In addition, many people are noticing that, with each passing year, their skin tans less evenly, instead taking on an unappealing blotchy, sallow or muddy tone.

A Wrinkle In Time: Recent Advances In The Treatment Of Aging Skin

The great success of laser-based skin resurfacing in improving facial wrinkles and scars has in some respects overshadowed many important new developments in cosmetic skin rejuvenation. As an example, patients often approach me and ask specifically for the resurfacing procedure, when in fact their needs would be better met by a very different therapeutic strategy. I encourage such patients to consider first the specific facial features with which they are unsatisfied and would like to see improved. From this point, it is much easier to talk about treatment options ideally suited to their needs and the relative merits of each approach.

Acne: It's Not Just for Kids Anymore

Many of us who suffered from acne as teenagers believed that we would outgrow our acne as we reached adulthood. Others were lucky enough to have escaped acne as adolescents, only to find that they are now developing acne for the first time as adults. The unfortunate truth is that adolescent acne persists long into adulthood in a significant number of men and women. Adult onset acne may first appear in one's 20's, 30's or even later. Remedies that worked for us as teens may now be less effective or more irritating than before. Worse yet, scarring due to acne can continue to develop in adulthood for as long as the acne remains uncontrolled. The good news is that dermatologists have more effective and diverse treatments than ever before for this vexing, and highly visible, problem.