Category: Our Blog

“We get it: Ruling the world from one’s iPhone leaves little time for diligent skin care. But “by your mid-20s, you really need to start paying attention,” says Kristina Holey, a holistic facialist in San Francisco. Breakouts, brown spots, and dry patches are likely on your mind. But using too many products can irk skin and clog pores. Here, experts highlight the decade’s most common challenges — and everything you need to overcome them.” Click here learn more.

Credit: By Jolene Edgar, allure.com

“Are you sure that that mole isn’t melanoma? According to the American Academy of Dermatology, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, and one in 50 Americans will develop the life-threatening type of skin cancer, melanoma. While you can take steps to reduce the risk of skin cancer by avoiding excessive ultraviolet light exposure form the sun and tanning beds, early detection is critical to minimize the damage of skin cancer.

Most forms of skin cancer, even melanoma, are almost 100 percent curable if caught in the earliest stages of growth. That is why I routinely talk to patients about performing monthly self-skin exams. If a patient notices a growth that has been changing in size, shape, or color, I’ll want to see it right away to evaluate for cancerous changes.

So, how do you do a proper skin exam? Once a month, either getting into or out of the shower, spend a few minutes looking at your entire skin’s surface. A thorough skin exam does not have to take very long, but it require a long mirror and a hand-held mirror to really see everything.” Click here to read the full article.

Credit: Elizabeth Tanzi, Washingtonian.com

“At this point, you’ve probably seen photos and videos circulating on Instagram and Snapchat showcasing blood-splattered selfies, all taken in the name of beauty. What sounds (and looks) like an absolute nightmare is actually one of the industry’s most-requested treatments: the vampire facial. And, as with many seemingly crazy beauty habits and trends, we have the Kardashians to thank for it.

Ever since Kim was seen walking into a spa with her BFF Jonathan Cheban to get the snap-worthy procedure, the world of influencers and everyday beauty lovers converged, making way for this crazy facial to be the topic of conversation and consideration IRL. And so I made an appointment to sit down with Dr. Marina Peredo at Skinfluence in New York City to get the 4-1-1 on all things bloody and beautiful.” Click here to read more.

By Rebecca Norris, Nylon.com

I love lotion. No, really—like, I love love it. Every single night, I slather moisturizer all over my body and face like I’m a dehydrated sea sponge washed ashore, and during the day, I compulsively apply hand cream so often that my computer mouse is permanently slippery. So when two other Allure editors announced that they rarely, if ever, use moisturizer, my brain short-circuited. “But…but your skin needs moisture!” I cried out, channeling my inner dermatologist and surgeon general. “…Right?” I mean, what if I’m just addicted to lotion? What would really happen if I stopped moisturizing for a few days—a few weeks—a year?! Think of the money I’d save on not buying my monthly Gold Bond supply! I quickly emailed my derm squad for backup.

“Your skin absolutely needs moisturizer,” says Mona Gohara, a dermatologist at Yale University, who also told me that no, your skin can’t get “addicted” to moisturizer (though my bank statement begs to differ). “Your skin is the biggest organ in your body,” she says. “It’s not bloody or guts-y, but it’s still an organ, and organs need water.” OK, sure, that makes sense. But what would really happen if I stopped slathering today, cold turkey? How long before I’d turn into the Crypt Keeper? Because I love my skin too much to test this experiment, I asked Gohara for the timeline of what would happen to your skin sans moisturizer. Click here to find out.

Credit: By Chloe Metzger, allure.com

“Remember when anti-aging meant only night cream and SPF? How quaint. Today, those of us serious about evading lines and wrinkles are calling in the big guns: our doctors. New York City dermatologist Dendy Engelman says 65 percent of her patients are between 20 and 35 and add that millennials who come for other reasons such as acne, psoriasis, or eczema, often also inquire about injectables and lasers. Paul Jarrod Frank, a New York City dermatologist, calls the thirties a time when sun damage slowly surfaces, he says, and “people begin to realize youth is not forever.” The goal for this group? Arrest burgeoning lines and spots, and bank skin-plumping collagen by any means possible. And as it turns out, that’s not actually being overly Type A. “Young skin responds more rapidly to collagen stimulation via lasers and needles,” notes Miami-based dermatologist Joely Kaufman. Here’s a look at some of the ways top experts are aiming to age-proof the millennial face.” Check out the list of anti-aging tips here.

Credit: allure.com

Buying a new car is a great feeling. Everything is shiny and working optimally, but wear and tear requires maintenance. When a patient comes in for services such as Intense Pulse Light (IPL) /  Broad Band Light (BBL) for sun damage or rosacea, we do our very best to create that optimal look for them. Generally 3-6 treatments may be required to create that shiny new look, roughly once per month. But we all go out in the sun, we get new broken blood vessels and we continue to age, even though the IPL/BBL treatments slow down the aging process.

It is important to realize that the results obtained during an initial series of treatments are meant to treat years of wear and tear. We are able to reverse brown spots and reduce redness and burst blood vessels/spider veins, but our skin is a living organ. Collagen continues to break down, and free radical damage attacks our skin both intrinsically and extrinsically on a daily basis. We blow our nose, forget sunscreen, use water that is too hot and occasionally are too lazy to clean and moisturizer our skin before bedtime. All these actions or inactions lead to new issues.

Patients suffering from acne may get great results from chemical peels or silk peels or facials, but again, the skin is still producing oils. The initial acne may be gone, and hopefully will never return to its worst condition, but maintaining clear skin isn’t possible without treating the underlying issue, which is overactive oil glands and congestion. Because our skin makes oil, we have to bring it in occasionally for a tune up. It may be monthly, or quarterly, depending on the amount of oil being produced. Because skin is a living organ, it will continue to work the way it needs to, and it is up to us to understand that, just like making your bed every day, your skin needs to be “ made “ properly too.

For antiaging lasers, and after the initial series of treatments, doing a Laser Genesis quarterly builds collagen where otherwise it would be simply breaking down. Microneedling with or without PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) should follow the same rules. Prevent collagen breakdown by continually creating new collagen. Studies conducted over a ten year span have concluded that those who choose to maintain their results with maintenance treatments age much slower than those who only treat initially.

In conclusion, it is not realistic to expect that a chronic condition will completely go away forever without maintenance. It is true that some situations, such as scars or broken vessels caused from an acute action such as being hit with a ball, causing broken vessels, can be alleviated without maintenance. But, those concerns are a minority at our clinic. Collagen break down, spider veins, new sun damage and rosacea-like skin are conditions that are ongoing. And, like maintaining your car, or making your bed, great skin can only remain great skin with the help of tweaking it occasionally to keep it running optimally.