MOLE CANCER ( MALIGNANT MELANOMA ) – READ THIS & YOU WILL HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR

Which do you know more about (we hope #2)?
#1 Where Kim or Khloe took their last vacation or #2 the fastest growing cancer in the U.S.?
Cancers in the U.S. over the past 30 years in general have actually been falling EXCEPT for malignant melanoma which is 100% fatal if left too long. It is only partially related to sun: the back in males and legs in females are the most common areas. Dermatologists are very good at diagnosing them very early when they are curable based on color and border changes.
More to come in the future.

GET DELICIOUS FOR SUMMER - VECTUS LASER CONQUERS ALL

We have the Vectus laser for removal of hair anywhere on the body & for all skin types ( I- VI ); lightening fast - 2-3 times faster than any prior hair removal lasers; very reasonable rates.
Ladies, look delicious; feel delicious; bros, you may get lucky with Ms. Delicious if YOU get smoother!

CAN YOU REALLY TIGHTEN YOUR SKIN WITHOUT SURGERY?

The answer is "yes" but know the facts:

#1 There are 2 major competitors:
Thermage (potency was increased a few years ago) & Ulthera. Thermage is radiofrequency, which by heating loose collagen fibers deep in the skin, causes them to gradually curl over a 6 month period & therein produce skin tightening (without any down time), in some cases quite dramatic.
Ulthera is ultrasound & attempts to do the same: it was sold to many physicians who expected the FDA to approve it (to allow the company itself to advertise it for tightening). However, in the pivotal phase 3 FDA trials the FDA stopped the trials midway indicating that it could not be shown to work. The doctors who had bought the Ulthera equipment had little financial options other than continuing to offer it. We have Thermage & had used Ulthera before the FDA decision.

#2 Surgery (at least on the face & neck) is always more predictable than use of a non-invasive device but obviously is associated with considerable downtime (healing) & greater expense than the non-invasive. Many patients either don't need face/neck lifts or want to evaluate how satisfied they are without it, wanting to see their degree of improvement from Thermage.

Our office is different than most cosmetic procedure centers: we offer #1 & #2. All of our M.D. staff physicians are board certified in plastic surgery or dermatology.
Happy 4/15 

IF ALL YOU HAVE IS A HAMMER THEN THE WHOLE WORLD LOOKS LIKE A NAIL

So we had a patient in her 20's come to our Beverly Hills office last week whom we had seen a few years back. Lovely face with acne scars. 2 lessons for all of us:

#1. She had received laser treatments with an older (bad) version of the right (good) laser by a board certified dermatologist (good): so with one thing wrong (older & less effective version) she didn't get great results - but she liked the price. Truth is that one dollar spent on the wrong thing is merely a gift to your doctor, not to yourself!
#2. She was told by another doctor (a plastic surgeon) that a facelift (in her 20's) was the answer because it would stretch the scars. For most plastic surgeons lasers are not their thing (medical lasers were originated by Leon Goldman,M.D. , Chairman of the Dept. of Dermatology at The University of Cincinnati) so the patient was not offered the right answers.

As Michael Jackson's brilliant Beverly Hills dermatologist (& my good friend) , Arnold Klein,M.D., was fond of saying in these situations, "when all you have as a hammer the whole world looks like a nail." At our offices : we have more than hammers: 2 doubly board certified dermatologists & 2 board certified plastic surgeons that have the wide perspective to benefit patients.
Bye bye bias!

Self-Screening for Melanoma

Don't be shy; melanoma isn't, and finding it early could save your life. To that end, our education team has developed this helpful guide to self-screening. Follow the steps each month and pay attention to moles or spots that change shape, size or color. Know the ABCDE guide of melanoma. See something unusual? Make an appointment with a dermatologist as soon as possible. 

For more information go to melanomaresearchfoundation.com

NIVEA DOLL - English Version

The folks over at Nivea have created this doll to introduce children to the importance of sun damage on their skin. Follow nivea.com to see when the doll is available in the US.

How often do children need to wash their hair?

As an adult you know the basics of hair care and proper hair hygiene. Don’t condition your roots just your ends. Do not over wash if you have dry scalp. You know when it's time to wash all the grime from your hair. However, it is much harder to know when your child needs their hair washed. You don’t want to dry out their scalp or have a build up excess oil. When children are between the ages of 8 and 12, parents often ask dermatologists this question.

In three easy steps, you can figure out how often a child between 8 and 12 years of age needs to shampoo.

Step 1: Consider your child’s traits

To determine how often your child needs to shampoo, you first need to consider your child’s:

•Hair type (straight, curly, oily, dry)

•Age

•Activity level

Step 2: Find your child’s traits on the following chart

Shampoo guidelines: Children 8 to 12 years old

Shampoo every other day or daily

•12 years of age or starting puberty

•Oily, straight hair

•Active: Plays outdoors, plays sports, or swims

Exception: Hair is dry, curly, or African American

Shampoo 1 or 2 times per week    

•8 to 11 years of age

Exception: Hair is dry, curly or African American

Shampoo every 7 to 10 days           

•Dry, curly, or African American hair, even hair with braids or weaves

•After heavy sweating or swimming, rinse and condition the hair

Step 3: Fine tune to get it just right

Once your child is shampooing as often as shown above, you may need to adjust the frequency a bit. Each child is different. Changes in weather also can affect how often your child needs to shampoo.

Look at your child’s hair and scalp between washes. The following chart shows you what to look for and how to fine tune.

Shampoo guidelines: How to tell if your child is shampooing too often or not enough

 Shampoo more often if you notice that your child's:               

•Hair is oily

•Scalp is oily

Continue to add one shampoo per week until you no longer see oiliness

Shampoo less often if you notice that your child's:  

•Hair is dull and shedding

•Hair feels dry

Continue to remove one shampoo per week until you no longer see dullness, shedding, or dryness

When to see a dermatologist 

For most children, these guidelines work well. If your child’s hair or scalp seems too oily or dry after following these guidelines, you should see a dermatologist. Your dermatologist can explain why this is happening and offer a solution. 

More information: https://www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/health-and-beauty/every-stage-of-life/children/teaching-healthy-hair-care/how-often-to-wash-a-childs-hair