Smoking: What happens to your looks?

Smoking changes the skin, teeth, and hair in ways that can add years to your looks. It also affects everything from your fertility to the strength of your heart, lungs, and bones.

Take a look at these side-by-side photos.  Can you pick out the smoker? 















Twin B smoked half a pack a day for 14 years, while her sister never smoked. The loose skin under her eyes is typical for smokers, according to Bahman Guyuron, MD, of Case Western Reserve University. It's one of several visible signs -- shown on the following slides -- that tobacco byproducts inside your body are harming your appearance. Twin B also got more sun, damaging her skin from the outside, too. The combination of sun exposure and cigarette smoking causes:

• Poor skin tone
• Sagging skin and deeper wrinkles
• Sagging arms and breasts
• Lines around the lips
• Age spots
• Hair loss
• Psoriasis
• Crow's feet eye wrinkles

When you quit smoking, you make your skin more resistant to premature aging. As for the wrinkles and age spots you already have, all is not lost. Topical retinoids and antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E can be used to treat existing spots. Wear sunscreen every day. You can also undertake treatments such as Laser skin resurfacing, IPL Photofacial, and chemical peels remove outer layers of skin, where the damage is most visible.

Courtesy of WebMD: ways smoking affects your looks.

Year-Round Sun Protection - SkinCancer.org

Year-Round Sun Protection - SkinCancer.org

Chemical peel: How to prepare for your appointment

The American Academy of Dermatology makes the following recommendations to consider before undergoing a chemical peel. Especially medium to deep chemical peels or if you are concerned about who going to be performing the peel.

To protect your health and find out what results you want, a dermatologist always offers a consultation before performing a chemical peel. To help you get the most benefit from this consultation, dermatologists recommends that you: 

•  Ask questions.

• Gather important information before your consultation.

This page tells you what to ask and what information to gather. 

 Questions to ask before getting a chemical peel 

You should ask the following questions before getting a chemical peel:

• Will a board-certified dermatologist perform the chemical peel?
• How many chemical peels has the doctor performed on people with my skin coloring?
• What will I need to do before and after the peel to get the best results?
• What results can I expect?
• What are the potential side effects?
• Do I have a higher risk for any complications?
• Will I have downtime?
• May I see before-and-after photos or speak with patients you treated with a chemical peel?
• How much will the treatment cost?

During the consultation, your dermatologist also can tell you whether another treatment would be a better option for you. You may find that your dermatologist recommends using more than one treatment. Results from many research studies show that combining treatments can lead to better, longer-lasting results.

Tip:
Be sure to bring a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with you on the day
of your peel. You’ll want to put these on before you leave the office. Having a chemical peel makes your skin more sensitive to the sun.
 

Information to tell your dermatologist before getting a chemical peel

Before you get a chemical peel, be sure to tell your dermatologist the following information:

• If you are taking or have ever taken isotretinoin, a medicine prescribed for severe acne. 
• All other medicines you take — or have recently taken. Be sure your dermatologist knows about antibiotics, acne medicines, and medicines that you buy without a prescription, such as aspirin. 
• If you frequently get cold sores or have had cold sores in the past.
• If your skin scars easily.
• All herbs, vitamins, and minerals you take. Even if you haven’t taken these for a while, be sure to mention them. 
• All surgeries and cosmetic treatments you have had. While some patients feel embarrassed talking about this, the information you share can make a difference in the results you see. Don’t omit anything — even if it seems unimportant.

If you are considering any cosmetic treatment, be sure to watch this AAD video: Who should be providing your cosmetic treatment?

Introducing XEOMIN®

When you squint or frown, the muscles between your brows contract, causing the skin to furrow and fold. These lines that occur due to facial mimics are referred to as dynamic lines.   Over time, as your skin ages and loses some of its elasticity, these repeated contractions can cause persistent frown lines.

Botulinum toxin type A – the active ingredient in XEOMIN^® – is used in facial aesthetic treatment to treat dynamic lines like glabellar frown lines. It acts on nerve endings in muscles to prevent muscle fibers from contracting. 

By reducing these contractions, Xeomin can temporarily reduce the frown lines on your forehead between your eyes.  Xeomin typically lasts up to 3 months, however it varies person to person and may be significantly longer or shorter than 3 months.

Cheri, Age 53: Moderate Glabellar Frown Lines

Derek, Age 41: Moderate Glabellar Frown Lines

Treating Age Spots with Fraxel

Fraxel hand treatment? Look at the improvement in this patient's pigmentation, which is always a telltale sign of aging. Come in and see us to discover if Fraxel may be right for you.

Not only Athlete's get Athlete's foot!

Tinea pedis ("athlete's foot") is the most common fungal infection seen in developed countries.

Anyone can develop the infection and the appearance of athlete's foot can vary from person to person.

Signs of infection are dryness, peeling, scaling, or cracking skin between the toes or along the sides of the feet or under the sole.

Prevention tips:

• Wash your feet thoroughly every day
• Keep your feet clean and dry 
• Wear clean socks - change them every day
• At home, expose your feet to the air whenever possible
• Throw out old shoes and never share shoes with others
• Wear flip flops in public areas such as the gym or school locker rooms, shower room, or public baths.

It's a new year; time to schedule your annual full-body skin exam.

The annual skin exam (for those who have never had an atypical mole) takes about 10 minutes. 

Be sure to ask questions or get explanations for anything you may not understand.  A biopsy may be performed on any suspicious looking growths.

How to prepare for your routine full-body skin examination:

• Remove all nail polish from your fingernails and toenails - skin cancers can form under nails and nail beds.

• Perform a full-body self-exam - note anything new, changed, or causing you concern. If you are unsure about how to perform a self-exam, ask your dermatologist to show you how.

Make the Most of Your Visit to the Dermatologist - SkinCancer.org