SkinCare Physicians Blog offers insights on the latest in medical and surgical dermatology, cosmetic and laser medicine, as well as aesthetics. All of our internationally recognized physicians and some members of our staff contribute to the Skincare Physicians Blog.
January is typically the time when many people embark on a set of New Year’s resolutions. Are yours involving a skin exam, or better a couple skin exam? Here is why two is better than one when it comes to skin exams. Two is better than one when it comes to skin exams There are good medical research studies to show us that teaching partners how to assist each other in partner-assisted skin self-examinations helps improve skin cancer detection. And may help save a life! Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US. This year, almost … Continue reading »
Chances are that your child or a kid you know suffer from eczema – also called atopic dermatitis. Learning more about eczema will help you treat your child’s symptoms and flares more effectively. Dr. Tania Phillips, a dermatologist at SkinCare Physicians near Boston, explains the basics about this common skin condition, and offers helpful treatment instructions. What is eczema or atopic dermatitis? Dermatitis means inflammation of the skin. Atopic dermatitis or Eczema is a common skin disorder that affects 10 – 20% of children. It results in a rash and skin that is dry, itchy, inflamed and infected. What causes eczema or … Continue reading »
SkinCare Physicians’ Dr. Kenneth A. Arndt received the Blade & Light Society’s 2015 Mentor of the Year Award, a tribute to his love of teaching and his life-long commitment to learning. With his curious mind, Dr. Arndt could not help but ask Dr. Murad Alam about the origin of the impressive cast bronze sculpture he received. It turned out to be a fascinating story! The Cathédral sculpture from Rodin (la Cathédral) inspired Dr. Alam, one of the founders of the Society, to use hands in the trophy given their importance in surgery. He observed that using hands from two different … Continue reading »
Now that summer tans are gone, people may be noticing scattered dry, scaly pink spots that don’t go away completely or reappear in the same location. These stubborn dry spots, called actinic keratoses, are a sign of chronic sun damage. They have a chance of turning into a skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma in the future. Fortunately, there are multiple, effective ways to treat actinic keratosis, all available at our dermatology practice near Boston. Prone to developing actinic keratosis? Actinic keratosis tend to occur in areas exposed to the sun such as the face, arms, legs, scalp (in men … Continue reading »
You may be one of these people who got his/her first painful cold sore last summer. Don’t be surprised, the sun exposure can trigger cold sores, also called fever blisters, and 90% of us will get at least one in our lifetime. The good news is that the first occurrence of a cold sore is often the worst and only 40% of American adults will develop fever blisters frequently. Our Boston dermatologists encourage you to learn the basics about cold sores in case you get another one. What are cold sores sores are caused by a virus called herpes simplex type … Continue reading »
Until recently the only approach to treat what is medically known as submental fat, or more commonly referred to as a double chin, was surgical with liposuction and or a neck/facelift. Earlier this year, our Boston dermatologists announced one of the most exciting developments in cosmetic surgery: the FDA approval of Kybella for the treatment of full neck and submental fullness. Remarkably, another highly effective, completely non-surgical approach to treating the double chin, the CoolMini device by CoolSculpting, was just approved by the FDA in late September 2015. The CoolMini is the most advanced non-invasive fat reduction treatment dedicated for … Continue reading »
The fall sports season is well underway for kids and parent volunteers are essential to the success of youth sport programs. This year, I took on the challenge of running the First Aid table for two of my son’s meets. Sure, there were a few bumped and bruised knees, and one bloody nose. But by far the most common injuries I encountered among the kids were the scrapes and cuts, road rash and abrasions, after they took tumbles. What’s the best way to treat these scrapes and cuts to minimize the risk of infection in the short term and scarring … Continue reading »
Do you wear sunscreen daily even though the summer is almost over? If so, that is a great start, but there is more you can do to protect your skin from ultraviolet radiation, pollution and ionizing radiation, all of which accelerate aging and may lead to skin cancer development. Here is the advice our dermatologists give to our patients in the Boston area: Consider using a skin care product with an antioxidant, in addition to your sunscreen! Benefit of antioxidants for your skin Antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin E, green tea, coffeeberry extract and others act to protect your skin … Continue reading »
Many of my makeup-wearing patients are excellent with their morning sunscreen application. But, what about the midday application of sunscreen? When I ask about their sun protection habits, my patients proudly exclaim that they never leave their home in the morning without applying an SPF 30 sunscreen to their face, neck and hands. Many of them are aware that the efficacy of the sunscreen ingredients begins to diminish after only a few hours. But very few people re-apply their sunscreen in the midday, so many are completely unprotected from sun exposure from noon onward! The main reason for this is … Continue reading »
Teaching and mentorship are one of the most important and rewarding parts of what we do at SkinCare Physicians, along with superb patient care and clinical research. Since the founding of SkinCare Physicians 15 years ago, we have been involved in helping to further train dermatologists. Each year there are three fellows who work along with us helping to take care of patients, participating in research studies, and being involved with other academic studies or projects. We’ve had the opportunity to train over 50 fellows at SkinCare Physicians who are now practicing dermatology around the country and overseas. Fellows are … Continue reading »
