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.
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 »
I have a confession: as a first-time mother, I find myself constantly worrying about my daughter’s well-being. And while I worry a bit too much, I take solace knowing that as a dermatologist in Boston my baby is at least getting the best possible skin care. While all of us are familiar with the routine aspects of an infants’ progression (e.g., shots, weigh-ins, and teething), I’d like to take a moment to teach you about a very important element of infant health: taking good care of your young child’s skin. By keeping a few basic principles in mind, it is … Continue reading »
I’ve run the Boston Marathon for the past 10 years. The afternoon before the race, I host a big carb-loading party (and fundraiser for the Melanoma Foundation of New England!) for my running friends, some of whom travel from far-flung parts of the world to run this historic race. One of my friends, Bob, is a very smart man, and he gave me, a dermatologist, a really important lesson about sunscreen among marathoners. Bob runs a speedy (sub-3:00) race. Several years ago, the weather predictions called for clouds, and Bob was not wearing sunscreen. But these clouds unexpectedly parted at … Continue reading »
There’s a new dangerous creature lurking in the waters of Cape Cod and the Islands, and it’s not a great white shark! It’s a little jellyfish called Gonionemus vertens, and stings from this jellyfish have been increasingly reported in Cape Cod ponds and bays. The population of these creatures is spreading for reasons that aren’t understood, and they are unfortunately associated with a painful sting. Gonionemus is a type of hydrozoan, like the Portuguese Man of War. Hydrozoans are not true jellyfish, but they resemble them enough that we often refer to them as such. Like the jellyfish, hydrozoans have … Continue reading »
The weather is getting warmer here in Boston, and we are putting away our long-sleeves and pants in favor of shorts and bare arms. Many patients at SkinCare Physicians want the “healthy” bronze of a tan… but without the risks associated with ultraviolet light exposure. Here is what our dermatologists have to say about self-tanners’ safety and how to best apply them. What’s in your self-tanners? Most self-tanners contain very safe ingredients, either dihydroxyacentone (DHA) or erythrulose. DHA is a type of sugar molecule that turns brown when it reacts with amino acids in your skin surface, in a reaction … Continue reading »
In the year since this blog post was first published, Lululemon’s inaccurate and potentially dangerous sunscreen advice continues to be printed on the bags that they hand out every day to customers. Lululemon WAS informed by the American Academy of Dermatology last year that its ‘sunscreen is dangerous’ quote printed on all its bags was spreading misinformation, and the company admitted that the message is “not research based” . If you are concerned about your risk of skin cancer and the potentially dangerous medical information Lululemon continues to dispense, email their ‘guest education center’ at gec@lululemon.com to voice your concerns. Pass … Continue reading »
