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.
Everyone at SkinCare Physicians was shocked and saddened when we heard about the bombing at the Boston Marathon and the severe injuries that so many had suffered. We wanted to be able to contribute something helpful to those who were injured and launched Boston Marathon Project Heal, an initiative that allows our doctors to provide free laser treatments of scars to victims of the Boston Marathon. Boston Marathon Project Heal: A long term commitment to the victims Since the time in late April that we announced our Boston Marathon Project Heal program, we have seen 15 of those who were … Continue reading »
Viral warts or verrucae are caused by the human papilloma virus and are very common. They are usually spread by skin to skin contact and are most commonly seen on the hands and feet. Warts are not harmful and usually go away in time without any treatment. One-fifth of all warts disappear within six months, and two-thirds are gone within two years. However, if your wart is unsightly and painful, various treatments exist to treat it. Unfortunately, not all are effective. Our dermatologists at SkinCare Physicians in the Boston area regularly field questions on wart treatments. Here are our recommendations. … Continue reading »
The FDA recently announced the approval of BOTOX Cosmetic for use on crow’s feet, the tiny horizontal lines that form around our eyes when we smile or squint. At our practice in Boston, we use BOTOX and similar products Dysport® and Xeomin® to treat crow’s feet and other facial wrinkles. Although BOTOX has already been approved for use on forehead lines, its FDA approval for crow’s feet is still newsworthy. Even when a product is approved for use on one part of the body, it can take months or even years for it to gain approval for other uses. Many people don’t … Continue reading »
Year after year, liposuction in Boston and around the country remains very popular— and with good reason. Liposuction physically removes fat cells from the body, streamlining patients’ physiques and providing results that diet and exercise often can’t match. In adults, it’s not the number of fat cells that fluctuates as weight changes; it’s the size of the cells. Unless your fat cells are physically removed from your body, as with liposuction, the number you have now is the number you’ll have a decade from now, even with good diet and exercise habits. Though liposuction does permanently eliminate some fat cells, the fat … Continue reading »
We often hear that the difference between major surgery and minor surgery is if it is happening to you or to someone else. In the case of Mohs surgery for skin cancer, that say should not apply. Here is why… More than three million people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer each year. That is more than all other cancers combined. In fact, one out of every five Americans will develop skin cancer within their lifetime. Fortunately, more than 90% of skin cancers are easily curable. The most common forms of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma … Continue reading »
You’ve gotten your acne under control and now you are ready to get rid of the acne scars. What are your options? Depending on the type and severity of acne scar, there is a variety of treatments that can help. Skin discoloration from acne Brown discoloration from acne usually goes away on its own, but sometimes it can take a while. To speed things up, these brown spots can be lightened with daily topical application of bleaching agents such as hydroquinone or kojic acid. It’s important not to forget to apply sunscreen with an SPF 30 regularly to avoid these … Continue reading »
Every three years, SkinCare Physicians (SCP) undergoes a rigorous process of preparing for accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). AAAHC Accreditation is an external, independent process of evaluating a healthcare organization’s policies, procedures, processes and outcomes against nationally-recognized standards. This accreditation is important as health care quality issues are gaining prominence in both public and professional arenas. In May 2013, following an in-depth, 194 page self-assessment, SCP went through a thorough two day, on-site review by two AAAHC expert surveyors. The surveyors reviewed every operational area of SCP including: Rights of Patients Governance Credentialing Administration Quality … Continue reading »
When seeing patients, lots of questions arise about sun safety. Given our long winters and lack of year-round warmth, patients often have a lot of questions about indoor tanning. They wonder about things such as: Is there such thing as a healthy tan? Isn’t indoor tanning safer because you can control the time you are exposed to the lights? Isn’t it better to get a “base” tan rather than to burn in the sun? How much can really happen if I am just going tanning once in a while? Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a healthy tan. “Base” … Continue reading »
Over the Fourth-of-July weekend, most of us will be participating in outdoors activities and joining summer festivities. With outside fun comes the risk of scraped knees, dermatitis, insect bites or heat rash. Here are four rescue tips for summer skin emergencies, so you and your family can enjoy a safe and worry-free holiday. #1 Road Rash Kids and grownups alike are hopping on their bikes, buckling on their skates, and even bouncing around on pogo sticks! With all of this activity comes the inevitable dangers of tumbles, bumps, and bruises and scrapes. Your holiday rescue: The first step in dealing … Continue reading »
The problem of effectively treating hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, has received increasing attention over the last two years. As physicians, we knew that it was a problem for our patients, but I don’t think we understood the following: First, how big of a problem it was for people who suffered from hyperhidrosis. Statistics show that as many as 20 percent of the population is adversely affected in a way that people would seek medical care. Second, how much in demand treatment for excessive sweating would be. I was recently interviewed by the American Society for Lasers in Medicine & Surgery … Continue reading »
