07.23.09
To Peel or Microdermabrasion…That Is The Question…
Chemical peels and microdermabrasion are both advanced methods of exfoliation. Both remove the stratum corneum and restore a youthful glow to the skin. Both can be used to reduce hyperpigmentation, acne scarring, fine lines and wrinkles and sun damage. So is one better than the other? And how do you know which one is right for you? Well that all depends on what your specific concerns are. One method of exfoliation is not the same as another. I suggest creating tailored programs for each patient that address specific concerns. For instance, if dehydration is an issue, I would use a lactic acid peel, which is derived from milk and has moisturizing properties. If the concern was with ance, I would steer more towards a salicylic peel, which offers anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial benefits. Microdermabrasion is ideal for addressing ance scars. One of my favorite things to do is give my patients the best of both worlds, and combine microderm with a peel, so a double exfoliation is achieved, and maximum benefits are delivered to the skin. By choosing this approach, the clinitian is able to give a results-oriented treatment and customise it from individual to individual. Call Capital Cosmetic today at 202-862-2600 to see what we can do for you!
06.17.09
Controlling Acne
It is a common misconception that acne has nothing to do with bacteria, and that it is more of an uncontrollable, genetic thing. While skin type (i.e oily vs. dry) is genetic, that does not mean that there is nothing that one can do to control it. There are several factors that contirbute to acne, and bacteria on the skin is a BIGGIE. Here are some things that one can do to help keep bacteria on the skin under control. 1. Wash your face twice a day!! Perhaps someone with dry skin can get away with forgetting to wash their face before bed occasionally, but if you have oily skin, you CAN’T. It only takes a minute. When I perform a facial on someone, I do a double wash, and if you are acne prone, this should be part of your at home routine, too. If you engange in physical activity, you must wash your face afterwards as well. 2. Make sure that everything that touches your face is clean. This mean wiping down your cell phone with antibacterial wipes daily. This also means changing your pillowcase often. Every other day should do. Things like sports helmets and headbands that touch the face should be washed with antibacterial soap after each use. you should try to avoid touching your face throughout the day, but if you must, please make sure that you wash your hands first. It may seem basic, but doing these small things can go a long way in controlling ance.
05.27.09
Botox
By now you would have to be living under a rock not to have heard of Botox, the miracle drug that smooths wrinkles and saturates Hollywood. But what about regular men and women who want an extended lease on youth? For the average person, Botox can be a bit scary. Just what exactly is it and how does it work? Well, Botox is botulinum toxin type a. It is a purified protein. Botox has been being used therapeutically for more than 17 years to treat a variety of medical conditions. there are two types of wrinkles; static wrinkles that are present when the face is at rest, and dynamic wrinkles that appear when the face moves. Botox works by blocking the nerve impulse that causes muscle contraction, thereby paralyzing the muscle and preventing the dynamic wrinkles from forming. It can be used on the forehead area and the “crows feet”. So what do i say to patients who ask if Botox is poison? Well, sure. But Tylenol is also toxic if taken in inappropriate doses. Almost all drugs can be toxic if you take too much, but when taken in therapeutic doses, they are very safe. Well this is true with Botox, too. Botox has a very high patient satisfaction rate. Most people who try Botox are very happy with the results. So now that you know a little more about Botox, it doesn’t seem so scary, does it?
05.18.09
Causes of Acne
Acne is one of the most common skin conditions that people seek treatment for. There are four main causes of ance.
1. Excess oil production
2. Too many dead skin cells built up in the follicle (aka retention hyperkeratosis)
3. skin bacteria known as P. acnes in the follicle
4. host factors such as hormonal fluctuatons
In order to treat acne effectively, a thourough assesment is crutial in determening the types of treatment that will be preformed. It will also determine what will be prescribed for homecare. There are four grades of acne, most of which are treatable with in office procedures such as gentle deep cleansing, chemical exfoliation, oral and topical antibiotics and topical anti-inflammatory application. Ance patients must, howver be committed to success, because in-office treatment will only work when coupled with diligent home care.
05.07.09
All Sunscreens are not Created Equal
Summer is around the corner, and many people are asking about sun protection. With all the different sunscreen out there, many people are confused about which one is best. And no wonder. We have UVA, UVB, broad spectrum, spray on, wipe on, chemical, physical spf 100+ ect. It’s enough to confuse anybody. One of the main problems is that the United States does not have a very sophisticated system for measuring sun protection compared with other countries. The current SPF rating system only measures the level of UVA protection, which is nice, but UVB rays can also cause burns, premature aging and skin cancer. The SPF rating can be very deceptive. Many people think that the higher, the SPF, the more protection they are getting, and that is simply not true. SPF measures the amount of time that one can stay out in the sun without burning. So in theory, a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 would allow you to stay out in the sun 15 times longer, with out burning than you would be able to wearing no sun protection. But that is under laboratory conditions. In real life, people sweat, swim, ect. and the sun is stronger at certain times of the day than at others…so how is that accounted for? The FDA does not say.There are also different kinds of sunscreen. Most sunscreens that one finds in the drugstore are chemical sunblocks, which means they work by absorbing the suns rays. As opposed to physical blocks, which use tiny, reflective bits of mineral to actually reflect the suns’ rays. Physical blocks are far superior to chemical blocks. As a matter of fact, a sunscreen cannot get a seal of approval from the Skin Cancer Foundation unless they contain physical blocks. The easiest way to clear up the confusion is to read the ingredients. When shopping for a sunscreen, look for the ingredients zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Now these ingredients have come a long way. Many people, when they think of zinc oxide, think about the life guard with the white nose, but nowadays thanks to nanotechnology( which is a whole other topic that could take up an article, but for now, take my word for it), physical blocks go on clear, and will not clog pores. All of our sunscreens that we carry at Capital Cosmetic Surgery are physical blocks that are recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation. Call 202-862-2600 for more information.
04.13.09
vitamins and rosacea
People suffering from rosacea are always looking to learn new tips on how to manage their condition. By now, hopefully, if you are doing all you can to manage your rosacea, you have a good homecare routine, get regular facials and follow your doctors advice, now it’s time to bump it up a little with some modifications on your diet. We all know that spicy foods can aggravate rosacea, but did you also know that cinnamon can also cause flare ups? People with severe rosacea should avoind foods containing the spice. Niacin is also a vasodialter and should be avoided. Lots of breakfast cereal contains Niacin, so many people find this difficult to do. If you want to have food that contains niacin, try taking an asprin 2 hours beforehand,, and this may help reduce the intesity of the flush. There are many modifications that can be done to ones diet to help manage rosacea. to learn more, call 202-862-2600 and make an appointment with our skincare specialist for a complimentary consultaion.
03.31.09
Microdermabrasion
Is your skincare regime just starting to scratch the surface? You don’t have to toss your favorite products or resort to plastic surgery. If your skin just looks lacklustre and you want to feel vibrant again, ramp it up with microdermabrasion. Microdremabrasion is an advanced form of exfoliation. It is a painless prodeure that removes dead surface cells and is good for improving fine lines, dull skin, and sundamage. Like a scrub, microdermabrasion uses small, grain-like particles to gently remove the stratum corneum-the outermost dead surface of the skin, where imperfections such as fine lines and blemishes reside. It works by sloughing off dry, coarse skin cells, much like using sandpaper to smooth a piece of wood. The process immediately reveals healthy cells and stimulates development of new living cells deep in the skin, which over time, provides even more lumimosity. Microdermabrasion produces noticable results withen two monthes, particularly when treatments are spaced about every three weeks. And just what are the results? Microdermabrasion minimizes the appearance of pores and wrinkles, refreshes dull skin, evens tone, lessens acne scars,skin irregularities and dark spots. It’s suitable for all but the most sensitive skin types and shades. No wonder it’s one of the most requested results oriented skincare treatments.
03.23.09
Chemical peels
The more I read and talk to people, the more I realize that people are afraid of chemical peels. I guess the idea of putting acid on your face is scary to a lot of folks, but really, there’s nothing scary about it once you understand it. The skin is made up of many layers. The main layers are the dermis and the epidermis. the dermis is the deeper, living layer of the skin. It has it’s own blood supply and when you see a young person and their skin has that wonderful, healthy glow, that’s the dermis that you can see shining through. The epidermis is composed of dead cells. Cells are “born” in the dermis, and as they age, they migrate towards the surface, where they die and eventually, are sloughed off. They do this at a rate which, when we are young is quite fast, but as we age, it slows down. What was once, healthy, shiny young skin, now looks dull and lifeless because there is an over abundance of dead cells built up on the surface. When a person has a chemical peel, the dead cells are simply removed with the help of chemicals. These are cells that should have already been sloughed off naturally anyway. once this is accomplished, the healthy, younger cells beneath are allowed to show through again. Superficial chemical peels usually do not cause the skin to “peel”. These procedures truely can be done over a lunch hour, you can return to work and no one will know.At first people might ask you if you are in love, as it will bring a certain glow to the face, but gradually, with repeated procedures, fine lines and wrinkles will begin to dissapear, discoloration will begin to fade and acne will dry up. The way chemical peels work, is by inflicting a minor injury to the skin that is similar to a sunburn. The bodys’ natural response to an injury of this type is to produce collegen and attempt to rebuild the skin. The result is healthier younger-looking skin. But chemical peels are not only for anti-aging, although they are one of the best anti-aging tools we have. They are also great for acne, rosacea, scarring and melasma. Chemical peels are nothing to be afraid of. Combined with consistent at home care, chemical peels are practically essential for great-looking skin!
03.18.09
benefits of Retin-A
Retin-A is a topical drug that was discovered in the 1960’s. It was created as an acne drug that would cause exfoliation (peeling) of the skin, but when it was studied further, patients were found to have fewer wrinkles in the skin. Retin-a works by penetrating to the living layer of skin known as the dermis. As we age, the dermis thins and the top layer of skin (the epidermis) becomes thicker and coarser. Retin-A reverses this process by thinning the epidermis and increasing the activity of basal cells which cause an increase in their number, and improvement in their shape and organization. This leads to a thicker, more level skin surface with less wrinkling. With this increase in cell production there is less clumping of old skin cells on the skins surface, further improving the smoothness of the skin. In the dermis, there is increased production and improved organization of collagen fibers. This leads to thicker, more supple skin. Also, blood vessel growth is stimulated, leading to better circulation, giving the skin a slight blush. When starting a Retin-A routine, there is often a reaction period of about four weeks where the skin will go through mild peeling, itching, redness or dryness. These symptoms are generally mild and disappear once the skin has adjusted to the therapy. Retin-A is by prescription only. Retin-A can be used to treat freckles, ance, mild scarring and is one of the best anti aging tools we have today. Talk to Jaclyn or Dr. Wall today about adding Retin-A to your skincare routine.
