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What to Expect at the Dermatologist

BellaSugar — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:00:00 PDT

Perhaps you're a regular at the dermatologist and go once or more a year, but maybe you've never made a visit to the skin doctor before. Whatever the case, you can get more out of your visit if you're prepared. Here are a few points to consider so that you can make your next trip to the derm a breeze. To find out what they are, just keep reading.

Your Top 10 Acne Tips Revealed

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 07:00:00 PDT

Earlier, I asked you for your favorite ways to clear up acne and you delivered. So far, we've received nearly 60 comments, and in order to make it all a bit easier to digest, I've gathered together a few of my favorites, focusing in on the remedies you recommended most. From ice to benzoyl peroxide to taking the holistic approach, here are 10 of your top treatments.

Would You Rather Be Treated For Acne Online?

BellaSugar — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:00:00 PDT

If you've ever tried to make an appointment to the dermatologist, you'll know that there's often a lengthy span of time between the day you call to schedule your next visit until the time the office is able to accommodate you. Recognizing that fact, doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston tested a way to treat acne patients online.

According to the study, which was published in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology, Dr. Alice Watson, along with her colleagues, treated two groups of patients with mild to moderate acne. Some went the regular office visit route, while others were instructed to upload photos of their skin, submitting symptoms questions. For the latter group, doctors followed up within three days with advice and treatments.

The outcome? Patients saw almost the same results (reduced pimples) whether they were treated online or at the office. While dermatologists spent about the same amount of time with patients regardless, patients loved the time online visits saved them, with most of them saying they'd opt for the online method again. While I'm sure "visiting" the doc online isn't perfect, perhaps we might be seeing more of these types of services available in the future. Would you jump all over this, or do you prefer the tried-and-true office visit?

Bella Interview: Dr. Vail Reese, Dermatologist and Expert on Skin in Film

BellaSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 07:00:57 PDT

Meet Dr. Vail Reese, a San Francisco dermatologist who brings new meaning to the phrase "skin flicks." When he's not working, he's busy maintaining Skinema.com, a fun and fascinating site about skin in cinema. I recently sat down with Dr. Reese to talk about celebrity skin, acne, Botox and more skin topics. We had so much to talk about that I'll be adding more from him in the future. For now, read on!

You run Skinema.com, a website chronicling skin and dermatology in cinema. Which celebrities have good skin, in your opinion?
Nicole Kidman. She's a role model for being fashionably fair. So are
Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon and Keira Knightley. These are women who are not hitting the tanning beds. Being tan is last century's look. With all that said, Keira has acne, but so do a lot of stars-like Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. In the last Harry Potter movie, they had to go in frame-by-frame and digitally fix blemishes.

For more, including Dr. Reese's advice on treating adult acne,

What's the best way to find a dermatologist?
Talk to your regular doctor to find out who’s reputable. It’s more powerful to talk with family members, friends and coworkers. I also suggest contacting the American Academy of Dermatology. That way, you’re getting someone who's board-certified.

How prevalent is adult acne?
You are not alone if you have adult acne. Usually, it's worse with people who didn't have severe teenage acne. In our society, teenagers are expected to have acne. They're not thrilled about it, but at least they're not alone. By the time they reach their 20s, their acne usually isn't as significant.

But when a twentysomething client walks in breaking out, it's a double-whammy. They're trying to be professionals, but it's often considered juvenile, and that undermines confidence. Does acne impact peoples' lives? Absolutely. So I don't give acne the brushoff. People worry that they're vain, but I don't think it's wrong to want to look your best. It's biologically normal to want a healthy complexion! The good thing is, we have treatments at all stages.

So what do you recommend?
There's no magic bullet. Treatments need to be tailored to each person, but there's usually something that will work. Especially with acne, dermatologists have things to offer that you cannot get over the counter.

You also have to be patient. In reality, acne does not clear in three days. Anything we prescribe takes longer than three days because it's fixing problems at the pore level. Basically, with any acne treatment, it takes time to see the full benefit. You'll see a benefit in four weeks, more in eight, and in 12 weeks you get a real sense of the improvement.

Does diet affect acne?
I don't find that diet plays a role.

But you have to admit, sometimes you can look at someone's skin and tell they're not healthy, they're not eating well.
Well, maybe on that level. If people get more rest and eat a good diet, that helps. But they can still get acne. Eating chocolate, for instance, isn't going to cause acne.

Are there any over-the-counter remedies that you recommend?
Low-strength benzoyl peroxide can clear bacteria, and I recommend using gentle cleansers for acne. And there are some good moisturizers with sunscreen, which everyone should use.

Well, I'm obsessed with wearing sunscreen. But can you tell readers why it's so important?
When I see someone who's 18 and getting sun, I can see where their skin is headed-where it'll be at 28, 35. They're headed for wrinkling, discoloration, or even skin cancer. So stay away from the sun-no tanning beds! And wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF of at least 15, but more preferably, 30. Put your dermatologist out of work!

Visit Dr. Reese at Skinema.com and at his practice. And if you have any questions you want me to ask him, leave a comment-I've got an appointment next week!

Be Wary of Chemicals: The Safest Sunscreens on the Market

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:42:05 PDT

It's hard enough to remember to put on sunscreen when you leave the house, but now you also need to make sure your sunscreen is safe to use. The Environmental Working Group has just released its 2012 Sunscreen Guide, and in order to make the list, a sunscreen must be free of oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate, not have an SPF above 50, and must be broad spectrum (protects against both UVA and UVB rays).

What's wrong with oxybenzone? Although it does a great job of absorbing ultraviolet rays, some studies show that it can be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. The Environmental Working Group and toxicology experts believe this can disrupt hormones, damage cells, and potentially lead to skin cancer. Other experts disagree, like the American Academy of Dermatology, and oxybenzone has been FDA-approved since 1978 for use in children older than 6 months.

Keep reading to find out what else you need to consider when buying sunscreen, and for a list of the safest sunscreens on the market.

Melanoma Risk Factors: What You Need to Know

Jaime Richards — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:00:07 PDT

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer, and unfortunately, it's a disease that's on the rise. However, melanoma, which can be described as the uncontrolled spread of pigment-producing cells, can be easily cured when detected early enough.

It's National Skin Cancer Awareness month, so for more tips on prevention, stay tuned. But first, discover more about this type of cancer and who has a greater risk for developing it, when you keep reading.

What to Expect When You're Getting a Skin Cancer Screening

Allure — Thu, 03 May 2012 03:25:00 PDT

We're happy to present this story from our friends at Allure:

Nonmelanoma skin cancers may be slowly decreasing, but melanoma is on the rise - and it's the most common cancer for my age group (25- to 29-year-olds). Since this is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, I asked dermatologist Jeannette Graf, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, to demystify this important annual appointment. "Patients fear the unknown, or they cancel their appointment because they've been on vacation and they feel guilty about their tan. But before they know it, six months have gone by." Graf says there's nothing to fear. The appointment will be quick and painless - at least this time. Learn what really happens at a screening when you read more.

Melanoma Facts: The Numbers Don't Lie

Jaime Richards — Mon, 02 May 2011 14:00:33 PDT

Today is Melanoma Monday, the kickoff to Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness month. And according to results released today by the American Academy of Dermatology, a disturbingly high number of young women today still don't feel that tanning is a serious threat.

The problem is, however, that most causes of melanoma are due to exposure to sunlight and UV light. Melanoma can be a serious form of skin cancer, and it's one of the fastest growing cancers among young adults. So for a surprising few facts about the survey and melanoma in general, just keep reading.

No, You're Not Imagining Things. You Really Are Getting More Acne

Annie Tomlin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:04:28 PDT

Good news and bad news from this year's just-concluded American Academy of Dermatology conference. First, the bitter reality: if it seems like you break out more as an adult than you did as a teen, you're probably right. As dermatologist Dr. Bethanee Jean Schlosser revealed at the conference, adult-onset acne is on the rise among grown women. A 2011 clinical study found that 45 percent of women in their 20s had acne, and 26 percent of 30-somethings had acne. Compared with men in the same age groups, women were disproportionately living in Breakout City.

So why are grown women more prone to pimples? A variety of factors are to blame, but it's mostly our surge of hormones. Both men and women have androgens, hormones that can cause oil glands to produce too much sebum. In addition, fluctuating androgen levels can cause skin cells to become sticky, leading to clogged pores. Acne is less common as women age, but some women experience it into their 40s and 50s.

So what's the good news? Acne can be treated and managed. Start by using a cleanser with salicylic acid, and apply benzoyl peroxide to your skin at night. Moderate to severe acne requires more attention, and can definitely benefit from a dermatologist's expertise. (Antibiotics, topical treatments, or birth control pills may be the answer; read a doctor's top acne advice.) Battling acne isn't always easy, and it's definitely not quick, but it is possible - and with any luck, you'll have a clear complexion in the bag.

Source: Flickr User Peter Hellberg

3 Rules For Great Skin

Allure — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:00:48 PST

We're excited to present this story from our friends at Allure:

To start the new year off right, vow to stick to these three simple rules.

Wear SPF daily (and not just in the summer). People tend to apply sunscreen on days when they're in the sun most, but that strategy won't cut it, says Ranella Hirsch, a dermatologist in Boston. "You're not getting the bulk of your sun from that one day; you're actually getting about 85 percent of your sun just driving your car, walking to the subway, and sitting at your desk [if you're near a window]," she says. "Find a way to make applying sunscreen easy on yourself." Instead of adding a new step to their routine, Hirsch advises her patients to trade in basic moisturizer for one with SPF, such as Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 50, and to apply once in the morning and then again if they've been sweating. Look for moisturizers with SPF 30 or higher.

Don't neglect your hands. Nothing gives away your age quite like they can—but you don't need to work too hard to help prevent the signs of aging. Simply rub the same moisturizer and anti-aging formulas that you use on your face on your hands. "Patients are used to being you told you need 14 products for morning, and 14 for night," says Hirsch. "But make it simple. If you're doing it on your face, just do it on your hands."

Take off your makeup before bed. After a long day, that's easier said then done—and it's okay to give yourself a little bit of leeway, says Heidi Waldorf, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. "If you went to the gym or a party and have been sweating while wearing makeup, that's when it's most important [to remove it at night]," she says. If you're feeling lazy, use a makeup remover wipe—it's almost as good as washing your face with water, and a vast improvement over hitting the hay with a dirty face. Try Pond's Evening Soothe Wet Cleansing Towelettes with Chamomile & White Tea.