June 2015

How To Deal With Acne Scars

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 spots from getting darker in the sun.

Red marks that remain after acne flares also fade in time but lasers such as the pulsed dye laser or the Starlux Icon can help the redness fade faster. Several treatments are usually recommended for best results. Another benefit of these light-based treatments is that they can stimulate collagen and help smooth out skin indentations.

Indented acne scars
Focal indentations, where the skin looks undulated in certain lighting, can be treated with subcision, a technique that releases tethering, followed by injections of a hyaluronic acid filler such as Restylane, Juvéderm® or Belotero.

Extensive acne scarring
For extensive acne scars, covering a large area such as the cheeks, chin, forehead or temples, fractional laser treatments with the Fraxel Restore, Dekadot, or Fraxel Repair can promote significant collagen remodeling and improve acne scars.

With the Fraxel Restore, a series of 3-6 treatments at 4-6 week intervals is usually recommended. Recovery time for the Fraxel Restore typically consists of a few days of the skin looking pink and swollen, similar to a sunburn appearance. The Fraxel Repair and Dekadot systems deliver more intensive treatments for those patients who prefer to have their acne scars treated in a single treatment session. There is a 1-2 week recovery period after the procedure.

In some cases, a combination of subcision, injections of hyaluronic acid filler and fractional laser treatments may be recommended for optimum results

So if you’re frustrated with your acne scars and you want to know what you can do, let the Fante Team help you to determine the best approach to treat them. We will carefully evaluate your acne scars and develop a comprehensive treatment program. Request a consultation to schedule your appointment.

The Importance of Exercise After Liposuction

Year after year, liposuction in Denver 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 cells that remain can still enlarge, causing weight gain and possibly even reversal of liposuction results. Still, some patients believe that undergoing liposuction allows them to ease up on their exercise routines. Unfortunately, that’s simply not the case.

Cosmetic concerns shouldn’t be your only reason for hitting the gym before or after liposuction. Candidates for surgical fat removal should be reminded that the risk of serious medical issues, including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are associated with increased amount of certain types of fat, and are not treatable with liposuction

It’s important for any person considering body contouring surgery to remember that these procedures are not effective substitutes for diet and exercise, nor are they guaranteed to last for life. But by maintaining good habits for as long as you’re able, you’re not only ensuring you look your healthiest — you’re taking steps to actually be your healthiest.

How To Know If You’re Allergic to Skin Care Products

Do you feel like your skin has become more sensitive with time? Are there certain products that cause itching and a rash when you use them? Frustrated with buying new products and not knowing if your skin will tolerate them? Well, patch testing, a procedure available at our dermatology practice in Denver, can help determine if a product may be right for your skin or not.

Common forms of skin allergic reactions to products

Dermatitis, or eczema, is a common skin condition that many patients experience – manifested by a red, scaly, sometimes itchy rash on the skin.  There are many types of eczema.  One of the more common types is irritant dermatitis – where certain products, mainly personal care products and cosmetics, cause burning or stinging with application.  There is also a form of eczema called allergic contact dermatitis – where one develops an allergic reaction to a product.  This can be to a new product or one that has been used for years.  The most common causes of these allergic reactions are preservatives, fragrances, and sunscreen agents found in products.

Are natural products the solution?

As our society becomes increasingly aware of allergic reactions and favor natural products, many more botanicals are being used in skin care products.  People often feel that because a product is natural it is good for the skin.  The problem is that many of these natural products contain botanicals, which people can become allergic to as well, leading to a rash with use.

Consider patch testing: knowledge is power

It can be frustrating for patients to ignore whether a product will cause their skin to react. Through the use of a special procedure, called patch testing, patients can learn which ingredients they are allergic to and start avoiding products that contain them.  Patch testing allows your dermatologist to recommend specific products that are right for your skin and will not cause a reaction. Knowing what to avoid is a powerful tool for allergy-prone shoppers who are trying to decide between the myriad of skin care products available on the market today.

Patch testing involves three visits to the office.  On the first visit small patches containing the most common allergens are applied to your back.  48 hours later you return to have these patches removed and a grid is drawn on the skin. The final visit is one week after the first and at this visit you will find out which ingredients you may be allergic to and are educated on how to avoid them.   A list of products that are safe for your skin will also be provided at this visit.

Tired of guessing if you will develop or not an allergic reaction to a skin care product? Wait no more. Schedule an appointment with one of SkinCare Physicians’ dermatologists in Denver to get your patch testing.

Psoriasis Treatment Breakthroughs

Chances are that you or someone you know has psoriasis. It is an incurable, non-contagious autoimmune skin disease that affects 3 out of every 100 Americans. Thankfully, remarkable progress in the treatment of psoriasis has recently occurred and dermatologists at SkinCare Physicians can now select from a multitude of therapies.

Living with psoriasis is often physically and emotionally disabling. Sufferers deal with intense itching, cracking, bleeding and flaking of their skin that can interfere with sleep, relationships, work and daily functioning. Unfortunately, the psoriasis condition commonly leads to feelings of despair, hopelessness and depression.

The good news is that the science of psoriasis therapies is evolving quickly. The wide variety of treatments available today enables our psoriasis specialists in Denver to personalize the care for each patient suffering from the disease, regardless of type and severity. New topical lotions, foams and sprays have replaced the messy ointments of the past. Phototherapy is more precise, and laser treatments are now a reality. However, the greatest advance is the development and approval of biologic therapies to treat those with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Medications such as Enbrel, Humira, Remicade and Stelara directly address the excessive inflammation that is core to the problem underlying psoriasis. These agents offer hope for dramatic skin improvement as shown in the photos below, and potentially a long-term solution for this chronic disease.

Even better therapies are on their way. Dermatologists at SkinCare Physicians, who have led the way with clinical research on existing biologics, are now focused on the next generation of novel psoriasis treatments including other self-injectable medications and oral pills. It is an evolving and exciting time, and our Psoriasis Treatment Center in Denver has never been more equipped to help patients manage this disease.

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