New Year, New You!

The new year is in full swing, and it’s the perfect time to make the most of your skin care regimen!  Are you looking for a product to help with acne breakouts while also diminishing fine lines and wrinkles?  Skin Ceuticals Blemish and Age Defense is a serum that targets acne breakouts in multiple ways, while also diminishing surface signs of aging.  It contains five different types of acid that work to reduce the bacteria that cause acne, decrease oil production, and decongest clogged pores.  These acids both prevent and treat acne breakouts.  Not only does this product target acne, it diminishes signs of aging including fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation caused by the sun!  Blemish and Age can be used twice a day on the face, neck, and chest in place of, or in addition to, current acne medications.  Call FSC, and let our experienced staff help determine if Blemish and Age can be a beneficial addition to your skin care regimen.

A Common Medication Side Effect Many of Us are Unaware Of

A common complaint from patients is that they get red, itchy, burning skin after minimal exposure to sun.  After further questioning, we often come to the conclusion that the patient is on a photosensitizing medication that they were unaware of.

Photosensitivity also known as sun sensitivity is inflammation of the skin caused by the combination of sunlight and certain medications. It causes a redness of the skin similar to sunburn.  The range of skin damage can vary from mild redness to blistering in more severe cases.  The best thing to do when on a photosensitizing medication is to use general sun precautions.  Wearing sunscreen daily with an SPF of 30, avoiding sun exposure during peak hours, and wearing protective clothing are great ways to protect your skin from the sun while on these medications.  Below is a list of common photosensitizing medications.

Diuretics : Lasix, HCTZ

Antibiotics: Tetracyclines, Cipro, Sulfa, Bactrim

Cardiac: Cardizem, Procardia, Cordarone

Acne: Topical Retinoids, Isotretinoin,

Antidepressants, Diabetic medication

This list is just a few of the general medications that can cause photosensitivity. If you are unsure the side effects of your medication it is best to ask the prescribing physician.

Knowledge is Power.

Did you know that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States?  And that each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.  If that doesn't scare you, current statistics show that 1 American dies every hour from Melanoma.  Makes you rethink that trip to the beach right?

Knowledge is power. The more we educate ourselves on the harmful effects of the sun, the more power we have protecting ourselves and our loved ones from it. 

So what can you do?

• You should examine yourself regularly.  The best time to do this is after a bath or shower, standing in front of a full length mirror.  If you notice any odd-looking mole or marking, contact your dermatology office ASAP
• Don’t  sunbathe
• Avoid sun exposure between 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• When outdoors use SPF 30  and reapply every two hours
• Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, hats, UV- protective sunglasses
• Stay away from artificial tanning beds and lamps

If you have never had a baseline skin check or can’t remember the last time you saw your dermatologist, now is the time. If caught early, most skin cancers are curable.  Don’t be another statistic.

Make A Great Impression

The holiday season is quickly approaching and in a blink of an eye the new year will be upon us.  And with the new year brings New Year resolutions. We all make them, resolutions to eat better, work out, make time for each other.  How many of us though make our skin health a top priority?  Our skin tells a story and  is often the first impression we give to others. Why not make a resolution this year to take care of your skin?  If you or your family has never had your skin checked now is a great time. Dr. Badia and her providers will examine your skin from head to toe for any suspicious lesions or moles. We often can provide same day biopsies if necessary for any spot that is suspicious for a cancer or precancerous lesion.  We also urge you to preform self skin check examinations to look for the ABCDs of moles.

1. Assymetry: one side of a mole or lesion doesn't look like the other
2. Borders:  if a mole or spot has jagged edges
3. Color: not only dark colors or any changing colors in a spot or mole
4. Diameter: if a mole or spot is large or has changed in size                     

We can also provide you with great skin care regimens that are affordable and acutally work as well as cosmetic treatments for those of us who not only want to be healthy, but want to look and feel better too.

Make a great impression this year and make a resolution to take care of you!

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

Florida Skin Center

The Dreaded Mask of Pregnancy

The mask of pregnancy or melasma as it is known in the medical world is a very common problem we see in our female patients.  It can often be a very embarrassing problem for women to deal with. 

Although the exact cause of melasma is unknown, it is associated with changes in the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. It is especially common in pregnant women, women who are taking birth control pills (oral contraceptives) and women taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during menopause.

So what can we do about it? 

With so many treatments and creams on the market these days, it can be confusing to know what works and what doesn't.  At Florida Skin Center, we have a variety of treatment options to treat this difficult and often upsetting problem.  We have customized a treatment plan that combines the use of chemical peels, retinol, a bleaching prescription and most importantly sunscreen to treat this problem.  Each of these products works to penetrate into the skin to help exfoliate and diminish the discoloration caused by melasma while protecting our skin from UV rays. 

Chemical peels, sounds a bit scary?  Not really.  We have a trained aesthetician on staff with over 10 years of experience performing these procedures who will tailor the chemical peel to your individual needs. 

It’s time to stop hiding behind our mask!  

Ask us about our Melasma Treatment Package today.

Skin Protection is Important Even at the Nail Salon

 Living in Florida, we are constantly in the sun and reminded to wear our sunscreen when we are outdoors.  But what about using sunscreen before going to the nail salons for our routine manicure and pedicure?

Yes that’s right the nail salon.  The lights used in most nail salons and at home units are UV lights and emit UVA rays. UVA rays penetrate the skin deeper than UVB rays and cause our skin to age and wrinkle.  They also damage the skin cells in the epidermis which leads to skin cancers. 

You may think only a few minutes under the lights what harm can be done? However, weekly trips to the nail salons can add up to significant UV exposure over a lifetime. 

What can you do to protect your skin from UV exposure? Wear sunscreen prior to getting your nails done.  Wear finger less gloves and socks to protect the skin around your hands and feet.  Air dry, it may take longer, but significantly reduce your risk of getting skin cancer.

We have a great selection of sunscreens that are water resistant here at the office that our staff would be happy to give you information on. 

Back to School Means Back to You.

Summer is behind us.  The kids are back to school.  And you finally have a few hours to yourself. 

Why not take the time to pamper yourself.  A great way to look refreshed, and to hide those fine lines and wrinkles without surgery is by doing Botox Cosmetic and cosmetic fillers such as Restylane.  We like to think of them as the dynamic duo.  Botox Cosmetic helps to soften and relax the muscles and works great for those of us who are very expressive.  Restylane helps to fill and give volume to our facial features.  It works great for those stubborn parenthesis lines and for those of us who have lost volume in our cheeks as we age. Both treatments can be done the same day with little downtime.

We know what you are thinking.  These treatments must be expensive.  Call or check our website to find out our latest promotion for these treatments.  You don’t want to miss out.

We hope to see you soon.

FSC