Tag Archives: Dermatology

What Are Chemical Peels And Their Benefits?

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woman getting skin treatmentChemical peels are defined as the techniques used to improve and enhance the appearance of the skin. In this article, you’ll get a quick overview of what’s involved, but don’t hesitate to contact one of our dermatology consultants in Coral Springs if  you’d like more information or have questions.

A chemical peel treatment smooths the facial skin texture, thus causing the dead skin to slough off and ultimately peel off.  It also wipes out parts of the skin in a controlled manner so that the regenerated skin can germinate in its place.

The recreated skin will be much leveled, unwrinkled and smoother than the old skin. The process of chemical peeling typically involves the application of chemical solutions such as wounding or exfoliating agents that generate controlled skin tissue death. This can be performed on the neck, face or hands.

Don’t worry, this procedures is quite safe when done by a trained skincare or dermatology professional. But you really shouldn’t attempt a chemical peel on your own at home because your skin has to be appropriately prepped before chemicals can be applied to it. And if you don’t do it correctly, you could severely damage your skin.

Benefits of this popular cosmetic treatment for a youthful look include the following:

  • Removal or reduction of mottled spots: Skin mottles can make your complexion look dull and they do not leave on their own. This chemical procedure seeps deep into the skin to pull out the darker layer from the skin, thus helping to balance the skin tone.
  • Acne Management: A chemical peel is considered very valuable in treating acne skin problems. Light chemical peels like glycolic acid peels, AHAs etc remove inflammation and acne blemishes.
  • Getting Rid of Sun Damaged Appearance: Sun is considered the main reason for the formation of wrinkles, blotches and scars on the skin and therefore these can be easily treated using chemical peels that help to discard the effected skin layers in order to expose a smooth and fresh layer.
  • Sin Lightening: Stress, poor nutrition, changing seasons, lack of rest etc can make your complexion dull and ruddy. Powerful chemical peels that are made up of phenol acid help to clear away wrinkles thereby turning your skin light.
  • Improved Collagen Growth: Chemical peels that use glycolic acid help to boost collagen formation which is a substance that further helps in building the skin tissue to form a supple and strong skin surface.

What are the types of chemical peels?

There are following three types of peels available in the market:

  • Light Chemical Peel: This is used for fine wrinkles, dryness and uneven skin pigmentation. It uses a combination of beta hydroxyl acids and alpha hydroxyl aids. It discards the external epidermis layer by light exfoliation.
  • Medium Chemical Peel: This is used to remove damaged cells from middle as well as upper layer of epidermis. It also treats deep wrinkles and acne scars. The chemicals used are tricholoroacetic acids and glycolic acids.
  • Deep Chemical Peel: This is used for damaged skin with scars, sun or any other outgrowth and deep wrinkles. This skin treatment uses phenol which seeps deep into the skin layers to bring about the desired results.

Thus these treatments help to “burn” the upper skin layer with their acid solution and slowly peels off the dead and damaged skin cells to divulge a smooth, radiant and bright layer underneath. I hope this overview has been helpful. If have any questions or are ready to enhance your skin, contact one of our dermatology consultants – Coral Springs FL at (954-906-9099)

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What is a Dermatologist?

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dermatologistsAs a dermatologist in Coral Springs, I’m often asked whether a particular skin or hair condition is something that a dermatologist would handle, or if it falls under the realm of another profession. So, in this article, we’re going to discuss the field of dermatology and the role of dermatologists. This way, you’ll know if a dermatologist is what you really need. So let’s dive in.

Believe it or not, there’s quite a bit of confusion about the field of dermatology. People generally know that it has to do with the skin, but then things start to get a little fuzzy.

What is Dermatology?

Dermatology is a medical field. It is the study, diagnosis, and treatment of the skin, hair and nails. A dermatologist is a real medical doctor. We can write prescriptions and perform surgeries.

So, for example, if you have skin cancer or think that you have it, a dermatologist has the education, experience, and resources to diagnose and treat it. By the way, did you know that the skin is the human body’s largest organ?

What are the Educational Requirements to Be a Dermatologist?

Becoming a dermatologist requires a lot of dedication, discipline, and perseverance. First of all, you must earn a college bachelor’s degree. That can take 3 to 4 years. Next, you must attend medical school and earn your medical degree (MD). That’s another 4 years. After that, there’s a 1 year internship to gain real world experience. And finally, there’s 3 year’s of residency in an approved Dermatology Program. There’s quite a bit of competition to get into this field, so good grades are a must.

What are the Job Duties of a Dermatologist?

The day to day responsibilities of a skin doctor are many, but the patient always comes first. So, a dermatologist in Coral Springs spends quite a bit of time meeting with his or her patients. The meetings will include diagnosing skin conditions, discussing general health problems, following up to determine if or how well a treatment is working out, and writing prescriptions.

In addition, some dermatologists perform surgeries to remove skin cancer or deal with other skin ailments. And if a patient is in need of a cosmetic skin procedure, the best dermatologists will perform those as well.

Dermatologists understand what beautiful skin means to every patient. So we spend a lot of time listening to the patient’s desires and expectations, and we do our best to meet and exceed them.

Do Dermatologist Treat People at All Ages?

Within the dermatology field, there are practitioners who have chosen to specialize based on their own interests. You’re probably most familiar with the popular general and cosmetic dermatology doctors, surgeons, or consultants. But others include:

Pediatric Dermatologist – This is someone who has chosen to focus their practice on babies and small children.

Dermatolopathologist – This is someone who gets very deep into the research and study of skin diseases. They also have a desire to find cures for those diseases.

Immunodermatology – This is someone who works with skin related diseases and disorders that are linked to the immune system. For example, lupus and pemphigus vulgaris would fall in this area.

So now you know what it takes to become a dermatologist, what we do, our job duties, and how some of us choose to specialize. Regardless of which type of dermatologist you’re seeking, we can help you or point you in the right direct. Call our Coral Springs FL dermatology office today to schedule an appointment or to get more information (954-906-9099).

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Dealing With Acne

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young woman with beautiful skinIn our Coral Springs dermatology practice, we treat many acne cases. And whether you’re a teen or adult, there’s nothing more frustrating than looking in the mirror and seeing pimples, zits, blackheads, and bumps on your face.

Even just one big pimple can be a distraction and make you self-conscious about your appearance.

All of the terms that I used above to describe facial outbreaks are what make up a disease called Acne. Of course, if you’re only experiencing is a pimple or two, you can probably purchase an over-the-counter acne solution that will clear up your skin.

But not all acne is mild, and sometimes it can appear on other areas of the body, such as the neck and back. When acne gets out of control, that’s when it’s time to visit a dermatologist for help.

In a moment, we’ll discuss the types of treatments that we offer to help fight acne. But first, you should gain an understanding of this disease and what causes it.

What is Acne?

Without a doubt, acne is the the most common skin disease in the United States. It affects more than 17 million pre-teens, teens, and adults. Of course, teens make up the majority of this total. The main factors thought to trigger acne include hormones, diet, and certain medications.

And while acne won’t result in death, it can cause permanent scarring and emotional distress if not addressed.

Acne is caused by blocked pores on your skin. You see, many of those pores are the home of hair follicles. And at the root of the follicles are glands called sebaceous glands. These glands produce an oily substance called sebum. The reason why your skin produces this substance is to keep it, as well your hair, lubricated and waterproofed.

However, when the hair follicles get blocked and the sebum can’t reach the surface of your skin, bad things begin to happen.

The trapped sebum will begin to produce a nasty bacteria under your skin. That bacteria will then mix with other chemicals and enzymes in your body that attract the attention of the disease fighters in your body. The fighters are your white blood cells.

When the white blood cells start to attack the bacteria, that area of your face will become inflamed. As the battle rages, pimples, blackheads, and other skin lesions will occur on the surface of your skin. This, my friend, is acne.

The more bacteria there is to fight, the more widespread the acne. Unfortunately, the disease can be very pronounced for some people and barely a zit for others. But certainly if you believe that your acne is severe, you should visit a dermatologist.

Acne Treatments

When you visit our Coral Springs dermatology office, we will diagnose whether you have a mild or severe case. This can lead to one or more of the following treatments:

Over-the-counter medications – There are certain over-the-counter treatments that are quite effective for handling very mild acne. Usually the active ingredients will have benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, or sulfur as their active ingredient.

Prescription medication – More than likely you will have tried some of the over-the-counter medications, without much luck, before contacting the dermatologist. So the skin doctor will be able to prescribe a stronger solution such as lotions that contain tretinion, adapalene, tazarotene, and more.

Antibiotics – If we determine that your acne is severe, we may prescribe an antibiotic to help kill off the bacteria. We may then move you to a milder acne lotion to clear up any remaining problems.

Dermabrasion and microdermabrasion – If your skin has somewhat healed, but shows scarring and deep marks, we may use a special instrument that essentially sands away the top layer of your skin to allow a smoother layer to replace it.

These are just some of ways that a dermatologist can help to end your acne woes. There’s also laser therapy, oral contraceptives, chemical peels, soft tissue fillers, and more. If you’re currently dealing with acne — whether mild or severe — we invite you to schedule an appointment (954-906-9099) and stop by our Coral Springs office for a consultation.

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Skin Cancer and Treatments

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coral springs dermatologist holding skin cancer signOne of the most vital services that a Coral Springs dermatologist can provide is the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer.

Of all the cancer types, none is more prevalent than skin cancer. According to skincancer.org, more than two million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer annually.

The occurrence of skin cancer is a bit higher in men when compared to women, but not by a wide margin. In the remainder of this article, we will discuss the cause of skin cancer, types, symptoms, and cures. By having this understanding, you’ll be in a better position to get your most important questions answered when speaking with one of our dermatology consultants.

Causes of Skin Cancer

While it is extremely difficult to pinpoint the causes behind many other cancers that appear in the human body, the most common cause of skin cancer is ultraviolet radiation. And the source of this radiation is sunlight.

Of course, everyone is exposed to sunlight. But the biggest quandary is why two people could experience the same level of sun exposure and one may develop skin cancer and the other may not. So in addition to sunlight, other cancer causing factors include genetic make up and family medical history.

Types of Skin Cancer

There are three predominant types of skin cancers:

Basal Cell Carcinoma – This is the most common skin cancer, but it is also one of the mildest forms. We see quite a few cases of it in our dermatology practice here in Florida. It accounts for nearly 90% of all skin cancer cases. The cancer is associated with the basal cells of your skin’s epidermis layer. This cancer can appear on the face, lips, neck, back of hands, and ears. But there are also cases of it occurring on the back, arms, and legs.

The cancer will usually show up as a brownish, reddish or dark pinkish bump or small patch. It’s not likely to spread to other parts of the body, but could damage any tissue in the surrounding area. The cure rate for this type of cancer approaches 99% when caught early.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma – This skin cancer is the second most common type. While basal cells occupy the lower level of the skin’s epidermis layer, squamous cells can be found in the upper level. The cancer will appear as open sores, scaly patches, or wart-like growths. They may also crust or bleed. You could find them on all areas of the body.

Similar to Basil Cell Carcinoma, this cancer is not likely to spread to other body parts and the cure rate is very high if detected early.

Melanoma skin cancer – This type of skin cancer is the least common, but it is the deadliest. In 2013, there were about 76,000 reported cases.

Melanoma skin cancer is associated with melanin and melocytes, which not only control your skin’s pigmentation, but protect it from the damaging effects of the sun. Melanoma could appear as new mole-like growths, lesions, bumps, and dark patches that may show up anywhere on the body that has been exposed to sunlight. The coloring could be black, brownish, or reddish.

The overall survival rate for Melanoma skin cancer is about 91%, but that rate increases when it’s caught early.

How does a Coral Springs dermatologist treat skin cancer?

In order to determine if you have skin cancer, you should schedule an appointment with our Coral Springs dermatologist. The doctor will exam your skin for bumps, spots, markings, and unusual patches.

If anything looks unusual in size, color, or shape, he  or she will have it biopsied. This will involve cutting away or shaving off a small part of the growth and sending it off to a laboratory for review.

Depending on the type of skin cancer and how far it has progressed, the dermatologist has several options:

Cut out the cancer – In this case, the small tumor is cut away from the skin along with a small amount of the normal tissue surrounding it. This could be done with a standard sharp instrument or using a needle-shaped electrode.

Shave away the cancer – If the cancer is in the very early stages, the dermatologist may simply shave it off of the upper layers of the skin.

Freeze away the cancer – In this case, a special instrument is employed to freeze the cancerous area and destroy it. This technique is call Cryosurgery.

Perform Moh’s surgery – This popular surgical technique has been around since the 1930’s. It was named after Frederic Mohs, who was a general surgeon.

The Moh’s technique is a microscopically controlled surgery. It involves the methodical and progressive removal of the skin cancer in stages. After each stage, the surgeon will closely examine the extracted tissue to determine where to remove the next section of tissue.

Moh’s surgery has proven to be especially effective when dealing with Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Employ chemotherapy and radiation – If the cancer spreads to the lymph nodes and other areas inside the body, then more aggressive procedures will be needed. In these instances, the doctor may recommend radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and other similar treatments.

To conclude, skin cancer is a very serious matter, especially for those of us who live in Coral Springs, FL and the greater South Florida region. So it’s important that you closely examine your skin periodically. Look for usual bumps, sores, or discolorations. If you spot anything unusual, give our dermatology practice a call so that we can diagnose whether it’s nothing to worry about or something that you and we will be happy that was caught early.

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Video: Dermatology in Coral Springs – Quick Overview

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In this video, you’ll get get a quick snapshot of what we offer at our dermatology practice in Coral Springs FL. If you have specific questions you’d like answered, or would like to schedule a consultation, please call us at 954-906-9099.

http://dermatologycoralsprings.org

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