When a cosmetic allergy does occur, it may be best to discontinue use of all cosmetics until the dermatitis clears. Then, the preparations may be re-introduced, one at a time, every three or four days, until the culprit is found. Even then, a patch test may be necessary to determine the specific ingredient responsible for the allergy. 

Even “fragrance-free” and “hypo-allergenic” cosmetics may be at the root of cosmetic contact dermatitis. These terms are very loosely used and do not guarantee that you, yourself, will not have a reaction to them. In fact, any firm may use a term such as hypo-allergenic (reduces or minimizes allergies) if they can show that if they tested one hundred people and only fifty-one did not have an allergic reaction and even though forty-nine did have one. We tend to find that most firms have not tested on any group and they simply try to get away with the term knowing that they will most likely never be questioned on it. 

If you are suffering the ill effects of dermatitis, there are a variety of measures we can take to bring you relief.

Of course there are a few additional areas that you can treat with Botox. As we mature, the corners of your mouth turn down. We can, however, get the corners of your mouth to go up with just a few drops of Botox. You can also treat the neck giving you the look of a face lift. This will give you your jaw line back and gets rid of neck bands and longitudinal lines. Sometimes we inject the lines around the mouth. These last three areas should only be performed by very experienced injectors.

The dermal fillers are for the lower third of the face. We can fill in the lines from the nose to the mouth (nasolabial folds); lines that come down from the mouth (marionette lines); lines around the mouth and a prominent fixed frown crease. There are at least eleven fillers at this time that can be utilized on you. I keep at least ten of these on hand at any one time to give you the maximum efficacy for your immediate and specific needs. I will discuss all of them in upcoming blogs. Just remember that Botox relaxes muscles and fillers fill in depressions and lines.

It is important to only let very qualified physicians use these products on you. I am a national trainer for a number of them. Remember that this is a medical procedure and should not be used nonchalantly. It takes years of experience to deliver these products properly, effectively and efficiently. You want someone who does this well, very frequently, and utilizes a large number of these regularly so that you can get the one that best serves your needs. It’s your face so why would you take the chance to have droopy, heavy lids, lumps or bumps when you can have superb care and a fabulous look?

Pure and simple, Ultra Violet (UV) radiation is to blame. Ninety-three percent of all wrinkles, age spots, discoloration and further breakdown of healthy skin is due to sun and tanning bed exposure.

UVB (B = burn waves) radiation causes the visible damage in the epidermis with redness or simply a tanned appearance. UVA (A = accelerated aging) radiation creates the invisible damage. This causes the skin to age too fast as well as indicating a massive increase in skin cancer, which has been growing at an epidemic rate for more than a decade.

We once believed that UVA was innocuous. We now know otherwise. UVA radiation is the main culprit in the formation of wrinkles. The sun’s UVA rays actually penetrate the dermis. This destroys everything healthy in our skin.

There is no such thing as a good tan. Average skin [and no one has ever defined what is or who has average skin] begins to receive enough radiation within ten minutes of being exposed to UV radiation. We used to think that a little color was healthy. We now know that it is the body’s defense mechanism acknowledging that we have been irradiated.

Those of you who love the color and feel that tanning beds are the answer, please understand that there is a massive amount of UVA radiation (accelerates the aging of the skin) that is emitted, making tanning beds even worse than you can imagine.

Estimates vary on the occurrence of the skin cancer, but as of the latest statistics from the Center of Disease Control, more than 1,100,000 Americans will develop skin cancer in 2010. While prevention is the best defense against it, early detection is the surest way to a cure.

P.S. Mohs surgery is credited with cure rates up to 99%.

The procedure is called Sclerotherapy and was started in the 1800s. The appearance is caused by incompetent valves in the big, deep veins. When the valves don’t work the blood has to find new routes. Women suffer from this more than men. They can be caused by trauma, pregnancy and this problem is passed on from generation to generation.

I inject a solution into the vessels to close them. I prefer to use hypertonic saline because it is natural to your body and you cannot have an allergic reaction from it. My solution is a little different than most practitioners and it is extremely effective.

I have also seen many lasers promise to treat these vessels but I have never seen them as a truly effective alternative. There is a laser that does work for the larger ‘rope-like’ veins, better known as varicose veins, but not for the small varicosities that I treat. I have seen lasers typically leave you with pain, scars, burns and large medical bills.

The best time of the year to perform this treatment is November through early May. Wearing compression hosiery for two weeks really enhances your results. It takes two to three months for the vessels to completely fade. If you wear the hose, you will see great results from only one treatment by me. I cannot say that this is the case with everyone who performs this procedure. If you don’t wear the hosiery, it can take up to six treatments to get the same results. My goal is to resolve this issue for you in one single treatment.

Board Certified Dermatologist Houston TX

I am a board certified Dermatologist and have been in solo practice since 1985. I am one of the pioneers of Cosmetic Dermatology, having been directly involved long before it became a new specialty field in Dermatology. I enjoy all aspects of Dermatology from basic skin care, diseases of hair, skin and nails, sexually transmitted diseases, and the cosmetic aspect.

Over the years I have seen many things come and go; some good and some not so good. At the same time, one of the greatest modes of communication, the internet, has become a significant tool and is clear proof of the deliverance of both good and bad information that can exist. .

My goal in starting a blog is to discuss all aspects of Dermatology in easy to understand language. I will be addressing all types of skin issues to help you better understand your skin, available procedures, and what works and what doesn’t work based on my first hand experience.

I hope that you will enjoy my skin care blog and view it frequently. We will update the blog at least every other week and hope that you find the information both entertaining and educational. I also recommend that you sign up for updates from my website and to be on the automatic e-mail list for special offers and product promotions. Feel free to let us know how you like it, comments and areas that you would like to hear about.