What are the Top 10 Most FAQ’s about Cosmetic Dermatology by Patients at Mayoral Dermatology in Coral Gables?
Patients ask our staff hundreds of different questions about skin conditions, cosmetic dermatology procedures and what to expect from a specific kind of procedure. However, out of these many inquiries, some questions are asked more often than others. Here is Mayoral Dermatology’s top 10 most-asked patient questions (and answers) concerning skin conditions and cosmetic dermatological procedures.
Question #1:
Dermabrasion sounds painful. Will it hurt to have it done and will my skin peel, redden and, in general, look terrible for several weeks until it heals?
Answer: Dermabrasion is a procedure that safely removes the topmost layer of the skin using a rotating brush that sloughs away dead skin cells and debris. An excellent method that smoothes away acne scars, fine wrinkles and precancerous lesions, dermabrasion causes discomfort similar to the pain of a sunburn. Regrowth of the layer of skin removed during the procedure occurs within seven to eight days, with new skin appearing redder than normal. However, patients can apply cosmetics to achieve normal skin tones until redness fades.
Question #2:
What dermal filler brand would be most effective in getting rid of my wrinkles?
Answer: To smooth away fine lines and general wrinkling of the skin due to aging or excessive sun exposure, fillers containing hyaluronic acid such as Juvederm, Perlane, Restylane work great to rejuvenate damaged skin and erase lines around the eyes, nose and mouth. For improving deeper folds and furrowing of the skin, we recommend dermal fillers Perlane and Prevelle which provide more of a “plumping” action to restore firmer, smoother skin.
Question #3:
What is a precancerous skin lesion and what are the chances of it developing into melanoma?
Answer: Acitinic keratosis, atypical moles and cutaneous horns are several common types of precancerous skin lesions. Moles are considered potentially precancerous if they change color, size or develop irregular borders. Lesions like acitinic keratosis are usually scaly, rough, dry patches located on areas of the body that are consistently exposed to good amounts of UV rays—the face, back and upper chest, for example. Cutaneous horns are recognizable by their unique, vertical shape that resembles a small “horn” growing out of the skin. Doctors believe UV radiation stimulates development of horns on the hands and face but aren’t sure why they occur.
The risk of precancerous skin conditions turning cancerous depends on many factors such as genetics, continued exposure to UV rays and if early treatment is initiated to remove the lesion or mole. Although not all precancerous entities will become malignant, any skin abnormalities demand immediate examination by a professional dermatologist so that the risk of suffering melanoma is greatly reduce or even eliminated.
Question #4:
After spending too much time in the sun, I got a sunburn so bad that it blistered. Will I get skin cancer?
Answer: No. Blisters from a severe sunburn will not cause you to develop melanoma. However, the damage inflicted on skin cell DNA by sunburns is immense and experiencing sunburn after sunburn—along with blistering—will greatly increase your risk for one day suffering from an excessive number of precancerous moles and basal/squamous cell carcinomas. In addition, sunburns will accelerate aging of the skin. People who spend hours in the sun without using sunscreen will have skin that looks 70 years old by age 40.
Question #5:
What type of facial cleansers do you recommend for treatment of acne?
Answer: Cleansers containing salicylic acid, glycolic acid and aloe vera work well to help control acne outbreaks and oily skin. Unfortunately, these cleansers work too well and often dry out skin to the point that it becomes red and flaky. Acne sufferers often choose to undergo dermabrasion, chemical peels and laser treatments as effective methods for controlling acne and maintaining healthy skin.
Question #6:
I found an age spot removal cream at my pharmacy that guarantees to remove my ugly age spots within several weeks. Will it work and is it safe to use?
Answer: Probably not. If the cream does make your age spots fade, it will only be temporary and you will have to continue applying the cream to keep from returning. So-called “fade” creams are merely bleaching agents that damage pigment cells and whiten age spots instead of removing them. A more effective method of eliminating age spots is by treating them with laser therapy, peels or dermabrasion.
Question #7:
Help! No matter what I do, I always have bags under my eyes. I get plenty of sleep so what is the problem?
Answer: Bags or dark circles under the eyes persist for a variety of reasons ranging from fluid retention caused by hormonal fluctuations to an undiagnosed medical condition to simple aging. Improvement of chronic dark circles and/or bags under the eyes is entirely possible with laser therapies, chemical peels or dermal fillers.
Question #8:
I am 72 years old and can hardly stand to look at my wrinkled face anymore. Am I too old to undergo a procedure to improve the appearance of my skin?
Answer: As long as you are in good health, there is no reason why someone in their 70s, 80s or even 90s could not safely undergo dermal filler injections to reduce wrinkling and sagging of the skin. Since dermal fillers stimulate collagen production and contain substances naturally created by the body, treating older skin with dermal fillers is actually great for your skin’s health.
Question #9:
My skin tone has always been uneven and somewhat blotchy but it has gotten worse since I entered menopause. Is there a procedure that can even my skin tone so I don’t have to put on a pound of make-up every time I go out?
Answer: Blotchy skin during menopause is commonly caused by hormone fluctuations involving reduced amounts of estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is a hormone vital to moisture retention, oil production and collagen formation in the skin and suffers a significant decrease during and after menopause. Consequently, your blotchiness may be dry, itchy, flaky patches of skin emerging from loss of estrogen.
Question #10:
Which procedure will help me lose weight by getting rid of the fat?
Answer: You can often find yourself in the gym everyday and still not see results in certain stubborn fat areas of your body. Recently, the FDA approved a new type of treatment called CoolSculpting by Zeltiq™ for the elimination of fat accumulation that is noninvasive, more affordable and able to be done at our office Mayoral Dermatology in Miami (Coral Gables). Supported by research results, investigators state that the controlled, prolonged cooling of tissues will induce reduction of fat cells and the ultimate disappearance of subcutaneous fat without harming the epidermis. Referred to as “selective cryolipolysis”, this is the technology that makes the CoolSculpting by Zeltiq™ procedure an excellent, painless, and popular alternative to liposuction.
Mayoral Dermatology offers several different kinds of treatments and procedures depending on your needs. Our doctors are considered to be some of the best in cosmetic dermatology and Mohs surgery. If you have a question that was not answered, don’t hesitate to call us. One of our specialists will be happy to answer your questions or schedule a consultation to provide you with further information about our dermatological procedures.
