The secret to looking younger than your age: Understanding Botox

Aging gracefully is an art and a science. In this generation, 40 is the new 30 and 50 is the new 40. Advancements in the field of cosmetics and anti- aging have made people look younger than they actually are. It's no secret that Botox is one of the most effective and safest ways to remove even the earliest signs of aging.

There have been a lot of misconceptions about this treatment and it is important for people to understand that Botulinum toxin A, when injected by qualified doctors, is safe and produces wonderful results. 

Here are some of the FAQs we encounter in our practice:

1) What are the indications for Botox?

Wrinkles on the face made by repeated movements, such as frowning, are the most common indications for the cosmetic use of Botox. The goal is to reduce excessive wrinkles without altering natural facial expressions.

2) How is the procedure done? Is it painful?

Botox is injected in the target areas. A very small needle (even smaller than those used for babies) is used. If you had pricking of acne done before or injection of pimples, it is more or less the same level of pain. Ice is used to numb the area to reduce discomfort during treatment. It is very tolerable for most patients. Treatment is quick and lasts 10- 15 mins depending on the areas to be treated.

3) What results should I expect after treatment?

Discussion with your board certified Dermatologist is key in achieving the results you want. Every person has unique facial anatomy. This is where the art and science lies, a good Dermatologist would enhance your appearance by decreasing lines but would make sure you retain your natural look.

4) When do I see results and how long does it last?

You will start to see results in 4-5 days after treatment. Results last for about 4-6 months.

5) I am scared of the overdone look and having the "frozen face" appearance. Can that happen to me?

The "frozen face" and overdone look only happens when too much is injected. That's why choosing a Dermatologist you trust and you can communicate with is very important. Results look natural and flattering if done correctly.

6) What will happen if I stop having injections done in the future? Will my face become worse?

No it will not, it will just return to its original appearance.

7) Is there downtime after treatment? Can I do my usual daily activities after treatment?

There is no downtime, some people may have redness in the injection site that goes away in a few minutes. You can resume your activities after treatment as long as you don't massage the areas injected and you don't put excessive pressure on it.

If you have more questions or concerns, please feel free to send us a message through our Facebook site:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Skin-MD-Medical-and-Cosmetic-Dermatology/193580737337365


**Image from http://www.cosmedica.com.au/facialRejuvenation.htm

Keeping your skin disease-free during the floods

Rainy days are here and keeping your feet clean and dry especially during the floods are a must! Protect yourself from skin disease and more serious conditions like Leptospirosis with tips from the Philippine Dermatological Society:

Keep dry everyone!

1. Wear waterproof footwear when you have to wade in the floods. High cut boots are a good choice but make sure dirty water does not seep into them. Be sure to soap, rinse and dry dirty footwear thoroughly before wearing them again. Do the same to your feet.

2. Bring an extra pair of dry footwear and socks in a waterproof bag. After washing soaked skin with an antibacterial soap and thoroughly drying your feet, specially between the toes, change into dry footwear.

3. Do not brave the floodwaters if you have open wounds, existing skin infections or eczema, or have conditions which impair sensation in the limbs ( such as diabetes, leprosy, or stroke).

4. Cuts, puncture wounds or lacerations require immediate medical attention. Anti-tetanus prophylaxis and antibiotic therapy are also usually required.

5. Avoid obviously dirty areas that probably contain hidden hazards which may cause injury. Aside from skin injury, the rainy days may bring serious, life-threatening infections such as the rat-borne leptospirosis and mosquito-borne dengue fever.

6. Dispose of your garbage and (human) wastes properly. As the slogan goes … “ ang basurang tinapon mo … babalik din sa iyo…”

7. Examine your feet well. If after having been exposed, you develop wounds or lesions which become red, swollen and painful, more importantly those accompanied by fever or swollen lymph nodes (kulani), please seek immediate medical attention. A duly-accredited dermatologist will be able to help you with such a problem. Always remember that a serious disabling infection can result from exposure to polluted floodwaters if not treated promptly.

From: http://www.pds.org.ph/rainy-days-skin-blues/

IPL vs Laser Hair Reduction: What's the diff?

The standards of our society dictate that women are more attractive if their skin is smooth and hair- free particularly in the upper lip, armpits, legs and bikini line. An evidence of this is the sudden surge in the number of waxing salons and the popularity of promo deals on the internet.

Women (and some men) are starting to ask: What is IPL? What is Laser? Why are

some deals so cheap and some kind of expensive?

The answer is, the machines being used vary in quality and cost.

To help you gain more knowledge about the topic. Here are some frequently asked questions:

Q: What is the difference between IPL and LASERs for hair removal?

In hair removal, the target to destroy the hair is Melanin, the dark pigment found in hair. Both IPL and Lasers emit wavelengths of light that can target this pigment and destroy unwanted hair.

IPL or intense pulsed light is a flashlamp. IPL emits a wavelength of 500-1200nm. Lasers particularly the Diode laser emit 800 or 810nm.

Q: Should I expect 100% removal of hair after the procedure whether Laser

or IPL?

These procedures are more aptly called Permanent Hair Reduction procedures. After a number of sessions some fine hairs may still be present but are very manageable.

Q: How many sessions does it usually take to reduce the hair? and how far

apart should the sessions be?

It varies from person to person. It can go as low as 5 sessions to 10 sessions. It

depends on the thickness of the hair in the area, how dark the hair is and how long

it takes for your hair to grow. It is best to schedule a consultation with a

Dermatologist in order for him/her to determine the right schedule and number of

sessions for you.

Q: What are the common side effects?

There is some pain during treatment, like small rubberbands snapping on the skin but this should be tolerable and never hot enough to burn the skin. Right after the treatment there is slight redness that goes away in an hour or two. Side effects such as darkening of the treated areas are more common in dark skin and are usually transient.

Here are some tips from our Board Certified Dermatologists in considering the right hair reduction treatment for you:

Tip #1: Ask what kind of machine they will be using on you.

Before you spend your hard earned money, you must know that hair removal machines can vary from

and results can also vary from

We don't want to scare you but it does happen. So do your homework. Be wary of overly discounted deals. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Above anything else, remember, safety first.

Tip #2: Go to a respectable laser center/ dermatology clinic. Make sure a trained Dermatologist performs the procedure on you.

Schedule a consult with your Dermatologist, choose someone you are comfortable with so you can ask questions and so he/she can thoroughly discuss the procedure with you. Also having the procedure done by a board certified Dermatologist ensures your safety and any of the side effects can be treated promptly.

Look Your Best this Holiday Season

Stubborn Acne: FAQs

A lot of our patients, mostly teenagers, are bothered by acne. It is a known fact that acne flares up during our teenage years but even adults can still have it. Other than the physically disturbing appearance of acne, the more pressing concern is the psychological effect it has

especially on teenagers. Some refuse to go to school and have low self esteem. The good news is, acne can be treated. It just takes some effort but results are rewarding.

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about acne:

What really causes acne?

Acne is a disease of the oil glands in our skin. It is caused by a combination of these 4 factors:

1. Hormones that cause secretion of oil from our oil glands

2. Accumulation of oil that blocks the pore (appears as blackheads and whiteheads)

3. Bacteria that goes into the blocked pore

4. Inflammation caused by the bacteria (redness and development of pus)

Can eating oily food, chocolates and peanuts cause increase in acne?

As mentioned earlier none of the causes of acne really relate to food. At present, there is no strong evidence that these foods directly cause the flaring of acne.

I heard that acne eventually goes away after our teenage years, can I just wait it out and not treat it?

It is true that acne improves with age, teenagers experience flares due to the surge of hormones that come with puberty. Eventually, hormonal levels stabilize and acne eventually lessens. However, the most important thing we have to watch out for is the complication of severe scarring. Scarring is permanent and occurs most with acne that is untreated. As Dermatologists, we strongly suggest to treat acne as early as possible to prevent these scars that are difficult and costly to treat.

What is the best way to make my skin smooth and get rid of acne?

The answer is, it varies from person to person. Acne can be classified as mild, moderate and severe and treatment differs depending on the type you have. There are a lot of options, some consist of topical treatments and manual removal of blackheads and whiteheads. Some may need to take oral medications. It is best to visit a Dermatologist so he/she can assess and discuss the best treatment suited for you.

I have a special event to attend tomorrow and suddenly a big red pimple appeared on my face! Is there a quick fix to get rid of it before my event?

Yes there is. The best way is to go to your Dermatologist to have an intralesional injection or "IL" as it is commonly called. A medication is directly injected to the pimple and the next day, the redness and pain goes away.

If you can't visit your Dermatologist, dab the area with an acne preparation that contains 5% benzoyl peroxide or 2% salicylic acid 2x a day until the pimple disappears. Although it is not as quick as an intralesional injection, it can do for the meantime.

Is it advisable for me to just pop my own pimple?

No it isn't. Most of the time, this will cause your pimple to become worse. Also, there is such a thing as the danger triangle of the face.

When a pimple occurs in this area, never try to prick/ manipulate it as this may lead to infection and a complication called Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis, a brain infection that can lead to hospitalization and even coma.

Look Younger without Surgery: Our Anti- Aging Treatments

There have been numerous inquiries about what treatments we offer to look younger without the need for surgery. A lot of people get scared of the artificial, overdone look that some celebrities have today. Most patients we encounter just want that natural youthful look and want to get rid of the tired- looking face that comes with aging.

Here are some of our anti- aging treatments that won't break your budget.. (Click on the image for a larger view)

** all treatments are performed by our Board Certified Dermatologists

DARK UNDERARMS: Let's do something about it

Dark underarms is one of the most common questions we encounter during our practice. Most patients have tried everything to make their underarms whiter but they end up disappointed. Here are some tips we can share to improve the texture and appearance of underarms:

1. Never scrub! Treat your underarms like you would treat a baby's skin. The thing is, the more friction you apply, the darker it becomes! You can't scrub the darkness away.. so say goodbye to those loofahs, beaded scrubs and whatnot.

2. Apply deodorant only if you absolutely have to. If you don't sweat excessively then there's really no need to put deodorant. Especially for people who work in an airconditioned office all day. Save it for those active and warm days.

3. Invest in permanent hair reduction. Constant shaving causes friction while waxing and plucking is painful and induces trauma to the skin. All of these can contribute to the darkness. A variety of lasers are available to permanently reduce the hair but make sure you go to a reputable laser center since low quality lasers do add to darkening of underarms.

Now for some frequently asked questions:

I did all these three suggestions and despite that, my underarms are still dark, what should I do?

Consult a Dermatologist. There are procedures in the clinic such as peels that can be performed. There are also effective whitening creams that are mild enough to apply on underarm skin. These creams can be prescribed by Dermatologists.

I'm getting married and want to whiten my underarms, how long before the wedding should I start?

Depending on the severity, but 6 months before the wedding should be good enough. For laser hair removal start 1 year before.

I sweat profusely and cannot afford to skip deodorant, what do I do?

There are whitening anti-perspirants with good whitening ingredients. For people who excessively sweat there are preparations that significantly reduce sweating, more than commercially available anti-perspirants, but these should be prescribed. Botulinum toxin A injection is also an option.