Answer: A skin care regimen is only as successful as the how often a person utilizes it. Many people are guilty of hoarding skin care products but never really settling into a daily skin care regimen. Take a few minutes to sort through your products and pull out the basics:

• facial wash
• antioxidant (this is usually a serum)
• moisturizer
• SPF (can be combined in moisturizer)
• night cream
• exfoliant

*Of course you may have a few additional products if treating specific conditions, but you will be able to weed out which products you need.

Once you have gone through and pulled what you should be using every day, separate your products into morning and evening. Some, like your facial wash, will be used twice a day.

When you are ready to begin using and applying your products, whether it be morning or evening, remember the golden rule: Start with the thinnest, work your way up to the thickest, and top it off with sunscreen. (The sunscreen, of course, not necessary before bed time.) If you are still having trouble deciding which is first, contact your dermatologist and have one of their skin care specialists walk you through each step.

Answer: Medical BOTOX® is FDA-approved for excessive underarm sweating (Hyperhidrosis) when perspiration is inadequately managed with topical agents. Used in more than 20 countries worldwide for Hyperhidrosis, Medical BOTOX® has been used for over a decade to treat more than 1 million patients with various medical conditions. It has the unique ability to temporarily block signals from the nervous system that is responsible for “turning on” the body’s sweat glands. The best part about Medical BOTOX® is that we can select exactly where we want to turn these sweat glands off by injections in that area. The small amount of Medical BOTOX® injected does not travel very far (about 1cm in diameter), so we can be even more selective in determining exactly which areas need to be treated.

For more information on Medical BOTOX® for Hyperhidrosis, please continue reading here.

Answer: Rosacea flare-ups can be triggered by a number of things including heat, stress, and regular activities such as cleaning the house or doing yard work. It is important to note that triggers may not be the exact same for every person. One may see a flare from a glass of wine while another may have a stronger reaction to colder weather as opposed to warmer weather. Keep watch as to what factors can be possible triggers for your Rosacea and take measures to either avoid them, remove yourself before a flare-up occurs, or prepare yourself (for example: when traveling) to handle any flare-ups with appropriate products so as to not disrupt your life.

To read an extended list of Rosacea triggers and tips to coping with them, please continue reading here: Rosacea Triggers from the AAD

April is Rosacea Awareness Month. Learn more about this skin condition which affects an estimated 16 million people here.

Answer: There is no such thing as “safe tanning” or “non-harmful rays.” The United States Department of Health & Human Services, as well as the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, have declared UV radiation from the sun and artificial sources - i.e. tanning beds - as known carcinogens. Carcinogens are cancer-causing substances. Multiple studies have shown that use of a tanning bed has lead to an increased risk, 74% higher*, of having melanoma, 2.5 times* more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times* more likely to be diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma.

If you have a question you would like to ask Dr. Todd & the DLCC staff, please submit your question here.

*Figures provided by The Skin Cancer Foundation

Answer: Xeomin, manufactured by Merz Aesthetics, is the latest in cosmetic injectable wrinkle correction. Like Botox and Dysport, Xeomin uses botulin toxin to eliminate wrinkles by blocking the release of a wrinkle-causing chemical called acetylcholine. However Xeomin contains a form of botulinum toxin known as IncobotulinumtoxinA, which is said to be a more “pure” form of botulinum toxin made with less chemical compounds. This significantly reduces the risk of allergic reaction with Xeomin in comparison to its predecessors.

*Xeomin is currently on sale with our March Specials for $7 a unit. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact our office here.

Answer: Hydroquinone is the active ingredient in products commonly referred to as lightening or bleaching creams. Products containing hydroquinone are suggested in the treatment of hyperpigmentation - dark spots, age spots, or melasma. These products have a recommended use of one year as adverse side-effects can occur if hydroquinone is applied to the area for longer.

We offer products in our DCL and Glytone lines containing hydroquinone. For more information, please contact our office here.

Answer: A facial is a service available in our MediSpa performed by our Licensed Ethetician, Danyiel, in which the face is cleansed, exfoliated, and nourished to promote clear, well-hydrated skin. After massage a facial is the second most popular spa treatment. The basic steps of a facial are as follows:

1. Cleansing
2. Exfoliation
3. Extraction
4. Facial mask
5. Moisturizing

Your dermatologist will sometimes recommend a facial as part of your acne treatment regimen, as the service deep cleans the pores and can help reduce frequent breakouts.

For more information on Facials, please continue reading here.

Answer: The effects of Sculptra® Aesthetic are enduring. In a clinical study, effects lasted for 25 months after the final treatment session in most patients. The results from Sculptra® Aesthetic are not immediate as Sculptra® Aesthetic provides a gradual increase in skin thickness. Your health care provider will see you again in a few weeks to decide if additional injections are needed. Touch-up treatments may be needed to maintain the desired effects.

For more information on Sculptra® Aesthetic, please continue reading here.

Answer: The laser removes tattoo ink using the energy of light by generating a variety of specific wavelengths of light that target different ink colors. Light passes into the skin but is absorbed by the ink. This rapid absorption of light energy causes the tattoo ink to break into tiny particles, which can then be removed by the body’s natural filtering systems.

For more information on Laser Tattoo Removal, please continue reading here.