Free Seminar on Choosing Skin Care Products Right for You

Advanced Aesthetics, Owensboro Dermatology’s medical spa, will host Choosing Skin Care Products Right for You, a free seminar on taking the stress out of looking your best, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 26 at 2821 New Hartford Road. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. Call (270) 852-4788 or toll free 1-888-337-6722 ext. 4788. Every participant can receive an appointment for a free Visia complexion analysis and is eligible for the “Back to School” product special. Refreshments will be available as well as opportunities to a win a free Clarisonic Skin Care Brush, Chemical Peel, skin care products and more.

The skin is the largest organ of the human body, about 20 square feet in an average-sized adult, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. It takes a beating from the environment, lifestyle choices, and the aging process. Keeping it healthy means protecting your body’s armor. The variety of skin care products available on the market today presents an overwhelming dilemma. To find our more about products that will help improve the health of your skin and rejuvenate how you look and feel, call (270) 852-4788 to reserve a seat for the free presentation.

Slow Burn

Related Document: mi_slow_burn.pdf (Slow Burn - Messenger-Inquirer)

(Reprinted with permission from the Messenger-Inquirer)

Tanning, burning now can lead to cancer later.

Before stepping outside or ducking into a tanning bed, it's good to keep in mind that as the sun or the bulbs toast your skin, they're toasting the DNA that keeps your skin healthy.

Whether it be caused by natural or artificial sources, the tan-causing production of melanin in your skin is also a sign that damage is being done to the DNA of the skin cells. When that DNA is damaged, the cells' natural reproduction is disrupted, which can lead to cancer.

"It's a common condition," said Dr. Artis P. Truett III, a dermatologist at Owensboro Dermatology on New Hartford Road. "It causes skin cells to go haywire and start growing uncontrolled."

According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer accounts for more than half of all cancers diagnosed in the United States, making it the most common form of cancer. Of the various skin cancers, there are three main types, with melanoma being the deadliest and most well known. The other two--squamous cell and basal cell--are both common and usually very treatable.

Sun and tanning exposure, Truett said, are the big risk factors. "It makes skin cells more likely to be cancerous, and it's been shown that there's a direct relation between the number of sunburns a person has had and the likelihood that they'll develop cancer," Truett said, adding that freckles and other sun marks are anything but cute. "Freckles are basically scars. They're signs of skin damage."

For Sheila Knepper, the time in the sun finally caught up with her. "Back when I was younger, I don't think the parents stressed it (sun protection), "Knepper said.

Since October 2004, Knepper has had more than 25 basal cell carcinomas removed from her legs, back and face. Every so often she will find another that needs to be removed, the price for her early years in the sun.

"It's a good thing I didn't wait," Knepper said. "If you wait, it can go deep down into the deeper skin and muscle, and it's really dangerous."

Though most of the skin cancers are far less dangerous than other types, that doesn't make them any less serious. Truett said people need to be honest and serious about it. "I think people are somewhat aware of it, but a lot of people are in denial, "Truett said. "They say, 'It's not going to happen to me' or 'It's going to happen to someone else' or 'It's not going to happen to me until I'm old.'"

Along the lines of education is prevention. By stopping skin cancer before it starts, Truett said, simple preparation steps can save hundreds or thousands of lives and dollars. He recommends sunscreen or clothing to cover skin, preferabley clothing , since sunscreen reliably stops only sunburn and not necessarily the sun's damaging effects. Knepper said the important thing to keep in mind is that one doesn't have to sacrifice enjoyable times outdoors. She simply is much more conscientious because of her experience.

Truett said he urges people to not hold back when it comes to being checked for skin cancer. The simple guideline to follow is ABCD. Any skin blemishes, birthmarks or moles that are asymmetrical, have an irregular border, have irregular color and are more than 6 millimeters in diameter need to be checked. It's also important to take good care of skin if you have had sun damage. By staying covered up or using sunscreen products, you allow your body's natural processes to take hold.

"There's evidence that protecting your skin or wearing sunscreen is therapeutic," Truett said. "If you protect your skin, it will (have a chance) to recover."

While education for current generations is important, Truett said, he thinks caregivers and role models need to be focusing on the younger crowd. By teaching children about prevention, Truett said, it's possible to prevent skin cancers.

"Parents, teachers and grandparents need to educate children. We need to make a generational change," Truett said. "I'm hoping the next generation learns a bit more."
Dariush Shafa: Messenger-Inquirer

Finding Exact Treatment

Related Document: Finding Exact Treatment.pdf (Finding Exact Treatment)

(Reprinted with permission from the Messenger-Inquirer)

Doctors are using lasers to treat once-untreated conditions better

The same technology that went into that death ray on all those famous sci-fi movies is changing a branch of medicine for the better. Over the past few decades, dermatologists have begun using lasers to treat many diseases and conditions, some of which were either untreatable or were treated with more painful methods, said Dr. Michael Crowe, a dermatologist at Owensboro Dermatology.

"There's an advantage to using lasers for certain things we're treating," Crowe said. "They've allowed us to treat things we never could treat before."

Lasers are beams of light that, like a radio, can be tuned to different frequencies and projected at different levels of energy. Different levels of intensity and frequencies have different effects for various treatments. In the past, the skin disease psoriasis had no real treatment except for a cream that had mixed results and usually didn't give the sufferers much relief from the painful and visible effects. Lasers changed that.

"We used to throw up our hands and say, 'We know what it is, but there's nothing we can do for it,'" Crowe said.
While lasers have made great strides, they haven't totally taken over the field, though doctors and patients appreciate having them in the arsenal of treatments, Crowe said.

"A lot of them are not replacing things we're doing," Crowe said. "Most of them are adding on to things we do." However, Crowe said, lasers are becoming more prevalent in dermatology. About 20 years ago, when Crowe was a new doctor, there were two major dermatological lasers."Those two lasers that were the only ones in the country. We have two of them in our clinic now," Crowe said. "They're becoming more available now. They're less expensive than they used to be."

The field is aggressive, though. Crowe said to offer the best treatment, doctors have to be willing to spend the money for the lasers and the time learning and mastering their use.

"To do laser procedures, it really does take you keeping up with the newest thing," Crowe said. Computers have furthered the use of lasers. Using computer guidance, doctors can be accurate to one-millionth of a meter, or about the size of the tiniest speck of dust resting on the head of a pin.

"The laser is that exact. Every single time, it's that exact depth...The newer generations of lasers are getting faster and faster all the time," Crowe said. The advances have also made lasers much more patient-friendly. Lasers fire beams that have to be very hot to destroy unwanted tissue or obliterate problems under the skin, such as birthmarks. But cooling technology has made it so there is little or no pain.

"Most of them (today's lasers) have some continuous cooling," Crowe said, "and the good thing about that, one, it hurts less, and two, there's less damage to the top layer of skin. That cuts down on the scarring if you don't knock off that top layer of skin, and if you can take the pain away from a laser procedure, it's going to be very popular." Owensboro Dermatology offers services normally found in much larger cities, Crowe said. Crowe said one thing he encourages patients to keep in mind is that lasers aren't meant for everything.

"People have this perception that if you say 'lasers' it's a good, modern treatment. There are some things lasers are good for, but a lot of the basic surgical stuff you do is done with scalpels," Crowe said. "Sometimes a laser works better than a scalpel; sometimes it doesn't."

Still, popularity has meant the practice has enough people coming through that it can afford the lasers needed to do these treatments. Instead of patients having to drive to Nashville or fly to Detroit, two of the closest cities that offer these treatments, the services are available here.

One Owensboro resident has seen dramatic results from the use of a laser. Tonya Mann-Howard, director of program facilitation at Owensboro Community & Technical College, has suffered from acne most of her life. While undergoing microdermabrasion at Owensboro Dermatology, a staff member suggested she try a laser treatment called the Arctic Peel. This treatment uses a laser to burn off the top 10 micrometers of the top layer of skin while a cooling system is used to keep it from being painful.

"I was very excited about it," Mann-Howard said. "She told me that the Arctic Peel had similar results, but it had more of a positive effect and with less treatments. I was excited to try something new."

Mann-Howard has had four treatments out of a series of five, and said she saw results the day after the first treatment. "I've noticed a dramatic decrease in the acne on my face, and as an extra benefit I've been able to peel away some sun damage that I did back in the day," Mann-Howard said. "I've been kind of hooked to see how much more improvement I can get." The treatment leaves behind redness, Mann-Howard said, but no worse than a sunburn. By following doctors' instructions and using a special recovery balm, which helps keep the skin from drying out as it heals, she saw good results.

"I just wasn't one of those fortunate individuals born with good clear skin and this was a process to help repair some of the damage," Mann-Howard said. "With a sunburn you're left with damaged skin. After this, you're left with smooth, good skin. The results are amazing.

Dariush Shafa: Messenger-Inquirer

Local Dermatologists Chosen to Speak at National Dermatology Conference in San Antonio, Texas

Dr. Michael Crowe and Dr. Artis Truett, III, Board Certified Dermatologists with Owensboro Dermatology Associates and Henderson Dermatology, were chosen to speak at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

Dr. Crowe and Truett presented “Don’t Worry, Be Happy: Our Successful EHR Implementation,” a detailed description of how Owensboro Dermatology and Henderson Dermatology converted from paper to electronic medical health records (EMR). Doctors Crowe and Truett gave a brief background of Owensboro and Henderson Dermatology and their reasons for deciding on one system over another. The doctors highlighted the obstacles and the successes of implementation of the computerized system and focused on how they customized the system for their dermatology practice. They explained how their digital medical record system helps enhance the quality of care they provide and how this system allows them to offer services that would otherwise not be available. These improvements include computerized imaging for exam room, tracking of previous biopsies and skin cancer removals, and “mole mapping,” a computerized scanning of suspicious moles to help determine if a biopsy is needed.

The presentation was one component of the workshop entitled “Electronic Health Records.” This workshop featured nine of the top computerized dermatologists in the country presenting information to help other dermatologists make informed decisions as they plan the transition from a paper to an electronic medical record. EMR will likely become a part of all practices within the next decade as is mandated by the U.S. government. Another objective of the educational sessions was for attendees to understand how emerging technologies such as teledermatology and digital imaging may allow for enriched patient care.

The AAD conferences attract over 15,000 people including dermatologists and their staff members from around the nation and the world. The annual meeting provides a venue for dermatology specialists to learn about new advances in diagnosis, treatment and prevention and an opportunity to earn continuing medical education credits. The AAD, a not-for-profit medical specialty association headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois, is the largest, most influential and most representative of all dermatologic associations. The AAD has developed a platform in which to:

•promote and advance the science and art of medicine and surgery related to the skin

•promote the highest possible standards in clinical practice, education and research in dermatology and related disciplines

•support and enhance patient care and promote the public interest relating to dermatology.

Owensboro Dermatology Recognized For Quality Laboratory Services

Owensboro Dermatology Associates, PSC has met all criteria for Laboratory Accreditation by COLA, a national healthcare accreditation organization. Accreditation is given only to laboratories that apply rigid standards of quality in day-to-day operations, demonstrate continued accuracy in the performance of proficiency testing, and pass a rigorous on-site laboratory survey. Owensboro Dermatology Associates, PSC has earned COLA accreditation as a result of a long-term commitment to provide quality service to their patients.

The six categories included in the testing include: overall rating; personnel and facility; proficiency testing; specimen and test management; quality control; and quality assurance. By successfully passing COLA’s evaluation and renewing accreditation, Owensboro Dermatology’s laboratory has proven safety, efficiency, and reliability of results, and regulatory compliance all of which help ensure excellent patient care.

COLA is a nonprofit, physician-directed organization promoting quality and excellence in medicine and patient care through programs of voluntary education, achievement, and accreditation. COLA is approved by the federal government and sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, and the American Osteopathic Association.

Free Seminar on a New Laser Treatment that Melts Away Signs of Aging

Dr. Michael Crowe, Board Certified Dermatologist, will present a free seminar on reducing the signs of aging highlighting a new, non-surgical laser treatment, the Arctic MicroLaserPeel, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, January 24 at Owensboro Dermatology Associates, 2821 New Hartford Road. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. Call (270) 852-4788 or toll free 1-888-337-6722 ext. 4788. Refreshments will be available as well as opportunities to a win a free Arctic MicroLaserPeel treatment, skin care products and more.

Based on results from hundreds of Arctic Peels™ performed at Owensboro Dermatology, Dr. Crowe will detail the procedure showing before and after photos which illustrate the different skin conditions that the treatment improves. Individuals who have had the treatment will be available to discuss their experiences. Dr. Crowe will compare the Arctic Peel to Microdermabrasion and superficial chemical peels and discuss how this new procedure offers greater results in a shorter amount of time with no-down time for healing. To find our more about the benefits of the Arctic Peel, which is offered exclusively at Owensboro Dermatology, call to reserve a seat for the free presentation.