Mistakes Happen...5 Ways to Ease the Pain of a Sunburn

Here are five ways to ease the pain and maybe, just maybe, limit the damage....

Getting a sunburn is a very bad idea. It looks bad, hurts, peels and inflicts long-lasting, wrinkle-inducing damage. It's especially bad for children: Even one blistering burn may double their lifetime risk of melanoma, a serious skin cancer. And it's totally preventable (with sunscreen, shade and clothing). But mistakes happen. 

1. If you feel the tale-tell tingling of a burn or see any sign of skin reddening on yourself or your child, get out of the sun and start treatment. "Sunburn tends to sneak up on us. It can take four to six hours for the symptoms to develop," says Barton Schmitt, a pediatrician at Children's Hospital Colorado and author of a new book, My Child Is Sick! Expert Advice for Managing Common Illnesses and Injuries, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. So a touch of pink at the beach could turn into a big problem later.


2.  After a cool shower or bath, slather on a moisturizing cream or lotion to soothe the skin. Repeat frequently to make peeling and flaking less noticeable. And consider a product containing vitamin C and vitamin E: It might help limit skin damage (though studies have not proved that.)


3. Any burn draws fluid to the skin surface and away from the rest of the body. So drink extra water, juice and sports drinks for a couple of days and watch for signs of dehydration: Dry mouth, thirst, reduced urination, headache, dizziness and sleepiness. Children are especially vulnerable, so seek medical attention if needed.


4. Take (or give your child) a dose of ibuprofen (for example, Advil) as soon as you see signs of sunburn and keep it up for the next 48 hours, Schmitt advises. "It cuts back on the swelling and redness that is going to occur" and might prevent some long-term skin damage. "It's not just treating the symptoms; it's treating the severity of the symptoms." Acetaminophen (for example, Tylenol) will treat the pain, but does not have the same anti-inflammatory effect.


5. Most sunburns, even those that cause a few blisters, can be treated at home. But if a blistering burn covers 20% or more of the body (a child's whole back), seek medical attention, Allen says.


Lastly, think of the burn as a warning that your sun-safety net has failed and vow to do better. That means using sunscreen, covering up with clothing and hats and avoiding the sun as much as possible between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.  

For an appointment or to be evaluated for treatment, call our office (270) 685-5777 or for more information, please visit our website.

(*provided by The Skin Cancer Foundation, 2012)

Bypass the Pain of Varicose & Spider Veins

Road maps have their place and it isn’t on your legs! You may be one of the more than 80 million Americans who suffer from some form of venous disorder. Varicose and spider veins can cause physical pain as well as emotional discomfort. Don’t think that the treatment is a one-way street to major surgery.

Whether it is for cosmetic reasons or relief from pain, Owensboro Dermatology offers safe and effective outpatient treatments for varicose and spider veins. The minimally invasive procedures offer a virtually pain-free alternative that require no general anesthetic, no downtime, and no scarring and still provide optimal results.

To get a quick overview of two types of treatments offered at Owensboro Dermatology click on this video link. Recently featured on the Today Show on MSNBC Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda highlight two women’s effortless and effective journeys of becoming varicose and spider vein free. See the before and after results and hear about the treatments from their physician. Although the video clip focuses on two women, men also suffer from venous disorder and can benefit from treatments. Your insurance carrier may cover treatment. For an appointment to be evaluated for treatment, call our office (270) 685-5777or for more information visit our website.

The Gift that is Sure to Fit

Relieve your stress this Valentine's Day by getting something your loved one will love! A gift certificate from Advanced Aesthetics, our medical spa, is sure to be the perfect fit. Certificates are available for specific services, products, or a dollar amount. Call (270) 852-4785 to get your shopping done today!

For a look at all the services offered in the spa, click on this link to go to our website.

A New Year's Resolution for Your Skin

Every year people have item after item on their New Year’s Resolution list (i.e., getting organized, losing weight, eating better). If you are like most people, some of those items continue to show up year after year with not much headway being made on them. So here is something you CAN accomplish and help your skin at the same time! Throw out expired skin care products!

Yes that includes sunscreen. You may half a bottle left but don’t put your skin and your health at risk. Get in the New Year’s spirit of “Out with the Old and in with the New.”

Start with the easy ones..the ones with the expiration dates on them such as sunscreens, some acne products and prescription skincare products. Once the date is passed, throw it out. It has lost effectiveness and in the case of sunscreen puts your health at risk for burns. Also, products may get contaminated after so long with bacteria. Keep in mind that if not stored properly, products may expire and become tainted prior to that date.

Realize that there are no regulations or requirements under current U.S. law for cosmetic products to have expiration dates printed on the labels so here are some rules of thumb:

• Throw out skincare products that have separated, changed color, smell funny, changed scent significantly, changed texture dramatically, or just doesn’t feel right anymore when applied to the skin.
• If the container holding your product has expanded than this is a sign that the product needs to be thrown away.
• Products that contain water as one of the first ingredients have the shortest shelf life after opening because water encourages the growth of bacteria and other microbes.
• Also susceptible to bacterial contamination are products that are mostly waxes with minimal water, but that also contain plant extracts. Think about how long produce lasts in your refrigerator—not very long!
• If your product is labeled “preservative-free” definitely take extra caution, because without some kind of preservative system bacteria can flourish easily

So start right now, and check this New Year's Resolution off your list. Your skin will thank you for it!

Benefit Basket Up for Grabs

An auction gift basket from Owensboro Dermatology's medical spa, Advanced Aesthetics, will be up for grabs on Saturday, February 5 at a benefit for Diane Minton.

The gift basket provided by Advanced Aesthetics, Owensboro Dermatology and Henderson Dermatology includes an OBAGI Travel Kit; OBAGI Action; Clarisonic Brush; Spot Therapy Kit; Clarisonic Opal; bath sponge; Valentine chocolates, and handled basket. The basket with contents retails at $786.28.

Items are being donated and gathered from various businesses and individuals for the Auction/Fundraiser to help offset expenses for Minton, who is battling cancer. Minton, a resident of Owensboro, is employed by Owensboro Dermatology. For more information about the event see the flier below. If you or your company is interested in donating an item for the auction, please contact Janette at jford@owensboroderm.com .

Sticking with New Year's Resolutions Help Inside & Out

‎"If you stopped smoking for the new year, remember, the first 2 weeks are the hardest. Stay strong this week and remember - You are a non smoker." This quote came from the Tobacco Control Coalition for the Green River District's Facebook page. And if the internal health benefits aren't enough to motivate people to 'stay quit,' a recent study reported that premature skin aging is primarily linked to sun exposure and heavy smoking.

Premature skin aging before the age of 55 years is largely due to high sun exposure and heavy smoking, with male gender and fair skin also increasing the risk, say Australian researchers. Click here to read more about the study.

Benefit/Auction for Diane Minton

The funds from the following Auction/Fundraiser will help offset costs involved in Diane Minton's battle against cancer. Minton, who is employed by Owensboro Dermatology, is a resident of Owensboro.

Henderson Dermatology Celebrates Expansion

Henderson Dermatology, located at 1413N. Elm St., Suite 202 in the Atkinson Medical Building, recently expanded the office, hours of operation, and services to provide comprehensive dermatology care to the area. Staff members and the Henderson Chamber of Commerce celebrated with a Ribbon Cutting/Open House on December 1 in the newly remodeled office.

More photos and a video of the event will be appearing soon on our Facebook Page or our Henderson Dermatology website.

Eau Thermale Avene Products Won Allure Best of Beauty Award 2010

Eau Thermale Avene skin care products, sold at Advanced Aesthetics Medical Spa, won the prestigious Allure Best of Beauty Awards in 2010. To read more about the products and the awards click on this link.

Advanced Aesthetics offers the latest and most effective procedures, techniques, technology, and skin care products to help you improve the health and beauty of your skin. Under the direction of Board Certified Dermatologists, Michael Crowe, M.D. and Artis Truett, III, M.D., the spa offers skin care products that receive public and industry acknowledgement of excellence helping to insure effective and lasting results. For more information about the medical spa or to make an appointment call (270) 685-4785.

Benefit Held for Diane Minton

A benefit for Diane Minton will be held on Monday, November 22, 2010 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Beef O'Brady's located at 3189 Fairview Dr. in Owensboro, KY.

Everyone is invited to dine in or carry out during that time, and 10% of all food purchases will be donated to the fund for Minton that will help offset her medical expenses in her battle against cancer. Minton who is employed by Owensboro Dermatology is a resident of Owensboro.

Shade Structure Grants Available

Dermatologists often tell their patients to seek shade. Staying out of the sun can greatly reduce a person’s lifetime risk of getting skin cancer. Because shade is so important, the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) offers grants for permanent shade structures.

Each year, the Academy awards grants of $8,000 each for shade structures. The application for the 2011 grants is now available. To be eligible, an organization must be a non-profit organization or public school. It must primarily serve children and teens ages 18 and younger. And, it must have an existing sun-safety or skin cancer awareness program. To learn more about these grants, visit: Shade Structure Program.

Text Messages May Improve Teen's Eczema

Here is an article that appeared in EczemaNet Spotlight, an online information resource provided by the American Academy of Dermatology:

Do you wish your tween or teen would just use that eczema treatment as prescribed? If so, you may want to send daily text messages.

A study conducted at the Harvard Medical School found that patients respond to text messages. The text messages worked so well that most patients:

• Stuck to their treatment plan more days per week

• Had less eczema in 6 weeks

• Wanted to keep receiving text messages

All of the patients in this study had atopic dermatitis, the most common type of eczema. The patients were 14 years of age or older. Every patient received a daily text message for 6 weeks. The messages reminded them to use their medicine and gave them educational information about atopic dermatitis.

Most patients (90%) said the education information was helpful. And, 85% said the texts reminded them to treat their skin.

WRU W8ing 4¹? A text message just might be what your teen or tween needs to stick to that treatment plan.


¹ Text message shorthand for “What are you waiting for?”

Reference:
Pena-Robichaux V, Watson AJ, Kvedar JC. “Text messages as a reminder aid and educational tool in adolescents and adults with atopic dermatitis: A pilot study.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2010; March:62(3)suppl 1:AB10.

Commercial support: None identified

Proceeds from GloGloss for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of GloGloss by Glominerals will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation BCF. Click here to find out more about the product and how you can help your purchasing power count!

Breast Cancer Patients Are at Higher Risk for Melanoma

(An article from the Skin Cancer Foundation www.skincancer.org)

Skin Check-Ups and Self-Exams Are Critical Breast cancer is in the news these days, and women with the disease should be aware that they have an increased risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. In the US in 2010, there will be an estimated 29,260 new melanoma cases in women. Genetics may play a role, since women with abnormalities in the BRCA2 gene for breast cancer susceptibility have more than two times the chance of developing melanoma than those without mutations in the gene. Breast cancer patients and survivors are advised to: Beware of photosensitivity. Photosensitivity is an increased sensitivity or abnormal response of the skin to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or tanning machines. People with photosensitivity are at increased risk of skin cancer. Photosensitivity can be caused by certain medical conditions and treatments, and breast cancer patients should find out if their treatments could make them photosensitive. If so advised by their physicians, breast cancer patients should be especially careful to seek shade between 10 AM and 4 PM, when the sun is most intense; wear sun-protective clothing, including a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses; and apply a sunscreen with a high Sun Protection Factor (SPF) — people with photosensitivity should look for sunscreens with SPFs of 30+, and some combination of the UVA-screening ingredients avobenzone, ecamsule, oxybenzone, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide. Be screened. The Foundation recommends that everyone undergo an annual full-body skin screening by a physician. Doctors may advise people at high risk of melanoma and other skin cancers to be screened more frequently. Perform self exams. Performed regularly (monthly is ideal), self-examination can aid in the early detection of skin cancer. Because skin cancers can vary in appearance, it is important to be on the lookout for early warning signs. Melanomas, for instance, often resemble moles. Look especially for skin changes of any kind, and do not ignore a suspicious spot simply because it does not hurt. Skin cancers may be painless but dangerous all the same. See a physician, preferably one who specializes in diseases of the skin, if you notice any of the warning signs. Know the signs. Be careful to take note of the following, when you perform a self exam. Click here to learn how to properly perform a self exam. A skin growth that increases in size and appears pearly, translucent, tan, brown, black, or multicolored. A mole, birthmark, beauty mark, or any brown spot that: changes color increases in size or thickness changes in texture is irregular in outline is bigger than 6mm or 1/4”, the size of a pencil eraser appears after age 21 A spot or sore that continues to itch, hurt, crust, scab, erode, or bleed. An open sore that does not heal within three weeks.

The Dark Side of Tanning Beds: One Woman's Story

SkinCancerNet Spotlight Article

From tanning-salon customer to skin-cancer patient in just four years, Kimberly Sanga's mission is to raise awareness of the health risks associated with indoor tanning.

"Before you slip into a tanning bed, think about your future and the damage you are doing." Kimberly cautions.

Photo by Kristin Despathy

Patient Profile

At age 14, Kimberly Sanga wanted a killer tan. Blonde and fair-skinned, she thought a tan would make her look more attractive, so she stopped by her local indoor tanning salon and signed up for unlimited sessions. The buzz about the dangers of tanning did not faze her. All of her friends were using tanning beds, so she figured, “How bad could it be?”

More than 20 skin-cancer surgeries later, Kimberly knows how bad it can be. Scars from these surgeries crisscross her entire body. She has had 40-plus suspicious lesions removed. One surgery required 25 stitches in her groin.

Some of these excised lesions were basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer. Others turned out to be squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer that can spread. Kimberly now worries that she could be diagnosed with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Her doctor shares this concern.

Suffering Lifelong Consequences
While Kimberly has not slipped into a tanning bed for 13 years, new growths continue to appear at a rate that alarms her. Within the past month, over a dozen new moles have developed. Kimberly continues to see her doctor regularly. Sometimes it is once every 3 months; other times she needs monthly visits. Lately, a routine has emerged. First she undergoes a full-body exam. Then suspicious lesions are removed.

While Kimberly knows what to expect, it does not make these visits any easier. Having lesions removed, she confesses, still disturbs her. “My doctor gives me a local anesthetic, but I can feel the tugging sensation as the scalpel moves across my skin.”

At least the skin-cancer surgery is quickly over. Waiting for the biopsy report, which provides the diagnosis for each excised lesion, is agonizing. “I try to visualize what I would say or how I would feel if the diagnosis comes back melanoma,” she says. “I think about what stage it would be and what the next step would be. I am always wondering how fast my dysplastic moles will change into cancer.”

To increase her chance of finding skin cancer in the earliest stage when the cure rate averages 95%, Kimberly examines her moles every other day. She is grateful to her husband, Shawn, who makes it his responsibility to examine her back. Between them, they look at the size, shape, and color of every mole on her body — current count 72.

Despite all she is doing to improve her chances, she still feels uncertain about her future. She feels cheated out of some of life’s simplest pleasures. There is no such thing as enjoying a day outdoors. This pained her most on her honeymoon. At Disney World, they had to plan their time so that they were indoors during the peak sun hours.

Reaching Out to Teens
Despite the challenges and a full-time career, Kimberly somehow finds the energy and time to raise awareness of the risks associated with tanning. She especially wants teenagers to know her story and about the dark side of tanning. “One of the scariest things I see is people under 20 crowding the tanning salons in my town year round.”

To reach local teens, Kimberly partnered with the chief of police in her hometown, a fellow cancer survivor, to create a forum at the local high school. They plan to hold the first forum this spring, just before spring break and prom season when teenage tanning bed use peaks.

To emphasize what can happen with just a few years of tanning, Kimberly will show photographs of her scars. She will tell these teens that she started using tanning beds at age 14 and was diagnosed with her first skin cancer after only 4 years of tanning. With heartfelt emotion, she will explain that the skin cancer removed from her breast at age 18 — a basal cell carcinoma — only develops with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Even people who spend their lives outdoors in the sun tend not to develop basal cell carcinoma until their 40s, 50s, or 60s.

She will point out that tanning beds have changed this. Today, young, healthy people are developing skin cancer.

Kimberly wants everyone to know that she is not the first teenager to use tanning beds and develop skin cancer. She mentions fellow skin cancer survivor, Brittany Lietz who was crowned Miss Maryland in 2006. Brittany started indoor tanning while in high school. It was not long before she found herself slipping into a tanning bed 4 times a week. At age 20, Brittany was diagnosed with stage II melanoma.

Like Brittany, Kimberly encourages teens to think first. “Before you slip into a tanning bed, think about your future and the damage you are doing,” she pleads. If she can reach them, Kimberly believes they will never know the life she now leads.

Free Skin Cancer Screening

What's the Difference Between Spa Facials & Facials in a Medical Spa?

Read more about the difference between facials done in a spa setting versus a medical spa. This short article appeared in Daily Beauty an eNewsletter by NewBeauty Magazine, "Medical Facials for more results."

Our licensed and certified skin-care specialists work under the direction of our Board Certified Dermatologists, Dr. Michael J. Crowe and Dr. Artis P. Truett, III. With years of ground-breaking experience in laser and cosmetic procedures, the physicians and their team of skin-care professionals can smooth out the wrinkles, erase the fine lines, fade the brown spots, and remove the unwanted hair and more.

To find out even more about the benefits of Medical Spa procedures and treatments, call Owensboro Dermatology's Medical Spa, Advanced Aesthetics, 270-852-4785 for more information.

Famous Country Singer Speaks Out about Battle with Psoriasis

LeAnn Rimes talks about her struggles with psoriasis. Click on this video link.

Self-Proclaimed Tanning Addict to a Statistic: Jaime's Story

Jamie Regen Rea wanted to be tan and popular. She went from a self-proclaimed tanning addict to a melanoma patient in just a couple of years and died just three weeks shy of her 30^th birthday. Because her family believes no one should die from a tan, some family members share Jaime's emotional story in the American Academy of Dermatology's TV and print public service advertisements (PSAs).

Click on this link to view her story: http://www.aad.org/media/psa/index.html

Did You Miss it and Were Sorry that You Did? Free Recorded Webacast: The Impact of Psoriasis on Relationships

The Impact of Psoriasis on Personal Relationships

Diana Kirschner, Ph.D. and Fran Cook-Bolden, M.D.
August 18, 2010

A recent survey distributed by the National Psoriasis Foundation found that nearly 80% of the surveyed population thinks that psoriasis has had a negative impact on their personal relationships. In partnership with Galderma Laboratories, the Foundation hosted a free webcast underscoring the impact of psoriasis on relationships, unveiling the results of the relationship survey and offering tips on how to have successful personal relationships while managing psoriasis.