Q: My family doctor told me that I have a condition called
Rosacea. How did I get this?
A: Rosacea is a common skin condition characterized by facial
redness, bumpiness and swelling. Individuals with rosacea tend
to be "flushers and blushers." They also have a tendency to
have small dilated blood vessels on the face. Rosacea is most
common in fair skinned people in their 30s-50s, but can occur
at any age. It has a tendency to run in families. It is not
contagious. There are many triggers which can cause a flare of
rosacea. These are spicy foods, hot beverages, alcoholic
beverages, caffeine, extremes of temperature, stress and sun
exposure. If untreated, rosacea can worsen and cause
permanent skin changes (bulbous red nose, bumpy skin,
persistent redness and visible blood vessels). The key to
successful management of rosacea is early diagnosis and
treatment. There are a number of treatment options available
at your dermatologist's office including prescription creams,
lotions and gels and short courses of antibiotics. In some
instances, laser or intense pulsed light (IPL) is used to reduce
facial redness and visible blood vessels resulting from chronic
rosacea.
Q: My son has developed warts on his feet. Is this because he
constantly walks barefoot? What can we do about them? I am
worried that they might spread.
A: Warts are benign growths caused by a skin virus. The name
of this virus is the human papilloma virus, or HPV. Plantar
warts are located on the soles of the feet. They can be quite
painful and feel like a stone in the shoe. Wart viruses occur
more frequently if the skin is damaged in some way. It is likely
that your son picked them up on his feet because of his lack of
foot protection. The wart virus can live for longer periods of
time in wet environments with a lot of foot traffic (like public
pools, boats, etc.). A variety of treatment options are available
depending on the age of the patient. It is reasonable to try
something over the counter at first. Warts can also be
chemically or physically removed in a physician's office. Many
of the in-office procedures are quick and painless! There are
also prescription medications available which help this
condition. Good luck.
Q: I'm 42 years old & I have noticed that my eyelids are
getting droopy & my winkles are more pronounced. Is there
anything you would recommend that is non-surgical? If so,
who would offer that type of treatment?
A: It sounds like you may be a candidate for a chemical brow
lift using Botox cosmetic. This can be done in a doctor's office
(usually a dermatologist or plastic surgeon). The entire
treatment takes approximately 10 minutes, and there is no
downtime afterwards. During treatment, very low doses of
Botox cosmetic are administered via a few tiny injections in the
forehead area. Botox blocks the release of a chemical that
causes muscle contraction. By doing so, it causes the muscles
to relax, and the wrinkles to diminish. Injections here also tend
to elevate the brow and give a more refreshed, youthful
appearance. When administered by an experienced physician
(make sure you check your doctor's credentials), Botox
injections do not affect the
ability to smile, laugh or
otherwise show expression.
Talk to your doctor today to
see if Botox cosmetic is the
right procedure for you. For
more information, check out
www.BotoxCosmetic.com.
There you can learn more
about the procedure, see
before-and-after photographs,
and stories about patient's experiences with the treatment.
Q: I have been boating for years. I always wear sun block and
a hat but have many brown spots on my cheeks. I was told
that they are "liver" spots. Is there anything that can be done
about them? I feel like I look 10 years older than I am. Help!
A: It sounds like you have "solar lentigines" which are the
result of chronic sun exposure. They are often called "liver"
spots by people, but in fact, have nothing to do with one's
liver. There are a number of treatment options available treat
this cosmetic condition. Your first stop should be a visit to a
dermatologist to make sure that these are indeed benign skin
growths. Also a skin cancer screening should be done because
of your history of sun exposure. Treatment for these brown
sun spots or solar lentigines include the use of creams
containing bleaching agents and retinoids and in-office
procedures such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion,
intense pulsed light and laser. No treatment for this condition
would be complete without the daily application of sun block
and the use of sun protective gear.
The above information is by no means a substitute for a visit to
your doctor. For more information on these topics, visit
www.aad.org
To submit a story idea or if you have a skin related question,
please e-mail me at dracambio@gmail.com Thanks!
- Dr. Andrea Cambio
Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery
Andrew’s Professional Center
316 Del Prado Blvd. S. Suite 201
Cape Coral 829-7102
dracambio@gmail.com