Everybody’s talking about Dysport (botulinum toxin Type A), a prescription injection used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines).

They’re so confident you’ll love their product, Medicis Aesthetics is presenting you with the Dysport Challenge. It’s your chance to try Dysport at substantial savings. Ask our doctor if Dysport is right for you.

Exfoliation helps make your complexion glow and prepares your skin for self-tanners and body-baring styles. But it takes a little know-how to do it right.

By Alexandra Plotkin and Lu Heaney

Wet, wash, moisturize. Repeat. Those are the most basic steps in a skin–care routine — and important ones — but a little extra care could make your skin even healthier and more beautiful. Check out this expert advice on exfoliation and how your skin can benefit.

What Is Exfoliation?

Exfoliation is the removal of the oldest layer of dead skin cells on the skin’s surface. It can be performed by rubbing skin with an abrasive scrub or with the use of chemical product.

The process also unclogs pores and reduces blackheads and blemishes, says aesthetician Lu Heaney, a skincare director at Gotham Skincare in New York City. Exfoliation stimulates the skin and may encourage cell turnover too, she says.

Choose Your Product Based On Your Skin’s Needs

“The average cell turnover for our skin is every 28 days, but that slows as we grow older,” says Heaney. For younger skin, she suggests exfoliating weekly with a product containing jojoba beads, rice, sugar, salt, oatmeal, or micro–beads that may dissolve dead skin cells. Exfoliants that contain crushed apricot kernel or almond shell are often too abrasive, she says.

Sponges, loofahs, brushes, microfiber cloths and adhesive exfoliation sheets can all be used for mechanical exfoliation, Heaney says. However, she adds “be sure to cleanse these items thoroughly after each use to prevent them from harboring bacteria, which may be transferred onto your skin.”

For mature skin, products containing alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) help the skin release dead cells and accumulated debris. “They may help lighten pigmented areas and soften rough skin,” Heany says. Irritation may result, however, depending on the product’s pH level. “A concentration of 10% or less at a pH of 3.5 or greater is often best for home care,” she says.

Do It Yourself

“Apply the exfoliation product in smooth, circular movements, avoiding the eye area. Use light pressure that allows the product to do most of the work,” Heaney suggests.

A steamy shower is the perfect place to exfoliate. “Steam softens the skin,” Heany adds. It’s also ideal preparation for adding moisturizer.

When Extra Help Is Needed

If your skin needs exfoliation beyond what you can do at home, talk with a physician. Chemical exfoliants, such as peels, usually contain salicylic acids, glycolic acids, or fruit acids and are best applied by a pro, Heaney says.

For oily skin, salicylic acid works well. It penetrates the oil–filled pores and removes any dead skin cells that have built up inside by loosening the bond that holds the cells together, says Heaney.

Microdermabrasion removes surface cells in a controlled manner using light abrasion; it also may remove or lessen the appearance of scars and dark spots. Along with chemical exfoliation, it can help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, says Heaney. Microdermabrasion consists of mechanical abrasion using a low–pressure suction pump that blasts tiny crystals from a penlike device. The expelled crystals and exfoliated skin cells are then removed by a vacuum.

Following a chemical peel or microdermabrasion treatment, you may experience slight discomfort, and your skin may look pink, much like having mild sunburn. For the next three days, avoid swimming, heat exposure (including tanning and sunbathing), and heavy makeup. It is critical to wear a broad–spectrum sunscreen during this period.

When to Skip Exfoliation

Nix the exfoliation if you’ve had too much sun, says Heaney. After a mild sunburn, the first thing to do is treat; moisturize and protect the burned area with aloe or creams, she advises. “When sunburned, your skin is exceedingly vulnerable and may dry out and crack, which can result in infection.” After a few days, the skin will begin to shed because it has been damaged. At this point, gentle exfoliation can be done using jojoba beads, oatmeal or sugar–based products, Heaney says. “A press–and–release method of exfoliation is best,” she advises. “Do not scrub. This should be a delicate process. I would recommend exfoliating at night and applying moisturizing cream so that your skin can begin to heal and regenerate.”

Melanoma Awareness Month

May is Melanoma Awareness month and with it brings an important topic to all our patients and their friends and family.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States with more than 3.5 million cases diagnosed annually; this is more than the combined incidence of breast, prostate, lung, and colon combined. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetimes - most of these will be basal cell carcinoma.

Melanoma accounts for only three percent of skin cancers but causes 75% of skin cancer deaths. White men over the age of fifty make up the majority of people diagnosed with melanoma, but in the past 25 years the incidence of melanoma amongst young women increased by fifty percent.

Ultraviolet radiation is a proven human carcinogen and frequent tanners using new sunlamps may receive as much as 12 times the annual UVA dose compared to the dose they receive from sun exposure. With 2.3 million teens using tanning beds, the incidence of skin cancers and melanoma will only rise. It should be emphasized that first exposure to tanning beds in youth increases melanoma risk by 75%. It only take one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence to more than double a person’s risk of developing melanoma later in life.

Thankfully the survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected early (before the tumor has penetrated the epidermis) is 99%. This falls to 15% if the cancer is detected later. Prevention is key. Some simple steps and behaviors can significantly reduce the risk of melanoma.

Most importantly is the use of sunscreen - daily use and frequent application is important, even on cloudy days and even if one is primarily indoors, UVA rays can penetrate windows. The use of tanning beds should be avoided - I can’t stress this enough! UVA not only penetrates the skin deeply increasing the risk for cancers but also ages the skin significantly. It also helps to stay out of the sun between the peak hours of 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. My team has compiled some more tips and facts to inform and help protect you in the articles below. Enjoy the beginning of the summer and keep it safe!

Regards,
Brian A. Bonanni, M.D.

Melanoma Awareness Month: Stay Safe in the Sun!

Although melanoma accounts for only about 4 to 5 percent of all skin cancer cases, it causes most skin cancer-related deaths. However, if detected and treated in its initial stages, melanoma is repeatedly curable. In men, melanoma is most often found on the area between the shoulders and hips or on the head and neck. In women, melanoma often develops on the lower legs. One of the most common places in both genders however is very surprising- in between your toes. The chance of developing melanoma increases with age, yet it is still one of the most common cancers in young adults. Skin cancer affects one in five Americans, and more than 1 million new cases are diagnosed each year. Of these cases, more than 65,000 are melanoma, a cancer that claims nearly 11,000 lives each year.

To protect yourself this month and the months ahead follow these five simple steps:

1. Lather up. Sunscreen in the summer months should be your best friend. For help with older sun damage and continuing protection try Obagi Nu-Derm Sunfader with SPF 15.
2. Bring your Divaness to the Beach: Bring a hat and UV protected sunglasses to the beach. Sun damage can also scar the eye tissue, or worse, cause melanoma of the eye or eyelids.
3. Don’t get Wet n’ Wild: Put on sunscreen 30 mins before the water and after you have taken a dip in the ocean or pool. This insures the sunscreen is absorbed into the skin and insures protection all day. And, if you are a fan of Vitamin C-try the Skincare Cancer Foundation recommend Obagi –C RX System C-Sunguard SPF 30 to help against UVA/UVB rays and add the additional nutrition to your skin.
4. SPF= Skin Protection Forever: Always use a SPF lotion in the event your sun tanner does not. The key ingredient in any sunscreen is Zinc Oxide. It will still let you tan, but will keep your skin youthful in the long-term. A great pairing would be your favorite tanner and the NIA 24 Sun Damage Prevention 100% Mineral Sunscreen.
5. Cover up for Real: Sometimes it comes down to leaving the house with a beautiful face of make-up or throwing on the sunscreen- well you don’t have to choose. Cosmetic companies are realizing quickly that sun protection and beauty can be a great combination. For a great mineral with SPF 30 and now SPF 50, Colorescience has Sunforgettable micronized mineral sun protection to give instant protection and a water resistant beauty. For a more sensitive skin, try rosaclear makeup tone sunscreen which helps against harmful UVA/UVB rays while helping to reduce the appearance of redness and blotchiness. It is also chemical-free and tinted to easily blend into the skin for a sun-kissed look.

  View Dr. Bonanni’s Gotham Skincare  
   coverage in Examiner.com