Blog – Page 3

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is arguably the most important step in a skin care regimen. It should be applied (and reapplied) daily regardless of the extent of sun exposure. Most of the damage done to skin by the sun is accumulated over time by daily tasks we all complete, such as driving to work, walking the dog, and checking the mail. While it is also important to remember sunscreen when at the beach or spending an extended period of time outside, that is not the only time it should be used.

Sunscreen should become a part of your daily morning routine just like brushing your teeth and washing your face. It may seem like a tedious task, but the benefits far outweigh the slight inconvenience and extra two minutes it takes to apply. Skin cancer reports are on the rise and becoming more and more prevalent in the news today. Skin protection from the sun is not something to take lightly.

What Does SPF Mean?

SPF stands for sun protection factor and is a number that represents how long a person can stay out in the sun without getting a sunburn while using the product. An SPF of 30 or higher is recommended to ensure the most sun protection. SPF is only based on UVB protection (the burning rays). When looking for a sunscreen, it’s important to look for broad-spectrum. This indicates that the sunscreen protects from UVB and UVA (aging rays).

Does Sunscreen Expire?

Yes, sunscreen typically expires 3 years after it is opened (check the box or bottle it came in for the exact date), but you also have to take into account how it was stored. Sunscreen that is kept in really hot, or really cold, environments (like your car or beach bag) will start to break down and won’t provide its maximum protection. If you are unsure how long you’ve had a sunscreen or you are using one you’ve kept in an unstable environment for extended periods of time, it’s probably best to throw it away and invest in some new bottles.

Dr. Richards Recommends…

Here at TPD, we offer a physical, broad-spectrum sunscreen line called EltaMD. After a thorough skin evaluation, Dr. Richards and Christine Corso, PA-C will recommend the best product to suit each individual’s specific needs. They take into account skin type, skin conditions, amount of time spent outdoors, outdoor physical activities, and convenience. Call our office today to schedule an appointment to meet with Dr. Richards or Christine Corso and find the best sunscreen for you.

What’s the Difference Between the Sunscreen Dr. Richards Recommends and the Sunscreen I Can Get at the Drug Store?

The sunscreens offered at Torrey Pines Dermatology (EltaMD) are medical grade sunscreens that are only sold in physician offices. They are broad-spectrum and all contain high levels of zinc oxide. Sunscreens that include zinc oxide block the widest spectrum of UVA and UVB rays. Zinc oxide is a natural, mineral compound that maintains its protective ability in the sun. Although sunscreens you will find in the drug store are cheaper, they are not medical grade sunscreens and most do not contain zinc as an active ingredient.

Pre-Summer Special!

This May and June, Torrey Pines Dermatology is having an Ultherapy Special. If you purchase a Full Face Ultherapy Treatment, you will receive 20 units of XEOMIN for free! Give yourself or someone you love the gift of younger-looking skin!

What is Ultherapy?

Ultherapy is a non-surgical, non-invasive treatment that uses ultrasound technology paired with the body’s own natural healing system to tone and tighten the skin. By using ultrasound, we are able to actually see the layers of tissue being treated and ensure the energy is being directed where it will have the most effect. The ultrasound energy triggers a natural response in the skin that kick-starts the body’s healing process and promotes collagen production.

As we age, our body’s collagen production slows down and leaves us with skin that lacks laxity and strength. By targeting the deeper layers of the skin where collagen is produced, Ultherapy is able to stimulate new collagen growth that tightens the skin and leaves it feeling firm and healthy. This process occurs over time, so results can be seen over a span of up to six months. There is no downtime required after an Ultherapy treatment; you can resume your daily activities directly after your appointment.

What is XEOMIN?

XEOMIN (Zeo-min) is a form of botulinum toxin that treats fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes. Popular treatment areas are crow’s feet and the frown lines in between the eyebrows. Repetitive facial expressions cause lasting fine lines as we age. When XEOMIN is injected, it blocks the release of the chemicals that cause the muscle contractions, which in turn softens the fine lines around the eyes.

XEOMIN is a pure form of botulinum toxin and does not contain any accessory proteins that do not play an active role in the effect of the treatment. Results can be seen within 3-5 days and last about 3 months. After treatment, you will experience a very natural, softer, and younger-looking complexion.

We are proud to serve patients in the San Diego and surrounding areas. Call our office today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how you can benefit from Ultherapy and XEOMIN!

Glytone Trio for Hair Loss

Hair loss can affect both men and women and is a problem that can be treated by your dermatologist. In chronic hair loss, each life cycle of the hair gets shorter and shorter. At the end of the life cycle, the diameter and length of the hair declines. At the final stage of the cycle, the hair follicle loses its growth capacity and eventually falls out. A great option for treating hair loss is the Glytone Trio by Ducray. This system includes a shampoo, spray lotion, and dietary supplements. This system helps to get the hair follicle back into a normal growth cycle and prevents it from diminishing and dying.

Products Included in the Trio

Anaphase is the vitamin enriched cream shampoo in the trio. It gently cleanses fine or weak hair while also strengthening it with vitamins and minerals that promote healthy hair. Regular use can restore hair’s volume, strength, and shine over time.

The hair lotion spray, Neoptide, is a proprietary blend of vitamin B3, amino acids, and botanicals that nourish thinning hair. The ingredients in the lotion provide nutrition directly to the hair bulb while also stimulating the hair, which reduces the appearance of hair loss and boosts hair mass. The texture is very light, which allows for daily use without making the hair look or feel greasy.

Anacaps, the dietary supplement in the trio, is a capsule that nourishes and strengthens hair and nails. When taken as directed, the hair bulb and nail matrix will be provided with essential nutrients and antioxidants to restore and reenergize the hair and nails.

When used together, all three products deliver maximum nutrients to the hair to stimulate new hair growth and prevent further hair loss. After three months of consistent use, you should start to notice a significant difference in your hair.

Learn More During a Consultation

We sell the Glytone Trio here in our office in La Jolla and are offering 25% off the trio for the months of April and May 2017. We are proud to serve patients in San Diego and the surrounding areas. Please give us a call today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can help with your hair loss!

April/May Special – 15% Off V-Beam Treatments

What is V-Beam?

V-Beam is a pulse dye laser that targets the hemoglobin within blood vessels. The laser heats up the hemoglobin and, because it is within the vessels, they heat up and disappear as the body metabolizes them out of its system. The V-Beam laser is used to treat redness under the skin that can include rosacea, veins, scars, angiomas, stretch marks, and red birthmarks. It is the only laser of ours that does not require topical numbing cream and there is no downtime. It can be used to spot treat areas of concern, or in cases such as rosacea, it can be used to treat the whole face.

What’s the Downtime Like?

There is no downtime after receiving a V-Beam treatment. You may experience some redness, but that will dissipate within a few hours after your appointment. We recommend a series of three to five treatments spaced a month apart in order to achieve maximum results. Maintenance is then one treatment every six months as needed.

Am I a Good Candidate for V-Beam?

We recommend coming in for a free consultation to have one of our providers take a look at your concerns and discuss the best treatment options for your individual needs. V-Beam is an excellent treatment for most patients concerned about any redness on the skin. Through the months of April and May 2017, we are offering 15% off all V-Beam treatments so you can get ready for summer with a beautiful, clear complexion! Please contact our office to schedule your free consultation and receive more information about how V-Beam can work for you!

Rejuvenate Your Skin with a SilkPeel DermalInfusion

The SilkPeel® Dermalinfusion is an advanced skin-resurfacing treatment that combines exfoliation with extraction and infusion of serums that are tailored to each individual. Our aesthetician will evaluate the skin and determine whether our hydrating, Vitamin C, brightening, or clarifying solution would yield the best results. A diamond tip is used to exfoliate while a vacuum creates suction to extract pollutants from the pores as the custom solution is applied and penetrated into the skin.

Should I Get a SilkPeel®?

If you are looking for a treatment that provides immediate results with no downtime and no discomfort, the SilkPeel® could be right for you. It treats a variety of skin concerns including, fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation such as dark spots, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, sun damage, dry and dehydrated skin, acne blemishes, and rough skin texture.

The SilkPeel® is one of the few procedures in which skin shows immediate and noticeable improvement in volume, hydration, tone, and texture. It can be used on any skin tone and virtually anywhere on the body, including the face, neck, chest, and hands.

SilkPeel® Pre Laser and for Acne Treatment

The SilkPeel® is recommended prior to an IPL to exfoliate the skin and maximize results from the laser, it is also recommended before receiving the Active FX. Patients suffering from acne are encouraged to come in for regular SilkPeels®. Our patients have seen amazing results in the reduction of acne, acne scars, and post traumatic hyperpigmentation after a series of SilkPeel® treatments.

Our aesthetician can tailor a treatment plan to suit each individual and help them achieve the results they desire, including recommending products and other cosmetic treatments. We are proud to serve clients in the San Diego and surrounding areas. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation!

Minimize the Appearance of Wrinkles with Botox

Wrinkles appear when the muscles of the face cause the skin to move. Wrinkles tend to be more prevalent on mature and aging skin due to the skin’s loss of collagen. When facial muscles do not contract, the surrounding skin isn’t affected and wrinkles won’t form. Botox® can also be used to prevent wrinkles from forming when started as early as in your twenties.

Botox® helps minimize the appearance of wrinkles, particularly those that appear as frown lines, forehead lines, lines between the eyebrows, and crow’s feet. Botox® is not a permanent treatment and we recommend coming in every three months to maintain optimal results.

How Botox® Works

The solution in Botox® affects muscle activity. When skillfully injected, it causes the muscles in the treatment area to relax. The individual can still perform normal facial expressions, but the skin above the muscles remains smooth. This eliminates the appearance of dynamic wrinkles in the treatment area. There is no down time required after Botox® injections. We recommend taking Arnika before and after your appointment, which will reduce the risk of bruising and swelling that can sometimes occur after an injection. Botox® is safe for use on all skin types and is an effective treatment option for both men and women.

Learn More About Botox®

Our team at Torrey Pines Dermatology in La Jolla is here to answer all your questions about how Botox® can minimize the appearance of your dynamic wrinkles. We proudly serve clients in San Diego and surrounding areas. Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation.

Treatments for Hair Loss

Thinning hair affects a sizeable percentage of the population, and includes both men and women. Hair follicles can become clogged, misshapen or damaged due to injury which results in hair loss. As we age the scalp becomes harder to maintain and the buildup of damaged cells can be difficult to correct.

Treatments for hair loss vary, and the right treatment for your condition will depend on the type of hair loss you are experiencing. Some of the best treatments for hair loss involve rejuvenating damaged follicles so they can once again produce thicker, fuller hair strands.

Treatment Options

Often, hair loss that occurs in patches can be effectively treated with steroid injections. This is a relatively simple way to treat the condition, as it does not involve surgery or require any downtime. Other options are the use of oral medications and topical creams and shampoos. Glytone by Ducray products have shown to be incredibly effective in many cases. We sell the Glytone trio here in our office that includes shampoo, hair lotion spray and vitamins that all help with hair loss.

Another option we provide in our office is microneedling. Microneedling uses a machine that has 12 small needles that create dozens of micro-channels in the skin. By disrupting the skin in this way, it encourages the growth of new hair and speeds up the body’s natural healing system. Once the micro-channels are created, we apply a serum called Saw Palmetto that is proven to help increase hair growth. Because of the micro-channels, the serum is absorbed much deeper and faster into the skin and is therefore able to produce better results than if it was applied without microneedling.

Treatment Schedule

We recommend coming into our office for a free cosmetic consultation. During your consultation, you will meet with our cosmetic coordinator and discuss in depth all of the treatments for hair loss that are available to you. Then you will meet with one of our providers and they will go over what treatment they think would benefit you the most success. We serve clients in the San Diego and surrounding areas. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!

Benefits of Mohs Surgery

Mohs surgery, also known as Mohs micrographic surgery, is a procedure used to remove skin cancer. It is known for being precise, thorough, and having an extremely high cure rate. It is particularly effective against basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas.

Dr. Frederic E. Mohs (1910-2002) first developed the technique in 1936. The procedure should only be performed by a skilled and qualified surgeon. Dr. Richards at Torrey Pines Dermatology is a board-certified, fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon, and has been practicing for over sixteen years. Many patients are not aware that there is a difference in the training of fellowship-trained versus non-fellowship-trained Mohs surgeons. During a Mohs fellowship, fellows are required to perform over 1000 Mohs surgery cases including esthetically repairing the defect using flaps, grafts and side to side closures. Thus it is very important to choose a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon in order to ensure complete removal of the skin cancer and the best esthetic results.

What Does the Procedure Involve?

Mohs surgery is an outpatient procedure performed in the comfort of our office in La Jolla. During the procedure, Dr. Richards will remove the visible tumor along with a thin margin of surrounding tissue. The tissue is then carefully analyzed in our lab. During this process, Dr. Richards maps exactly where the tissue samples come from so she knows where to continue if she finds more cancer cells.

If more cancer is found another layer of skin will be removed and evaluated. Once the samples are clear the repair process will begin. Several different techniques can be used in the repair depending on the size and location of the wound and will be discussed in depth with the patient at the time of closure.

Advantages of Mohs Surgery

Mohs surgery has a very high cure rate. The in-depth examination of the tissue samples reduced the likelihood of any cancer cells being left in the patient’s skin. The cancer is, therefore, less likely to recur, and the patient will need to undergo the procedure only once.

Mohs surgery also reduces the amount of healthy tissue removed, and causes less scarring than other surgical treatments. It is the ideal treatment for cancers found on the face and hands. The benefits of Mohs surgery are endless. You can learn more about how this surgery technique can help you during a consultation with Dr. Richards at Torrey Pines Dermatology. During your visit Dr. Richards will review your pathology results with you and discuss the best course of treatment for your individual needs. Our office is located in La Jolla and we also serve clients in the San Diego and surrounding areas. Contact us today to schedule a consultation!

How Can Facial Fillers Benefit Me?

Fine lines and wrinkles are the result of progressive volume loss and an overall breakdown in the structure of the skin. Facial fillers can fill in the lines caused by aging and leave the skin feeling plump and tight, all without the need for cutting, tissue alterations, or lengthy downtime.

Are Facial Fillers Right for You?

Designed to replace lost volume in aging skin, dermal fillers are often largely comprised of a naturally-occurring molecule called hyaluronic acid (HA). Hyaluronic acid is found in the deepest layers of the skin. It plays a major role in determining the elasticity and overall suppleness of the skin and exists to provide structural support at the foundation layer. When injected into the epidermis, facial fillers that contain HA have an instant plumping effect and retain water well in the skin. Other fillers are made up of other products that also provide structure and support to the skin. At Torrey Pines Dermatology we provide a wide range of fillers to ensure we are able to satisfy the individual needs of each patient

Fillers can be divided up into “line” fillers and “volume” fillers. Those fillers with larger molecules are considered to be volume fillers and are injected deeper in the skin to lift and support the face. Fillers with smaller molecules are often used to fill in a line or smaller areas of indentation on the face.
Fillers’ effects are not meant to last forever, however. Over time the body recognizes and absorbs these products, causing their results to fade away. Most facial fillers can produce improvements that last for many months and even years. Treatments can be repeated safely by those who wish to maintain their results over time.

Benefits of Using Facial Fillers

Dermal filler injections can be completed in the comfort of our office. Fillers are a safe and incredibly effective alternative to invasive facelift surgeries with most people noticing a significant decrease in fine lines and wrinkles immediately after their appointment. With time the skin also becomes smoother and more taut.

To learn more about the benefits of facial fillers, schedule a consultation with us at Torrey Pines Dermatology in La Jolla. We proudly serve clients in the San Diego and surrounding areas. Contact us today to book an appointment at our office!

Lips, Lines, and Lashes Special

This month at Torrey Pines Dermatology, we are offering a special called Lips, Lines, and Lashes. We have special pricing on Restylane to enhance the lips, special pricing on Dysport to correct wrinkles and fine lines, and special pricing on Latisse to lengthen lashes.

Restylane is a dermal filler that is injected into the lips to provide more definition and volume. The lips and the lines around the mouth can show signs of aging as we age. This often results in lip thinning, lost shape, and increased vertical lines above the mouth.

Dysport is a prescription injection of botulinum toxin that helps smooth the appearance of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows without changing the look or movement of the rest of your face. If you are looking to get rid of the lines between your eyebrows but want a very natural look, Dysport is the perfect solution. It treats the wrinkles while leaving you with movement to convey your natural facial expressions.

Latisse is a medical grade solution that is used to lengthen, darken, and promote fullness of eyelashes. When used as prescribed by a doctor, results can be seen in as little as four weeks with optimal results seen in twelve. It comes with individual disposable eyelash brushes and is sold in either a 3ml or 5ml bottle.

Take advantage of our special throughout the month of February! At Torrey Pines Dermatology in La Jolla, we are committed to providing excellent cosmetic and medical service to all of San Diego and the surrounding areas. Call our office today to set up a consultation and receive a customized treatment plan to rejuvenate your skin!