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THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE DESK OF DR.MASH
This Month's Desk
Topics On My Desk This Month:
SEE Pictures of our June 12, 2011 Fundraiser for Philly Cure HD by
CLICKING HERE.
See our interview that aired on ABC News regarding Men & Cosmetic Procedures by CLICKING HERE.
- Sun-sational July Specials!
- Treating Ugly Leg Veins: Is there a quick solution?
- Astringent v. Toner: What's The Difference?
- Summer Skin Rashes
Sun-sational July Specials!
All month long:
Liposuction: buy one area
get the other area free
Buy 1 Syringe of any Dermal Filler,
get the 2nd Syringe 1/2 off.
Massages 1/2 off.
Laser and Peel Discounts:
50% off ALL Laser treatments.
Superpeel Deal: 2 for $200
Saturday, July 16th, only:
$10 Per Unit for Botox $3.50 Per Unit for Dysport
(Regularly $15 and $5 per unit respectively)
Treating Ugly Leg Veins: Is there a quick solution?
If you sometimes avoid showing your legs because you have spider veins — those small clusters of red, blue or purple veins that appear on the thighs, calves and ankles — you are not alone. It's estimated that at least half of all women are bothered by this common cosmetic problem.
If you would like to eliminate your spider veins and improve your appearance, we at Marlene J. Mash MD & Associates can help. Today there are very effective, safe and relatively painless methods available for eradicating spider veins.
In some women, spider veins become noticeable in their early 20s. For others, the veins may not become obvious until they reach their 40s. Men get spider veins, too. However, usually they are concealed by hair growth on the leg.
A number of factors may contribute to the development of spider veins in the legs, including:
Heredity
Pregnancy
Hormonal shifts
Weight gain
Occupations or activities that require prolonged sitting or standing
A common method of treating spider veins in the legs and ankles is with sclerotherapy. In this treatment, sclerosing solution is injected into each affected vein, causing the vein to collapse and fade from view. Sclerotherapy requires no anesthesia and is usually performed in an outpatient setting. Two or more sessions, each lasting less than an hour, are usually required to obtain optimal results.
Although everyone is different, you can generally expect to receive one injection for every inch of spider vein that is treated. Bright light and magnification may be used to ensure maximum precision while the skin is held taut to inject sclerosing solution. A cotton ball and compression tape is often applied to each injection site as it is finished.
Every patient heals at a different rate. However, you can expect that your recovery will follow this general time line:
Within the first week -
You will be encouraged to walk
The tape, cotton balls or any other dressings (if used) will be removed from the treated areas when recommended
The treated sites will appear bruised
You may be instructed to wear support stockings for three to six weeks
You will be discouraged from sitting or standing in one place for more than an hour or two
You should avoid squatting, heavy lifting and running
The practice of medicine and surgery is not an exact science. Although good results are expected, there is no guarantee, in some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another procedure may be necessary.
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Astringent v. Toner: What's The Difference?
Both, astringents and toners are important products necessary for regular facial skin care. They are also designed with a similar purpose, i.e. to remove excess cleanser and makeup residue from the skin, to adjust the pH levels in the skin so that it does not become excessively dry, and to give the skin a temporary tightening effect by shrinking open pores. However, depending on your skin type, the use of both varies. By understanding what an astringent is, and what a toner is, we will be able to clearly outline the difference between the use astringent vs toner.
An astringent is nothing but a strong toner, that is alcohol and chemical based. This gives it anti-bacterial properties. An astringent is basically used to control excessively oily skin. Thus, you will be recommended to use an astringent if you have acne prone skin, or extremely oily skin. With its ability to destroy bacteria, an astringent can be valuable in controlling acne breakouts, and even pimples and blackheads. Sometimes the application of an astringent on a lesion due to acne or a pimple may cause a burning sensation. This, however, is normal.
People who have dry skin should not use astringent as this will make the skin drier. Also, those who have sensitive skin, should avoid the use of alcohol based astringents. There is an alternative to this though. Astringents that have witch hazel are safer for such skin types. Keeping the hands clean before and after the use of astringent is extremely essential, as it is very harsh. If it touches other body parts it may cause irritation.
A toner is a mild product, that is used for the purpose of hydrating dehydrated skin. This includes extremely dry skin and aging skin too. It also helps clear up clogged skin pores. It cleans the skin and you will not find your skin feeling dry after the use of a toner. It is even great for combination skin, as it helps in clearing the clogged pores due to the oils, and hydrates the dry areas of the skin. When used properly along with cleansing and moisturizing products, it can cause relatively no harm. Maintaining hygiene of the hands is equally important while using a toner for skin.
Both, astringents and toners, have to be applied with a cotton swab on the entire face. An important tip to note while using both astringent and toner, is that they are to be applied after cleansing and before moisturizing the facial skin. Both these have the ability to dry the skin if not used along with a moisturizer. Moisturizing the skin after the use of these products gives it a firm and glowing appearance.
Finally, there is no particular winner in the astringent vs toner debate. It all depends on your skin type. Simply put, for oily and acne prone skin, an astringent is the best choice, while for dry and sensitive skin, a toner works well. Do not ever use both at the same time. Also, remember to follow the cleansing and moisturizing routine along with the use of both these products to get that healthy, beautiful, flawless, glowing skin. When trying to decide which is best for you, we can help. Call our office to schedule an appointment with our Patient Care Coordinator or email us to schedule a complimentary consultation.
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Summer Skin Rashes
Most of us anticipate summer all year round to get over the winter blues and enjoy the warmth of the sun and evening barbeques. However, our anticipation of nature often makes us neglectful of some of the harmful consequences of over exposure to sunlight. The most notable consequence is skin rash; which we sometimes dismiss as an allergic reaction, but there is more to it than that.
Those of us with sensitive skin are likely to fall victim to one the most common summer skin rash known as sun rash. This type of rash can be characterized by small reddish blisters appearing on the skin do to over exposure to sun light. To minimize the impact of this type of sun rash, simple limit the amount of time you spend in the sun or at the very least use sun screen.
In addition to sun rash, the second type of rash is known as Miliaria (Prickly Heat); which is also fairly common among adults. The root causes of this type is the heat and humidity factors combined, which tends to block the tiny openings (pores) in your skin and causes the eruption of tiny reddish papules causing a prickling sensation.
Furthermore, various other rashes stem from chemicals found in cosmetics, drugs, perfumes, makeup, certain soaps and over exposure to sunlight. An example of such a rash is Photoallergic Dermatitis. Drug-Induced Photosensitivity is the medical term for rashes endured by adults on blood pressure medication, some antibiotics along with anti-acne products, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, birth control pills and antihistamines.
Cosmetics and various items mentioned above are not the only causes of rash. There are several plants which are known to cause skin rashes and assortment of other problems. Primarily these include Poison Oak, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Primrose, ivy and others.
The solution to majority of these rashes is to limit your exposure to sunlight and stay clear of the various rash causing agents found in drugs as well as plants. Above all, avoid the urge to scratch, which can make rash worse and possibly lead to infection. In cases where the rash persists, call us to take a look and help.
If you would like me to address a question or discuss a new (or current) procedure or product that you have read about or heard
about, now is your chance! Simply click on
and you will
receive an emailed answer. If the concern or topic is of general interest, I will respond from my desk and it will appear on this page.
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