While some learn to love those tiny brown spots on the tip of the nose, cheeks and shoulders, others look for anything to fade freckled skin. Thankfully, you can lighten unwanted freckles and spots instead of just covering them up with makeup. And, obtaining brighter, smoother, spot-free skin may be easier than you think. At the office of Dr. Mark Bishara we want to educate our patients about proper skin care and help them improve the health and appearance of their skin.
Protect and Prevent
With a medical name like ephelides, it’s no surprise that freckles get a bad rap. While “simple freckles,” the tiny brown spots on your skin you have had since birth, are harmless, lentigines, or “sunburn freckles,” need to be taken more seriously. Usually larger in size, more red in color and with an irregular border, these spots are sure signs of sun damage. No matter how old you were when you first noticed your freckles, sun exposure can only make them darker and greater in number. The easiest way to prevent freckles from forming is by using sunscreen. “I recommend applying sunscreen with at least an SPF of 30,” says New York and Miami dermatologist Fredric S. Brandt, MD. “No product will effectively lighten skin without the use of sunscreen on a daily basis.”
On the Bright Side
Over-the-counter brighteners can help to even out freckles and spots for more evenly toned skin. The SkinCeuticals line of skin care products offers 3 different product categories to: Prevent, Protect and Correct. Many of their products help to reduce the appearance of spots, leaving the skin looking luminous and glowing. For more information on the SkinCeuticals products and to find out the right skin care regimen for your skin type and skin condition please visit their website at www.SkinCeuticals.com. Our office offers the SkinCeuticals skin care line and can also help you choose the right product for you.
Zap Away
For serious long-term freckle fading, laser resurfacing lightens and retexturizes. Unlike chemical peels and microdermabrasion, which just exfoliate, pigment-specific lasers, like the Alma laser systems, specifically destroy pigment in the epidermis and dermis to eliminate discoloration with minimal side effects. Fractional resurfacing lasers poke tiny holes into the skin to deliver a dose of controlled heat to the deeper layers, eliminating freckles from the inside out. Not a laser, but similar in terms of results, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) uses broadband light to diminish freckles. Not all lasers are alike, so it’s important to diagnose your skin accurately prior to treatment.
Please visit our website at www.MarkBisharaMD.com or call us at (817) 473-2120 for more information.
Cosmetic Procedures- Laser Skin Rejuvenation
Today’s lasers can diminish many signs of aging — from early wrinkles and age spots to deep lines and spider veins. A laser procedure often can be performed in less than an hour and may require little or no downtime.
Also Called
Numerous lasers and light devices are used to rejuvenate the skin. These devices are generally grouped into the following categories:
- Non-ablative laser rejuvenation – No downtime. Best for early signs of aging.
- Intense pulsed light (IPL) – Not a laser, this light therapy penetrates deeper into the skin than a non-ablative laser. IPL does not injure the surface of the skin, so there is usually no downtime. IPL can improve skin texture and color as well as reduce pore size.
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) – This is a two-step procedure. First, a solution that makes the skin more sensitive to light is applied and left on for 30 minutes or longer. Then light from the laser or other source is beamed onto the treated area. Downtime is minimal. PDT decreases redness, reduces age spots and freckles, and improves the overall texture and appearance of the skin.
- Fractional laser rejuvenation – Offers deeper rejuvenation. Recovery time is short. Best for diminishing signs of aging such as age spots, wrinkles, and skin discoloration.
- Ablative laser resurfacing – Heats the skin to cause a visible wound, which means some downtime for recovery. Effective for deeper wrinkles and diminishing aging caused by years of unprotected sun exposure. A type of laser called a fractional ablative laser causes no visible wounds. Fractional ablative laser resurfacing requires less downtime than ablative laser resurfacing.
Signs of Aging Treated
Lasers and other light-based devices are used to treat these concerns:
- Age (sun) spots
- Dark circles under the eye
- Dry, dull skin
- Fine lines
- Freckles
- Hand rejuvenation (age spots, loose skin, and lines)
- Melasma
- Redness and flushing
- Scars
- Seborrheic keratoses (flat only)
- Skin texture (treats roughness)
- Skin tone (treats mottled complexion and skin discoloration)
- Spider veins
- Stretch marks
- Tattoos (removal)
- Unwanted hair
- Varicose veins
- Wrinkles
When Do You See Results from Laser Skin Rejuvenation
Improvement is gradual. It may take several months to see the full effects. When a laser that does not require downtime is used, a series of treatments may be necessary to see the desired results. The number of treatments varies from person to person; however, between 3 and 6 treatments is the norm.
Effectiveness
Research shows that laser rejuvenation can dramatically reduce fine lines around the eyes and mouth and on the cheeks. With 1 treatment, age spots can be diminished by 50% and may be completely eliminated with follow-up treatments. Laser skin resurfacing can significantly reduce deep lines, effectively remove some shallow scars, and tighten the skin.
While lasers may sound like magic wands, they are not. It is important to have realistic expectations. Laser skin rejuvenation can be effective, but does not work for everyone.
Some skin tightening is possible, but lasers cannot produce the same degree of lifting seen after a surgical facelift or eyelid lift. Wrinkles caused by constant muscle movement such as frown lines can be hard to treat with lasers alone. Another procedure such as botulinum rejuvenation may be used along with a laser to obtain the desired results.
How Long Results Last
It is possible to permanently remove some signs of aging such as a spider vein, age spot, or scar. However, laser skin rejuvenation cannot stop the skin from continuing to age. Crow’s feet may re-appear and new age spots can develop. Because sun exposure accelerates signs of aging, protecting the skin from sun exposure will lengthen the amount of time that the results last. Protecting the skin from the sun also can prevent some signs of aging from re-appearing such as blotchy skin and dark patches.
The office of Dr. Mark Bishara and The Paragon Plastic Surgery & Med Spa offers many laser skin rejuvenation procedures. If you are considering a laser or other light-based treatments to rejuvenate your skin please contact our office and speak with one of our aestheticians to find out more information. Please call (817) 473-2120 or visit our Website at www.MarkBisharaMD.com.
As winter is upon us, you have probably noticed that you skin is getting dryer. This is common and we see changes in our skin throughout the seasons of the year. And, your skin will require different care and treatment depending upon the season of the year. So what should you be doing differently? Glad you asked.
With the cold, you skin needs better protection. And many times this means preserving the natural oils that protect our skin, or adding to them. So, here are some tips for you.
Ease up exfoliants
Many cleansers and other skin care products we use contain chemicals such as the alpha hydroxyl acids (think glycolic acid) which will help with exfoliation or skin cell turn over. These are great for making your skin look fresher, but they also can dry out your skin. So, you may want to tone it down during the winter months. If there is a product like this that you use every day, back off to using it every other day, or once or twice a week.
You may also need to change your facial cleanser, or change other products. Since you skin’s needs are different with the seasons, you may need to change your products with the seasons as well. Consider moving from your glycolic cleanser to a gentler one, or one which also moisturizes or hydrates. Or add a hydrating product to your antioxidant products. And play around with things. If you head to Colorado to ski, know that it may be colder and more arid than you home. So, alter your skin care plan as you need to.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
You really need to moisturize, but then I may already have said this. And, everyone will tell you that it is best to apply our moisturizer while your skin is still a little damp. This applies to your face, your hands, and the rest of your body. In addition to keeping in your body’s own oils, the moisturizer will also help to protect you skin as a barrier to the cold.
The hands actually take a bigger hit with the cold than anywhere else on your body. So, keep a good hand moisturizer around and use if often, especially if you wash your hands a lot during the days. And gloves. When it’s cold outside, be nice your hands and protect them from the wind and cold.
Long hot shower are not good for you
When you’ve been outside and need to warm up, many of use hop in the shower and turn up the heat. We may even stay there until the hot water heater gives out. But, this is not good for us. The hotter the water, the more it removes you skin natural oils and barriers. And, the longer you are in the shower, the more this happens. So, go with warm water not scalding hot. And leave some hot water for everyone else in the house!
Give you skin a treat
While long hot showers are out, a soak in a warm tub can be great especially if you add something to the bath water. If you have a lot of irritation, try an oatmeal bath. Baking soda can also work. And if you are looking for some added moisture, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. You can even use olive oil and oatmeal together (but I would leave out the balsamic vinegar…just saying).
Continue to protect
You still need your sunscreen! Even though the days are shorter and we are all looking for sun to cure our affective seasonal disorder, those beneficial rays can still burn. So continue to use your sunscreen. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use a skin care product, or makeup with sunscreen in it. And, if you heading up to the mountains to ski, or down to the Caribbean to escape the cold, get some high test sun screen, and reapply it often.
It doesn’t take too much to take care of your skin during the winter, but a little goes a long way. Just remember that your body’s natural oils are your friend, and what you do for your skin in the summer is not what your skin will need in the winter.
At Dr. Mark Bishara’s office we help educate our patients about proper skin care. We have many laser procedures that help revitalize and rejuvenate your skin. We also have an extensive line of SkinCeuticals products and our aestheticians can help tell you which products will prevent, protect and correct any skins damage. Please call our office for more information at (817) 473-2120 or visit our website at www.MarkBisharaMD.com.
SkinCeuticals Skincare- The Perfect Stocking Stuffer for your loved one!
As we age, we lose the natural vitamin C in our skin. Luckily, we can put Vitamin C back into our skin to unlock and help turn back the clock in three ways:
1. Age Spots
Vitamin C helps gradually fade the spots and help even your skin tone.
2. Wrinkles and Fine Lines
Wrinkles form on the parts of your face that move the most. Underneath your top layer of skin, you have collagen – a connecting tissue that keeps your skin layers together. As you get older, you start to lose some collagen, which causes the skin to sink and create wrinkles. To fight wrinkles, try adding a healthy dose of vitamin C into your diet.
In addition to your skincare, eat foods rich in vitamin C: lemons, strawberries, papaya and pineapple. With the help of these delicious snacks, your body will create more collagen, helping to prevent pesky wrinkles.
3. Sagging Skin
Using vitamin C on your skin helps boost your collagen, which will bring elasticity back to your skin and can prevent sagging in as little as two weeks.
1. Age Spots
Vitamin C helps gradually fade the spots and help even your skin tone.
2. Wrinkles and Fine Lines
Wrinkles form on the parts of your face that move the most. Underneath your top layer of skin, you have collagen – a connecting tissue that keeps your skin layers together. As you get older, you start to lose some collagen, which causes the skin to sink and create wrinkles. To fight wrinkles, try adding a healthy dose of vitamin C into your diet.
In addition to your skincare, eat foods rich in vitamin C: lemons, strawberries, papaya and pineapple. With the help of these delicious snacks, your body will create more collagen, helping to prevent pesky wrinkles.
3. Sagging Skin
Using vitamin C on your skin helps boost your collagen, which will bring elasticity back to your skin and can prevent sagging in as little as two weeks.
Skinceuticals Skincare
*C E Ferulic® is a revolutionary antioxidant combination that delivers advanced protection against photoaging by neutralizing free radicals, boosting collagen synthesis, and providing unmatched antioxidant protection. More protection means more youthful looking skin and better defense against environmental aging.
*Phloretin CF is a broad-spectrum treatment provides advanced environmental protection to defend skin against the reactive molecules (including free radicals) that are known to cause cellular damage. In addition to its superior antioxidant capabilities, it has been proven to correct existing damage from the inside out.
*C + AHA– This two-in-one antioxidant treatment features 15% pure vitamin C to neutralize free radicals and 10% hydroxy acids to exfoliate and smooth the skin. Skin is protected from environmental damage and more youthful skin is revealed.
Vitamin C Masque– Formulated with vitamin C and amino acids, this masque exfoliates skin and protects cells from free-radical damage while tightening, detoxifying, and restoring a firm, youthful, radiant complexion.
Please contact our office at (817) 473-2120 to ask about our SkinCeuticals products. We have many more, to prevent, protect and correct your skin- and have in stock in our office.
Skin experts say that the best way to keep your skin healthy and looking young is to protect it from the sun and not smoke: and after that, taking care with how you wash, moisturize your skin and shave also help.
According to a British Association of Dermatologists survey carried out last year, many Britons are unaware that sun protection can keep the skin looking younger, believing instead that applying a daily moisturizer, eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water and having facial massages will suffice.Not only does exposure to UV increase a person’s risk of skin cancer, it also affects the elastin in the skin, which leads to wrinkles and sun-induced skin ageing such as leatheriness and blotchy pigmentation. Featured below are 5 tips for healthy skin:
Tip #1 for healthy skin: Sun protection
Ensure you protect your skin from the sun to maintain healthy skin
Most of the changes seen in ageing skin are actually “caused by a lifetime of sun exposure”.
To protect yourself from the sun, they advise the following three methods (with maximum protection coming from using all three).
- Avoid the sun during high intensity hours: the sun’s rays do the most damage between 10 am and 4 pm, so limit the time you spend outside during this period.
- Wear protective clothing: wear long sleeved shirts, long trousers or pants and a hat with a wide brim. Remember that tight woven fabric (eg denim) offers better protection than loosely woven fabrics like knits.
- Use sunscreen: go for a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) higher than 15 and apply generously about 20 minutes before you go out and then every two hours. You will need to apply more frequently if you go in the water or sweat a lot.
Tip #2 for healthy skin: Don’t smoke (and watch the alcohol)
Research shows that smoking alone ages skin. In a study published in the Archives of Dermatology, researchers described how they examined the upper inner arms of smokers and non-smokers aged from 22 to 91 and found that after taking into account age and other variables, the number of packs of cigarettes that the smokers smoked per day was significantly linked to skin ageing. They looked at the skin on the upper inner arms to minimize the influence of sun exposure.
Smoking reduces the skin’s natural elasticity by promoting the breakdown of collagen and also reducing the amount that is produced.
Collagen, a protein that helps skin strength, gradually degrades with age, leading to wrinkles. Smoking causes this to happen sooner and also causes the tiny blood vessels in the skin to tighten, which reduces the amount of oxygen and nutrients that the skin cells receive, which also reduces elasticity and accelerates ageing.
The Mayo Clinic also suggest that exposure to heat from burning cigarettes damages facial skin and that certain smoking behaviours contribute to wrinkles, because of the repetitive facial expressions that smokers make, such as pursing the lips on inhaling and squinting their eyes to keep the smoke out.
Drinking alcohol can make your body and skin dehydrated, leaving the skin looking old and tired. So if you are drinking alcohol drink plenty of water and stick to sensible amounts. Have a non-alcoholic drink like soda water or watery fruit juice in between the alcoholic ones to help your body rehydrate.
Tip #3 for healthy skin: Clean your skin regularly and apply moisturizer
A British Skin Foundation survey published in January 2008 found that an astonishing 50 per cent of people who wear make up in the UK are damaging their skin by not removing make up before they go to bed.
The reasons for not cleansing the skin of make up before going to bed were also revealing in that most people were too tired to take it off, suggesting they were not getting good quality sleep which also affects skin health. A significant proportion also said they had had too much to drink or simply couldn’t be bothered.
Cleansing is an important part of skin care because it removes dirt and bacteria; and the key is to do it gently.
Use warm rather than hot water and limit the time you spend in the bath or shower to 15 minutes or less as too much time in hot water strips oils from your skin.
Moisturizing protects the skin from drying and acts as a protective layer for the skin
Also, use mild rather than strong soaps and avoid irritating additives such as perfumes and dyes, especially if you have sensitive skin.
When removing make up take care with the delicate skin around the eyes, and if you use waterproof make up you may need an oil-based product to make sure you get it all off.
When you have finished try to pat your skin dry so some moisture stays on it.
Moisturizing is important because it protects the skin from the weather and from drying up and looking dull. It helps your skin maintain its natural moisture levels too, say the Mayo Clinic experts, because it seals in the water already in the skin or slowly release water into the skin.
If you have dry skin avoid alcohol-based products and if you have oily skin avoid oil-based products (use water-based instead).
Some people with oily skin don’t need moisturizer: if your skin feels tight 20 minutes after bathing, then you probably do.
Tip #4 for healthy skin: Get enough quality sleep
Focus on quality sleep to keep your skin looking young and healthy
Sleep is essential for healthy skin. Not enough quality sleep will make your skin look tired and older, especially with bags under your eyes. Poor quality sleep can become a vicious cycle because lack of sleep makes you irritable, anxious and depressed, and that makes it harder to get good sleep.
Make sure you have plenty of physical exercise as this reduces stress and creates a healthy tiredness that helps sleep. Yoga and swimming are also good ways to improve sleep.
Aerobic exercise increases the oxygen circulating in your body which helps the skin stay vibrant and healthy.
Tip #5 for healthy skin: Shave with care
People shave to make their skin smooth and hairless, but this can irritate the skin, especially if it is thin, dry and sensitive.
For a smooth shave the Mayo Clinic experts advise that you shave after a warm bath or shower (or press a warm wet cloth on your skin) to soften the hair, don’t shave dry skin, use a clean, sharp razor, and shave in the direction of hair growth.
Make sure you rinse well afterwards with warm water to remove soap and dead cells.
If your skin is irritated after shaving don’t use an alcohol based lotion even if it feels cool, it will make the irritation worse because it dries the skin out.
Dr. Mark Bishara and The Paragon Plastis Surgery & Med Spa in Mansfield and Southlake, TX offers minimally invasive procedures, and skin care treatments to help keep your skin looking great. These treatments are designed to provide subtle enhancements that can improve your targeted problem areas, while allowing you to return to work and your regular activities the very same day. Dr. Bishara is also proud to offer a wide range of enhancing, minimally invasive procedures such as Botox, Xeomin, Juvederm Ultra Plus XC and Radiesse. Juvederm Voluma XC will be available soon. We will keep you updated or call our office for more information at (817) 473-2120.
Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Mark A. Bishara, M.D., serving Fort Worth, Arlington, and the surrounding area.
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