Category Archives: Blog Posts

That’s why Dermatologists have jobs! Even people who have had many skin cancers often can’t tell that they have another skin cancer. Some lesions are so small that they go unnoticed. More commonly, you find something that bleeds repeatedly and never completely heals, or something that is rough and raised and tender. Once in aContinue reading “How do I know if I have skin cancer?”

Shingles occurs when the chickenpox virus in your body wakes up. Most of us have either had chickenpox or have been vaccinated against chickenpox, and generally, when you get chickenpox in childhood, your get an itchy, blistery type rash that lasts a week or so and goes away without any problems. Your body creates anContinue reading “Why should I get the Shingles vaccine?”

Your dermatologist has just diagnosed you with Telogen Effluvium, or the “excess shedding of resting hairs”. What can I do about this? Do I need blood tests? Is there something I can take as a supplement? I heard about biotin, does it work? The first part is to identify what may have caused the hairContinue reading “Hair loss in women, part 3”

The second most common cause of non-scarring hair loss in women is Telogen Effluvium, or the “outflow of resting hairs”. This refers to the hairs that are shed on a regular basis, but in excess of the normal amount. We have, on average, about 100,000 hairs on our heads. Those with blonde hair typically haveContinue reading “Hair loss in women, part 2”

“Doctor, I’m losing my hair!” This is a common complaint of women visiting the Dermatologist. There are many causes of hair loss, and it is important to perform a thorough history and exam. Distinguishing between scarring and non-scarring hair loss is most important, because in scarring hair loss, the follicles are lost and will notContinue reading “Hair loss in women, part 1”

Many people find sunbathing relaxing and enjoyable, and they love the darkening effect on their skin known as tanning. The beneficial psychological effects of sun exposure are well-documented, as are its harmful effects, including skin cancer development. But many people do not understand that the tan that results from sun exposure is actually the skin’sContinue reading “Is tanning good for you?”

“My doctor said I have osteoporosis and I should spend 15 minutes in the sun 3 times a week to raise my vitamin D level to prevent worsening of my osteoporosis. Is this a good idea?” This is a very common question. While vitamin D is very important in regulating the calcium levels in ourContinue reading “Sun exposure and Osteoporosis”

For many years, we didn’t worry about providing UVA protection in sunscreens. But we have learned that UVA exposure also causes damage to our skin. It doesn’t generally cause sunburns unless you have a known sensitivity to UVA, as in lupus or some medication-related photosensitivity. But UVA is associated with more of the signs ofContinue reading “What about UVA protection?”

In reality, SPF 30 should be more than adequate to protect you from getting a sunburn. A sunscreen rated SPF 30 should block up to 97 percent of the sun’s harmful UVB rays when applied properly, and reapplied about every 2 hours during your time in the sun. What does properly mean when applying sunscreen?Continue reading “Is SPF 30 good enough?”

This is a popular question. The most practical answer is whichever sunscreen you like best in consistency, texture, odor, and overall wearability that you are willing to apply is the best sunscreen to use. It doesn’t matter which sunscreen is the best if you don’t like any of the above characteristics because you will neverContinue reading “Which sunscreen should I use?”