December 1, 2016

What’s Your Skin Score?

Do you know the best ways to keep your face, neck, chest and hands soft, smooth and unspotted, and which factors are most likely to age your skin before its time? Take our quiz to test your knowledge and review our best strategies for younger-looking skin. by Julie K. Karen, MD Is the way my skin looks mainly determined by how old I am? Yes or No. Can the sun age my skin before its time? Yes or No. I’ve heard that most sun damage occurs before age 18, so can’t I just stop worrying about my skin? Yes or […]

February 3, 2017

The Science of Skin Color

Skin color is caused by a multitude of factors, the brown to tan color of skin is determined by a brown pigment called melanin, which is produced by cells in the epidermis called melanocytes. Pigmented moles or nevi arc localized areas of increased pigment produce by a different pigment producing cell called a nevus cell. These areas can be flat or elevated and can vary in color based on the quantity of pigment contained in the nevus cell. Melanocytes produce pigment, unlike the nevus cell, can disturb the pigment to other cells of the epidermis (keratinocytes). Ultraviolet light – both […]

March 6, 2017

Basics of Skin Care

Having the best skin possible at any age requires preventative maintenance. Ultraviolet light prematurely ages the skin causing damage to the tissues of the dermis which supports the skin resulting in wrinkles. Blotchy pigmentation or dyschromia occurs from stimulation of pigment cells (melanocytes). Linear redlines cause by sun are enlarged blood vessels near the skin surface. The worst damage comes from chronic radiation to the DNA of skin cells. The results are pre skin cancers (Actinic Keratosis) and skin cancers Basal Squamous and Melanoma. To a large extent much of this can be prevented. The earlier you start the better. Besides […]