Cosmetic Dermatology
When your foot hurts, you go to a podiatrist. If you’re having trouble with your eyes, head to an ophthalmologist. But, who do you see if you want gorgeous skin? Try a cosmetic dermatologist. While a standard dermatologist can diagnose and treat skin and hair conditions, a cosmetic dermatologist does this and more. They also focus on making their patients more attractive by improving the appearance of acne, treating thinning hair, and removing spider veins. In addition to cosmetic treatments, cosmetic dermatologists can also do everything a standard dermatologist might do. They can check moles for skin cancer (and remove them if necessary) and treat skin problems like eczema. We all want smooth, beautiful skin, but unfortunately, few of us are blessed with it naturally. From acne to brown spots to wrinkles and more, we all have those slight imperfections that get in the way of our perfect skin. A cosmetic dermatologist helps treat these problems so you can have the skin and hair you’ve always wanted. As mentioned earlier (medical spa services), more invasive treatments necessitate I will discuss a cosmetic dermatologist such as chemical peel, dermabrasion ablative laser resurfacing, subcision, intralesional injections, chemotherapeutic, Fractional resurfacing laser, leg vein treatments, photodynamic therapy, or tattoo laser here. A cosmetic dermatologist acts as your skincare advisor, providing you with in-office procedures and giving advice for proper at-home care.
Acne or Pimples
Even before the advent of light, laser, and radiofrequency treatment modalities, physical therapies have been employed to complement medical treatment. Light cautery and aspiration followed by in situ injections of cortisone, respectively, are helpful adjunctive therapies. Other adjunctive medicines will include; steam, oxygen therapy, comedo extractor, medical facials, ultra-sonophoresis, dermal rollers or microneedling, microdermabrasion, no needle mesotherapy or electroporation, PRP injection, and chemical peels. Recently, light, heat, and radiofrequency energy devices, as well as photodynamic therapy (PDT), have emerged as valuable co-therapies or, in some cases, replacements for systemic medications. Many light sources may affect P acnes, including narrowband light sources, IPL devices (broadband light), KTP lasers (532 nm), PDLs (585- 595 nm), and various orange/red light lasers or light sources (610-635 nm); these light sources have wavelengths that correspond to an absorption peak of P acnes porphyrins. Several laser systems have been used to treat inflammatory acne vulgaris by destroying the sebaceous glands, including near-infrared lasers, 1320nm Cool Touch®, 1450nm Smooth Beam®, 1540nm erbium glass Aramis®, and diode lasers. KTP 532nm and pulsed dye lasers kill P. acnes, and hemoglobin absorbs the laser energy, reducing vascularity and modulating the inflammatory process of acne. Suppurative skin lesions, including inflammatory acne vulgaris, experienced a clinical improvement in the number and severity of injuries after ablative 10,600- nm carbon dioxide fractional laser treatment. Nonablative radiofrequency (NARF) devices have also been used to treat moderate to severe inflammatory acne vulgaris. Fractionated RF was used for inflammatory acne vulgaris and dermatologic conditions, including acne scars and enlarged facial pores. Newer methods include radiofrequency, light or laser, and photodynamic therapy that represent treatment alternatives for systemic medications and as a maintenance therapy to minimize the likelihood of relapse after initially successful treatment of given the chronic nature of the disease
Vitiligo
Vitiligo causes the skin to lose its natural color. Loss of color can affect hair, eyes, and mouth. Segmental vitiligo is a subtype of vitiligo with a specific unilateral distribution. What causes this color loss is still a mystery. We do know that vitiligo is not contagious. It is not life-threatening. The treatments can be helpful to stop disease progression, inducing re-pigmentation, and decreasing the risk of relapses. Cosmetics, sunscreens, topical corticosteroids, topical and oral PUVA therapy, and narrow-band UVB radiation are some medical treatment modalities used for patients with vitiligo. Different surgical techniques have been devised over the years, including tissue grafts—best results obtained in segmental subtype vitiligo. Combining two or more treatments often gives the best results. There are advantages and disadvantages to each treatment method, and not all procedures are ideal for every patient. It is not possible to predict how a patient will respond to treatment. It is crucial to keep in mind that no one treatment works for everyone. Results can vary from one part of the body to another.
Plantar Warts
Plantar warts are small growths that usually appear on the heels or other weight-bearing areas of your feet. This pressure may also cause plantar warts to grow inward beneath a hard, thick layer of skin (callus). Plantar warts are caused by HPV. The virus enters your body through tiny cuts, breaks, or other weak spots on the bottom of your feet. Dermatologists have many treatments for warts. The procedure used depends on the patient’s age and health. I prefer to cut the callus by scalpel. Then I use a curette to remove the viral material. Then I use a vascular laser to burn or cauterizes tiny blood vessels that feed the virus. Then is cauterizes the base using an ablative laser or chemical TCA. A topical antibiotic is applied, and a special dressing is applied. The patient can walk without any pain immediately.
Genital Warts
Genital warts are warts that appear in the genital area. There can be one wart or a cluster of warts. People get these warts by picking up the human papillomavirus (HPV) from someone who is already infected with this virus. HPV is a common, sexually transmitted infection. It is possible to spread or get these warts even when you cannot see them. Of the 100 or so types of HPV, just a few can cause genital warts. Genital warts often have no symptoms (what someone feels). Sometimes the warts itch, burn, hurt, or bleed. Genital warts can appear on the following areas of the body: Females Vulva (external female genitals), vagina, cervix, and groin. In males, it seems on the penis, scrotum, thigh, and groin. Inbox sexes can appear on the mouth or throat after having oral sex with an infected person. In or around the anus after anal sex with someone who has HPV. Some HPV types can cause cervical cancer. Other examples can cause anal cancer, cancer of the penis, or mouth and throat cancer. There are many ways to treat genital warts. Since warts are often stubborn, you may need more than one visit to the dermatologist. Often, the dermatologist prescribes medications that you will apply to genital warts at home. Treatment may involve a procedure in the dermatologist’s office or a medicine you put on warts, or he may cut it (excision) or destroy the wart with electric current (electrocautery) or destroy it using laser light.
Dark Spots Laser Removal
Skin color is dependent on melanin pigment. Pigment-forming cells are called melanocytes. Abnormal hyperpigmentation (increased pigment) may result from alteration of the rate of melanin production, or uneven distribution of pigment, or both. Although rare, some pigmented skin diseases are genetically determined. Most pigmented disorders result from acquired factors such as UV light, skin trauma, pregnancy, hormones, drugs, or chemical compounds. The MSI team of medical professionals will thoroughly assess your condition before determining which energy-based technology is best to treat your disease. We use selective lasers, fractional lasers, fractional radiofrequency, and elos light technology. We mix and match different techniques to give the best possible results. Furthermore, physician skincare products with or without electroporation will help you to achieve the best results.
Razor Bumps
This is a common skin infection that develops in the hair follicles. Razor Bumps can appear anywhere on the skin, except for our palms and soles. Other common areas for ingrown hairs are the armpits, pubic area, and legs. An ingrown hair occurs when shaved or tweezed hair grows back into the skin. It can cause inflammation, pain, and tiny bumps in the area where the hair was removed. It’s most prevalent in black men who shave facial hair. But ingrown hair can affect anyone who removes hair by shaving, tweezing, or waxing. You can avoid ingrown hair by not removing hair. If that’s not an option, you can use hair removal methods that lessen the risk of developing ingrown hairs. Laser hair removal has helped much in treating this problem since laser induces delay growing of hair, re-growing hair is thinner, and some hair follicles are lost permanently.
Women Hair Loss
At MSI, every treatment option begins with a complimentary video-microscopic hair density test and digital documentation to calculate and monitor results. MSI offers two drug molecules (i.e., 5% minoxidil solution and finasteride) to stop hair loss and regrow hair. Minoxidil, finasteride, vitamins, and trace elements are injected during a mesotherapy treatment session. Growth Factors for hair regrowth are added to our cocktail when mixed with Platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Several-time weekly application of a laser-emitting device (LED) to “stimulate” hair growth of existing miniaturized hairs is one of the new light therapies for hair loss. The most recent available hair preservation and restoration treatment is the newly introduced combination of mesotherapy, infrared technology, oxygen therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and nano fat or micro fat (stem cell therapy). Penetration of PRP and nano fat or micro fat is eased with microneedling, dermal roller, or the use of fractional radiofrequency. Hair transplantation is at the forefront in developing these applications. Recently an increase in female patients requesting lowering the frontal hairline or lower the height of the forehead is in demand. Besides, I can successfully treat a variety of conditions with hair transplantation. Scarring of the scalp and hair loss due to traction can be repaired with hair transplantation. Finally, hair transplantation can successfully restore hair to the eyebrows, eyelashes, or pubis.
Acne Rosacea
Rosacea (rose-AY-sha) is a common skin disease. It often begins with a tendency to blush or flush more quickly than other people. The redness can slowly spread beyond the nose and cheeks to the forehead and chin. Even the ears, chest, and back can be red all the time. A treatment plan for rosacea includes avoiding triggers, using gentle skincare products, and treating the rosacea. Many skincare products can irritate skin with rosacea. Some skin care habits, such as scrubbing your skin clean, can cause rosacea to flare. Using mild skin care products and being gentle with your skin can help prevent flare-ups. If you have trouble finding soft skincare products, ask your dermatologist for recommendations-best results achieved with patient education. While medicine or laser treatment can help reduce or clear signs of rosacea, your everyday habits may cause a new flare-up.
Acne Inversa
Acne inversa or Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a disease that usually begins as pimple-like bumps on the skin. The pimple-like bumps tend to develop in places that everyday pimples do not appear. HS is most common on the underarms and groin. Getting treatment for HS is important. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent HS from worsening. If HS worsens, the pimple-like bumps can grow deep into the skin and become painful. They can rupture, leaking bloodstained pus onto clothing. This fluid often has a foul odor. As the deep bumps heal, scars can form. Some people develop tunnel-like tracts under their skin. As the skin continues to improve and scar, the scars thicken. When thick scars form in the underarm, moving the arm can be difficult. Thick scars in the groin area can make walking difficult. Because HS can look a lot like acne, folliculitis, or boils, it is best to see a dermatologist for a diagnosis.
Warts
Skin warts are benign (not cancerous) skin growths that appear when a virus infects the top layer of the skin. Viruses that cause warts are called human papillomavirus (HPV). You are more likely to get one of these viruses if you cut or damage your skin in some way. Wart viruses are contagious. Warts can spread by contact with the wart or something that touched the wart. Warts are often skin-colored and feel rough, but they can be dark (brown or gray-black), flat, and smooth. Warts often go away without treatment. This is especially true when children get warts. In adults, warts may not disappear as easily or as quickly as they do in children. Although most warts are harmless, dermatologists do treat them. You should see a dermatologist if you cannot get rid of warts, warts hurt, or you have many warts. Dermatologists have many treatments for warts. The procedure used depends on the patient’s age and health as well as the type of wart. Vascular lasers or ablative lasers are commonly used.
Birth Marks
If your baby has a birthmark, you’ll see a spot, patch, or lump that looks different from the rest of your baby’s skin. You may see this when your baby is born. Some birthmarks appear shortly after birth. Birthmarks come in many shapes and colors. You may see a flat or raised mark. It may be the size of a pinhead or cover a large area of your child’s skin. Most birthmarks fall somewhere in between. A birthmark can be pink, red, tan, brown, or any other color. Some look like a bruise. Others look like a stain on the skin. Certain types of birthmarks, such as a salmon patch or hemangioma, often fade on their own. Others, such as moles, tend to remain on the skin for life. While you can leave most birthmarks alone, it’s essential to see a dermatologist soon after you notice a birthmark. Some birthmarks can cause a problem later. Treatment option includes selective laser, nonselective lasers, intralesional injection, systemic medication, or surgical excision.
Red Spots Laser Removal
Removal of vascular skin lesions without scarring was unthinkable a few decades ago. In the past thirty years, advances in laser technology have revolutionized the treatment of cutaneous vascular disorders and expanded the dermatologist’s therapeutic armamentarium. Based on many thousands of treatment sessions and follow-up evaluations, these vascular lesions can now safely and effectively be treated in infancy, early childhood, or as adults, with virtually little or no pain, textural changes, pigment changes, or scarring, and minimal postoperative wound care. Birthmarks such as port-wine stains (PWS) hemangiomas, lymphangioma, venous lake, cherry hemangioma, pyogenic granuloma, and warts are successful treatments. Furthermore, acne rosacea, facial erythema, facial telangiectasia, spider veins, red scars, and red stretch marks are markedly improved the condition. We use selective lasers, fractional lasers, fractional radiofrequency, and elos light technology. We mix and match different technologies to give the best possible results.
Hair Removal
As with all laser technology, laser hair removal is based on the idea of selective photothermolysis. In this case, the goal is to heat and destroy the follicular unit without damaging the surrounding tissue. The target chromophore is melanin in the hair follicle. The amount of melanin in hair and skin varies widely between individuals. Therefore, selecting the appropriate wavelength, spot size, and pulse duration are crucially based on the patient’s skin type and hair color for efficacy and safety. The first lasers were only valuable for light-skinned and dark-haired patients. Advances in technology have allowed for safe treatments in darker-skinned patients and those with lighter-colored hair. The effective removal of unwanted hair using optical energy has been mainly limited to black and dark and medium tones of brown hair. Treatment of light-colored hair has been particularly tricky because of the limited concentration of melanin chromophores in hair follicles. Also, safety is a concern in dark skin types, who have an increased risk of blistering and dyschromia, even with more extended pulse lasers. It would make sense that the combination of low levels of optical energy and electrical conducted RF current, the latter of which is not dependent on melanin for heat absorption may effectively and safely remove hair, including light-colored hair, for all skin types. We are proud to have three technologies, laser, light, and radiofrequency, to destroy all skin types’ follicular hair unit of any hair color and thickness. Intense pulsed light and radiofrequency Elos technology, combining either IPL or diode laser with bipolar radiofrequency (RF), is the most recent advancement in laser hair removal.
Men Hair Loss
At MSI, every treatment option begins with a complimentary video-microscopic hair density test and digital documentation to calculate and monitor results. MSI offers physician formulated hair tonics. Hair tonics contain two drug molecules (i.e., 5% minoxidil solution and finasteride) to stop hair loss and help hair regrowth. During mesotherapy, the minoxidil, finasteride, vitamins, and trace elements are microinjected. Growth Factors for hair regrowth are added to our cocktail when mixed with Platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Several-time weekly application of a laser-emitting device (LED) to “stimulate” hair growth of existing miniaturized hairs is one of the new light therapies for hair loss. The most recent available hair preservation and restoration treatment is the newly introduced combination of mesotherapy, infrared technology, oxygen therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and nano fat or micro fat (stem cell therapy). Penetration of PRP and nano fat or micro fat is eased with microneedling, dermal roller, or the use of fractional radiofrequency. Hair restoration has become increasingly popular in recent years with both men and women. New technologies such as follicular unit extraction and grafting have allowed patients to get a natural-looking result with minimal downtime. In addition to hair loss treatment, I can successfully treat a variety of conditions with hair transplantation. I can repair scalp scarring, facial scars due to trauma or surgery, and hair loss due to traction with hair transplantation. Finally, hair transplantation can be successfully used to restore hair to the eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, mustache, or goatee area; and even in areas of the body, such as the pubis or chest.
Skin Care Products
There is a demand for compounded pharmaceuticals in dermatology because they can offer medications for patients that are not commercially available. Cosmeceuticals can be cleansers, toners, moisturizers, serums, and masques that hold active ingredients such as retinoids, alpha-hydroxy acids, polyhydroxy acids, skin lightening, antiacne, growth factors, peptides, and vitamins. Medically based skincare products target three cellular components that contribute to aged skin: keratinocytes, melanocytes, and fibroblasts. Instituting the correct routine will slow the progression of aging and work towards reversing the extrinsic and intrinsic aging changes. In aesthetic practice, using cosmeceuticals in combination with cosmetic procedures is a new treatment ideal for skin rejuvenation. Pre-treatment with cosmeceuticals can prime the skin for procedures, and post-treatment can reduce complications. Patients with conditions such as rosacea, eczema, seborrhea, and acne require specially selected products that will enhance skin appearance without irritating their underlying conditions.