Addressing the Unsightly: Warts

Photo © geopungo, Flickr 

As a child, did you ever hear that warts came from playing with toads and frogs? Either a lot of people play with amphibians or that simply isn’t true. I assure you that the frogs in your backyard won’t give you warts. So, let’s review some common types of warts, how you get them, how to treat them and how to prevent them.

Types

• Common warts - As the name indicates, they’re common. They’re most often found on the hands, but can occur anywhere on the body. They have the distinctive “cauliflower” appearance. They are normally painless and cause few problems.
• Plantar warts - These warts occur on the feet, are usually painful and cause a feeling like there’s a pebble in your shoe. 
• Flat warts - They look exactly as their name implies, flat.  These warts usually occur in large numbers on the face, arms and legs.
• Filiform warts - These warts usually occur on the mouth, nose, cheeks and along the jaw. They take on a “finger-like” shape and look like a thread is protruding from the wart.
• Periungual wart - These warts usually occur around the toenail or fingernail area. Depending on the location, this type of wart might be painful.
• Genital warts - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least half of all sexually active people will contract genital warts in their lifetimes. Not only can genital warts be found in and on the genitals, they can also be found in the rectum and the mouth and throat of someone who has had contact with someone infected with genital warts.

Infection
Contracting any of the above forms of warts results from contact with the human papillomavirus (HPV). This can occur from scratching at a wart on one part of your body and spreading it to another part of your body; coming into contact with someone who has a wart on their body; or touching a surface someone else touched with their wart. The HPV infection rate varies, and some people can fight certain forms of the virus better than others, so simply coming into contact with a wart does not guarantee you will also get a wart. Normally, the virus enters the body through a cut, other damaged skin or warm and moist areas of the body. Children, young adults and people with weakened immune systems have the highest risk of getting warts.

Treatment
Most warts are painless and don’t require treatment, but there are many methods for removal. In some cases, the warts will heal and disappear on their own. There are several over-the-counter methods for wart removal, though, as well as methods available through your doctor (freezing, burning, cutting or using a chemical peel) in case the warts persist. Get medical advice for warts on the face or genitals before treatment and never use over-the-counter products to treat genital warts.

Keep in mind that although a wart may be removed, it may come back in the same spot or a different one since the HPV virus will remain in your system.

Prevention
Wart prevention consists of many of the same steps for preventing contact with any other virus. Wash your hands regularly and be conscious of people and public surfaces you come into contact with. Also, wearing flip-flops in locker rooms, gyms and pool areas and avoiding using someone else’s wet towel will help prevent contact with HPV.

Do you have any other questions about warts or HPV? Leave them in the comments below, and I’ll try to help you out. Thinking you might need an appointment? Schedule one by visiting our website. 

Recommended Routine: Four Daily Steps to Healthy Skin

Like many of our patients, you probably hit the ground running first thing in the morning. Work, kids, errands and meetings can keep you going until right before your head hits the pillow each night. With time being such a valuable commodity, it’s common to wonder how you’re supposed to fit a whole host of products and processes into your schedule to keep the stress from affecting your skin. Let’s go over what you absolutely must do on a daily basis to keep your skin in good shape.

Cleansing/exfoliating
Your skin sheds cells on a regular basis, releases waste through sweat and picks up pollutants in the environment – all of which need to be cleaned off your skin every day. To save time, find a facial cleanser that exfoliates or use nylon gloves to gently wash your face. Remember to make sure the cleanser is tailored to your skin type and that the exfoliant is suitable for your skin type, as well. If you’re not sure which cleanser is right for you, read our blog post on the subject.

Moisturizer/sunscreen
Moisturizers are key in helping skin stay plump, healing existing damage and preventing further damage caused by dry skin. Likewise, sunscreen is essential to slowing skin damage and premature aging caused by sun exposure. If you plan to be outside at all between sun up and sun down, you need sunscreen on all exposed skin. Again, you can knock out two steps in one by using a moisturizer that has at least an SPF 30, but remember to use separate products for your face and body. 

Lip balm
Love your lip balm, cherish your lip balm and carry it with you always! Lip balm will help keep those unsightly lip lines at bay and keep your lips smooth and supple. Plus, there’s the added benefit of almost any flavor you’d like available in some pout-protecting product. Tasty, glittery, shiny or even environmentally friendly, find your favorite lip balm and use it often.

Water
You had to know this one was coming. Almost any health-related blog you’ll read mentions drinking water. It’s essential to your health and your existence. The human body is made up of roughly 85 percent water, and that supply has to be replenished somehow. Drinking plenty of water helps flush out your body, prevents water retention and improves your complexion. Avoid those pesky mouth lines I mentioned above by drinking from a glass, a squirt bottle or a wide mouthed bottle to avoid pursing your lips unnecessarily around a straw. Reserve that for something fun – like smooching. ;-)

Do you have any other questions about what you absolutely must do on a daily basis to keep your skin looking good? Leave them in the comments below! Want to have more of a one-on-one chat about your skin? Schedule an appointment today!

Tips for Effective Wound Care

Everyone deals with bumps and bruises from time to time, but when does a minor scratch become major? Is there a difference between a cut and a scratch? Does that even matter? This post covers various wounds, general care and what to watch out for, and might help prepare you for the next time you have a minor, or even major, accident or surgery that leaves a wound.

Types of wounds

In general, there are five different kinds of wounds: abrasions, contusions, incisions, lacerations and punctures.

Abrasions occur when the top layer of skin is rubbed or scraped off. Think of a friction burn from sliding across carpet or skinning your knee from falling outside.

Contusions occur from blunt force trauma and don’t break the skin. Think of a normal, everyday bruise. There are three different kinds of contusions: subcutaneous, which are surface bruises; muscular, which can occur on or within a muscle; or periosteal, also known as a bone bruise.

Incisions are neat and clean cuts to the skin from a sharp object. Think of a cut from a knife, glass or another sharp object. The key here is it’s a smooth, clean cut and the edges of the wound are not rough and jagged. While incisions can be a result of an accidental cut, this is most common after a planned surgical procedure.

Lacerations are similar to an incision in that the skin is cut or torn open. The big difference is the edges of the wound are rough and jagged. This makes a difference when it comes to caring for the wound.

Puncture wounds occur when something pokes through the surface of the skin. Think of an animal bite, stepping on a nail or even receiving a shot.

General Care

Although most of these wounds are somewhat similar, they do require slightly different care than simply applying a bandage and calling it a day.

Always start by cleaning an abrasion with clean running water, allowing the flow of the water to clear away any debris in the wound. Exercise caution when trying to remove anything lodged in the wound such as gravel or hair, as this may further aggravate the wound. Once the wound is clean, apply an antibacterial ointment and cover with a non-stick bandage or pad.

For a contusion, keep R.I.C.E. in mind: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevate. Make sure not to wrap the contusion too tightly, which can cut off your circulation. If necessary, take an over-the-counter pain reliever like aspirin or ibuprofen to help with pain, inflammation and swelling.

Incisions, lacerations and punctures can be treated in much the same way: clean the area, apply antibacterial ointment to aid the healing process, and cover with a bandage to keep it clean and free of debris.

Further Treatment
Go to an urgent care clinic or emergency room for further treatment for any of the following reasons:

• The wound won’t stop bleeding
• It is large and/or deep
• It may require stitches
• It may be contaminated by a foreign substance
• The wound has something embedded in it
• It shows signs of infection (swelling, redness, oozing, etc.)
• You notice any other issues or troubling symptoms

Of course, if you have an emergency situation, call 911 for further help.

Hopefully, this will help you the next time you get a minor or major wound.

If you’re looking for more information on Mohs surgery or post-surgical wound care, download our wound care recommendations:

• New sutured wound care
• Open wound care

Have any other questions regarding wound care? Visit our website or post your questions in the comments below, and I’ll try to help you out!

Skin Through the Ages: 50s and Beyond

photo © 2012 Quinn Dombrowski, Flickr

*This is the final post in a series called “Skin Through the Ages.” The series will focus on how to take care of and manage skin at various points in life.

You may be wondering why I’m even writing this post, because worrying about your skin in your 50s seems pointless. Why bother if you can’t stop Mother Nature? While that may be true, there’s no reason to feel like you should just let go of your skin care routine. Actors like George Clooney and Jamie Lee Curtis look amazing after 50, and you can too. It’s true that they have access to Hollywood plastic surgeons, personal chefs and trainers, but you can get great results without those things. Here are some tips to keep you looking and feeling fabulous in your 50s and beyond.

Same song and dance
You’ll want to keep up the good habits that I hope you developed in your teens and 20s. Wash your skin on a regular basis with products tailored to your skin type and needs. Eat a healthy diet. Stay hydrated. Stay out of the sun. Wear sunscreen. Stay active. Following these basic health tips will help you look and feel younger.

Neck & décolletage
You’re probably noticing some sagging and drooping in the jaw, neck and décolletage areas. This happens over time as collagen in skin breaks down, along with other factors such as losing weight too rapidly. The skin simply doesn’t have the elasticity and the ability to bounce back like it used to. Check out our post on “The Science of Aging” for more information on why this happens. To combat it, make sure to use a rich facial cream (yes ladies, even on your “ladies”) to help these areas as much as possible. If need be, look into more intense methods like surgery and lasers to help get rid of those jowls.

Lighten up
If you haven’t been diligent about using sunscreen, then sunspots are probably a side effect you are unhappily dealing with. Luckily, there are products designed to help lighten those areas. Look for makeup that gives the appearance of even-toned skin or bleaching facial products that actually lighten the spot over time. Our blog post on the best anti-aging makeup can help you identify the best products for you. Regardless of the method you choose, make sure to keep using sunscreen to avoid new skin damage.

The big guns
Fillers, injections, lasers or surgery are always viable options. We’ve seen and heard of plastic surgery horror stories, so do your research before choosing a skin care professional to perform any of these services. Make sure they are fully accredited, are using quality products and that they review all of the information and answer any questions pertaining to the service with you before you pay or sign on anything. You can also start by reading our posts on Botox and fillers to familiarize yourself with these options.

Smile
Simply put, smile. Nothing looks better on a person than a bright, confident smile. It makes you feel good, makes you look good and they’re oftentimes infectious. That’s the best and cheapest piece of advice I can suggest for any age.

Do you have more specific questions about skin care issues in your 50s and beyond that I didn’t touch on? Leave your questions in the comments below and I’ll try to help you out! If you need an appointment with Advanced Dermatology, click here. 

Skin Through the Ages: The 40s

*This post is the fourth in a series called “Skin Through the Ages.” The series will focus on how to take care of and manage skin at various points in life. This post focuses on the 40s.

So you’ve made it to your 40s. There is a dirty word I have to bring up that’s going to be a big game changer for you – menopause. The years after turning 40 are typically when women begin to experience menopause, although it can start much younger in rare cases or, for some lucky women, not until they reach their 50s. Along with that hormonal phenomenon, your skin is retaining less moisture and becoming drier. Combine that with a blotchy appearance and sunspots and you may not be thrilled about the condition of your skin. Don’t fret. It’s not all bad! There are steps you can take to look younger than your years and keep turning heads.

Proper products
As your skin is changing, make sure the products you’re using are suitable for your skin type and needs. As your skin becomes drier, you shouldn’t continue to use the skin care products for extremely oily skin you were using in your 20s. The last thing you want to do is strip even more moisture away from your skin. Reevaluate your products and the state of your skin, and ask a skin care professional if you’re unsure of where you stand. Whatever you decide, make sure the products you’re using are tailored to your current skin care needs.

Moisture outside
Speaking of drier skin, moisturizers are going to be your new best friend if they weren’t already (and they should be by now). Although skin isn’t retaining moisture like it used to, you can still help it out. Use moisturizers on a regular basis and on all your skin, not just on your face. Make sure they are tailored for the right parts of your body. Your delicate eye area, face, body and hands have different moisturizing needs. Use moisturizers liberally and use them often.

Moisture inside
Make sure that you’re drinking plenty of water every day, as well as eating the right fats to help keep your skin hydrated. If you’re not a fan of straight water, add some fruit.  Lemons, limes or even cucumbers can give water a nice, light flavor. If that’s not cutting it, look into a low-calorie drink mix, like Crystal Light On The Go, to help give your water the punch it needs for you to stay well hydrated. You can also eat foods with high water content. Plenty of fruits and vegetables like peaches, cantaloupes, cucumbers and tomatoes have high water content. Don’t forget foods like almonds, avocados and fish to give your body the healthy fats it needs to keep everything well oiled.

Exfoliation
With all this talk of drier skin, recall the exfoliation blog post a little while back. If you’ve been using a manual exfoliant like a scrub or a brush, now is the time to change your method. Dry skin is more susceptible to damage than oily skin, meaning your old exfoliant may now be too aggressive. Change to a chemical exfoliant like an acid or a peel, but do it sparingly to avoid damaging your skin.

Hopefully these tips will help you fell better about taking care of your skin during your 40s. Still have questions? Leave them in the comments below and I’ll try to help you. If you want to make an appointment with Advanced Dermatology, click here. 

Skin Through the Ages: The 30s

*This post is the third in a series called “Skin Through the Ages.” The series will focus on how to take care of and manage skin at various points in life.

Do you feel like an adult yet? Ready or not, your face is starting to show it. Now is when you’ll begin to see the results of the work (or lack thereof) you put into your skin in your teens and your 20s. Your skin will start to dull in your 30s due to it not shedding dead skin cells at the same rate it did when you were younger. This is also when you may start to develop lines on your forehead, around your eyes or at the corners of your mouth. You may also see some sunspots, but don’t give up! Although you’re starting to see signs of aging, you can still slow down the process with proper care. Let’s go over what you should do during your 30s to help slow Mother Nature down.

Exfoliation
Now is the time to get serious about exfoliation. In your 30s, the rate at which your skin turns over new skin cells and sheds old ones slows, so you’ll need to help the process. Remember, according to the exfoliation blog post, pick an exfoliating product that is right for your skin, whether you choose a manual or chemical method. Choose a product that is gentle enough to use on a regular basis to keep skin from looking dull.

Anti-aging products
It’s sad to say, but it’s time to start incorporating anti-aging products into your skin care routine. Don’t go overboard and buy every product out there. Your skin is just starting to age and some anti-aging products might be too aggressive, which can irritate your skin. Add a good anti-aging facial cream and eye cream to your routine to help boost collagen levels and plump up those fine lines.

Sunscreen
You knew it was coming. Keep using your sunscreen every day, multiple times a day, regardless of the weather outside. Sun damage is the most preventative aging factor out there. Fair-skinned people will possibly begin to see some discoloration (sun spots) in their 30s if they haven’t been diligent about wearing sunscreen on a regular basis. Unless you want to look like this guy’s bad side, keep using your sunscreen!

In with the good
With all this talk of the body’s processes slowing down, the skin becoming damaged more easily and the body not recovering the way it used to, it’s more important than ever to consider what you’re putting into your body. Make sure you’re drinking at least 64 ounces of water each day to help flush out your body and help carry nutrients where they need to go. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, moderate amounts of whole grains, lean meats and good fats, and minimal amounts of sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Take a multi-vitamin daily to make sure your body gets all the nutrients it needs. Remember, we are what we eat, so eat the best foods possible to give yourself the healthiest body possible.

Are there any other concerns you might have about caring for your skin during your 30s? Post your questions and concerns in the comments below, and I’ll try to help you out! You can also schedule an appointment to meet with Dr. Patel by clicking here.