Blog - Rao Dermatology

What is alcohol really doing to your skin?

Are you itching to take a break from your daily work-filled routine and let loose? We’ve all had stories of the odd random wild or crazy night—we welcome that. However, if alcohol consumption has a frequent slot in your week’s endeavors you might want to rethink your decision after considering the impact it has on your skin.

Alcohol is a toxin, simply put. After enough bodily exposure, it is destined to onset a series of negative effects, most prominently harming the liver. Scientifically classified a hepatotoxin, it functions as a blockage to cells that are responsible for detoxification. If the cells are inhibited from performing their natural purification process your skin suffers. Overtime, your skin begins to appear dull and may resemble characteristics synonymous with an individual with liver disease.

Alcohol consumption also prompts dehydration. Vasopressin, a hormone that promotes water retention, is a necessary process for successful hydration. When you consume alcohol, it delays vasopressin production, which causes your kidneys to do twice as much work to remove excess water from your body. As a result, your organs experience thirst. This internal dryness triggers wrinkles at a much faster rate than external dry skin. Your skin may also begin to look pale due to the body’s lack of vitamin A (cell renewal).

Finally, alcohol contains congeners, which are produced during fermentation. The greater the congeners in your beverage, the greater the hangover the next morning. Consequently, this positive correlation extends to your appearance. The more severe your hangovers the less appealing you look the following day. If you have more and more hangovers, your skin’s radiance will fade and you will trigger early aging.

Don’t be discouraged, you can still have a little wine, but do all things in moderation. Have a little gin, but don’t jeopardize your skin.

Your Summer Skincare Must-Have: The Dynamic Duo

It’s only natural to want to bare it all for the summer; it’s hot and humid and no one enjoys the sticky feeling that is often accompanied by the most anticipated season of the year. At Rao Dermatology, we want you to bare it all, but with a little cover up. Don’t leave your winter routines behind; instead, vary them. Skincare is a yearlong commitment; add these products to your summer routine to maintain healthy and refreshing looking skin.

Phlorentin CF

Many people are unaware how essential antioxidant serums are to the care and development of healthy summer skin. Skinceuticals’ Phlorentin CF is our highly recommended daytime antioxidant serum that defends potential skin damage with its advance environmental protection. Further, it contains dermatologically tested and approved ingredients that diminish the appearance of discolouration. One of the main ingredients, L-ascorbic Acid, is a highly potent form of pure vitamin C that once absorbed, remains effective for a minimum of 72 hours. Phlorentin CF always works as a moisturizer and is an ideal solution for oily, combination, and aging skin types. With a simple procedure—adding three or four drops to your face, neck, and chest— there’s no reason not to add this product to your summer regimen.

Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF

Our dermatologists recommend a reliable facial sunscreen to pair with the use of Phlorentin CF. Skinceuticals’ Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF is the perfect missing half. It contains physical filters that provide a broad spectrum of UV protection and has translucent color spheres that enhance natural skin tone forming a radiant tint for most skin tones. We suggest applying Pyhsical Fusion UV Defense SPF 15 minutes prior to sun exposure and before any makeup application. One of the additional benefits of this sunscreen is its water resistant property. If you’re going for a swim Physical Fusion will last for up to 40 minutes; don’t forget to reapply after that timeframe.

These two Skinceuticals products will have you avoiding the shade all summer. Feel comfortable sunbathing or embracing all kinds of outdoor activities. Finally, stay hydrated and maintain healthy eating and exercising habits to yield the best results.

Baby Products, Adult Benefits

Their smiles, their smell, their cute little piggy toes, and now their products; we can’t seem to get enough of babies! It’s safe to say that if a product is good enough for a child’s skin, it is likely the case that it is equally sufficient for an adult; that is the stance that a lot of mothers, women, and even some men are taking as they embark on their conscious skincare journey. We’ve kept an eye on this recent trend and found a few baby products that are doing wonders for adults.

Baby Wipes

The most common baby product used by adults is baby wipes. You can find them tucked away neatly in women’s handbags or stashed discretely in men’s glove compartments. Women tend to use this gem to remove makeup, wipe their hands, and replace cheap tissue papers in public bathrooms. Men on the other hand, rely on this baby trend to combat their sweaty faces and necks. Baby wipes contain zero toxins and, more than before, are made from natural products.

Baby Detergent

Research has shown that the products you use on our clothes, overtime, have an impact on your skin both internally and externally. As a result, individuals, especially women, have opted for baby detergent. They are free of toxic chemicals and fragrances and contain properties that promote gentle and soft skin.

Aveeno Baby moisturizer

Baby lotions are often very popular for their distinctive and calming scent, but it’s Aveeno’s Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream that seems to fall off the store shelves and unto the skin of the older. This moisturizer is a staple product for adults because it nurses dry skin without leaving a greasy residue. It relieves dry and itchy skin and contains no fragrance or steroids.

Didn’t see a product that you’ve been using? Give us a call and we’ll let you know if your baby fever is heading in the right direction!

Don’t Be So Sensitive?

Have you been burdened with the task of having to go deep diving to find products that that won’t irritate your skin? Sensitive skin is far more common that you may want to believe, and though it may be a high-maintenance and time-consuming disposition, there are a few factors that may be contributing to your skin’s sensitivity.

Critique the Atmosphere

The air, as refreshing as it may be, can contain high volumes of contaminants. If you are in an environment saturated with dirt and pollution, which includes but is not limited to smoke, exhaust fumes, dust, and industrial waste, your skin can become irritable and pasty as a result. This type of pollution is almost unavoidable and can clog your pores and be absorbed by the skin’s natural barrier. Consequently, your skin fails to perform its natural purification processes resulting in sensitive skin. If you’re aware of excessive pollution in your surroundings try covering your skin on a consistent basis and drink lots of water.

Another atmospheric change that has a negative effect on your skin’s sensitivity is the weather. Extreme dry weather causes dehydration and by extension, sensitive skin. This most commonly occurs in the winter when you rotate between cold air and central heating. One of the best ways to combat this type of skin sensitivity is to moisturize your skin multiple times per day and be intentional about your hydration routine.

Stress

The environment may play a huge role in skin care, but stress is an internal mechanism that alters your skin’s sensitivity. Stress that derives from challenges such as a lack of sleep, bad eating habits, and conflict can slow down the hormones responsible for skin regulation. Over time, your skin will be defective in repair and maintenance and your skin may become sensitive. Try engaging in stress-free activities to defend stress-related skin inconsistencies.

Ingredients in Skincare Products

Finally, sensitive skin can be a direct result of the ingredients in skincare products. Take an active role in reading the ingredients of the products you apply to your skin. If you are uncertain about certain compounds, consult your dermatologist because you may be allergic.

If you think you’ve got sensitive skin, contact our office and book an appointment so we can initiate a recovery regimen that suits your needs.

Over-using products on your face

The saying “less is more” can be misleading when trying to decipher which products to use on your face. Sometimes too little can misinform a product’s effectiveness. On the other hand, overusing a product in the hope that the results will occur sooner or in a greater way is just as dangerous. At Rao Dermatology, we believe that moderation is the best medicine—never too little and never too much. The following products and/or routines have dominated our list of overuse. Take note!

We celebrate exfoliating and it is one of the leading methods for skin purification. However, if you are exfoliating your skin too often you will destroy and ultimately remove your skin’s top layer. By removing this protective barrier you do more harm to your skin than good and while you believe that you should be seeing positive results, quite the opposite occurs. Our dermatologists recommend exfoliating two or three times a week, maximum.

Products such as cleansers and scrubs can also be overused. You can definitely wash your face too much. The outcome: you remove the natural oils from your skin. The best way to mitigate this downfall is to cleanse or scrub your skin in the evenings so you can remove the makeup, dust, and dirt from the day’s adventures. In the mornings, use a wet washcloth to cleanse your face.

Makeup, Makeup, Makeup. This is the obvious culprit of product overusing. Too much will clog your pores, reduce your skin’s natural radiance, and overtime, cause aging. To avoid these side effects, apply natural primers and concealers that protect your skin. Further, try to limit your makeup use to work and special occasions. The more opportunity your skin has to breathe, the better.

Take this list to heart and monitor what products you’re overusing. The change will only be for the better and your skin will thank you for it.

Smooth, Smooth, and Smoother- It’s NEUROMODULATORS!

Have you been making faces in the mirror lately hoping that if you pull your skin long enough your wrinkles will go away? At Rao Dermatology, we offer neuromodulator treatments to relieve your aging panic and wrinkle-filled skin. Our dermatologists practice clinically tested, efficient, and effective procedures to ensure you look and feel younger and rejuvenated.

Our neuromodulators use a chemical called botulinum toxin type A which is injected into muscles. It blocks the nerves that allow muscles to contract, which ultimately softens the appearances of wrinkles.

This injection temporarily improves dynamic wrinkles caused by muscle movement, which primarily includes the crow’s feet and frown lines between the eyebrows. Once you’ve completed your treatment, you will begin to notice visible smoothing of the creases around your eyes and softening of the lines on your forehead.

Our dermatologists highly recommend neuromodulator treatments because of their visible and immediate benefits. As previously mentioned, this neuromodulator softens the appearance of wrinkles making your skin appear tighter, even, and refreshing. It is most effective on wrinkles that have not completely set in as yet—wrinkles that only appear when you move your face. This neuromodulator also treats excessive sweating. It can block chemical signals from the nerves that stimulate the sweat glands, thereby reducing your sweat. Further, it serves as a prescription medicine from individuals with chronic migraines. One injection reduces nine days of headaches when you engage in treatment every three months.

While we welcome and encourage our clients to take advantage of our neuromodulator treatments, we also promote holistic health. In other words, if you are suffering from chronic illnesses or you may be pregnant speak with your doctor before committing to neuromodulator treatments. We want you to look and feel your best, but we also want you to be healthy while doing so.

If you’re ready to say goodbye to those wrinkles, book your appointment and we’ll journey with you to younger-looking skin.

Summer Lips, Summer Kiss

Solve this equation: humid weather plus inconsistent and neglectful lip care equals…that’s right, disaster. As spring tugs on summer’s coattails it’s time to start adding a little more UMPH to those lips. By UMPH we mean committing to products and regimens that provide round-the-clock lip protection, especially when the sun is working overtime.

If you feel like you’re not ready to make a big change and invest in too much product purchasing, an ideal starting point to enhance your lip care is your internal health. Your diet choices play a significant role in how your lips react to sunlight exposure. Aim to eat a variety of green leafy vegetables and fruits, and foods rich in vitamins. Most importantly however, increase your water consumption to stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water regulates your lips and skin’s natural balance; it stimulates the circulation of blood and fluids within your body. Further, if you are physically active on a day-to-day basis, consuming water replaces the moisture you’ve lost throughout. Being mindful of your diet is a useful foundation for lip protection, but it is not the only method.

Once you’ve made an internal effort to keep your lips moist and sun-free, consider external care. Purchase lip products with SPF benefits to maximize your coverage from UV rays. Our dermatologists recommend Skinceuticals Antioxidant Lip Repair. This product helps tackle any environmental damage to your lips while simultaneously smoothing and rehydrating the lips surface. It is packed with vitamin E and you can apply it daily.

Now that we’ve got you covered for the day routine, we’ll shed some light on how to get your lips working at night. Peppermint is a natural remedy for summer sun damage. Add ten drops of peppermint essential oil to one tablespoon of honey and apply it to your lips right before bed. When you wake up in the morning, rinse and apply your lip balm or Skinceuticals Antioxidant Lip Repair to start your day. If you don’t have peppermint lying around in your cupboard, coconut oil or almond oil will suffice.

Don’t let the sun burn your lips out this summer. Follow these tips so you can always be ready to pucker up for a kiss.

Everyone’s Got a Type

How many times have you spent hours in the skin care isle trying to decide which facial cleanser, toner, or moisturizer is best for you? Perhaps one too many! You pick something up that you think is synonymous with your skin type and suffer through mediocre results once you’ve tried it and realized it is not your true match after all. Well your ill-fated shopping trips end here. Our dermatologists at Rao Dermatology want you to become intimate with your skin; get to know what it likes and dislikes. Follow our guide below and say goodbye to your uncertainties.

Normal Skin

Normal skin is almost as transparent as the name suggests. If your skin type is normal you can expect to see even pigmentation, balanced sebum (fat) production, and balanced hydration. Your skin is in somewhat of a neutral state and is not really affected by too many products. Individuals with normal skin type are also not prone to blemishes and can often look forward to having great skin.

Oily Skin

If you identify with an oily skin type you’ve probably been told that your face is always glowing. The reality is you’re more than likely just shining. That’s because individuals with oily skin type tend to have shiny skin. The sebaceous glands of oily skin are usually overactive and these two factors combined promote acne-prone skin. Aim for products that specify oily-skin compatibility.

Dry Skin

Dry skin type is the obvious opposite of oily skin. The main characteristic of this skin type is tight, uncomfortable and itchy skin. In these instances, your skin does not produce enough oil to keep itself moisturized. As a result, you experience discomfort and in extreme cases, flaking. Unfortunately, individuals with dry skin are also more prone to wrinkles. Pay close attention to the hydrating properties in your Dry Skin products when you spot them on the shelf.

Combination

Combination Skin type is simply a combination of oily and dry skin. More specifically, it consists of an oily T-zone and dry patches on the cheek. This skin type is more complex when considering the right skin care products to apply to your face because you are tackling two different problems. If you are unsure about the Combination skin care products in your local store, give us a call and one of our dermatologists will advise you.

Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin tends to be hyperactive and is prone to react negatively to common ingredients. Almost anything an individual with sensitive skin puts on their face will convert into redness and discomfort. Always double check the ingredients in sensitive skin type facial products to ensure you are not putting your skin at risk.

Now that you’ve been schooled, don’t let this guide stop with you. At Rao Dermatology we encourage our clients to spread the word and be a vessel. So, the next time you’re in the skin care isle at your favourite drug or department store, share your knowledge with someone else; that’s really how you save face.

To Pop or not to Pop?

It is extremely difficult not to yield to the temptation of popping your pimple, especially when you have to be photographed or make an appearance in a short time frame. You assume that the sooner you can deflate the attention grabber on your face, the sooner it will go away. The truth is, you should always aim to refrain from making any contact with it at all.

Pimples contain a lot of bacteria. Once you tamper with them and allow the puss to ooze out, it creates the potential for other pores to become contaminated. This will, in turn, create more pimples. Further, you can spread the germs from your fingers to other parts of your body, and unto someone else. One of the more troubling risks however, is the possibility of pushing bacteria further into your skin. As a result, the pimple may become further irritated, inflamed, or infected and it can lead to scarring.

If the reasons above are not persuasive enough for you to minimize your pimple popping, then at least ensure you proceed in the proper way. Specifically, dermatologists recommend using a sterilized needle to pierce the pimple in a parallel manner then rip the skin upward. This method is favoured because it minimizes further damage to the skin.

We recommend that you visit our office and have one of our dermatologists assess your skin. We offer myriad treatments that aim to combat acne. We recognize that each individual’s skin type varies, but we are confident our treatments will be satisfactory. If you are finding it difficult to restrain from popping your pimples, give us a call and we will pop the problem with a dermatological solution.

Dermatology Surgeries

Dermatological surgeries are quickly becoming more and more popular as individuals vigorously seek the most healthy and effective ways to improve the appearance of their skin. At Rao Dermatology, we offer three minimally invasive surgical procedures that are either corrective or preventative in nature, to help our clients discover their best skin. Most common to our practice is blepharoplasty.
WHAT IS BLEPHAROPLASTY

Blepharoplasty (also referred to as eyelid surgery) is a remediable surgery for droopy, dull, and low-hanging eyelids, which develops when the skin loses its plasticity. The surgical procedure primarily includes the removal of excess skin around the eyes.
An individual’s eyes are predominantly responsible for evident signs of aging. The eyelids tend to become heavy and protrude over the lashes resulting in dull appearance. Eyelid surgery is a reliable and corrective method for restoring your look and is often most recommended for long-lasting effective results.

WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE

Our trained and highly skilled dermatologists’ first priority is your health and safety. We do not begin any surgical procedure without engaging in thorough health history checks. Barring all pre-existing and foreseeable health risks we commence the surgery, which entails a series of small and accurate incisions. The goal is to remove fat and tissue from under the skin and restructure the facial muscle. Our practitioners use their discretion and expertise to determine how much fat and tissue to remove without compromising the function of your eyelids (or eyes). Further, the recovery time is usually quite short for most patients.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS

One of the most rewarding benefits of eyelid surgery is the reduction of wrinkles. Your face looks and feels rejuvenated. For individuals whose vision is affected by the sagging skin, the surgery immediately improves this. Your skin feels firmer and tighter and above all, your confidence resurfaces.

If you are considering blepharoplasty call our office and book a consultation today.