I haven’t come across any reports of adverse reactions with mesotherapy although many doctors are skeptical about the safety of these drugs. No conclusive studies have been made in order to determine where exactly the fat goes after it dissolves.  Also in question is whether these chemicals affect other organs. 

Despite the safety issue, the cost (usually runs about 3,000-6,000 php per area) and the pain of injections, patients come back again and again for the sessions.   I hope that in the future more evidence may be available with regards to the safety of the drug because clearly patients get the results they want.

I don’t know about pimples but there is growing evidence that oral antioxidants could help slow down the wrinkling process or even improve existing wrinkles. The problem is that there are a lot of antioxidants available.  How do we know which ones really work? What is the best way to get them to work on the skin?

It has been shown that selenium taken at 50 to 200 micrograms daily, vitamin E at 400mg /day and vitamin C at 500-1000mg (all known antioxidants) can protect against harmful UV rays which does most of the damage in skin.  The best way to get these vitamins and minerals are of course though the food we eat.  If you’re someone who eats a lot of junk food or if leafy greens simple don’t appeal to your palate then taking oral supplements may be a good idea. 

Some antioxidants that have also shown promising results are green tea, heliocare (which is actually a fern extract), alpha-lipoic acid, lycopene…. The list goes on and on.  No consensus has been reached regarding their optimal dose and individual response to these supplements is very variable.  Effects may not be apparent in some and may work wonders for others.  But one things’s for sure- more and more dermatologists are beginning to find evidence for their use

            Frankly, I’m not a believer of IV glutathione and I’m not too wild about the idea of having a drug without any good studies to back it up injected in my vein. I’d rather rely on the good old and dependable sunscreen on top of chemical exfoliants for my patients.

            The best way to treat prickly heat is to keep away from a hot environment-staying indoors and turning on the AC not only keeps the body cool but also pumps up the electricity bill! Other tips to help you get by include:

1.      Keep the body temp down by drinking lots of cool fluids and sucking on ice chips.

2.      Calamine lotion to help soothe that itchy rash.

3.      Avoid tight clothes and those made of synthetic fibers

4.      Take cool baths frequently.

            Although there is little you can do to actually alter the size of your pores there are some things you could do to make them appear finer.  Find out more in the next post. See ya!

In the past, most sunscreens primarily blocked against UVB rays. You may not get burned with these products but you will get dark because UVA rays that penetrate might still cause your skin to turn darker.  But now that more studies have come out showing the role that UVA plays in the development of photoaging and skin cancers dermatologists now recommend using a sunscreen that blocks BOTH UVB and UVA. So when you go out and pick a sunscreen, it’s best to choose one that says broad spectrum on the label.

Most people seem to think that putting a sunscreen on means you can stay under the sun forever and not get dark.  Of course you still can get dark but here are some important tips that people should know to protect their skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

1.  Put liberal amounts of sunscreen half and hour BEFORE going out in the sun.

2. Re-apply sunscreen every 2 hours or after sweating or swimming.

3.  Avoid going out between 10 am and 4 pm when the sun’s rays are strongest

4.  As much as possible, wear protective clothing, hats, sunglasses.

     1.  To increase patient compliance - it usually takes from 2 to 4 weeks for most acne medications to work.  A lot of patients get impatient to wait that long so acne surgery helps them get results faster and that’s more encouraging for them.

    2.  To clear up the face fast- Sometimes patients have a special event to go and they need to have clear skin fast.  Acne surgery done by a dermatologist may be a life saver in these certain situations.

 I hope this post was helpful in dispelling that common misconception. 

(This is article is not meant to be taken as medical advice. If you have a medical concern you should consult with your doctor)

Basically, glutathione is a supplement, not a drug. It has been categorized by the FDA as generally regarded as safe (GRAS). No definitive studies have been done to really evaluate the efficacy and safety of glutathione as an oral skin whitening agent. However, there are a lot of testimonial and apparently the people whom I know have taken the supplement are happy with the results. They report to have a more even and whiter skin tone, less darkening when going out in the sun for prolonged periods. Some manufacturers even claim it can reduce wrinkles and acne (not sure how it can do that, though)..Personally, I leave it to the patient to decide after laying down the facts on the table. After all, it is just another supplement.