Did You Know: 50% of Women between 20-50 have Acne?

What is Skin Cancer Screening?

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 15:36:01 GMT

A Skin Cancer Screening said out loud can be enough to make some people run for the hills. Just the mere thought of detecting some sinister skin invader can make the bravest of us squeamish, however the point of a check-up is prevention and intervention - all to avoid powerlessness and suffering.

Unfortunately, cancer, and skin cancer at that, are far too common to be ignored. That’s why it’s important to place the health of your skin in professionals who are both qualified, and caring. Most modern, western countries worldwide provide free annual skin check-ups, but even in instances where regular check-ups are not freely or widely available, a paid appointment is well worth it.

Typically, a skin cancer screening involves:

An examination of your whole body - particular to any problem areas, changing moles, or new blemishes.
A report of findings, mole placement and any notes regarding findings.
Testing (in the event that suspicious spots are detected)

After the screening, it’s as easy as showing up next year for the next round of checks. However, in the unfortunate event that you’re called back for a test, try not to be alarmed. Often, spots which require checking turn out to be harmless and in the event that cancer is detected, you can thank your proactive self-care efforts for blighting it in its tracks.

What should I do to Protect my Skin?

We recommend the following skin care tips for the prevention of skin cancer.

Cover your skin in peak UV periods. That means long sleeve shirts, trousers, skirts and jackets.
Carry sunscreen with you. Daily drive commutes with harsh sunlight still equal UV exposure, so do midday walks, even in mild weather.
Seek Shade. While it’s crucial to get your daily dose of Vitamin D, this should never be at the expense of your skin.
Avoid UV Tanning Beds. For countries and cities with little sunshine, it can be a tempting solution, however, more UV = more cancer risk. Just don’t do it.
Eat and Live Well. Avoid smoking, embrace colorful natural foods and reduce your stress where possible. Correlations between carcinogens and poor diet to skin cancer have been made, so the best thing to do, is to take the very best care of you!
The Eyes Have It. Don’t forget about your eyes. Protect the windows to your soul by slapping on some sunglasses, even your eyes can get sun damaged.

Got questions about Skin Cancer!? Make an inquiry here :

Did You Know: 50% of Women between 20-50 have Acne?

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Sun, 17 Jun 2018 20:21:20 GMT

The results are in, and it’s not looking good, because unfortunately, millions upon millions of women worldwide are suffering with acne. It’s not isolated to girls or teenagers either, in fact - more women than ever over the age of twenty, now find themselves forced to confront unsightly, uncomfortable acne. But it doesn’t stop there, even women who are in their thirties, forties, fifties and beyond are also suffering with adult acne. In actual fact, for a chunk of ladies, acne doesn’t even show up until they reach their later years.

What’s important for women between twenty and fifty to keep in mind is that at the root of acne is inflammation. Acne is now classified as an inflammatory disorder, and while skincare practitioners have long known this to be a simple fact, now - it’s more common knowledge. With that in mind, ladies might fair better against the acne odds, when keeping an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, diet and state at the forefront of their wellbeing focus.

Of course, it’s not just women suffering with acne , young boys and men have it too. And acne does not discriminate, so anything that can be realistically done in order to achieve a reduction in inflammation, body-wide, is helpful. It stands to reason then, that pro-inflammatory activities and undertakings will unfortunately make acne cases worse too.

So what are the acne elements? How does it start, why won’t it stop? While we don’t have all the answers, we do have valuable insight and data to draw from. So here are the most dominant acne components to keep in mind:

What are the causes of Acne?

Hormones: You don’t have to be a teen, because any changes in your hormones can spike a acne flare up. As the oil glands enlarge in response to hormonal shifts, both men and women can encounter acne - and unfortunately, at any age, or stage, of life.

Medication: Be mindful of any medications that you’re taking, even some vitamins too. If you have noticed a sudden surge in oil production or pimples, be sure to speak with your general practitioner for a medication review.

Stress: Never underestimate the power of stress - and similarly, never underestimate the strength and benefits of relaxation (hello Meditation!). Stress can directly influence hormonal fluctuations, so it’s important to be sensitive to your system, as pushing your adrenals too far can prompt an outbreak!

Illness: Recent research proves that there’s a link between Acne and Irritable Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - just another pleasant symptom to deal with! In order to optimise your wellbeing and care, be sure to speak to an informed doctor who can optimise your current support strategies.

Food: If you’re celiac or suffering from food allergies (or even sensitivities), it’s possible that there’s a link. Dairy has now been identified as an acne causative factor, due to its spike in pimple promoting hormones.

Genetics: Sadly (and at no fault of your own) your bout of sudden adult acne could simply come down to being a hereditary trait. There isn’t much you can do in this case, other than optimise your diet, environment, skincare and stress levels too.

Acne Treatment Options

Acne Treatment Options

➔ Microneedling

➔ Chemical Peels

➔ IPL

➔ Fraxel

➔ Medication & In-home products

➔ Facials

Cane + Austin Medi Spa & Craig Austin Dermatology offer safe, sensitive services that are accessible on-site for all ages.

Dr. Craig Austin is a Board Certified Dermatologist and Dermatopathologist. Dr. Austin has been practicing dermatology in the Hudson Valley since 1988!

Acne & Acne Scars 101: Your questions Answered!

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Wed, 23 May 2018 16:06:49 GMT

Learn about Acne & Acne Scar Treatments!

All About Acne

Despite a common stereotype, acne is unfortunately not limited to the teenage years and periods of changing hormones. Acne can come about early, mid or even later in life. It could also be a constant throughout the years, regardless of external stressors. Typically - diet, stress, illness and further factors can culminate to play a major role in developing the right criteria, for acne breakouts.

Living through acne can be a painful experience, both literally and metaphorically speaking - and scars live to tell the tale, on the faces of those who’ve had to encounter and overcome privately frustrating skin ordeals. Due to the fact that acne scars are typically resultant of inflamed blemishes, the scope of severity in scarring is dependent entirely on the nature of outbreaks, skin resiliency and pore breaks.

When skin pores become dense with dead skin cells, bacteria and excess oils, there is pore inflammation, and this tends to cause follicle wall breakage. When this happens, lesions become visible and are often an unsightly and unsettling experience.

If lesions are shallow or minor, the skin is likely to stimulate a prompt healing and recovery response. However, in cases of deep pore wall breakage, infected lesion content disperses into surrounding tissues, forming further and deeper lesions. This is problematic.

What are 4 Types of Ways to Remove Acne Scars?

Due to the fact that there are two different types of acne scarring, the types of ways to remove those scars will differ. There is what’s known as ‘Hypertrophic Scarring’, and ‘Keloid Scarring’. Hypertrophic scarring may not require the same scope of in-depth treatments as keloids will - and this is important to keep in mind when selecting your services and provider.

Hypertrophic Scarring present as less than 4 millimeters above the skin and may be pink or reddish by sight. These scars are contained in that they don’t grow or evolve beyond the initial area of the injury.

Who Gets Hypertrophic Scarring? The elderly, fair-skinned and those with rosacea are more likely to experience hypertrophic scarring.

Keloid Scarring presents as being bigger than injury. caused by the piercing. It grows beyond the site of the original skin injury or issue, and may feel and look like a ball of skin. Typically, keloids develop at the site of ear piercings where a growth of skin is attached.

Who Gets Keloid Scarring? People with darker skin pigmentations, such as Hispanics and African Americans. However, the precise cause of keloids isn’t totally understood.

4 Types of Ways to Remove Acne Scars

Microneedling

This treatment involves swiping a tiny needled pen over your face. This process intentionally causes microscopic skin injuries. Due to these needle punctures, the skin is forced to repair, while stimulating and increasing elastin and collagen production. This is particularly helpful for acne scarred skin and results in smoothed-out skin.

Chemical Peels

With this treatment, an expertly crafted, safe, skin-friendly chemical concentrate is applied to remove the scarred skin cells. With this strategic surface skin breakdown, healthy skin cells are enabled for optimal grow.

IPL

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) proves to provide excellent results on acne scars. This is due to its active ability for targeted pigment lightening - so it’s specific to the scar tissue area. Important Note: IPL is not suitable for dark skin tones and suitable for light to medium skin types only.

Fraxel

This is the premier non-ablative laser with minimal downtime. The Fraxel laser promotes collagen via deep pore beaming, helping to recraft your skin. It is said to feel like a rubber band snapping against the skin, along with warmth on the area being treated.

Welcome To Our Blog!

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 19:29:58 GMT

It's official, I have a blog and I know how to use it.

After 30 years in private practice in the Fishkill/Poughkeepsie area, I have decided to go digital. This is my very first blog post, and I am excited to provide my insights on the latest trends in dermatology in order to help educate my patients.

As I continue my journey as a "blogger", feel free to comment below what you would be interested in learning more about so I can cater these educational posts to you!

A little bit about Craig Austin Dermatology PC....

For those who are new to Craig Austin Dermatology, I'd like to introduce myself!

I was born in NYC and moved to Rockland County as a child. I went to college at Vassar, received my medical education at New York University School of Medicine, and completed my dermatology training at Stanford University. After Stanford, I returned to the Hudson Valley and have been here ever since! I opened my first practice in Poughkeepsie, NY in 1988 and moved the office to Fishkill, NY in 2003.

Craig Austin Dermatology in Fishkill NY now has three dermatologists (Dr. Wolff, Dr. Rhee, and myself ) and two Physician Assistants ( Carolyn Laorno & Kara Veit ). Together, we see patients 6 days a week.

When I am not practicing dermatology in Fishkill, I can also be found at my two other locations: Cane + Austin Medi Spa in NYC and Hampton Dermatology in Southampton, NY.