Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

April is Rosacea month. Before summer arrives in full swing, many people seek out treatments for unsightly skin conditions – rosacea is among them. While there is no single cause of the condition, most experts believe that it is caused by an abnormal inflammatory response, with underlying blood vessels in the face that are either too close to the surface, or that dilate too readily, causing flushing and redness. Whatever the cause, the disorder generally causes pimples, burning, itching, swelling, and even chronic eye irritation.

Vascular Laser Treatments

There are prescription medications available than can reduce the visibility and frequency of rosacea flare ups. However, these medications are best at treating pimples and the other symptoms of rosacea including burning, itching, and eye irritation. Unfortunately, they often do little to help with redness and flushing and do nothing to reduce the spider veins in the face. The good news is that it’s possible to reduce the visibility of these problems as well. Not by medication, but by treatment with a vascular laser – a V-beam laser treatment. The focused pulses of light will break down the structure of the veins without damaging nearby tissue. While there will be some temporary swelling and redness caused by the laser itself, the long-term effect is a significant reduction in redness, flushing, and vein visibility.

The wavelength of the V-beam laser specifically targets red blood cells while sparing the rest of the skin. By focusing only on the problematic blood vessels, the short pulses of the v-beam laser can treat redness without compromising healthy tissue. There is also a cooling spray that is emitted by the laser which protects and cools the surface of the skin while the laser beam selectively heats and destroys the underlying blood vessels. This makes the laser very safe for most skin types with extremely minimal risk for scarring.

Rosacea Treatment and Recovery

A significant part of any laser treatment is proper recovery. In the case of rosacea, this includes icing the skin, possible topical steroid medication, and use of sunscreen after the procedure. The laser usually causes swelling that may last up to 4 days and redness that may last up to a week. Sleeping with your head elevated on a couple of pillows at night may also help with the initial swelling. Occasionally, with larger blood vessels that require more aggressive treatment, the laser may cause bruises which usually last 7-10 days but may be covered with make-up. Most patients compare the sensations after treatment to having a mild sunburn; as your skin heals, you’ll want to avoid direct sun exposure for a week and use gentle products on the skin. Vascular lasers have incredibly low rates of scarring, especially when combined with the right aftercare. Rosacea has a number of triggers, including many lifestyle and environmental factors. As a part of your treatment, we can work to identify the things that cause your flare ups so that you might avoid them.

V-beam Candidacy

Just about everyone is a candidate for V-beam laser treatment. You cannot be tan when you receive the procedure. The laser works best on superficial spider veins, often obliterating them after just two treatments, one month apart. Background redness and flushing, which is caused by deeper blood vessels, is harder to get rid of. However, the V-beam laser often reduces this by at least 50% after just two treatments. The more treatments you do, the more improvement you will see.

Over time, the redness and broken blood vessels will recur. Dr. Chiu will help you come up with the best maintenance plan to delay this from happening for as long as possible after your V-beam treatment. Typically, patients may need V-beam touch-ups every 1.5 to 2 years.

If you have any questions about rosacea, please don’t hesitate to contact us. The V-beam laser is but one of many treatment options available. If you’d like to discuss rosacea or any other skin condition, or any of the methods we employ to treat them, feel free to make an appointment. It’s our job to make everyone comfortable in their own skin – let us help you!

Live V-Beam Demo with Dr. Diane Chiu

Before and After

The acne that appears during adolescence is among the most commonly treated. Young adults frequently experience discomfort and embarrassment about blemishes, regardless of the severity. In some cases, simple solutions are available. Before deciding on a treatment, it’s important for young men and young women to know the different causes of acne, and how they affect the sexes differently. The teenage years are crucial for social and emotional development; they can be stressful or awkward, and the desire to reduce that stress or awkwardness is perfectly natural. The skin and face are high on the priority list for young adults looking to take control of their image.

Young Men and Skin Health

It’s known that males have a greater number of skin oils than females. It’s for this reason that boys sometimes break out more severely, particularly on the chest, neck, and back. During the teenage years, hormones surge, causing unpredictable oil production. Even with constant face scrubbing, acne can appear. There are a number of treatments meant to reduce topical oil; creams and rubs spring to mind. There are also different daily cleansers meant to make it easier to control facial oil in particular. Finally, medication is available, often combined with a facial treatment, that will reduce overall oil production while also cleaning the skin and pores. Increased testosterone levels lead to an overproduction of oils meant to hydrate the skin and hair. Those oils become targets for the bacteria that cause acne. Topical treatments aim to reduce the oil, while oral medications help reduce inflammation and baceria.

Young Women and Acne

Women have a slightly different experience with acne. Most women experience fewer breakouts than men during adolescence, with frequency increasing through from their 20s to 40s. During adolescence, however, breakouts may be caused by rapidly shifting hormones, as the body becomes used to female hormone cycles. This, combined with experiments with make-up, foundation, and other beauty products, can lead to clogged pores and the resulting blemishes. Women are better served by oral medications, generally, as they balance hormone levels. This is why it’s common for birth control medication to be combined with acne medication. Topical treatments are also available, but for those who wear make-up consistently, one of the best solutions can be proper face washing and make-up removal. Tanning bed use can also damage skin, reducing its ability to fight infections.

Common Factors

Hormone levels in both adolescent males and females are significant sources of acne. A second primary source is diet. Poorly balanced diets can have a dramatic impact on oil production and skin health. There are many myths about foods that cause acne – chocolate, fast food, red meat, and so on – but the fact is no single food has that much of an impact. A person’s overall diet does. Eating healthier will not only reduce levels of skin oil, it will also bring about a healthier glow. Dairy products have been linked to increased acne, so if nothing seems to work, that may be something to try. Before you make dramatic changes to your diet, you should consult with a nutritionist and/or a dermatologist.

If you have any questions about dermatology or skin care, be it acne or another skin condition, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We have experience treating a number of skin ailments. It’s our goal to make everyone comfortable in their own skin.

Healthy living requires a balanced diet. Appropriate servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, protein, and yes, even some sweets – most people have seen a food pyramid – contribute to muscle growth, brain activity, overall energy, and general health. What many don’t fully understand is the connection between foods and skin. There are any number of tales about foods that do or don’t cause acne, the types of things that change skin pigmentation, and so on. There is truth to some, but not all of them. If you’re hoping to clear up your skin, this posting should help you decide what foods to eat and what foods to avoid.

Chocolate – Does it Cause Acne?

For many young adults and adults alike, the simplest go-to when posed questions about acne-causing food is chocolate. The fact is that there is no direct link between the rich and smooth joy of chocolate and the skin irritations often associated with it. It is true that an imbalanced diet can contribute to breakouts, but it’s impossible to pin on a single food. More likely causes are genetic or hormonal. It’s a known fact that the desire for chocolate shifts with hormone levels. This can lead to the false idea that increased chocolate intake is causing the acne. The hormones may to blame for both. This isn’t to say that someone who eats extraordinary amounts of chocolate won’t have acne. The fact is that poor diets contribute significantly to skin disorders. Chocolate may be one of many culprits, but the complexity of skin health means it cannot be the sole offender.

Dairy Products

Unlike chocolate, which has been proven again and again to have little impact on acne, dairy products have shown a positive link to the development of acne. Milk, in particular, contains hormones leftover from the cow that produced it. These hormones are thought to inadvertently trigger the oil producing glands of the skin. This is particularly prevalent on dairy farms where milk-producing cows are also actively reproducing. The hormones present in the pregnant cow’s milk can be ingested by humans and cause problems. For those that have moderate to severe acne, removing dairy from the diet can be a fast and easy way to reduce symptoms. It may not be a singular solution, but for many, it is a crucial step to take.

Foods that Help Your Skin

While they may not have an immediate impact on acne, there are some foods that will promote healthy skin both in fact and in appearance. Studies have shown that those who intake the recommended portions of fruits and vegetables develop, in as little as six weeks, significantly healthier, glowing skin. Even small changes in diet improved skin tone. If you can eat well to get the colour you want, you can save money and skin damage by avoiding tanning beds. Likewise, a healthier diet is known to reduce facial oils. Not only will you be taking steps to improve the tone and tightness of your skin, the healthier diet may reduce breakouts as well. This is a win-win for your skin.

If you have any questions about dermatology, skin health, or treatments for acne or other skin conditions, don’t hesitate to contact us. The Bellevue Laser and Cosmetic Center wants you to be comfortable in your skin.