Dermatology » Acne Articles & Stories

The recent study at the Hallym University in the Republic of Korea describes how ellagic acid, which is found in many common fruits (raspberries, strawberries, pomegranate), may one day help prevent wrinkles.

These and other potentially helpful compounds are produced and accumulated in plants.  Many of these, such as the flavonoid group, have been studied extensively for their health benefits. Most have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. Recently, studies have been performed using phytochemicals topically on the skin to reverse or prevent sun damage. 

Related Stories

- Summer Safety
- Cosmetic Laser Surgery: The Cutting Edge
- Botox For Clearing Up Acne?

Botox is widely known as a muscle relaxant that temporarily smooths out facial lines and wrinkles. However, it has also been shown to positively affect the skin as well, according to research and practice by Chicago plastic surgeon, Anil Shah, M.D. Dr. Shah is one of the only doctors worldwide known to use Botox in this new way. He injects the muscle relaxant directly into the skin to treat large pores, oil production, and acne breakouts. ( Read more about Botox For Clearing Up Acne?)

Related Stories

- Acne Scar Treatment
- Dyplastic Nevus
- Cosmetic Laser Surgery: The Cutting Edge

Laser surgery has become the cutting edge in cosmetic medicine. Why? Because it's able to accomplish just as much as invasive surgical techniques in less time and with faster recovery rates. Using laser surgical techniques is also more precise, and produces less bleeding, bruising and scarring. A patient will typically get an injection of anesthetic, making the procedure painless, and be done in 30-40 minutes.

Related Stories

- Adult Acne
- Dyplastic Nevus
- Expert Commentary: Carolyn Jacob M.D. - March 19, 2010

Something as simple as looking at her reflection in the mirror was enough to cause Rachel Boland significant emotional pain. “It’s brought me to tears when I’m sitting in front of my mirror,” says Rachel Boland. 32 year old Rachel has been battling adult acne since she graduated high school. “It really makes you feel like a teenager and very self-conscious and I’m saying I’m supposed to be a woman in business and now I have a family and I’m going to business appointments and I’m thinking about my face like a child.”

Related Stories

- Summer Safety
- Winterizing Your Skin
- Cosmetic Laser Surgery: The Cutting Edge

Once autumn arrives, Michael Panella can be found spending a lot of time outdoors. He loves taking on home projects that allow him to work in his back yard. But, the dropping temperature causes Michael’s rosacea, a flushing and redness of the skin, to flare up. “My cheeks, the bridge of my nose, it’s exacerbated tremendously by the cold,” says Michael. Skin conditions like rosacea, acne and dry skin generally worsen in the winter months. “The cold weather takes its toll on the skin; the second- forced hot air and the low humidity that causes indoor creates a big problem for the skin; and the third – are winds, winds are very, very traumatic for the skin,” explains Dr. Mitchell Chasin, Director of the Reflection Center for Skin and Body. Dermatologist, Dr. Mitchell Chasin says winterizing your skin in preparation for the cooler months ahead can make all the difference. “In the summer or in the fall time before their skin has become dry, before it’s become red and flaky; it’s much easier to prevent the skin from getting dry than to treat it once it has,” reports Dr. Chasin.

Related Stories

- Cosmetic Laser Surgery: The Cutting Edge
- Botox For Clearing Up Acne?
- Summer Safety

There’s still a lot of summer left; in fact, the hot weather is making the beach and pool look really good. But the accumulated sun exposure, as I’m certain you’ve heard, puts us at risk for skin cancer, and precancrous lesions. How do you know if a freckle is something to worry about? Many of us, like Buffy Schneit, don’t even think about it. “Most people spend their summer sin the sun so you don’t think anything is going to happen to you.” Buffy has been a sun lover for her entire life and has never thought about getting her skin checked, until she went to a free screening. “They said lets check this one freckle and I said ok and they scarped this one freckle, I didn’t think anything again and when they went back to the results. They said, oh, you have a dysplastic nevus. It was very scary.” Scary--because dysplastic nevus, which is an unusual mole, can, if unchecked, become cancerous.

Related Stories

- Laser Acne Treatment
- Teen Acne
- Winterizing Your Skin

Nineteen year old Toni Marie Balingit has been struggling to get clear complexion for six years. At the age of thirteen, Toni developed acne and through the years it’s been a continuous battle trying to get her blemishes under control. She jumped from doctor to doctor, treatment to treatment, desperate for help. “I actually went through periods where I would cry, or really, really worry about walking out and like letting people see me. I’ve been through all these topical treatments, I’ve been through antibiotics, and for a period they worked, but sometimes you would like flare up and I then would give up I just didn’t want to deal with it anymore cause I wanted the quick fix,” says Toni.

Related Stories

- Laser Acne Treatment
- Summer Safety
- Expert Commentary: Carolyn Jacob M.D. - March 19, 2010

Your backyard pool may be your slice of summer heaven, and long hours at the beach may be your favorite way to spend your summer days. But everyone must take summer safety seriously. It could be the difference between life and death. "Long exposure to sun can increase the rate of skin cancer about fourfold," says Dr. Marc Siegel, NYU Medical Center. More than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you should apply sunscreen every day if you plan on being in the sun more than 20 minutes. Sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 or higher is recommended.

Related Stories

- Adult Acne
- Winterizing Your Skin
- Cosmetic Laser Surgery: The Cutting Edge

Acne is a rite of passage for most folks as they go through puberty. Approximately 90% of all adolescents and 25% of all adults experience acne. But in some, the problem can be particularly serious, and cause permanent scarring. "I was self conscious about it but no body ever really noticed it or would say anything, but it was something that I saw and I would have a problem with that I wanted to correct." Ariana Tauro is twenty years old now, no longer a teenager, no longer in high school, but the scars of the acne which started in her freshman year remain."It's more so visible when I'm not, tan and then the scarring I guess, really like a couple of years ago, maybe when I stopped going through puberty and it started scarring."

Related Stories

- Summer Safety
- Teen Acne
- Dyplastic Nevus

According to new research in the latest Journal of the American Medical Association, a laser treatment for acne that is gaining popularity, known as pulsed dye laser therapy, actually fails to provide any benefit. While a previous study showed that this type of laser acne treatment does indeed work, this latest study shows the opposite.

Related Stories

- Teen Acne
- Dyplastic Nevus
- Cosmetic Laser Surgery: The Cutting Edge