DermHelpCentral

Pores

"Like home renovators who overhaul the kitchen only to then find fault with the master bath, some dermatology patients feel that, once their wrinkles are relaxed and their brown spots treated, their pores stand out. Such is the level of worry that doctors have nicknamed the condition “porexia.”

Most days, one or two patients come in with questions about large unsightly pores.  Most dermatologists, myself especially, have little formal training in "porology"  A recent article in the NY Times "Skin Deep" section "Do My Pores Look Big?" covers this area well.  If you have concedrns about your pores or questions about what to do for them, this article will help you and save you time and money.

Skin Lightening Creams

An excellent article entitled "Creams Offering Lighter Skin May Bring Risks" appeared in the NY Times on January 15, 2009.  While there are a few minor inaccuracies, overall, it is an excellent resource and a good introduction to the subject.

It is worrisome that over-the-counter products can contain potent topical steroids which, when used to the face and other thin-skinned areas for months or longer, can cause serious side-effects.

These pictures are of Sammy Sosa (before and after using a cream to "soften his skin" and a patient who used OTCs for her face which contained black market steroids and higher than recommended hydroquinone.

  
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Botox - Reloxin War: Allergan vs Medicis

A new wrinkle is on the Cosmetic Dermatology horizon: Will Reloxin, expected to be approved by the F.D.A. this year, be more effective or affordable [than Botox]?

The buzz among doctors that has been spreading in the news media and on beauty-oriented Web sites like RealSelf.com is that Reloxin works more quickly and lasts longer than the roughly four months Botox does." [Dermatologist and plastic surgeon KOLs - key opinion leaders - who get high fees and perks from Big Pharma are weighing in. ) One dermatologist who did some of the clinical trials for Botox and Reloxin, recently said on NBC's "Today" show, "It's time that we have something that lasts a little bit longer" than Botox."  Not everyone agrees there is any difference between Reloxin and Botox. This is a high stakes game -- and it is worth billions to Allergan and Medicis -- not to mention the money the KOLs will get for their second homes, kids' tuitions and expense paid vacations.

This is a strange article and shows the direction dermatology is headed. See:  Heads Up, Botox

Science of Perfect Skin

The New Science of Perfect Skin
by Daniel Yarosh, Ph.D,

Advertising On Amazon:  Finally—the ultimate beauty bible that gives you everything you need to navigate the dizzying array of claims made by cosmetic companies, and to create your own personalized regimen for perfect skin.

We all want glowing, radiant skin no matter what our age, but with all the skin-care options on the market today, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by choices. Do you really need a cleanser and a toner? Do designer brands from Hollywood doctors really work? Are antioxidants the next true anti-aging breakthrough, and is there a Botox-free way to make wrinkles actually disappear? And, most important, how can you know which products are really worth your money and your time?

As a thirty-year veteran of the beauty world, with experience developing and testing products for brands like Estée Lauder and L’Oreal, Daniel Yarosh, Ph.D., understands your skin from the inside out. And he knows how to separate the help from the hype. Today there are plenty of true skin-care miracles that can deliver amazing results, and in The New Science of Perfect Skin, Yarosh gives you everything you need to identify and choose the best, most-effective products—without blowing your beauty budget.

You can get this from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.