What is Levulan?

Levulan (5-Amino Levulinic Acid) is a medication that is applied to the skin. This medication makes sun damaged areas, precancerous areas, acne-causing bacteria and overactive oil glands more sensitive to the IPL treatments.

Can Levulan Photodynamic therapy be used to treat acne?

Yes. This results in significant improvement in moderate to severe acne.

Approximately 90% of all adolescents and 25% of all adults experience acne at some point in their lives. Acne can be treated with topical creams and lotions, birth control pills, antibiotic pills, glycolic peels and microdermabrasion. Now PDT is another safe and effective alternative available for acne treatment.

IPL Levulan Photodynamic acne treatment involves three mechanisms of action against acne. Levulan treatment inactivates the bacteria that trigger acne, exfoliates the skin to unclog pores, and shuts down the oil glands (sebaceous glands) in the skin. This can produce long-lasting improvement.

Levulan acne therapy can even work in patients who have prescription treatments.

Results with Levulan PDT are especially impressive when compared with conventional treatments, such as topical medicines and oral antibiotics.

Can Levulan Photodynamic Therapy be used to treat freckles and skin pigmentation?

Yes.

They might have been cute when you were younger, but those freckles you have now probably aren’t as attractive as they once were. Even more, they are actually signs of sun-damaged skin.

All those years at the beach add up, even if you can’t see the damage it has caused. Many people believe that if they apply a bit of sunscreen and they don’t peel, they’re not at risk for sun damage or skin cancer. This is not true.

Can Levulan Photodynamic Therapy be used for skin rejuvenation and improvement of sun damage?

Yes. Levulan Photodynamic Therapy using intense pulsed light (IPL) is now the gold standard for non-surgical skin rejuvenation. This procedure results in significant improvement in precancerous conditions such as actinic keratoses, sun damaged skin and potentially superficial skin cancers. Additionally it improves wrinkles, pore size, skin texture, pigmentation, rosacea, sebaceous hyperplasia (oil gland enlargement), and potentially prevents the development of skin cancer. Levulan is revolutionizing how we perform skin rejuvenation and how we treat sun-damaged skin.

What else can Levulan Photodynamic Therapy be used for?

• Acne.
• Severely sun damaged skin.
• Enlarged Pores.
• Precancerous sun spots (actinic keratoses) (Skin Cancer Prevention).
• Enlarged Oil Glands (Sebaceous Hyperplasia).
• Irregular Pigmentation.
• Freckling.
• Liver Spots (Solar Lentigenes).
• Uneven Skin Texture

Call us today at 480.832.SKIN to schedule a consultation!

Aging of the Skin

The skin starts the first signs of aging from the age of 25. Skin become thinner, blood circulation deteriorates and the natural production of collagen and elastin starts to slow down, causing the skin to lose its firmness and elasticity.

Initially, emotion wrinkles appear around the eyes caused by repeated emotional reactions, such as when someone laughs, but these lines soon become deeper, permanent wrinkles. This natural ageing process starts from the inside out, but is also accelerated by external factors, including excess UV light from the sun (or tanning bed), air conditioning, stress, the effect of free radicals such as air pollution, and stimulants such as alcohol and tobacco.

Meta Therapy

The skin aging process can be slowed down considerably and the signs of aging can even be visibly reduced. Initially, the skin’s natural process has to be stimulated and activated from the inside out, so that collagen and elastin are produced again in the skin and circulation is improved. In addition, the skin’s deficits need to be supplemented externally with active ingredients.

Dermatude’s Meta Therapy, an acronym for Medical & Esthetical Tissue Activating Therapy, is the only skin improvement method that combines both aspects: natural skin improvement from the inside out and externally applied active ingredients by means of special serums. A dual effect in the battle against skin aging is tackling, not just the consequences, but above all the cause of skin aging.

Watch this video for a demonstration!

Call us today for a complimentary consultation, 480-832-SKIN (7546). Learn how you can benefit from Meta Therapy.

Acne is a genetic, hormonal disease characterized by overproduction of oil by the sebaceous glands, plugging of the sebaceous glands to form micro- and macro- comedones (blackheads) and, finally, action of skin bacteria on oil trapped underneath the skin, to produce red inflammatory cystic lesions.

Traditional therapies for acne involve keralytic agents, such as the retinoids, which thin the top layer of skin and unplug the oil glands; topical antiseptics and antibiotics, which diminish the number of bacteria in the skin; and oral antibiotics, which similarly diminish the bacteria. More severe cases of acne can be treated with Accutane, which is a systemic retinoid. All of these treatments have their benefits, but also have their limitations of being inconvenient, and occasionally toxic.

There has been some interest and some research in photodynamic therapy of acne. With photodynamic therapy, a drug that is activated by light is applied to the skin. After a certain period, the drug is then washed off and the skin is exposed to light. That light energy causes the release of singlet oxygen molecules, which have the biologic effect of killing P. acnes, the bacteria responsible for acne. The light also seems to cause involution of the sebaceous glands. Treatment involves a several-step process, done in the office:

First, the skin is scrubbed off with acetone and then Levulan® is applied to the skin. After a thirty minute waiting period, the Levulan is washed off and the skin is exposed to a light source which, in the case of acne, may be blue light. The skin is then carefully washed after the treatment. It is important to guard against sun exposure for forty-eight hours after the treatment because some of the photodynamic agent may still be in the skin. Some patients notice skin irritation for twenty-four to seventy-two hours; however, generally this treatment is well-tolerated.

Photodynamic therapy represents an entirely new modality of treating acne, which seems to be well-tolerated. It may, in fact, become the best treatment for mild to moderate, or even severe, acne. Call us today to schedule a consultation to determine if this therapy can work for you, 480.832.SKIN (7546).

Look at the difference a laser treatment can make!

Gorgeous skin!

Notice the brown spots?

Call 480.832.SKIN today for a consultation.

Spider Veins
What are spider veins?
Spider Veins are a very common occurrence and are caused by heredity, pregnancy, weight and occupations that require you to stand on your feet for long periods of time or sitting for long periods of time. Your vein specialist will evaluate you using an ultrasound to make sure there is isn’t a deep component causing your spider veins. If that is the case, that must be treated first before treating the spider veins to ensure that your spider veins will resolve.

How are spider veins treated?
Spider veins are typically treated with a combination of laser, light, or radiofrequency and injections. Injections or sclerotherapy is the gold standard for the treatment of spider veins. There are 2 FDA solutions used for sclerotherapy and they are Sotradecol and Polidocanol. Both are widely used and very safe. Sclerotherapy causes the vessel walls to become damaged and then the body reabsorbs the damaged spider vein much like it would a bruise. The laser, light or radiofrequency are frequently used in conjunction to decrease the size of the vein and cause a double injury to that treated vein. By incorporating these modalities we are able to reduce the total number of treatments.

How many treatments will I need?
The average patient requires 3-5 sessions that are spaced 1 month apart. Each procedure takes about 20 minutes with minimal to no discomfort. Compression stockings are worn for a period of time after each treatment to minimize bruising and decrease healing time.

What are the complications?
Sclerotherapy is very safe but with any procedure, there are some minor potential risks. The most common is mild itching and bruising. This itching resolves in a matter of minutes and the bruising resolves in 5-7 days. There have been rare reported cases of allergic reaction and on occasion, a small sore can occur at the injection site that resolves in 4-6 weeks.

Do the treatments hurt?
When doing sclerotherapy, a very small needle is used and many people hardly know they are being injected. The solution is not painful and this makes sclerotherapy a very tolerable procedure. If laser, light or radiofrequency devices are being used, these are hot, quick and you will leave with no residual discomfort. If any pain medication is needed after the treatments, Advil, Tylenol or Ibuprofen is all that is required.

We all want to look our best during the holidays, what with all of the parties and family photos.  In order to do this, our skin needs to look radiant and glowing, but the hustle and bustle of the season can make this difficult to achieve.  We often eat and drink more than we usually would, we are up half the night and most of us forget about exercising altogether; of all these spell a recipe for disaster when it comes to our skin.

Your skin is your body’s biggest organ, covering almost 18 square feet and weighing about seven pounds. Treat it right with some of these healthy foods, some of which might surprise you. Besides recommending the usual restful night’s sleep and daily exercise, here are a few tips for preventing and eliminating skin irritation which can often lead to other skincare concerns.

For Breakouts

What to eat

Bright red and orange fruits and vegetables have beta carotene which your body converts to oil reducing Vitamin A. Green leafy vegetables contain Vitamin B6 which minimizes swelling, so pimples are reduced.

What to avoid

Iodine rich salt, shrimp and seaweed stimulate oil glands, inducing irritation of pores.

For Stress-Induced Wrinkles

What to eat

Fruits rich in color (such as berries) have Vitamin C which help to promote anti-aging, skin firming collagen and antioxidants. Orange seafood like salmon and lobster contain Astaxanthin, another potent antioxidant stronger than Vitamin C and E.

What to avoid

Excess sugar!  We must balance sugar intake because too much sugar can affect the skin, binding to collagen and elastin fibers, breaking down elasticity, resulting in sagging skin.

Dry Skin

What to eat

Drink lots of water and eats foods with good fats (which will help to keep cell walls strong and prevent water loss) like avocado and olive oil as well as citrus and kiwi (the potassium they contain regulates the body’s water levels). Cabbage has sulfur which can help to prevent dry, irritated skin.

What to avoid

Drinks like coffee and black tea dehydrate your internal tissues and skin. Most fried foods contain trans fats and hydrogenated oils which can often deplete levels of good fats and can lead to dry skin.

Rosacea

What to eat

A symptom of inflammation in the body, chronic rosacea often controlled by topical medication can also be managed by eating calming foods such as fish, cucumbers and licorice.  Turmeric seasoning, which gives curried dishes their marigold hue, is high in Curcumin, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

What to avoid

Hot foods (in temperature and spiciness) and alcohol and caffeine make blood vessels swell so skin appears redder. Niacin rich peanuts can also increase flushing.

The basics for optimal health and longevity are proper diet, exercise, nutritional supplementation and hormone replacement therapy. This stops cellular degeneration and allows regeneration of tissue, healing and a slowing down of the aging process. Progesterone is secreted by the ovaries and reduces symptoms of premature menstrual syndrome. It protects against uterine and breast cancers, osteoporosis, fibrocystic disease and ovarian cysts. It dramatically decreases menopausal symptoms. Most U. S. physicians prescribe synthetic progestins which cause such side effects as bloating, headaches, fatigue and weight gain. The natural progesterone must be prescribed in place of the  synthetic progestin to avoid the side effects and protect against cancer. We emphasize the use of natural hormones and not synthetic hormones, which have been proven time and time again to cause significant side effects.

Benefits or Progesterone:

Improves mood/decreases depression

Reduces perimenopause symptoms

Decreases miscarriages

Decreases bloating

Decreases headaches

Decreases PMS symptoms

Decreases ovarian cysts

Decreases osteoporosis

Decreases fibrocystic disease

Protects against breast cancer

Decreases heart disease

Decreases vaginal bleeding