Posts Tagged ‘colorscience’

Mineral Makeup & Fall Makeup Trends: Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Sunday, August 21st, 2011

Mineral makeup is always the best choice for your skin, but keep in mind that not all are created equal. Most of the major makeup brands now have their version of a “mineral” line to take advantage of its growing popularity. But to make sure you are getting a truly mineral based product, take a minute to read the label. Titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide should be listed as one of the first ingredients, not at the end. If its not at the beginning, then you aren’t getting the real deal. I have long trusted Jane Iredale and Colorescience mineral makeup brands and so have a majority of my patients, especially those with sensitive skin.

Mineral based foundations and bases illuminate your skin, minimizing the appearance of fine lines and large pores, especially if your skin is in good shape to start (i.e. at minimum using a skin care regimen that includes an antioxidant and some form of Retin-A). They are light in appearance and can be easily reapplied throughout the day without looking like you’re wearing a mask. The most appealing part of mineral makeup is that it can be used by all skin types. Some products even have an SPF rating for extra protection from sun damage.

The most universally wearable looks among this fall’s makeup trends include sheer metallics and sandy shades for the eyes (think shimmery, not glittery, so they can be worn by any age group), flushed cheeks and creamy matte lipsticks in floral or vintage hues. Mineral based makeup eye colors, blushes and lipsticks are all highly pigmented, long-wearing and won’t dry out your skin, so your makeup will look fresh all day.

Eyelashes will also be on trend, so start using Latisse now to grow your own longer and darker lashes!

To help you get started with mineral makeup and the latest fall makeup trends, please visit our makeup counter and chat with our new dedicated makeup expert, Julia. She will help you with an updated look, incorporating all the best Jane Iredale and Colorescience makeups have to offer!

A New Look for your Old Sunscreen: Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Monday, June 20th, 2011

Your sunscreen bottle may look different in the next year or two! Earlier this month, the FDA issued new labeling regulations on sunscreens. Below is quick summary of the new requirements:

Sunscreens may be labeled “broad-spectrum” if they provide protection against ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation.

Only broad-spectrum sunscreens with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher can state that they protect again skin cancer if used as directed with other sun protection measures.
Sunscreens with an SPF of 2-14 will be required to have a warning stating that the product has not been shown to help prevent skin cancer or early skin aging.
The terms “sunblock”, “sweatproof” and “waterproof” are no longer allowed on sunscreen labels.
A sunscreen may claim to be “water resistant”; however, the product must specify if it offers 40 minutes or 80 minutes of protection while swimming or sweating, based on standard testing. Sunscreens that are not water resistant must include a direction instructing consumers to use a water resistant sunscreen if swimming or sweating.
Sunscreens cannot claim to provide sun protection for more than two hours without reapplication.
Sunscreen manufacturers will have one year to comply with the FDA ruling; smaller companies will have two years.
The ingredients in sunscreens marketed today have been used for many years and FDA does not have any reason to believe these products are not safe for consumer use.

The FDA reiterated that sunscreen alone is not enough, and should be used in conjunction with a complete sun protection regimen, including seeking shade, wearing long pants, long-sleeved shirts, hats and sunglasses.

As always, be sure to use a shot glass sized amount of sunscreen for your body and a large nickel size for your face. Re-application is key! Make it easy to remember by carrying sunscreen in your purse, bag and car. If you don’t like to reapply a lotion form of sunblock, try the Colorscience Pro Sunforgettable Mineral Powder, a quick and easy way to touch up throughout the day.

For more details on the changes to sunscreen labeling, please visit the FDA’s website.

I Hate My Neck! Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Monday, March 15th, 2010

I hate my neck. Or as Nora Ephron would say…“I feel bad about my neck.” Long before Nora Ephron penned her book with this name, men and women have looked in the mirror and seen loose neck skin that didn’t seem to match their facial skin. Why? Neck skin is thin and has few adnexal structures (oil glands, hair follicles) that can give skin more support. Neck skin is often overlooked when applying sunscreen, yet is almost always exposed. Women also begin anti-aging regimes to the face much sooner than they do the neck. Ms. Ephron complained that surgery could do little to improve her neck’s appearance and until recently there was very little we could offer for neck rejuvenation. Now we have quite a few answers!

First and always is skin care. In most instances your neck care routine can be very similar to your face routine. Neck skin can be more sensitive, like eyelid skin, so care must be taken to use “active” products sparingly. A suggested routine for people with normal skin would be to apply an anti-oxidant such as SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF, RevaleSkin Coffee Berry, Replenix Green Tea Serum or Prevage in the AM then a sunscreen on top. Reapplication of sunscreen is also important during the day, which may be easier with a powder sunscreen, such as Color Science Mineral SPF 30. Banish V neck shirts from your closet for daywear and consider sleeveless tees when you know you might be stuck out in the sun. I always carry a thin scarf to tie around my neck if I am at a prolonged outdoor event. In the evening you may be able apply a small of amount of Retin-A 3-5 times a week. Non irritating brands like Atralin, Refissa and Micro Gel may work best for you. After Retin-A apply a thick, moisturizing cream. I love Neova’s Creme de la Copper which enhances Retin-A’s work in collagen building. Neocutis cream is also great as is SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter. Sensitive skin types may not tolerate Retin-A on the neck but may be able to try retinols like Replenix Retinol Serum or glycolic acid products found in the Vivite skin care line. There are some home devices that can encourage collagen growth and can be used on the neck. We recommend the Omnilux home LED device and the MTS Roller to help your current products penetrate more deeply into the skin.

Discoloration the neck is usually due to excess sun over the years and can appear as patchy, red brown areas on the sides of the neck. This is called pokiloderma and responds to laser treatments as do brown spots and broken blood vessels. Unsightly growths such as skin tags and flesh moles can also be easily removed in the office. The neck is difficult to treat with chemical peels as it is not as resilient as facial skin. We do have several peels suitable for the neck, but improvements can be subtle.

What’s next! Consider what really bothers you. For crepey skin nothing beats Fraxel laser treatments. These treatments are non-ablative and heal like a sunburn over a week. They are easy to tolerate and very cost effective. In our office a neck Fraxel treatment costs about the same as a syringe of Restylane or Juvederm. You will need 2-5 treatments to see improvement. Treatments can be done every 4-6 weeks. A before and after photo is listed below. Click on the photo to link to the Fraxel website for more results!

If the skin quality seems good but looseness is more of a factor, especially underneath the chin and jowl, Titan or Thermage would be best. These treatments use heat to promote collagen building and focus on tightening of the skin over time, rather than texture. Both treatments have no down-time, which make them simple to fit into any busy schedule. One or two treatments may be required for best results. We can help determine which treatment will be most effective for you.

If “stringy” muscles and “cords” are an issue and are not too advanced an exciting treatment is to use Botox for the neck. This treatment takes about 5 minutes and can improve the neck appearance dramatically, while also preventing future wrinkling.

So, don’t give up on your neck - there is hope out there. Too bad we couldn’t offer Ms. Ephron these treatments before she wrote her book!

Eye Rejuvenation Event December 4th! Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

Join us Friday, December 4th from 8am to 4pm for our holiday eye event!

Enjoy 20% off eye treatments and select eye products from Latisse, Neocutis and Colorscience.

Refreshments will be served along with complimentary under eye treatments. There will also be a raffle for a free Botox treatment to treat crow’s feet, so be sure to drop by the office.

Hope to see you there!

Eyelids and Skin Cancer, an Overlooked Danger: Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

Did you know that the eyelid region is one of the most common sites for non-melanoma skin cancers? Recently, and article was published in the Skin Cancer Foundation Journal bringing attention to this important topic.

The thinness of the skin around the eyes and the lack of proper sun protection, makes it very susceptible to skin cancer and sun damage. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the most typical cancers we see in the eyelid area.

Generally on the body, non-melanoma skin cancers appear as spots or sores that don’t heal. However, skin cancers in the eye area may present with a scar-like appearance or texture or as a mass or tumor-like growth. These cancers must be removed to keep the cancer from spreading into other ocular structures and causing further damage. If caught early, you can minimize the amount of tissue that needs to be removed to treat the cancer, giving a more pleasing cosmetic result. The Moh’s micrographic surgery technique used for removal has a five year cure rate of 99 percent for basal cells and 98.1 percent for squamous cells.

The best way to prevent skin cancer in the eye area is to examine the area yourself often or take pictures on occasion for comparison and see if any changes have occurred. If you notice any differences have them checked out by a dermatologist as soon as possible.

Wearing sunglasses that block 99-100 percent of the sun’s UV rays helps prevent cataracts and skin cancers. Broad-spectrum sunblock is also important on your eyelids. If you find lotions too irritating, choose a dry sunblock and lightly dust it over the area. We carry Colorscience mineral sunblocks and makeup that would be a good choice to protect the eyes. They also make a product specific for the eye area called Colorscience Eyescreen that is silky, light and provides good protection. Contact our office for more details.