Category: Skin Care

Reasons to Consider Checking Your Skin Before the Summer

Before the Summer sunshine kicks into full gear, a quick trip to our dermatologist for a pre-tan checkup is always a good idea. Why this time of year? Well, because your skin is still lighter, any obvious issues will be more noticeable. If our dermatologist detects any questionable spots or new damage, you’ll know which areas to protect and can keep an eye on any at-risk areas.

The best defense in dermatology begins with early detection. Especially valuable if you’ve never visited a dermatologist before, you’ll learn about the most common skin health warning signs and symptoms. Our top dermatologist in the Philadelphia area will help you determine your skin’s baseline health while providing you with the skin-specific insight you need to keep your skin safe and healthy on the hottest of Summer days.

What Do Our Dermatologists Look for?

Since skin cancers and other skin conditions arise from genetic, environmental, and age-related factors, it can be tricky to determine if a visible change is a skin problem or just a normal occurrence. During a thorough skin investigation, a big-picture evaluation is performed with consideration for family risk factors, the amount of sun exposure, and other health factors that may be behind your questionable skin changes.

Fortunately, most visible skin changes like freckles and normal age spots are not a cause for concern. If they are, most forms of skin cancer and other skin conditions are easier to treat when detected early on. In general, any time you feel any skin discomfort or notice a questionable new spot, don’t wait to schedule preventative dermatology services in Montgomery County, PA before a minor problem has the chance to progress.

Look for These Common Melanoma Warning Signs

Known as the ABCDEs of early melanoma detection, here are 5 common skin appearances that our dermatologist will investigate for you:

Asymmetrical Spots: Any new sun or dark spot that has an awkward shape
Borders Are Uneven: Look for bumpy ridges or uneven sections along the edges
Colors: Dark or varying color patterns
Diameter: Any spot larger than ~6mm in diameter
Evolving: Any gradual change in size, shape, or color

Schedule a Skin Care Evaluation Today

In addition to identifying any noticeable issues, our dermatologists go beyond the superficial aspects of skin health during every thorough session. While evaluating your skin, we provide a wealth of preventative resources and offer incredible support for every other type of skin concern there is. Our long-term protective strategies go hand-in-hand with proven methods to promote skin rejuvenation, anti-aging, and other evidence-based care that improves your skin’s health from within.

From minor cosmetic concerns like fine lines and redness to various medical skin concerns, there’s no complex skincare need beyond the scope of our caring dermatologists. We can also help you protect and revitalize your skin. Contact our licensed providers today for a quick and stress-free skincare evaluation before Summer.

Mohs Surgery as a Skin Cancer Treatment Option

When faced with a frightening skin cancer diagnosis, you may have a lot on your mind as you discuss the best treatment options with your dermatologist. Fortunately, many forms of skin cancer are highly treatable, and when managed with MOHS surgery, the chances of achieving a cancer-free status become even higher. Available to patients with a variety of complex skin cancer diagnoses, MOHS surgery boasts a higher cure rate than any other surgical skin cancer intervention, significantly prevents damage to surrounding tissue with microscopic margin control and provides real-time cancer detection to verify that all of the cancerous cells have been completely removed during a single procedure.

How is MOHS Surgery Performed?

After marking the tumor’s location and a small portion of the healthy surrounding tissue, your surgeon precisely excises (removes) the affected tissue layer by layer until the cancer is completely removed. Throughout the process, microscopic tissue analysis is performed to compare the cancerous tissue with the surrounding healthy tissue, enabling your surgeon to identify if there are any problematic cells remaining. Once your surgeon has verified that your skin is 100% cancer-free, the wound is closed.

Benefits of MOHS Surgery

Since MOHS surgery involves active cancer monitoring throughout the process, there is less likelihood of cancer recurrence or the need for a second procedure. Quite simply, MOHS surgery is more precise, backed by numerous safety studies, and is the best cure to consider when dealing with complex forms of skin cancers.

Along with the greater precision associated with MOHS surgery in Montgomery County, PA, there are several other advantages involved with MOHS over traditional surgical treatment options. Following a MOHS surgical treatment, our patients benefit from:

Faster Healing Times: Since MOHS surgery involves microscopic precision, less tissue is removed and the smaller incision heals faster. Patients can return to normal activities quickly, and experience less discomfort during the recovery process.

Reduced Infection Rates: By limiting the skin cancer treatment to one hyper-accurate procedure, patient infection rates are significantly reduced.

Fewer Tumor Recurrences: By removing the cancerous problem down to the last cell, pervasive types of cancer are less likely to return.

Overall Affordability: With an effective cure rate of over 99%, MOHS surgery prevents the costs associated with repeat surgeries or ongoing costs tied to longer-term cancer treatment solutions.

Learn More About MOHS Surgery

As licensed and experienced surgical dermatologists, our board-certified experts are glad to provide you with more information about MOHS surgery in Southampton, PA. We offer our dermatology patients comprehensive diagnostic services, customized care plans, and openly discuss our diverse treatment options with anyone that has concerns about their skin’s health.

From questionable bumps and blemishes, to painful or itchy skin conditions, we are here to help. If you have any questions about our proven and effective skin care options, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our compassionate providers to learn more about the best skin cancer solutions in Pennsylvania.

3 Benefits of Micro Needling

Rejuvenated skin health, lasting radiance, and significant reductions in fine lines, wrinkles, and scarring are made possible with the latest micro needling techniques. Using the Eclipse MicroPen Evo, our experienced skin specialists create tiny channels along the surface of the skin to stimulate your skin’s natural healing processes. As your skin beings to heal from the minimally invasive micro needling process, newly produced collagen and elastin result in noticeably beautiful skin improvements after only the first few treatments. If your skin could benefit from improved softness, a more uniform appearance, and overall healthier characteristics, here are a few great reasons to give micro needling a try.

Micro Needling is Safe & Easy to Perform

Since micro needling is a gentle mechanical process and only involves the superficial structures of the skin, micro needling naturally protects your skin from potential infection, lengthy healing times, and is a very tolerable procedure. We utilize a topical anesthetic and soothing serum to maximize patient comfort during the procedure and perform the quick and easy treatment in just a few minutes in our relaxed outpatient setting. Easy to perform and designed to provide long-lasting skin benefits, micro needling is one of the safest alternatives to consider over harsh topical treatments or more invasive procedures like plastic surgery.

Micro Needling Improves Many Skin Conditions

From acne scarring to pigmentation inconsistencies, the proven benefits associated with micro needling are a direct result of the healing that occurs from within. Unlike temporary solutions that only mask superficial skin conditions, micro needling utilizes the natural processes of your body’s healing mechanisms to strengthen, support, and maintain optimal skin health characteristics long after the treatment is applied.

Common skin conditions that our cosmetic dermatologist in Southampton, PA treat safely and effectively with micro needling, include:

Sun Damage, Wrinkles, & Fine Lines
Scars, Skin Trauma, & Acne Blemishes
Stretch Marks, Hyperpigmentation, & Melasma
& More…

Micro Needling is Affordable & Accessible

Following a comprehensive skin care evaluation with our dermatologist in Southampton, PA, we’ll outline an effective plan of micro needling care that is both cost-effective and fully completed in as few as three visits. All of our care plans are tailored to your specific skin health goals, and since we have the most advanced micro needling devices in the industry, you can expect to experience better results in fewer visits.

Along with the simplicity and effectiveness of our micro needling services, our accessible dermatologists make it easy to schedule services whenever it is most convenient for you. Your lasting skin health is our dedication, and we’ll do whatever we can to help you achieve noticeable skin improvements with customized care that is safe, gentle, and performed by licensed professionals that have years of experience.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of micro needling, or if you would like to connect with one of our licensed providers to develop a personalized plan of care, don’t hesitate to contact our skin care experts for additional information today.

What Does Microneedling Do?

Revitalize your skin tone, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and effectively treat a variety of skin conditions like acne scarring, stretch marks, and many other cosmetic skin issues with microneedling. As the name implies, microneedling is a superficial skin treatment that utilizes rapidly oscillating, sterilized needles to create a series of microscopic channels along the surface of the skin. As your skin begins to heal from these microscopic wounds, your body produces new elastin and collagen, resulting in improved skin tone, appearance, and texture.

Benefits of Microneedling

By taking advantage of your body’s natural healing processes, microneedling is one of the best options to consider if you are hoping to avoid lengthy healing times, side effects, and potential complications. Since microneedling only produces a superficial dermal response, healing times are rapid, redness and bruising are minimal/non-existent, and thanks to topical anesthetics and innovations in microneedling technology, this quick procedure is easy to perform and very tolerable.

As one of the least invasive, versatile, and affordable skin treatment therapies there is, microneedling is a wonderful option to consider if you struggle with any of these common skin conditions:

Scarring: Effective for acne marks, post-surgical scars, and skin trauma

Texture & Tone: Tighten loose skin, reduce pigmentation issues, and refresh your youthful glow

Fine Lines & Wrinkles: Heal from sun damage and reduce the visibility of other age-related skin changes

Stretch Marks: Easily treat any sections of the skin with noticeable improvements after a few visits

& Other Skin Conditions: Hyperpigmentation, melasma, and several other cosmetic skin issues are safely treated with microneedling. Just ask the best dermatologist in Bucks County, PA if this treatment option is appropriate for you!

How We Perform Safe & Effective Microneedling

At Penn Derm Specialists, your skin’s health, visible improvements, and comfort throughout the procedures are our primary focus. Using the advanced MicroPen EVO, our FDA-cleared device pinpoints problematic sections of skin with microneedling precision. Along with using the most advanced microneedling technology, we minimize discomfort with topical anesthetics, vibratory anesthesia, and soothing hyaluronic serum for a smooth and comfortable experience that will leave your skin rejuvenated and improved.

Fewer Treatments, Faster Healing, & Better Results

Depending on your skin condition and healing goals, most patients experience noticeable skin improvements after just a few quick and easy treatments. Due to the superficial nature of our microneedling treatments, healing times and side effects are minimal, with only possible redness, minimal bruising, or slight skin sensitivity for a few days after treatment.

While the level of improvement depends on a variety of individual skin factors like smoking, genetics, or the extent of sun damage, many microneedling treatments result in lifelong skin improvements and permanent recovery. From acne scars and pigmentation issues to tough-to-treat skin conditions and stubborn stretch marks, our cosmetic dermatologist in Southampton, PA will bring out the best in your skin with an affordable, effective, and safe treatment plan that promotes your skin’s long-term wellness.

How Often Should I Go to the Dermatologist?

A dermatologist is a medical doctor who treats conditions that affect the hair, skin, and nails. They are required to receive three additional years of training in dermatology after medical school. You may be wondering how often you need to see a dermatologist. The answer to that question is it depends on the health of your hair, skin, and nails.

If You Are Healthy

You may think that there is no reason for you to go to the dermatologist if you are in good health. However, everyone needs to go to the dermatologist at least once a year. Your dermatologist will give you an exam and make sure that there is not anything unusual on your skin, such as moles.

It is important to note that skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. It is estimated that 20 percent of people will develop skin cancer at some point. Skin cancer is easier to diagnose and treat in the early stage. Even if you look at your skin every day, you may still not be able to tell whether you have skin cancer. Our dermatologist for skin cancer in Philadelphia will recommend the best cancer treatment for you.

Furthermore, our dermatologist can give you general skin care advice. There is a lot of misinformation about skin care. That is why you should get your skin care advice from our dermatologist.

If You Have Skin Conditions

In addition to skin cancer, dermatologists can treat hair loss, psoriasis, hives, and acne. They can also perform cosmetic procedures, such as wart removal and scar removal. If you are interested in getting treatment for a specific medical problem or want to get a cosmetic treatment, then you will likely need to see a dermatologist more than once a year.

What to Expect During a Dermatologist Visit

You will need to arrive at your appointment at least 10 to 15 minutes early. You will have paperwork to fill out. You will be asked questions about your family and personal medical history.

As one of the best dermatologists in Bucks County, we will give you a complete exam from head to toe. Our dermatologist will also ask you questions about your skin and health. You may have to arrange for a follow-up visit, but that will depend on the reason for your visit.

Six Preventative Steps For Avoiding Skin Cancer

Studies show skin cancer carries a genetic component. This means if a close family member has skin, your chances of having it increase. However, there are things you can do to decrease the odds. Here’s a list of six different ways you can work to keep your skin healthy and free of cancerous conditions.

Check Your Skin

The easiest step to take doesn’t involve any products or lifestyle changes. Simply examine your skin at least once a month for signs of skin cancer such as a large brown spot with speckles, reddish or brownish patches of skin that feel rough or scaly in areas often exposed to the sun (face, ears, neck, lips, back of hands).

dermoscopy mole check — Dermoscopy image of melanoma

Dermatologists use tools to see further into skin cells to better identify what a growth is.

See A Dermatologist

Even if you don’t find any unusual spots, it doesn’t hurt to get looked at by a professional. As the premier dermatologists for skin cancer in Montgomery County, PA we can give total body skin examinations to find early signs. Some signs of skin cancer can be mistaken for a boil, pimple, bug bite, or cyst. Not only do we offer comprehensive examinations but we can help treat you if we find signs of pre-cancer or cancer.

Minimize Sun Exposure

Using a strong sunscreen isn’t enough. Not all sunscreen is waterproof so it may wash off in a pool or be removed by sweat. When looking for sunscreen make sure that it’s waterproof as well as broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB). No single form of sun protection is enough on its own, but some people feel a false sense of security when using a high SPF sunscreen. The barrier it creates is not impenetrable, though. Reapply as needed.

Dress For The Occasion

UV sunglasses will protect your eyes from sun damage. Keep your skin as fully covered as possible using light, breathable clothing that’s comfortable in the summer heat.

Keep Cool

Stay in the shade when the sun is at its peak, at noon specifically. However anywhere between 10 AM and 4 PM you should still be careful about how much time you spend in the sun.

Avoid Tanning

Contrary to popular belief, tanning beds are not safer than direct exposure to sunlight. Not only should you avoid sun tanning, but you should also avoid UV tanning beds. Don’t deliberately expose yourself to UV rays.

Here to Help

If you think you may have early signs of skin cancer or just want a second opinion, contact our office today to set up an appointment. Pennsylvania Dermatology Specialists offers excellent melanoma treatment in Philadelphia, as well as other types of skin cancer. Our specialists are trained to quickly identify any signs and work with you and your doctor to create a treatment plan. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment.