Maintaining your health isn't just about eating a healthy diet and exercising. It's also important to have regular checkups with your various medical practitioners, including Dr. Vernon Thomas Mackey of Advanced Desert Dermatology in Peoria, Arizona. These appointments, usually made yearly, are to check your skin for any types of skin cancer that may have developed. Below are some details about skin cancer and its treatment.

Causes

It's common knowledge that prolonged sun exposure can lead to skin cancer. That's why people with fair skin who work outside or live in sunny areas of the world are at particular risk for developing lesions. However, many people are under the impression that tanning beds are a safe alternative to the sun. This is false; tanning beds actually transmit 12 times as many UVA rays than natural sunlight. As you might have guessed, genetics also play a part in developing skin cancer. So if an immediate family member has had skin cancer, it's important to have regular checkups with Dr. Mackey at Advanced Desert Dermatology.

Symptoms

The various types of skin cancer often produce specific symptoms that your Peoria dermatologist has special training to recognize. In general, an existing mole that develops redness, bleeding, or swelling should be examined, as should new growths that have similar properties. You can monitor changes on your skin at home by performing self-checks in the mirror once a month. Dr. Mackey can show you the best, most thorough way to perform these skin checks on yourself or a family member.

Treatment

The good news is that skin cancer, when caught early, is almost always curable. The way it's treated and managed depends on a number of factors; in general, treatment begins with surgical removal of the suspect lesion and the margins around it. The sample's properties will be evaluated in a laboratory and the results reported to your Peoria dermatologist. In many cases, no further treatment is needed. Other forms of skin cancer may require further excision or medical therapy.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Mackey, your dermatologist in Peoria, Arizona, contact Advanced Desert Dermatology today!

The Benefits of Botox

Want to erase the signs of aging this year? Millions of men and women are discovering the benefits of BOTOX treatments. BOTOX is a medicine that is injected into muscles to erase the signs of aging and treat certain conditions. Dermatologists are physicians who are trained in diagnosing and treating conditions and diseases of the skin. BOTOX is available from dermatologists. Read on to learn about the benefits of BOTOX.

1. It rejuvenates the skin.

BOTOX treatment is an excellent adjunct for rejuvenation of the face. BOTOX should be considered in addition to laser therapy, skin care, chemical peels, and resurfacing to improve the appearance of the face. It tightens and rejuvenizes your skin to help you look and feel younger. 

2. It can remove your wrinkles.

BOTOX works by blocking nerve impulses that cause muscles to contract and cause wrinkles. It's commonly injected into the face to eliminate wrinkles. Many patients who get BOTOX treatments can experience an improved complexion without the need for surgery. 

3. It can erase smile lines.

For most people, nasolabial folds— also known as smile lines— are nothing to smile about. Smile lines are fine lines that primarily develop around the sides of your mouth. They are more noticeable when you laugh or smile. BOTOX can reduce the appearance of smile lines. BOTOX can improve your look with minimal to no downtime. You will be able to go about your normal routine immediately after your treatment.

4. It can make crow's feet disappear.

Before you know it, crow's feet can leave you looking older than you feel. Crow’s feet are the lines that appear around the eyes. BOTOX is injected into crow’s feet with a tiny needle to improve the skin’s appearance. You may begin to notice the results of your BOTOX treatment within a few days, with results lasting up to 4 months.

Ready for an anti-aging makeover? Say yes to BOTOX! Find a dermatologist near you and schedule a consultation. BOTOX has helped many people enhance their appearance, giving them more self-confidence and improving their lives. And it will do the same for you.

Find out what this autoimmune disorder means for your skin health.

According to the Lupus Foundation of America, approximately 1.5 million Americans and five million people globally have some form of lupus. While lupus can affect both men and women, about 90 percent of those with diagnosed lupus are women between the ages of 15 to 44. Even though this chronic autoimmune disease affects millions, significantly less than half of people are actually somewhat familiar with the disease. 

So, what exactly is lupus, how can you contract this disorder and what treatment options are available?

About Lupus

Our immune system is meant to attack foreign agents in our body to fight diseases and other infections. However, if you have been diagnosed with lupus then your immune system actually responds by attacking the healthy cells within your body. This ultimately causes damage to certain organs in the body like your heart, skin and brain.

There are different types of lupus; however, the most common form is systemic lupus erythematosis. Discoid lupus is known for causing a persistent skin rash, subacute cutaneous lupus causes skin sores when exposed to the sun, drug­induced lupus is the result of a certain medication and neonatal lupus affects infants.

Know that you aren’t alone when it comes to handling your lupus symptoms. While symptoms can be severe and affect your daily life talk to your dermatologist about the best ways to reduce your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Lupus Risk Factors

While anyone can develop lupus, women are more likely to develop this condition. Also, African American, Hispanic, Native American and Asian women are at an increased risk over Caucasian women. While the cause is unknown, some research has found that perhaps genes play an influential role in the development of lupus; however, there are several factors that could be at play.

Lupus Symptoms

Those with lupus may experience some or all of these symptoms:

• Muscle aches and pains
• Joint pain and swelling
• Skin rashes, most commonly found on the face
• Fever
• Chest pain when breathing deeply
• Loss of hair
• Pale fingers and toes
• Sun sensitivity
• Mouth sores
• Extreme fatigue
• Leg or eye swelling
• Swollen glands

These symptoms may not be present all the time. Those with lupus have flare­ups in which the symptoms will appear for a little while and then go away. Also new symptoms may also arise at any time.

Lupus Treatments

If you’ve been diagnosed with lupus then you will most likely need to see several specialists regarding your condition. If you are dealing with skin sores and rashes, then you will want to talk to your dermatologist about the best treatment plan for you. About 40 to 70 percent of those with lupus experience symptoms when exposed to sunlight.

When you come in our office for treatment our goal is to find certain medications that can reduce pain, swelling and redness and prevent further flare­ups. Furthermore, we will recommend a sunscreen and other lifestyle changes that can help to protect your skin from damaging sun exposure.

Find out how your dermatologist can improve the appearance of your facial scars.

From traumatic injuries to acne, there are a variety of reasons why you may be dealing with facial scars; however, it doesn’t mean you have to live with them for the rest of your life. Your dermatologist offers up a range of cosmetic treatment options that can improve the appearance of your skin and reduce the look of your scars. If you’re ready to get newer, healthier­looking skin, find out more about what treatments could help you.

Dermabrasion: This cosmetic procedure uses a handheld device to remove the outermost layer of the skin. By abrading this top layer, we are able to remove dead skin cells and promote the growth of healthy new skin. Dermabrasion is used to effectively reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, enlarged pores and acne scars. However, this treatment is not effective against deep­set scars.

Laser Resurfacing: By using a high­powered laser, we can remove damaged skin and surface scars, helping to minimize the appearance of unsightly dermatological problems like lines, wrinkles, age spots, pigmented areas and scars caused by acne, injury or surgery.

Chemical peels: This treatment requires your dermatologist to apply a strong chemical solution over your skin to remove the top, damaged layer of skin and exfoliate the healthier, smoother-looking layer of new skin that is revealed. Chemical peels are another great way to dramatically reduce wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots and acne scars.

If you are dealing with superficial scars that are close to the surface of the skin, you will benefit greatly from this cosmetic procedure; however, those with deeper scars will not experience a significant improvement.

Injections: Your dermatologist is happy to offer both collagen and cortisone injections to help shrink and reduce the appearance of scars. By increasing the collagen in your face, we can give your skin more fullness to smooth out visible scars.

If you are interested in any of these dermatological treatments talk to your dermatologist today. Don’t let facial scarring affect your self­esteem. Make the choice to improve your skin and your confidence!

Eczema is a condition affecting the skin. Symptoms of eczema include itchiness, redness, scaliness, leathery patches, and rashes. Eczema can cause discomfort due to chronic dryness and itchiness. Fortunately, the symptoms of eczema can be treated. A dermatologist can recommend an appropriate treatment. At Advanced Desert Dermatology, Dr. Vernon Mackey is your dermatologist for the treatment of eczema in Peoria, AZ.

What is Eczema?

The cause of eczema is unknown, but it can be triggered by a number of factors, such as the weather, allergens, and irritants (e.g., harsh chemicals). Eczema is not contagious, but it does seem to run in families. Eczema affects the skin and can result in a variety of symptoms, including:

• Inflammation
• Itchiness
• Dryness
• Blistering
• Scaliness
• Redness
• Leathery patches
• Rashes

There are actually multiple types of eczema. The most common type of eczema is atopic dermatitis and it runs in families. Contact dermatitis is another type of eczema and is triggered by irritants or allergens. Other types of eczema include dyshidrotic dermatitis, nummular dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and Stasis dermatitis. A dermatologist can recommend an appropriate treatment for the specific type of eczema affecting you.

Eczema Treatments

Several options are available for treating eczema in Peoria. Over-the-counter itch relief creams and antihistamines can be used to treat mild flare-ups of eczema. Eczema that is more persistent or severe is best treated by a dermatologist who can prescribe prescription strength corticosteroids, steroid creams, anti-fungal creams, or antibiotics. In addition to treating eczema flare-ups, it is also possible to prevent them by using mild products on the skin, avoiding known eczema triggers, and avoiding scratching the skin.

Eczema is a chronic condition that can be uncomfortable. Fortunately, several effective treatment options are available. A dermatologist can recommend an effective treatment for you. To learn more about the different eczema treatments available and for treatment of eczema in Peoria, AZ schedule an appointment with Dr. Mackey by calling Advanced Desert Dermatology at (623) 977-6700.