Category: actinic keratoses

Some blemishes can make you feel as bad as Lady Macbeth did, but fortunately, some spots can be banished.

Dark spots and blotchy patches, whether brown, red or pink, large or small, are all classified as hyperpigmentation. Meaning, simply, extra pigment, dark skin discoloration can appear anywhere on your body. Typically, sun exposure and aging are to blame.

Various types of hyperpigmentation can emerge, due to different triggers, and we have treatments for all of them. Take a look below at which type you may have…

Melasma: Look for light to medium brown discoloration, usually on the cheeks, sides of your face, upper nose, forehead and lips. You may see splotchy patches in irregular sizes and shapes. Often, melasma appears when you are pregnant or have just gone through childbirth (it’s sometimes called “The Mask of Pregnancy”). A hormone surge during these times can cause the changes in your skin. Combined with excessive sun exposure, the effects may be pronounced.

            Our treatment: Fraxel Dual Laser

Sunspots, Age/Liver Spots: These are light to dark brown in color, and appear on the face, chest and hands. Usually, they are small and flat and caused by sun exposure.

            Our treatment: Fraxel Dual Laser, IPL (Intense Pulsed Light), Diolite

PIH: Look for flat pink, red or brown spots on the face. If you’ve had inflammatory acne, you may be prone to this sort of hyperpigmentation.

            Our treatment: Light salicylic acid chemical peels

Freckles: You may notice small brown, red or black spots on your face, chest or arms. Sometimes, they appear quickly, after a long day in the sun, even with sunscreen.

            Our treatment: Fraxel Dual Laser, IPL, Diolite

Facial Blood Vessels: Vascular lesions, commonly called “spider veins” are extra blood vessels that are superficially located in the skin. Often, the skin of cheeks, chin and forehead appear red.

            Our treatment: Diolite, IPL

Our best advice for minimizing spots, of course, is to stay clear of the sun and wear sunscreen–and more sunscreen–every time that you go out, even when it’s cloudy.

For a specialized treatment plan crafted just for you, call our office for a complimentary consultation.

See you soon.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 1st, 2015 at 9:26 pm and is filed under acne scars, actinic keratoses, Brown Spots, Chemical Peel, Dark Spots, Fraxel, Laser Skin Rejuvenation, laser treatments. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Living close to the beach requires discipline. That may seem like a strange statement, given how relaxed and casual the environment is here. But when it comes to your skin–and wrinkles, dark spots and melanoma–you need a serious regimen.

Since just last month, the UV (harmful ultraviolet radiation) index for Long Island has increased one level. In two weeks, it will jump two more, followed by another in May and again in June. (Click here for a map of UV averages around the country)

Now is the time to put your sun protection plan in place, if you haven’t done so already. It is easy to do if you simply make it part of your daily routine. Here is what I recommend:

Think 30: Every day, whether you are going to the beach or not, and even when it is cloudy, apply a moisturizer with an SPF of 30 or above. Use it on your face before you put on makeup and on the exposed parts of your body. You may choose a moisturizer formulated specifically for the face and another just for your body, or you may use the same for both. If you are at the beach, where the rays are intensified, remember to reapply after two hours or after swimming or perspiring.

Search for Shade: Sun damage is cumulative, so every minute spent out of dangerous rays will help your skin stay young-looking and healthy. So, avoid the sun when you can, at all costs–cross to the shady side of the street, sit under the umbrella on the restaurant patio, carry an umbrella in your purse.

Beware the Bewitching Hours: The sun is strongest between 10 am and 2 pm, so do what you can to avoid it during this time.

Hats On: Go for a wide brim, and make sure that it covers the back of your neck, too. Make wearing other protective clothing a habit, too, such as sunglasses and long sleeves. Keep a basket of summer sun gear in your car, as you would a fleece throw in the winter.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, we’ll be happy to help you look and feel your best.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 11th, 2015 at 1:46 am and is filed under actinic keratoses, anti-aging, Brown Spots, Dark Spots, Dermal Repair, Sun, Wrinkles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

One of the best options to rejuvenate your skin for Fall is with a FRAXEL laser treatment. You’ll love your smooth, clear complexion that radiates a youthful glow. Available in three different strengths, FRAXEL lasers offer a versatile, effective treatment option that provides the best non surgical results:

1. CLEAR + BRILLIANT is a great option if you are new to laser treatments. It is the most gentle of the 3 lasers and is still effective at the early signs of aging.
2. FRAXEL DUAL effectively addresses more moderate aging concerns. You can experience a remarkably more youthful appearance without any downtime.
3. FRAXEL REPAIR penetrates deeper into the dermis to stimulate the rebuilding of collagen. It is the most intense of the 3 lasers, but requires fewer treatments to see rejuvenating results more quickly. Results are amazing and recovery is more of a “social downtime;” it is minimal, especially compared to the stronger chemical peels and surgical alternatives.

What is on your Fall beauty wish list? I’m sure some of these issues that can be treated with FRAXEL lasers are on there:

• Age & Sun Spots pop up with exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. These brown patches plague the face and body with an aged look. FRAXEL lasers can lighten this pigmentation to restore clear, bright, and even toned skin.
• Skin Resurfacing restores the smooth texture, tightness, color, and brightness that diminishes over the years. While most treatments only address the externally affected skin, FRAXEL lasers resurface your skin from the inside out. They can reverse skin damage created by exposure to the sun, air pollution, stress, and fatigue. Harmful lifestyle factors can also cause the skin to lose its radiance, such as smoking, poor diet, and dehydration.
• Wrinkles and lines that age the face can creep in as early as mid 2os, but usually are more noticeable starting in the 30s. They only get deeper with years of expression and muscle movement, reduced cellular turnover and increased moisture loss. Amazingly, FRAXEL lasers actually stimulate collagen rebuild and therefore the skin acts younger and tighter, reducing wrinkles.
• Acne and Surgical Scars can mature the face years beyond natural age by causing an uneven, rough texture to the surface. In addition to being bumpy or pitted, the skin can be discolored.
• Actinic Keratosis is a medical condition caused by pre-cancerous skin cells. More professionals are turning to FRAXEL lasers to help treat these scaly or crusty growths, and to provide relief for thousands of people.
• Melasma presents as dark blotches caused by the hormonal changes in women’s bodies throughout the stages of life. Melasma is commonly associated with pregnancy and breastfeeding, oral contraceptives, or hormone replacement therapy. These dark brown spots are different than sun damage. FRAXEL can lighten melasma anywhere, but it most commonly appears on the forehead, lower cheeks, nose, and upper lip.

Refresh your face with FRAXEL and be ready for the social holiday season coming soon! Visit www.DrCovey.com to learn more and schedule a consultation to see which FRAXEL laser is best for you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Covey

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 15th, 2014 at 9:01 am and is filed under acne scars, actinic keratoses, anti-aging, Brown Spots, cosmetic laser treatments, Dark Spots, Fraxel, Laser Skin Rejuvenation, Top Doctor, Wrinkles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

While Fraxel can be used to treat very common skin conditions, such as sun spots, wrinkles, acne scars and rough, uneven skin texture, it can also be helpful for more specialized uses as well.

Melasma

These dark patches are different than sun spots, as they are caused by the hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and breastfeeding, oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy. It is mostly seen in women and is extremely common. You can normally tell that a brown spot is melasma and not sun damage, because it appears as irregular large patches of brown skin on the forehead, lower cheeks, upper lip, and nose. This “pregnancy mask” can be a big confidence crusher that puts a damper on that “pregnancy glow”, but it doesn’t have to since Fraxel is a safe and effective non invasive treatment.

Actinic Keratosis

Approximately 10 million Americans each year are affected by the common pre-cancerous skin condition, Actinic Keratosis (AK). Showing up as scaly or crusty growths in areas that are frequently exposed to sunlight, AK is very treatable. People are increasingly turning to lasers, such as Fraxel technology, to effectively diminish the appearance of this skin condition.

Whether it be these two skin conditions or the ones covered last week (wrinkles, sun spots, acne scars or rough texture), the type of your treatment will be determined by what intensity of results you’re looking for. Here’s a little more detail about each Fraxel laser to guide you in your decision about which laser treatment you may need.

Fraxel Repair

It utilizes carbon dioxide laser beams to not only affect wrinkles and discolorations, but to tighten skin by stimulating your own collagen. Fraxel Repair is a Fractional Deep Dermal Ablative (FDAA) treatment, which penetrates deeper to encourage tissue to connect, firm up and rebuild collagen. This is a more aggressive approach to tighten, lighten, and resurface the skin. Although it has more of a recovery than the Fraxel DUAL laser, its recoup time is insignificant compared to more invasive surgery options.

Fraxel DUAL

This one is the gentler of the 2 Fraxel laser options. It is safe for all skin types and addresses more moderate levels of concern with pigmentation, skin tone, lines and acne scarring, and poor skin texture. In a series of treatments with no downtime, you will see a remarkably more youthful appearance. DUAL uses a proprietary Intelligent Optical Tracking System for exact location treatment, no matter what part of the body is being treated.

Clear + Brilliant

Using the same fractional laser technology as Fraxel Repair and DUAL, Clear + Brilliant laser offers gentle and safe treatments that can help you to minimize and possibly even erase the early signs of aging, such as wrinkles, rough skin texture, uneven skin tone, and sun damage. The series of Clear + Brilliant treatments can be completed in 20 minute sessions that require no downtime to achieve the youthful glow that illuminates from the inside out.

My website www.DrCovey.com can guide you more on which of these lasers is best for you. We’d love to speak with you to help you make the best choice for restoring fresh, smooth, brilliant skin.

Sincerely,

Dr Covey

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 at 11:38 pm and is filed under actinic keratoses, anti-aging, Fraxel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.