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Dear Valued Patients, Friends and Colleagues,
As we enter the new year, there is much hope for restoration and renewal. While we remain vigilant and cautious in our daily lives, experts suggest that the Omicron surge could boost immunity as it rips through the population and once this peak of cases falls, may lessen severity of COVID-19 pandemic, making it a less dangerous health emergency in the long run.
In the field of dermatology, new advances in targeted therapies and technologies have and will soon become available to us. With new tools, therapeutic options and innovative ideas, we will further explore and discover the many benefits of combination approach in the management of dermatologic conditions.
We wish you a joyous new year with rejuvenation and new adventures!
I want to share one of my favorite quotes for the new year with you:
What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet. – Anne Frank
Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Alison Young, MD PhD
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Cyspera® is an intense pigment corrector with cysteamine, a biological molecule that can be synthesized in mammals, including humans. It is even present in human breast milk and many of the foods we eat, such as eggs.
When applied topically, it can scavenge free radicals and lighten skin that has been darkened because of melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and sun damage. There is tentative evidence suggesting that it may be a more effective lightening agent than hydroquinone, retinoids and topical corticosteroids in patients with chronic hyperpigmentation. Topical application of cysteamine cream has also demonstrated similar efficacy to intradermal tranexamic acid injections for the treatment of melasma. Although skin irritation may occur, Cyspera® is significantly better tolerated than alternative skin brightening agents with similar efficacy.
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eCO2 Plus™
Treats Facial Wrinkles, Surgical and Acne Scars, Sun Damage and Brown Spots
Lutronic eCO2 Plus™ is a gentle, fractional CO2 resurfacing laser that creates tiny micro-wounds while leaving bridges of untreated skin, to stimulate cellular regrowth. The surrounding healthy tissue promotes rapid healing to improve skin quality, giving the skin a firmer, smooth appearance.
Depending on your age, skin type and degree of sun damage, as well as your willingness to tolerate discomfort and downtime in a single treatment, versus less downtime from 2-3 treatments, the laser parameters will be customized to help achieve your goals.
Common treatment benefits include:
- Reduces facial fine lines and wrinkles
- Improves appearance of surgical scars and acne scars
- Reduces sun damage and brown spots
- Gives the skin a firmer, smooth appearance
- Lightens and brightens skin tone
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Dr. Young is excited to partner with Fullscript to give her patients access to high quality supplementations from the safety of their own homes. Look out for the Cyber Monday sale coming soon.
Fullscript is a smart, easy way to access supplements and meet wellness goals – from anywhere. You can pick your favourite supplements from your preferred device, and supplements get shipped right to your front door. Plus, getting started is completely free! It’s that simple.
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Microneedling With Topical Therapy May Be Safe, Effective Tool For Treatment Of Melasma, Systematic Review Indicates
“Microneedling with topical therapy is a safe and effective tool for the treatment of melasma,” investigators concluded after conducting “a combined systemic review and meta-analysis of 12 eligible studies, which included 459 patients from seven countries.” The findings were presented at the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery virtual meeting.
I have found medical microneedling with topical application of tranexamic acid to be effective in the treatment of melasma, especially when combined sequentially with Jessner peel. – Dr Young
Onabotulinum toxin A Treatment Appears To Show Marked Reduction In Masseter Muscle Prominence With Both 48- And 72-Unit Doses, Phase 2 Study Indicates
“OnabotulinumtoxinA treatment showed a marked reduction in masseter muscle prominence with both 48- and 72-unit doses,” researchers concluded in a 150-patient, six-month, “double-blind, randomized phase 2 study” that “evaluated the effect of either 48 or 72 units of onabotulinumtoxinA in patients with masseter muscle prominence...as compared with placebo.” The findings were presented at a dermatologic surgery meeting.
I have found that treatment of masseter muscle with Onabotulinum toxin A not only reduces masseter muscle prominence, but also reduces bruxism (teeth grinding) and temporomandibular joint pain. The optimal dosing depends on the severity of masseter muscle hypertrophy. – Dr Young
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Dr. Young's Tip of the Month
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How Diet Affects Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)
Weight loss diet: In a few small studies, weight loss was shown to lessen (and sometimes clear) HS in people who were overweight or obese. During one small study, most patients who lost 15% or more of their body weight benefitted. Nearly 50% saw their HS clear, and 20% had fewer HS lumps. These studies also found that weight loss works best in the early stages of HS when you have painful lumps in your skin but no tunnels beneath.
Mediterranean diet: This diet consists of mostly fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, fish, beans, seafood, and extra virgin olive oil. You rarely eat red meat. You also cut out processed foods, including sugary drinks, diet soda, bacon, cold cuts, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and the like.
When a dermatologist in Arizona surveyed her patients with HS, she discovered that patients who followed a Mediterranean diet had fewer HS flare-ups than patients who ate foods not allowed on the Mediterranean diet.
In a small study conducted in Italy, where many people eat a Mediterranean diet, researchers also discovered this connection. In this study, 41 patients had HS and 41 did not have HS. All of the patients were asked to record what they ate for seven days. The researchers found that the patients with HS ate fewer foods found in the Mediterranean diet than did the patients without HS.
Plant-based diet: The human gut contains trillions of microorganisms, which help keep us healthy. Scientists have discovered the following about these microorganisms:
- The more diverse these microorganisms, the healthier a person tends to be.
- The people who have the most diverse microorganisms in their guts eat only plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans.
In a small study, dermatologists found that patients with HS had less diverse microorganisms than did patients without HS. This suggests that the patients with HS were eating fewer vegetables, fruits, and other healthy plant-based foods than were the patients without HS. While more research is needed in this area, it’s possible that eating a plant-based diet could lead to fewer HS flare-ups.
Sugar-free diet: Eating sugar causes insulin levels in your body to rise. As your insulin rises, it could increase HS flare-ups.
While research studies are needed to prove that cutting down on sugar can reduce HS flare-ups, it might be helpful to eat less sugar. Your body stores extra sugar as fat, which leads to weight gain. Being overweight or obese can worsen HS.
Dairy-free diet: A small study found that when 47 patients with HS went dairy-free, 83% of these patients had less HS and none of these patients had worsening HS. The patients in this study who did not stop eating dairy products did not have fewer HS flare-ups. If you decide to go dairy-free, be sure to include foods that give you calcium and vitamin D. These nutrients are essential for your good health.
Food sensitivities: If you have a food sensitivity, it might contribute to your HS flare-ups. These foods may include brewer’s yeast, alcohol and gluten.
In one 12-month study, 12 patients followed a brewer’s yeast-free diet. They no longer had bread or other baked goods, vinegar, soy sauce, beer, wine, or fermented cheese. At the beginning of this study, these patients also had an in-office procedure to treat their HS. During the year in which they followed the restricted diet, they had no flare-ups of HS. The HS flare-ups began once the diet ended. While this is too small of a study to recommend that people with HS stop consuming foods and drinks that contain brewer’s yeast, food sensitivities may be a topic that you want to discuss with your dermatologist.
Vitamin and mineral supplements: Zinc and Vitamin D
While the studies are small, some findings suggest that zinc can reduce HS flares. In a small study of 22 patients who had mostly mild or moderate HS, taking a zinc supplement helped when medication failed. Eight patients saw their HS go away, and 14 had less HS. Before you rush to buy a zinc supplement, it’s important to know that taking zinc can cause side effects. When you get too much zinc, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. In very high doses, it can damage your kidneys or stomach.
If you have HS and low vitamin D in your blood, taking a vitamin D supplement might help. Dermatologists recommend getting vitamin D from foods, supplements, or both rather than from the sun. Spending time in the sun without sun protection (or using a tanning bed) can increase your risk of developing skin cancer. Twenty-two patients who had low levels of vitamin D were given a vitamin D supplement. Once their vitamin D level was within the normal range, 63% noticed a small decrease in HS. Like zinc, taking too much vitamin D can cause possible side effects. If you have too much vitamin D in your body, it can cause nausea, vomiting, and a feeling of weakness. Be sure to talk with your dermatologist or doctor before taking any vitamin or other supplement to treat HS.
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