A Message From Dr. Young

Dear Valued Patients, Friends and Colleagues,

We hope that you are enjoying the beautiful days of early fall!

We count our blessings every day and feel fortunate to continue to be at your service. Time seems to fly; we just celebrated our two-year anniversary a few weeks ago. In the last two years, in addition to being blessed with many wonderful new relationships, we have been reconnected with many of our longtime patients who found us in our new practice. We are honored by your trust, and we are grateful for your continued confidence in us. Our relationships with you mean the world to us. Thank you for allowing us to learn from you and thank you for enriching our lives with your stories.

In the forefront of innovation, this fall brings two new, next-generation, safe and effective treatment options for psoriasis!  We (dermatologists and patients with psoriasis) have recognized the need for more effective and tolerable oral medications, as psoriasis is a chronic, systemic, immune-mediated disease that is associated with serious comorbidities (including inflammatory arthritis, heart attacks and strokes). Deucravacitinib (Sotyktu™), a tyrosine kinase (TYK-2) inhibitor, is a new, once-daily, well-tolerated, oral medication which has been FDA approved for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis, with durable efficacy and safety. Roflumilast cream (Zoryve™), a PDE4 inhibitor, is a new, well-tolerated and effective, non-steroidal, topical medication approved for treatment of psoriasis, including sensitive areas (face and intertriginous areas/skin folds), without the risk of skin thinning. We hope that these new medications may help fulfill some of our psoriasis patients’ unmet needs.

We wish you a bountiful fall season!

Sincerely,
Alison Young, MD PhD

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Procedure of the Month

GENIUS™

Treats Wrinkles, Skin Laxity and Scars

Lutronic’s Genius™ is a fractional radiofrequency (RF) microneedling device which directly delivers energy inside the skin to coagulate collagen, resulting in contraction and the replacement of degenerated and altered collagen with production of new collagen. Recent studies have shown that even when used as a single treatment method, RF therapy technology is one of the most effective techniques in the treatment of skin laxity (loose skin) and wrinkles. In addition, controlled heat modifies the elastic properties of the dermal tissue, by increasing the extensibility of fibrous tissue, promoting flexibility and improvement of scars. As RF energy bypasses the skin surface to penetrate deep into the dermis, Genius™ can be used to treat any skin type. Treatments are customized with precision for each patient, with minimal discomfort and downtime. Usually, three treatments, spaced 2-3 months apart, are recommended for best results.

Product of the Month

Vivier’s Retinols

Not all retinols are created equal. Vivier’s retinols are formulated with Poly-Pore® Technology that provides a sustained slow release to enhance performance while reducing irritation. Reinforced with vitamins C and E to maximize results and Squalane to boost hydration and further reduce irritation and redness, Vivier’s retinols visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin tone and texture, and minimize blemishes and pores, resulting in smoother, firmer and more radiant-looking skin.

Ingredients:

• Pure Retinol – improves epidermal turnover, increases fibroblast proliferation and production of collagen and elastin, induces dermal repair of photodamage
• Vitamin C – reduces free-radical damage and environmental stress, enhances collagen synthesis, anti-inflammatory
• Vitamin E – reduces free-radical damage, strengthens skin barrier
• Squalane – hydrates, softens, soothes and protects the skin from redness, has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties

I love Vivier’s retinols because they are so gentle, non-irritating and they work! I recommend incorporating a retinoid which you can tolerate consistently every day, in all skin care regimens (to reduce photoaging, treat acne-prone skin, discoloration, improve skin tone and texture, and brighten the skin by boosting cellular turnover). It is also an important part of pre-conditioning to enhance results of skin rejuvenation procedures including laser resurfacing and microneedling. – Dr Young

Did You Know?

Fractional Microneedle Radiofrequency Appears Safe, Effective For Improving Enlarged Facial Pores, Research Suggests

Dermatology Advisor (9/14, Stong) reports, “Fractional microneedle radiofrequency (FMR) is safe and effective for improving enlarged facial pores,” investigators concluded in a “retrospective study” that “included clinical data of 75 patients with large facial pores who received FMR treatment from January 2019 to December 2020.” The findings were published online in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.

I find Fractional Microneedling Radiofrequency to be helpful in treating acne scars, enlarged pores, other types of scars as well as reducing wrinkles and skin laxity, in the appropriate patient.  – Dr Young

Microneedling May Improve Long-Term Appearance Of Scars After Surgery, Especially If Done Early, Study Suggests

HealthDay (9/7, Norton) reports “microneedling may help surgical scars heal more attractively – especially if it’s done within a couple of months of surgery, a small study suggests.” Investigators “found that for 25 patients, microneedling improved the long-term appearance of scars after various types of surgery – based on both patient and [physician] ratings,” and those “who underwent their first microneedling session within six or seven weeks of surgery had the best results.” The findings were published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The technique “is generally safe, according to the American Academy of Dermatology – typically causing redness or other skin irritation for a few days.”

I find that early treatment of surgical and acne scars may yield better results, compared to delaying treatment. – Dr Young

Dr. Young's Tip of the Month

What is Shingles and How to Reduce Your Risk

Shingles (also known as herpes zoster) is a painful, blistering rash, caused by reactivation of the chickenpox virus. If you had chickenpox, the virus that caused it is still inside your body. When the chickenpox cleared, the virus moved from your skin to your nerves. Should this virus travel back to your skin, you will get shingles.

Get medical care for shingles immediately

If you have a blistering rash and suspect that you may have shingles, you want to see a doctor as soon as possible. Should you have shingles, starting an anti-viral medication within 2 to 3 days of developing the rash can dramatically:

• Reduce your symptoms, such as pain
• Lessen the amount of time you have shingles
• Lower your risk of developing other health problems, such as a condition called postherpetic neuralgia, which is pain that can linger for months or years after the rash clears

 
If you’ve had the rash for longer than 2 or 3 days, it’s still important to see a doctor. Shingles can lead to other health problems aside from long-lasting pain. For example, when the shingles rash develops on your face, it can affect your vision. Timely treatment can save your vision.
A few people who get shingles develop pneumonia, hearing loss, or a disease that causes the brain to swell (encephalitis). It’s important to find signs of these diseases early, so that you can receive treatment to prevent complications.

Herpes zoster differs from other types of herpes

Hearing the word “herpes” can be confusing. Herpes zoster (also called zoster) is not a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It cannot cause genital herpes. Herpes zoster also doesn’t cause cold sores. Both genital herpes and cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus.

The herpes virus that causes shingles and chickenpox is called the varicella-zoster virus.

Millions get shingles each year

Doctors diagnose more than 1 million cases of shingles in the United States every year. Many of these people are surprised to find out that they have shingles because they don’t remember having had chickenpox. Chickenpox can be very mild. You may have had it when you were too young to remember.

If you were born before 1980, you have a greater than 99% chance of having had chickenpox, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Anyone who has had chickenpox can get shingles.

Shingles vaccine can prevent shingles and related health problems

A vaccine can reduce your risk of developing shingles and possible health problems that can follow.

Because shingles usually develops in people who are 50 or older, the CDC recommends that every healthy adult who is 50 years of age or older get the recombinant zoster vaccine (Shingrix®).

In the clinical trials required to approve this vaccine, researchers found it to be extremely effective. The Shingrix® vaccine reduced the risk of developing shingles by:

• 96.6% in people 50-59 years old
• 97.4% in people 60-69 years old
• 91.3% in people 70 or older 

Shingles is contagious

Getting the shingles vaccine can also greatly reduce your risk of infecting others. While you have shingles blisters, you can spread the virus to others.

You cannot give anyone shingles; however, someone who hasn’t had chickenpox can get chickenpox. Anyone who has gotten the chickenpox vaccine has much less risk of developing chickenpox.

Because you are contagious while you have shingles blisters, it’s extremely important to keep the rash covered and stay away from:

• Pregnant women
• Babies younger than 12 months
• Anyone who is sick, especially with cancer or immunocompromised
• Anyone who has not had chickenpox