When it comes to cosmetic procedures, the better you are informed, the better the experience, and hopefully the results. However, reaching out to a skin care professional to obtain the proper information regarding the procedure can be intimidating. Upon reading this blog post, we hope you are left feeling confident about your decision to seek the assistance of a skin care professional as well as any procedures you may be considering.
Where to Begin
First things first, what exactly are your aesthetic goals? To effectively meet your needs, thoroughly assess your appearance and familiarize yourself with the different types of skin care professionals. The following types of specialists compose the staff of Knoxville Dermatology Group and Medi-Spa of Knoxville Dermatology Group:
+Dermatologists are physicians who are trained exclusively in the care of the skin, hair and nails.
+ Medical aestheticians are licensed skin-care specialists that treat facial skin to maintain and improve its appearance. Their expertise includes skin analysis, massage therapy, skin treatment administration, hair removal, cosmetics and makeup application.
When you are certain of the type physician you need, begin your research:
+ Look for certifications: Board-certified doctors are up to date on the qualifications necessary to perform a procedure. Your doctor should be in good standing with the appropriate professional societies (such as American Board of Dermatology) and hold the correct American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) board certification. ABMS is an organization that consists of 24 medical specialty Member Boards and is the top establishment for monitoring certified physician specialists in the United States.
+ Background check your doctor: After you find a physician who has the proper experience and training in treating your area of concern, check your state medical board records to ensure there are no current negligent actions against him or her.
Meeting the Doctor
Before embarking on the “interview” process with the doctors you are considering, you should prepare a list of questions and concerns. Here are a few to give you ideas:
+ How many procedures, like mine, have you performed?
+ Can you show me before-and-after photos?
+ Is there anything that you recommend I do before the procedure to ensure better results or quicker recovery?
+ What are the risks associated with this procedure? What about alternative treatments?
+ What is the recovery like? When will I begin to see results?
+ When can I begin wearing makeup again and using skin-care products? How can I maintain my results?
As part of the interview process, review his or her “resume” and “portfolio” of work. Do not be discouraged if you have to meet several doctors before selecting the right one for you.
Assess the Facility
When you go to interview your doctor, thoroughly inspect the facility and don’t shy away from asking the doctor or office manager questions. To begin, the facility where your procedure is going to be performed should be accredited and in good standing with one of several major accredited organizations. According to the general standards as outlined by these organizations:
+ The medical staff must meet the qualification standards.
+ The facility must pass regular inspections for safety, sterility, protocols and record-keeping.
+ The facility must pass a peer-reviewed quality-assured inspection.
+ The facility must meet the guidelines set forth for emergency equipment, and the staff must be trained in lifesaving procedures. Make sure you discuss your doctor’s emergency plan.
Learn about Anesthesia Options
Now that you have assessed your doctor and his or her facility, you should proceed with an in-person consultations and health evaluation. During this meeting, you will learn all about the procedure. For procedures that only need topical, oral or local anesthesia, like fillers and nonablative laser treatments, your physician or physician’s assistant can administer your anesthesia or write you a prescription for anesthetic medicine. At Medi-Spa of Knoxville Dermatology Group, local (topical or injectable) anesthesia is most commonly used. Cream is applied or anesthesia is injected to the area that will be treated, which will numb only that area. This sensation occurs in minutes with injections, but topical can take several minutes. Potential side effects are typically mild and should be discu ssed with your doctor.
Now that we have outlined the basics for finding the best skin care professional for you, proceed with your search with confidence and assurance! We hope you consider one of our practices!
For more information or to schedule an appointment, at 865.342.5823 (Knoxville location) or 865.868.4683 (Sevierville location).
Many people go out of their way to keep their finger- and toenails perfectly polished and manicured at all times, but many of us mistreat and abuse our nails. Fingernails and toenails are looked at as a small-scale snapshot of our overall health, and if they look unhealthy, so do we.
Nail fast facts:
- Fingernails grow an average of 0.1 mm per day
- Fingernails grow faster than toenails, especially on your dominant hand
- Nails grow faster in summer than winter
Nail health is easy to maintain as long as you follow some simple do’s and don’ts.
- Always make sure to wear properly fitting shoes; too-small shoes can lead to ingrown toenails.
- Moisturize your cuticles daily (look for thick hand creams, especially those with Vitamin E in them), and make sure to always dry hands and feet thoroughly each time they get wet.
- Wear rubber gloves when washing dishes so your nails aren’t constantly soaking in hot water.
- Massage your nail-beds to increase blood-flow which stimulates nail growth.
- When using nail polish remover, make sure it doesn’t have acetone or formaldehyde, which can stain nails.
- Never pick at or pull hangnails, as it can lead to tissue tears.
Healthy nails should be smooth, without ridges or grooves. They should be uniform in color and consistency, and free of spots or discoloration.
Unhealthy nail signs include: yellow discoloration, separation of nail from nail bed (onycholysis), indentations that run across nails (Beau’s lines), nail pitting, opaque or white nails, and/or curved nails.
Yellowing of the nails can be cause by dark nail polish, nail polish remover, or could be a sign of psoriasis. White spots on nail beds are usually caused by nail traumas (like closing your finger in a door), but can be a sign of Zinc deficiency. Brittleness and peeling could be due to not wearing gloves while washing dishes, but also could be due to a lack of linoleic acid, which can be found in fish oils.
What you can do:
Improving your nail health could be as simple as adding a few more vitamins and minerals to your diet. Here are a few vitamins/minerals that can improve nail health:
- Silicon helps facilitate the formation of collagen, which is necessary for skin and nail health
- Vitamin E and Zinc are effective in the treatment of yellow nail syndrome
- Biotin increases thickness and strength of brittle nails
- Iron is especially important for those who are iron-deficient anemic. Anemia affects 20% of women, and 50% of pregnant women, and can cause thin and brittle nails
- L-cysteine is an essential amino acid and a key component of keratin, hair and nails.
- If you’re ever concerned about your nail health, be sure to schedule an appointment with your dermatologist.
Medi-Spa at Knoxville Dermatology Group features several manicure and pedicure options to keep your nails healthy and beautiful.
For more information or to schedule an appointment contact us at 865.342.5823 (Knoxville location) or 865.868.4683 (Sevierville location).
Summer is here, and along with the beach, the cookouts, and the pool, it brings the sun. As warm and beautiful as the weather is during this time of the year, it can also be dangerous for your skin. A favorite of most women for easy skin protection is the foundation-SPF combination treatment, but before you pick your regimen, you should know more.
Makeup products with SPF are usually around SPF 5-15, which is not enough for the direct sun exposure most of us get during the summer months. A minimum SPF 15 is highly recommended, and the higher the SPF rating the better!
While foundation-SPF combinations are easy to use, pretty, and convenient, they generally aren’t enough on their own. Generally we don’t apply our makeup everywhere we need to have the SPF coverage (i.e. neck, ears, hairline, and the back of your hands).
Tinted moisturizers are another convenient way to keep your skin moisturized while giving your skin protection from the sun. Tinted moisturizers generally are more sheer in coverage compared to full-coverage foundations, and take away yet another step in your morning beauty routine. But again, like foundation, you wouldn’t apply tinted moisturizer in all of the same places you need the SPF protection.
Another easy to use, lightweight, protective makeup product is pressed powder containing SPF. It’s easy to reapply throughout the day (every two hours) without having to re-do all of your makeup. While being lightweight and protective, it also helps reduce shine.
Since some general-use sunscreens breakdown when used with foundation, a moisturizer with SPF 15 or higher is your best bet for your face. It can be applied before your normal makeup routine, contains the recommended SPF level, is easy to apply (on your ears, neck, and hands, too, not just your face!), and gives you the controlled moisturizing component you are looking for in a base before your foundation.
The good thing:
Since the FDA regulates SPF ratings, the number you see on your makeup choice really is accurate. But remember, just because it has an SPF rating, doesn’t mean it’s enough protection for you. SPF 15 is the lowest rating recommended for daily protection use.
SPF 101:
- SPF 15 (the lowest SPF recommended for sun exposure) blocks approximately 93% of all incoming UVB rays
- SPF 30 blocks 97% of all incoming UVB rays
- SPF 50 blocks 98% of all incoming UVB rays
Sunscreen tips to keep in mind:
- No sunscreen should be expected to remain effective after 2 hours without reapplication.
- Red sunburns just show UVB ray damage, you can’t see UVA ray damage.
- Don’t skimp on SPF protection just because it’s cloudy out! Up to 40% of UV rays can still reach you, even on a completely overcast day.
Medi-Spa at Knoxville Dermatology Group features several skin care product lines including GLO Minerals. GLO minerals is a mineral-based makeup line that offers SPF protection.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Medi-Spa at 865.342.5823 (Knoxville location) or 865.868.4683 (Sevierville location).
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