Here are a few of the most common skin problems women face. Find out what causes them and the best        ways that you and your skin care professional can fix these trouble spots. Furthermore, come to Medi- Spa at Knoxville Dermatology Group as we offer services that address these skin conditions.

Age or liver spots:

Age or liver spots are really sun spots caused by ultraviolet damage. “Melanocytes – the cells that                   produce melanin, which gives skin its color – get damaged over time and produce more uneven [pigment],” according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

The result?  Spots that pop up on sun-exposed parts of your body.

Skin Suggestion: Try a one-two punch: one product to lighten the skin and another to exfoliate (which helps the ingredients sink in).

Consider incorporating chemical peels and/or microdermabrasion in your skin care regime; they use tiny rough grains to buff the skin and slough away dead skin cells.

For stubborn, dark age spots, try intense pulsed light (IPL) laser treatments to lighten them. However, 3-4 sessions with an experienced dermatologist/skin care professional may be necessary to achieve desired results.After treatments, use sunscreen religiously; it’s the best way to prevent age spots in the first place.

Spider and varicose veins
Spider and varicose veins occur when veins have valves that prevent blood from flowing backward. When the valves weaken, they allow blood to flow backward and pool, causing the bulges.Varicose veins are often blue, appear twisted and stick out from the skin’s surface. Spider veins are often red or blue, small and look like branches right under the skin. Both tend to crop up in the legs; spider veins occasionally appear on the face.

They’re caused by heredity, sun damage, hormonal changes (such as pregnancy) or adult rosacea according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Skin Suggestion: Non-invasive laser technology can erase facial spider veins, which are dilated blood vessels. The treatment requires about three sessions spaced a month apart. It will cause redness for a few days.

Sclerotherapy is the gold standard for treating varicose veins. After assessing the vein through an ultrasound, a physician injects an agent, such as glycerin, into the varicose vein. This causes the vein to immediately shrink and dissolve over a period of weeks.  A series of three injections are needed. You’ll also have to wear support stockings for a week after each treatment.

Dermatologists recommend regular exercise to improve leg strength and circulation. Additionally, they say don’t cross your legs while sitting and don’t stand in one place for long periods.

Stretch marks
Stretch marks are a result of rapid weight gain (e.g. during pregnancy). Weight loss stretches the skin to the point of breaking, just like a rubber band that loses its elasticity. The result?  Pinkish, reddish or purplish grooves that appear on breasts, hips, stomach, and/or rear.

Skin Suggestion: Stretch marks are best treated when they’re fresh and still red. Moisturizing makes the skin more pliable and helps reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Prescription retinoid cream, such as Retin-A, is effective too.

Rosacea
The cause of this skin condition isn’t known, but it can show itself in several ways: facial flushing (including redness on the cheeks and nose), acne-like bumps, small, dilated blood vessels near the skin’s surface, and swollen bumps along the nose and eyes.

Skin Suggestion: Use cleansers and moisturizers with anti-inflammatory properties to alleviate redness.

Interestingly, caffeine helps to close dilated blood vessels that bring on flushing, so drinking coffee could be beneficial. Also steer clear of rosacea triggers: Avoid the sun (and always apply sun block), hot and cold temperatures, spicy foods and alcoholic drinks. For moderate to severe cases of rosacea, try daily topical treatments or oral antibiotics to reduce inflammation and pimple-like bumps.

IPL laser treatments can zap visible blood vessels and facial redness in one to five sessions, depending on the condition’s severity.

Ingrown hairs

The culprit is shaving and waxing. Shaving cuts hairs to a sharp point. When it starts to grow in, the hair shaft pierces the skin surrounding the follicle. In other cases, it curls and grows back into the skin rather than breaking through it.

As with acne, bacteria can infect it, causing soreness, redness and pus.
Skin Suggestion: Put down the tweezers and instead slough off the top layer of skin to free trapped hair. Here’s how:

• First, wet a washcloth in hot water, wring it out and apply the warm compress to the ingrown hair. This softens the skin so the hair can work its way through it.
• If that doesn’t work, gently exfoliate the area with a soft loofah while showering or apply a chemical exfoliate, such as alpha hydroxy acid or salicylic acid, twice a day.
• If the area is inflamed and has pus, dab on benzoyl peroxide to kill the bacteria, just as you would with a pimple.

In the future, consider laser hair removal treatments since they remove unwanted hair in about two to three sessions. Moreover, it is less likely to cause ingrown hairs.
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For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact us at 865.342.5823(Knoxville location) or 865.868.4683 (Sevierville location).