The Aesthetic Show 2013

This year marks the third consecutive year Dr. Alex has attended The Aesthetic Show, an annual convention held in Las Vegas, NV featuring the latest in aesthetic treatments, technology, and products. This year The Aesthetic Show was held from May 16 to 19, 2013 at the Mirage convention center, a beautiful venue. Over 2,000 people attended from across the world, including doctors and their staffs. Dr. Alex and his assistant Mikalah attended numerous seminars by leading experts to improve the service and results at A E Skin. Dr. Alex took a full day course in consulting to help provide outstanding service to patients. Additionally, Dr. Alex was invited to a casting call for Aesthetic TV, an online service designed to teach the public about what's new in the aesthetic community. The technical exhibits featured vendors from laser companies, skin care lines, and more, including partners such as Sciton lasers, Elta MD, Clarisonic, Merz Aesthetics, makers of Xeomin, Medicis, makers of Restylane, and Allergan, makers of Juvederm and Latisse. On Saturday night, The Aesthetic Awards ceremony was hosted by Dr. Andrew Ordon of the hit television show "The Doctors". As in past years numerous raffle prizes were given out totaling of over $ 250,000 in value. Michael Moretti and his staff produced a great show as always and we look forward to the event next year.

Skin Cancer Awareness

May is skin cancer awareness month. There are two major forms of skin cancer: melanoma and non-melanoma. While melanoma is more dangerous, non-melanoma skin cancer is much more common. The most important thing we can do to decrease our risk for skin cancer is protect ourselves from the sun. This includes properly applying sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 daily and reapplying it every two hours if outdoors for prolonged periods. The ABCDE's of melanoma are important signs to look for in moles to determine if they are suspicious and should be seen by a dermatologist.

ABCDE's of melanoma

Skin cancer is abnormal growth of skin cells. It can affect people of all skin types and colors, but those with fair skin have increased risk. It occurs most commonly on areas of high sun exposure such as the face and backs of the arms. The American Academy of Dermatology has outstanding resources to learn more about skin cancer.

Skin Care for Mothers

Dr. Alex and his mother Yafa

Happy Mother's Day from A E Skin. This is the perfect opportunity to discuss good skin care for mothers. There are a number of things mothers can do to keep their skin healthy. These include both a regimen that is done at home as well as procedures done in an office or spa.

Sunscreen

Daily sunscreen use is first and foremost because years of sun exposure causes damage to the skin which is seen as fine lines, wrinkles, laxity, and discoloration. Mothers should also teach their children to apply sunscreen daily starting at 6 months of age. Sunscreens should have a minimum SPF of 30 with UVA protection such as the Elta MD UV Clear.

Moisturizer

Approximately two thirds of the skin is made up of water and an adequate amount of water is essential for proper function. Moisturizer should be applied at least twice daily, or even more for mothers with dry skin or those in dry climates. Heavy moisturizers retain the water better and are usually used at night, since most people prefer something lighter during the day. For best hydration, apply a hydrating serum just before applying a moisturizer to bring the water into the skin. Also, be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water every day so your body is well hydrated.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation is something that can be done in many different ways. At home this can be done with scrubs, loofahs, washcloths, or brushes such as the Clarisonic. You can also apply topical products such as an exfoliating serum to remove the dead skin from the surface. Professional treatments are more deep and include facials, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser resurfacing.

Retinoids

Using a retinoid such as retinol or its prescription-strength counterpart, retin-A, will stimulate collagen production, which slows down with age. This will improve fine lines, wrinkles, and laxity. At the same time it will stimulate cell turnover, which also slows down with age, giving a soft and smooth texture and a bright glowing appearance.

Antioxidants

Application of topical antioxidants such as vitamin C will help improve the color, texture, and radiance of the skin and protect the skin from sun damage. While eating foods rich in antioxidants such as berries is good for the health, usually these antioxidants are delivered to the entire body so only a small amount reaches the skin.

Eye Care

The eyes are often considered the central part of the face because that is what people see first when looking at your face. Eye creams or gels such as the Elta MD Renew Eye Gel will help with puffiness, wrinkles, and dark circles around the eyes.

Overall Health and Wellness

The skin often shows what is going on inside your body, especially in times of stress. It is therefore important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to keep your skin looking flawless. This includes eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep at night.

All of us at A E Skin wish you a wonderful Mother's Day!

Xeomin Now Available at A E Skin

A E Skin is excited to offer a new neuromodulator called Xeomin, an alternative to Botox. Similar to Botox and Dysport, Xeomin will relax muscles on the face to improve wrinkles on areas such as the forehead, between the eyebrows, and around the eyes, to name a few. While Xeomin is the newest such product that has been approved by the FDA, it has been used for several years in Europe under the name Bocouture; and it is made by Merz Aesthetics, the same company that makes Radiesse. Xeomin is similar to Botox and Dysport in that they all last three to four months. Xeomin seems to have a faster onset of action than Botox, meaning that the results are seen faster. Compared to Dysport, Xeomin (and Botox) do not spread as much, which is important because spreading can lead to side effects such as blurred vision and droopy eyelids. The biggest difference between Xeomin and the other neuromodulators is the structure of the protein. Because of this difference, Xeomin has a decreased risk of allergic reactions compared to Botox and Dysport. Another advantage is that Xeomin is stored at room temperature before reconstitution, decreasing the likelihood of degradation. Contact Dr. Alex (818-835-1833 info@aeskin.com) for a free consultation.