Skin Deep Newsletter, Winter 2010

Winter Skin Help
Dr. Jeanie Leddon was featured in Real Simple magazine’s feature, Winter-Proofing Your Skin, Hair, and Eyes — How to prevent and treat the top 9 cold-weather beauty woes.  Check it out!

Allergic Contact Dermatitis
Don’t ignore a mystery rash.  You could have Allergic Contact Dermatitis, your skin’s way of telling you it doesn’t like something in your environment. Identifying that particular something – or more specifically, what you’re allergic to – is essential for bringing your skin back to good health.

Irritants like acid, alkali and strong detergents can trigger a rash for anyone, so always avoid them. On the other hand, allergens may provoke a specific rash response to an unsuspected, everyday substance.

Once your skin reacts negatively to something – whether it’s jewelry, cosmetics, rubber, latex, or plants – you are officially allergic to an element of that item. Redness, swelling and blistering are common clues.

But because you come into contact with different kinds of elements in various forms every day, you may need a patch test to identify the specific allergen.

That’s where we come in. At BVCD, we offer The North American Contact Dermatitis patch test, which is very comprehensive, testing 65 common allergens (as opposed to conventional patch tests, which target only 25). Also, we can test for combinations of allergens, based on your situation.

This means we can identify what you’re allergic to more precisely and treat your skin more appropriately. We can advise you on how to avoid the offending substance, and materials that may cross-react with it. And when appropriate, we can recommend good substitute products that won’t cause reactions.

If continuously exposed, an allergic rash will go from bad to worse, making skin appear dark, leathery and cracked. The sooner you seek help the better. Call our offices any time to schedule an appointment at (303) 604-1444.

Common Allergens
The US Food and Drug Administration maintains this helpful website on product and ingredient safety. 

• Nickel in jewelry, clasps or buttons.
• Balsam of Peru, a fragrance found in perfumes and lotions.
• Chromium, used in the tanning process for leather products.
• Thimerosal, a mercury compound used in local antiseptics and vaccines.
• Neomycin, a topical antibiotic.
• Fragrance Mix, a group of the eight most common fragrance allergens.
• Formaldehyde, a preservative found in paper products, paints, medications, cleaners, cosmetics and fabrics.
• Cobalt Chloride, a metal found in medical products, hair dyes, antiperspirants and metal-plated objects.
• Bacitracin, a topical antibiotic.
• Colophony, a rosin, sap or sawdust typically from spruce or fir trees.
• Topical steroids.         

Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is a safe, painless and highly effective way to restore a clear, youthful glow to the skin. The procedure sloughs off dead and dull surface layers of the skin, stimulating an increase in collagen production and rejuvenation. Many patients see dramatic improvements in the tone, texture and color of treated areas after just one treatment. It also can improve:

• Oily or dull skin
• Enlarged or clogged pores
• Fine lines
• Mild acne scars
• Mild complexion problems

Book a lunchtime appointment. It takes only about 45 minutes!