Krysten Cefalo, one of our talented medical assistants, chose to “treat” herself to a different vacation this fall for her birthday. She decided to volunteer in Costa Rica at medical shelters for elderly people and ill children with disabilities through International Volunteer HQ. Volunteering for a medical mission was something she wanted to do for years, but never had the confidence to do it until she had years of medical experience as a nurse. Krysten spent a week doing wellness checks, changing wounds, giving injections (up to 48 in a day!), and attending to bed-bound patients. Although she did not … Continue reading »
Out with winter means outside with the kids! But, with spring and summer come the bugs: Mosquitoes, ants, black flies… the whole array. Whether you are on the sports field or at the beach, insect bites are common. Some children react much more than others, but there are a few things that can help prevent discomfort, itch, and swelling. Below are tips our dermatologists give parents who call or visit SkinCare Physicians for advice: Icing or cold compresses can actually help with all 3 symptoms -discomfort, itch, swelling- significantly. Whether the bite is new or not, it can still be … Continue reading »
When the temperatures dip low, we still want to go outside, run errands, shovel or just have fun with winter sports! However, in the frigid outdoors, we need to keep our skin protected to avoid frostbite, a serious medical condition with permanent consequences in some cases. The dermatologists at SkinCare Physicians tell how to avoid the risks of frostbite if you plan to stay outside for a while.
Earlier this year, our dermatologists shed some light on a few common skincare beliefs that they regularly hear in the exam room. Today, we go over three nail care myths to help you maintain healthy hands and feet. Taking proper care of your fingernails is particularly important, as your hands are visible year-round and your feet like to show off in the summer! Nail Myth #1 – Those little white lines on my nails must mean I have a deficiency. The myth continues, but those white marks on your nails are not a sign of a vitamin or nutritional deficiency. … Continue reading »
Summer is in full swing. We are all hopefully enjoying a reprieve from a long and cold winter in Boston with beach time, outdoor activities, and fun. While most of us welcome these summer days, we at Skincare Physicians always remind our patients that summer is a great time to start checking all the spots on your body, be they brown, tan, blue, gray, yellow, pink, or red with a monthly self-skin examination. Performing a self-skin check is a great way to identify new or changing lesions that should be brought to the attention of your dermatologist. Once a month, take a … Continue reading »
There can be many misconceptions about skin and skin care. As dermatologists at SkinCare Physicians, we often hear the same beliefs from our patients in the Boston area, so shedding some light on these may be helpful to you, your families, and your friends. Skin Myth #1: My makeup/moisturizer contains spf, so my skin is protected all day Many people wear a daily moisturizer or makeup that contains sunscreen, which is a healthy habit to protect the skin from UV rays on a routine basis. However, don’t be fooled into thinking you are protected all day. The sunscreen in moisturizers … Continue reading »
As a mother of three young children and a dermatologist in the Boston area at Skincare Physicians, I know first-hand the difficulties in helping our children understand skin issues and treatments. To help facilitate our conversations about diagnoses and treatments with our kids, I found several tools to consider and explore. #1 The Eczema App This app allows parents and older children to record and track eczema flare-ups, take notes about flares and treatments, and take and store pictures of flared areas. It’s an effective tool that allows children to better communicate with their parents and doctor about their eczema … Continue reading »
Year after year, liposuction in Boston and around the country remains very popular— and with good reason. Liposuction physically removes fat cells from the body, streamlining patients’ physiques and providing results that diet and exercise often can’t match. In adults, it’s not the number of fat cells that fluctuates as weight changes; it’s the size of the cells. Unless your fat cells are physically removed from your body, as with liposuction, the number you have now is the number you’ll have a decade from now, even with good diet and exercise habits. Though liposuction does permanently eliminate some fat cells, the fat … Continue reading »
When seeing patients, lots of questions arise about sun safety. Given our long winters and lack of year-round warmth, patients often have a lot of questions about indoor tanning. They wonder about things such as: Is there such thing as a healthy tan? Isn’t indoor tanning safer because you can control the time you are exposed to the lights? Isn’t it better to get a “base” tan rather than to burn in the sun? How much can really happen if I am just going tanning once in a while? Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a healthy tan. “Base” … Continue reading »
As spring blooms, so does our joy and love of participating in outdoor sports and activities. However, ultraviolet radiation emitted from the sun is the cause of the majority of skin cancers. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States and accounts for half of all cancer cases. Therefore, proper sun protection is imperative in the prevention of skin cancer. Easy tips to follow for practicing sun safety are: Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the rays are the strongest. Try to get out and enjoy outdoor activities before or after … Continue reading »
