Julio Garcia MD

Posts in category skin care

Compact Flourescent Bulb Risks

Aug8th
2012 9 Comments Written by Julio Garcia MD

We are all aware of the push to use compact fluorescent light bulbs in order to replace incandescent bulbs. Many of us have also heard about the potential safety issues were one of the bulbs were to break during its placement or removal. The area would then need to be treated like a miniature toxic area in order to decrease damage from the contents of the bulb. Well, recent literature shows that these curly bulbs are not so good for our skin. When compared to old fashioned bulbs, they appear to potentially increase our risk of skin cancer. Something new we need to worry about!

Read about it by clicking here.

For more information about skin, click on Plastic Surgery in Las Vegas.

More Bad News about Smoking

Jul4th
2012 10 Comments Written by Julio Garcia MD

We have all heard about the bad effects of smoking, including early heart disease, hardening of the blood vessels, lung cancer and of import to plastic surgeons, the earlier loss of skin components like collagen and elastin, along with poor healing after surgery. It is because of the last point, that I ask patients to quit smoking for one month prior and one month after their surgical procedure to reduce the risk of poor healing. I know that can be difficult, but when one has a reward waiting, like finally getting the plastic surgery you want, people get motivated. Personally, the only three times I was ever able to get my 2pack per day mother to quit smoking was for her  three separate cosmetic surgery procedures. Well, it appears that there is an additional negative effect from smoking, and that is skin cancer. Below is the link to the new report.

 

Read it here.

New FDA rules for Sunscreen/blocks

Jul3rd
2012 16 Comments Written by Julio Garcia MD

One of the many things I reiterate to my patients constantly is to use sunBLOCK and not sunSCREEN. The difference between the two is that screen allows a variable amount of sun through while the block does exactly that, blocks the sun’s rays.  Depending on the mode of action sunscreens can be classified into physical sunscreens (i.e., those that reflect the sunlight) or chemical sunscreens (i.e., those that absorb the UV light). The screens are separated by a number, the sun protective factor or SPF. The higher the number, the greater the protection. One old way to think about the sun’s rays was that A caused aging and B caused damage or bad effects.The SPF is an imperfect measure of skin damage because invisible damage and skin aging are also caused byultraviolet type A , which does not cause reddening or pain. Common sunscreen blocks very little UVA rays  relative to the SPF. Broad-spectrum sunscreens are designed to protect against both UVB and UVA. The best UVA protection is provided by products that contain zinc oxide or avobenzone.Titanium dioxide probably gives good protection, but does not completely cover the entire UVA spectrum. recent research suggests that zinc oxide is superior to titanium dioxide at wavelengths. I also tell my patients that when outdoors, they should reapply the sunblock every hour, especially if in the water on and off.  Below is an article about the new labeling changes mandated by the FDA to help you navigate these confusing products.

Read the article here.

Skin Care in the Summer Heat

Jun29th
2012 9 Comments Written by Julio Garcia MD

With the Fourth of July upon us, many will be enjoying pools, the ocean, playing baseball or other outside interests. During these summer months, but actually whenever one sweats, it is important to take proper care of the skin in order to minimize the potential damage done by the sun and possibly other chemicals you might encounter. Below is a good article on the things to do. Those of you take special heed  with the pool water. As a prior competitive swimmer in both high school and college, logging many hours in chlorinated water, I wish I knew these things way back when. Happy Fourth!

Read the article here.

Fore general skin care questions go to Skin Care in Las Vegas.


Diet and How it Affects Your Skin

Jun25th
2012 2 Comments Written by Julio Garcia MD

You have heard the old adage, you are what you eat. Well here is an 21st Century tip on how to affect your skin in a positive fashion by eliminating something from your diet that has been advertised lately for a slew of other bad effects, including obesity. The bad player is high fructose corn syrup. It is in so many foods now that one has to be careful and read the label. Below is a great article explaining exactly why the culprit has a negative effect on our skin.

Read the article here.

For other general questions on skin care, click here at Plastic Surgery in Las Vegas

There is an App for That

Jun15th
2012 1 Comment Written by Julio Garcia MD

Looking for a new cool App for your phone that might keep you healthier. The wait is over. Now there is an App that can monitor your skin and the moles and spots so you can see if it is changing and in the need of a biopsy. It will even alert you when to repeat the photo and also remind you about Sunscreen. Isn’t technology grand!

Check it out here.

Questions about skin care? click on Plastic Surgery in Las Vegas.

New Option for Treating Facial Skin Cancers

Jun14th
2012 5 Comments Written by Julio Garcia MD

Typically the treatment of skin cancers of the face requires surgery and then the resultant scar and possible distortion of the face depending on the amount of skin that has to be removed. In a recent article it appears that there is a new option coming for those patients. In the past, external beam radiation therapy could be done to treat skin cancers, but it involved 4  weeks of sessions, 5 days per week and focusing the treatment only to the offending spot was not always possible, leaving surrounding skin suffering the side effects of the radiation such as hardening of the skin, broken blood vessels and potential hair loss. With this new technology, the treatment cycle is very short and easy and treats only the cancer spot.

Read about it here.

To read more questions and answers about skin and it’s care , click here for Plastic Surgery in Las Vegas.

Sun damage on the face

Jun6th
2012 6 Comments Written by Julio Garcia MD

 

You always hear plastic surgeons telling their patients to use sunscreen or better yet, sunblock. The problem is that effects take so long to show, that most people either think it does not apply to them or they can always avoid the sun later. We all know that sun damage can  lead to skin cancers that can be quite disfiguring or even deadly, but it is difficult to get people to follow our advice. A recent article in the news might give us a foot hold in getting patients to use sun block and avoid the sun. The aid is vanity. Below is an article about the bad effects the sun can have on your skin. Hopefully it will motivate more of you to take our advice.

Read it here.

for info on options for sun damage, read it here at Las Vegas Laser Toning