Today, more people than ever are opting to take a medical approach to skin care. Many skin problems come from within – and need to be addressed from within — although they may exhibit a “cosmetic” downside such as dryness, wrinkling and discoloration. Aesthetic medical technology (aka the “Medispa“) is growing at an explosive rate: There are definite advantages for selecting a medical doctor to treat the health of both your body and skin. Here are “real-life” examples from my own medical practice of patient-diagnosed cosmetic flaws that instead were flags signaling a more severe health-related illness.
Cosmetic Symptoms: Patient came in complaining of a rash under the eyes and severe puffiness. Had been “treating” these symptoms with facials and aloe vera gel.
Medical Diagnosis: Scleroderma. (Note: At times this disease can be very serious.)
Cosmetic Symptoms: Patient thought she had just oily skin and used cosmetic skin cream. With time she developed permanent discoloration because her rash was never treated.
Medical Diagnosis: Seborrheic Dermatitis.
Cosmetic Symptoms: Patient noticed persistent redness in the cheeks, thought it was rosacea after researching it online. She went to a laser clinic to get treatment.
Medical Diagnosis: Lupus. (Note: Patient became quite ill until she was diagnosed and started prescription medication.)
As you can see, general health conditions affect skin. As my patients begin growing older, they begin requesting cosmetic medicines to halt the appearance of the aging process. So I had came up with a treatment plan for the patient, as well as integrate skin care regiments into my internal medicine practice.
During challenging economic times, both women and men seek out non-invasive cosmetic treatments to feel and look better about themselves physically and emotionally. In my office near Grand Central Station, I have busy patients who work long hours and have families. They want treatments that are both time-conservative (during lunch hour or before and after work) and affordable. More serious measures may eventually be prescribed to a client, but to start, prescription-strength glycolic acid peels can do a myriad of things to help skin acne, signs of aging and sun damage. Stronger medical grade chemical peels treat multiple pre-cancer skin lesions. Using such treatments for different purposes can be appealing – or I should say, “apeeling” – excuse the pun!
In closing, know what is going on with your body. Get a proper diagnosis by a medical professional – don’t self-diagnose. Combining the health of your body with the health of your skin is the new trend, and hopefully one here to stay.
