Why autumn is the right time for a visit to a dermatologist, why it is important to evaluate the marks left by the sun and what possibilities laser medicine offers, tells Māja, the dermatovenerologist of the Dermatology Clinic, specialist in preventive medicine, president of Baltic Antiaging and Preventive Medicine, Dr. med. Jana Janovska.
The sun, although always welcome, gives not only a positive mood, but also leaves merciless marks on the skin of the face and body. Therefore, autumn is the right time to evaluate the condition of the skin and correct what can be corrected.
Why autumn is the right time for a visit to a dermatologist, why it is important to evaluate the marks left by the sun and what possibilities laser medicine offers, tells Māja the Health Center 4 ( VC4 ), dermatovenerologist of the Dermatology Clinic, specialist in preventive medicine, president of Baltic anti-aging and preventive medicine, Dr. med. Jana Janovska.
Sun marks may progress
"Most people have sun marks on their skin after the tanning season, which may disappear during the winter period, but may also remain for a long time and even progress with each subsequent insolation period. Because sun exposure is not only immediate (sunburn) and delayed (sunburn), but also cumulative (chronic skin changes caused by the sun). And cumulative action is explained by the accumulation of ultraviolet (UV) radiation during life (with each episode of UV exposure). Therefore, at the end of the summer season, it is important to summarize the changes in the skin caused by sunbathing and its regeneration possibilities, delving into the basic principles of skin protection and regeneration," says Dr. med. Jana Janovska.
"One of the most common reasons why patients visit a dermatologist at the end of summer is to evaluate the condition of moles. Patients are worried that the birthmarks have changed, increased in size, have come to the fore. Here, of course, it is important to evaluate whether they are really moles that have appeared, or hyperpigmented new formations, or seborrheic keratoses, which are one of the clinical symptoms of aging," says Jana Janovska. She explains: it is more difficult to fight with facial hyperpigmentation if there are any endocrinological diseases associated with hormonal imbalance. If it's just sun-induced hyperpigmentation, or lentigo type pigmentation, it can be broken up with a laser.
«If it is seborrheic keratosis, which is often very similar to moles - they can be light brown, dark brown, even black, and they are most often localized on areas exposed to the sun - we use the Erbi laser, the superficial skin cells are simply vaporized. Seborrheic keratosis can also itch and peel, and usually these neoplasms worry patients a lot, - many are worried, thinking that it is melanoma,» says the dermatologist. But she believes: it is good that people are worried about it and seek specialist advice. "If something appears on the skin of the body and changes very aggressively, it is imperative to consult a dermatologist. Yes, maybe it is a benign growth that can be removed if the patient wants, but maybe it is a premalignant skin growth that can turn into a skin malignancy within a few months. Unfortunately, the incidence of skin cancer increases over the years in our latitudes. In addition, at first it can be just a gentle pink spot, which a person does not even pay attention to. That is why a visit to a dermatologist is highly recommended."
Birthmarks and pink faces
The dermatologist says: for a couple of years now, the VC4 Dermatology and Surgery Clinic has been able to perform digital mapping of birthmarks with the latest and most modern MoleMax digital dermatoscopy equipment. This means that all birthmarks are photographed (both macroscopically and dermatoscopically) and in the future it is possible to follow them - to observe whether they tend to change. The cost of such a procedure is on average from 60 to 100 euros (depending on the number of birthmarks), and the doctor recommends it mainly for those who have a family history of skin cancer, people with a very light skin phototype and people who have a lot of birthmarks.
"I have noticed that after summer and exposure to the sun, problems related to blood capillaries worsen - it is acne rosacea, rosacea, couperosis, erythrosis. All rosy faces unfortunately become brighter, blood vessels dilate and function worse. Changes in the condition of the skin caused by blood vessels also have to be dealt with, and in our clinic there are several options for laser treatment of pink faces - either just the temples or the capillaries around the nose, which is a very common phenomenon.
It could end fatally
Dermatologist Jana Janovska says that papillomas (benign skin growths of viral origin) are quite common, especially in overweight people. They are localized mainly on the décolleté, neck area, armpits, and if papillomas are not eliminated in time, they multiply. The doctor claims that it is not difficult to remove a papilloma today, and this procedure only takes 7-10 minutes. And the main thing she wants to emphasize: under no circumstances should invasive manipulations be performed by beauticians or beauticians. "In my practice, there have been many cases when a patient comes and says that the cosmetologist offered to freeze the papilloma with liquid nitrogen. Clinical examination of this supposed papilloma reveals that it is a real birthmark. Thank God that it was benign and that the patient had refused this manipulation. If there were any adverse changes in the birthmark, such unprofessional behavior could even end fatally.»
The results are very good
How long is the recovery period after laser procedures? "It depends on the infestation. When treating skin hyperpigmentation, the skin has to be damaged a bit, so there will be a scab that lasts for about 3-5 days, but then it falls off and the skin smooths out. You can get rid of summer freckles using IPL technology, which is intense pulsating light - it is not a laser, and in principle it does not damage the top layer of the skin. It acts directly on the pigments or blood vessels, and after the procedure the patient can immediately go back to his business. Noontime procedure,» says the dermatologist, adding that the next day (depending on the intensity of the procedure) there may be a slight peeling of the skin, or there may not be.
The most advanced technology available in the VC4 is the Elos SRA , which contains both intense pulsed light and radio frequencies, meaning it has a dual effect, both regenerating or rejuvenating the skin and evening out skin tone. The duration of the procedure is 20-30 minutes, it is not painful, and the recovery process is only one day.
"If we are talking about invasive procedures for facial skin restoration - for smoothing microrelief, for eliminating facial wrinkles, also for eliminating acne scars - where skin is cut and damaged, the recovery period is 3-5 days. This procedure is very serious, and the result is really visible already after the first procedure," says Jana Janovska. She continues: «The most serious surgical laser we work with is the fractional CO2 laser (CO2RE). It is used for skin polishing - to reduce hypertrophied scars, deeper wrinkles. The procedure is quite painful and the recovery period is up to one month. Of course, it is not an alternative to plastic surgery, but the results are very good. In addition, this procedure is easier to tolerate than plastic surgery.»
You don't see the primary changes yourself
After the sun season, the patient can have both hyperpigmentation (increased skin pigmentation) and depigmentation (loss of pigment, white spots). The dermatologist claims that the second is much more difficult to treat.
It is also difficult to fight with couperose, because the blood vessels have a tendency to renew and regenerate. "If the patient has a genetic predisposition to the formation of blood vessels, it means that we can only reduce the amount of blood vessels, but there is no guarantee that new blood vessels will not appear. Of course, immediately after the procedure, the patient's quality of life definitely improves, because the condition does not worsen. But this also means that, in order to fight with such an individual peculiarity, the procedure must be repeated on average once every six months.»
dr. med. Jana Janovska says: it can happen that a person has been sunbathing for years and there are no problems. And then suddenly in one day, when the critical peak is reached, everything explodes at the same time - both hyperpigmentation on the face, back, chest, and seborrheic keratosis. This is because the sun is cumulative - UV radiation accumulates during life, and when the skin cells can no longer protect themselves, everything explodes outward.
"Because what is a sun tan? It is the body's protection against UV radiation. And a side effect of UV radiation is the weakening of the skin's immune system, which later also causes skin fungal infections and all other skin diseases. Many people still do not realize that UV radiation from the sun is direct radiation. Everyone knows what Chernobyl radiation is, but it has been scientifically proven that UV radiation from the sun is the radiation that causes carcinogenesis and promotes the development of cancer. Speaking of lung cancer, breast cancer - there are theories and hypotheses that are still being studied, but what causes skin cancer is a proven fact. And that's UV radiation from the sun! In addition, melanoma, which is the most aggressive of all forms of cancer, is now unfortunately a disease of young people - it affects people in the age group of 25 to 40 years. In the early stages, we can still try to fight it, but later, when the patient comes with an ulcerated pigmented spot, it may unfortunately be too late, because the aggressiveness of this disease has reached such a level that nothing can be done. Therefore, it is good to perform a screening dermatoscopy after the sun season, to evaluate the structure of the skin and the condition of birthmarks, because it is impossible to see the primary changes with the naked eye.»
Vitamin A and E
"But everything is not so bad," Yana Janovska smiles and says that the skin, which is the largest human organ, also has antioxidant endogenous capabilities. Yes, the skin has experienced stress, but all these processes related to UV radiation, it tries to repair and restore itself. Of course, poor nutrition and lack of vitamins reduce these regenerative properties, so Dr. Jana Janovska recommends using vitamins A and E at this time, which improve the skin structure very well, as they stimulate the synthesis of skin collagen and elastin.