I love commenting on the New York Times.  That is where so many people get their health care information.  Yesterday, they had a big picture of a sunburned young woman, and a long article about sunscreens.  Sunburns increase the risk for skin cancer.  Sun rays cause pigment, wrinkles and premature aging of the skin as well as skin cancer. 

Sunscreens can be so confusing.  We often see burns even when people are using sunscreens and here are where we find the pitfalls–

1. expired sunscreens-make sure your sunscreen is up to date

2. lack of reapplication-make sure you reapply every 2 hours, or more if in the water or wind or sweating

3. not using enough-apply liberally-grease it up!  most people only put on a tiny bit, which doesn’t work well. 

Other sunscreen advice–make sure its broad spectrum UVA/UVB coverage and at least an SPF 30 or higher for summertime use.  There is a smaller difference between 30 and 45 than between 15 and 30, but the higher you go, the better the protection, as long as it is a good quality sunscreen.  Look for good ingredients such as Mexoryl, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide or Parsol 1789/Avobenzone.  

I find many people burn with spray sunscreens-not sure why.  Either the sunscreens don’t work as well, or people don’t apply them properly.  Personally, I stay away from the sprays.  On hairy surfaces, people sometimes like gel based sunscreens better.  Those are fine, but they don’t last in the water as well.  Also, anything that says waterproof or sweatproof is not correct.  There is no such thing as waterproof or sweatproof.  All sunscreens need to be reapplied. 

Sun safety also includes- seeking shade, wearing a hat preferably with a broad brim since a baseball cap only shields the upper face, wearing protective clothing, and trying to stay out of the brightest rays from 10-4 if possible. 

 Enjoy your summer! 

Rebecca Baxt, MD, FAAD

Another New York Times article on 6/12/08 reiterating what we always knew at Baxt Cosmedical NJ.  There are thousands of under eye creams which claim to get rid of dark circles, but none of them are proven to work.  We always try to help our patients by designing skin care programs that work for them at our office in Paramus, New Jersey.  We see patients from all over the country, and especially all over the New York tri-state area.  Many patients bring in bags of expensive and useless creams that have wasted their money and time.  Let us tell you what really works, and what doesn’t work to improve your skin.  Get an expert opinion. 

Rebecca Baxt, MD

I have seen so many patients in the office this month with sunburns because its May and they didn’t think it was time to use sunscreen yet.  Sunscreen of at least a 30spf, broad spectrum covering uva and uvb rays, applied generously every 2 hours, or more if you are in the water or sweating a lot, is what we recommend.  Many of our patients use a 60spf which is better than a 30spf.  A hat helps so much in protecting the face from harmful rays.  A broad brimmed hat is best to protect the whole face, but a baseball cap will help with the forehead, cheeks and nose.  Put on sunscreen everyday, and keep some in your car or pocketbook, so there is no excuse for forgetting it!  We have a sunscreen that works for any skin type for sale in our office.  Sometimes its hard to find a good one at the supermarket, especially if you have rosacea or very sensitive skin or acne.  Make sure you protect yourself and your skin from early aging, sun spots, wrinkles, and of course skin cancer.  Skin cancer kills so many people, and its mostly preventable.  We hope to see you soon for your skin check.  And don’t forget your sunscreen. 

Dr. Rebecca Baxt

Yesterday 5/13/08, the New York Times had a featured section on health, including skin. It mentioned, that the best things that we can do for our skin to prevent skin cancer and aging are to use a sunscreen and prescription Retin-A/tretinoin creams. As Board Certified Dermatologists we agree. So many of our patients bring in bags of creams, lotions, potions, that they bought at the cosmetic counter or the drug store for hundreds of dollars, only to find out when we read the labels for them, that they are just expensive moisturizers. Simplification is key with skin care. If you are using too many things, you never know what is working well or not, and you are wasting a lot of money. Get yourself a good sunscreen with one or more of the following ingredients-mexoryl, avobenzone/parsol1789/titanium dioxide/zinc oxide. Use it regularly and frequently and generously. Come and see us for a prescription for the right Retin-A or similar product recommendation to reverse signs of aging and reduce skin cancer risk. Be careful because Retin-A and other similar products can actually make you more sensitive to the sun. We look forward to seeing you soon. Call us with any questions. 201-265-1300.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/13/health/13skin.html?_r=1&oref=slogin