Skin Republic

Dear Dr. Jen,

The skin around my eyes wrinkles and I have deep lines between my eyebrows; though I am still in my 50s. I feel like a very old woman. What creams can I apply and what can I do to make the lines go away? Surgery is out of the question.

Cora

Dear Cora,

As with many people nowadays, surgery can sound invasive and scary.  Lucky for you, with technology and science, new discoveries for the beauty industry are constantly being made. Unfortunately, no cream can get away with totally reversing wrinkles. Creams may prevent, but haven't yet been found to obliterate wrinkles as far as evidence-based studies are concerned.

Let us review your options. Botulinum toxin (make sure the brand your PDS derma is using is FDA-approved) is your easiest and fastest route.  Injection can be done in under 5 or 10 minutes. Pain is next to none and you can go along your merry way without any tell-tale sign of your derma visit. However, effect is temporary and you may need another visit in four to six months. Think of it as visiting your derma twice a year, at the very least. You will need less and less of botox the more you use it. Be prudent in choosing your doctor and in expressing your specific needs. Some patients (as well as some doctors) like to go overboard and do a frozen expression. If you are distrustful of needles, have your derma layer on some anesthesia so you don't feel anything at all when the botox is being delivered.

Lasers are also a good option.  There's a multitude of RF tightening lasers available in the market. Again, check for machines that are listed as FDA-approved. Using RF doesn't quite give you the immediate and satisfying effect like botox.  The lifting effect is more subtle and gradual. Fractional lasers can also do the trick in treating fine lines. Down time for fractional lasers can be five to ten days depending on how fast you heal. You can even opt to do both.

After you've done any of the above mentioned treatments, make sure to do prevention too. This is when creams come into the picture. Get a prescription for a good, non-irritating retinol cream to prevent wrinkles.  And sunscreen, please put on daily sunscreen to avoid aging the face too fast!

Dear Dr. Jen,

What do I apply to insect bites? My mosquito bites get very red and itchy. It then turns an ugly shade of brown after a few days and takes forever to disappear.

Sonya

Dear Sonya,

Those scars from insect bites can be quite pesty to treat. A secret in treating them is not in finding the strongest bleach but is in preventing formation of scars.

This can be easily done by early treatment of bites.  At the first sign of itching, make sure to massage a good anti-inflammatory or cortisone-based cream into your skin two to three times daily. Treatment of the redness and itching immediately will ensure that a scar does not form.

If a scar is already present, then you may want to consider popping a visit to your nearest PDS derma. Chemical peels, application of FDA-approved whiteners, and laser procedures can be discussed and subsequently performed at your own convenience.

Dr. Tan is a diplomate of Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) and is affiliated with Perpetual Succour Hospital (PSH). For information on PDS, check http://www.pds.org.ph/. For questions or concerns, please text to: 0932 857 7070; or email to: [email protected]; or call The Freeman: (032) 2531276, or PSH: (032) 233 8620 and 232 5929. Your inquiries will be forwarded to Dr. Tan.