Is Botox treatment what you need to get a more youthful appearance?

Before you turn to our Huntington and Hicksville, NY, dermatologists Dr. Daniel Sherer and Dr. Todd Coven it’s important that you understand more about Botox and what it can, and can’t, do for your appearance so you can decide whether you would like to consider Botox treatment. Here at Long Island Medical & Cosmetic Dermatology, we offer a wide range of cosmetic services that can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Here’s what you should know about Botox:

What’s being injected into my face?

We think it’s only fair that patients fully understand what is in these injections so they can decide whether this is a treatment they feel comfortable with. Botox injections contain a purified, medical-grade form of diluted botulinum toxin, a neurotoxin that temporarily relaxes the muscles of the face.

How does it stop the muscles from contracting? When Botox is injected into muscle groups of the face, it temporarily blocks nerve signals that tell the muscles to contract. This immediately softens the appearance of lines and wrinkles that appear when making facial expressions. When performed by our team of licensed dermatologists here in  Huntington and Hicksville, NY, Botox is completely safe.

It only takes a couple of minutes to administer Botox, which is another reason people turn to us for this cosmetic treatment. Patients don’t need to take time off work and they can return to their routine immediately after. We have even performed Botox during our patient’s lunch break or after work. While we can numb the area prior to administering the injections, the needles are so thin that patients easily tolerate them without any issues.

When will I notice results?

It takes about 3-4 days for patients to see smoother, younger-looking skin. Since the muscles are inactive, they can’t pull at the skin to create the formation of new lines or to make fine lines and wrinkles worse. Results typically last up to 6 months. If you love your results, you can talk with our team to find out how often you should come in for maintenance injections to keep your results looking new and fresh.

What type of wrinkles does Botox treat?

Botox won’t be able to treat all fine lines and wrinkles. It works best on wrinkles that develop due to muscle contractions (referred to as “dynamic wrinkles”). These are the lines and wrinkles that seem to pop whenever you smile, laugh, or squint. Botox is great for treating:

• Frown lines around the nose and mouth
• Furrow lines between the brows
• Crow’s feet (lines around the eyes)

If you are interested in finding out whether Botox treatment is right for you, turn to our Hicksville and Huntington, NY, dermatologists today for a no-risk consultation. To schedule an evaluation, call Long Island Medical & Cosmetic Dermatology at (631) 271-2769 or (516) 433-3200.

Knowing the warning signs of skin cancer.

As with any health problems, the sooner skin cancer is detected, the better. By catching the problem early on, you may be able to avoid surgery or more invasive procedures. Talking with our Hicksville and Huntington, NY, dermatologists, Dr. Daniel Sherer and Dr. Todd Coven, will also give you some idea of whether or not you are at an increased risk for developing skin cancer. Of course, even those who don’t have many risk factors can still develop skin cancer during their lifetime.

It’s important to really get to know your skin so when something changes, a new growth suddenly sprouts up, or an old mole starts to look strange that you know it’s time to schedule an evaluation with our dermatologists. Since skin cancer isn’t generally painful, you are more likely to detect its presence through a simple self-exam than you would just by feeling it. This is why regular self-skin exams are so important for everyone to practice:

Examining Your Skin

When you examine your skin, you want to check everywhere on your body, even areas that aren’t exposed to the sun. This includes under your fingernails and toenails, between your toes, and even the soles of your feet.

For hard-to-see spots like your back or scalp, you’ll want to use a handheld mirror or ask a family member to help you.

What to Look For

Understandably, examining your skin every month isn’t very effective if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for. It’s important to note that while everyone has moles on their body, these moles shouldn’t really change much over time. Warning signs of melanoma include:

• The development of a new growth or spot
• A spot that may appear in areas that aren’t exposed to the sun
• A lesion or spot that grows and changes quickly
• A spot that crusts or bleeds
• A red, pink, brown, or black lesion (sometimes they are more than one color)
• A raised, poorly defined or asymmetrical growth

These are all potential signs of a squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma (non-melanoma forms of skin cancer):

• A scaly, dry, or lumpy lesion that is often red or pale in color
• A lesion that is on sun-exposed areas of the skin
• A growth that is red, scaly, or thickens
• A growth that crusts over, ulcerates, or bleeds

Concerned? Give Us a Call

With offices in Huntington and Hicksville, NY, Long Island Medical & Cosmetic Dermatology makes it easy to get the proper skincare screenings that you need. Call us today at (631) 271-2769 for our Huntington location or (516) 433-3200 for our Hicksville location to schedule a screening.

TV commercials make acne treatment look easy—unfortunately, these advertised over-the-counter products don't work well for everyone. Accordingly, when your acne doesn't improve after using drugstore products, it's time to call Drs. Daniel Sherer and Todd Coven, your Syosset-area, NY, dermatologists at Long Island Medical & Cosmetic Dermatology in Huntington and Hicksville. Read on to learn how their expertise can clear up your skin!

What acne treatments do Syosset dermatologists offer?

Your treatment plan will depend on the condition of your skin and the severity of your acne but may include:

• Topical Prescription Medications: Over-the-counter medications aren't always strong enough to clear up stubborn acne. If none of the products you've tried have helped, your dermatologist may prescribe tretinoin, tazarotene, adapalene, or a different type of medication that is applied directly to the skin. These topical medications clear blocked pores and speed skin cell turnover, which can reduce or prevent new acne lesions.

• Antibiotics: Topical antibiotics may be added to your treatment plan if acne continues, despite using topical prescription medications. Combining topical medication and antibiotics may increase the effectiveness of the treatment. If topical antibiotics don't improve your skin, your skin doctor may suggest that you take oral antibiotics for a few months.

• Isotretinoin: When other treatment methods don't help, your skin doctor may recommend isotretinoin. This oral medication is only prescribed to treat severe or cystic acne, and it requires careful monitoring. When you take it, you'll need frequent follow-up appointments to ensure that you don't experience side effects.

• Oral Contraceptives: Hormonal changes can increase the production of sebum if you're a woman. The oily substance moisturizes your skin but can block pores if you create too much of it. Oral contraceptives decrease sebum production and may keep your skin clearer.

Need care? Give us a call

Do you need a little help with your acne? Schedule an appointment with Drs. Daniel Sherer and Todd Coven, your Syosset-area, NY, dermatologists, by dialing (631) 271-2769 for the Huntington office, or (516) 433-3200 for the Hicksville office.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Although it affects more than 3 million American adults each year, there are, fortunately, a number of steps that you can take to avoid developing this condition.

Read on to learn more, and call dermatologist, Dr. Daniel W. Sherer, if you have any concerns. He is proud to serve those around Huntington, Hicksville, Syosset, and Plainview, NY.

Protecting Your Skin from Cancer

The three main types of skin cancer are melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. You should protect yourself against skin cancer every day by implementing the following steps:

• Sunblock: Use a broad-spectrum sunblock with an SPF of at least 30, daily. Many moisturizing lotions contain sunblock, so you only need to apply one cream in some cases.
• Nicotinamide: Nicotinamide is a form of vitamin B3, and it is particularly good at preventing skin cancer even in people who are at high risk. It can be purchased over-the-counter and the recommended daily amount is 500mg twice daily.
• Avoid tanning: If you’re outdoors between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm, avoid the sun and stick to the shade. Cover up with long pants and long sleeves if you must be outside, and always avoid using tanning beds.

Possible Signs of Skin Cancer

Melanoma

This type of cancer can develop anywhere on your body on normal skin or an existing mole. Melanoma may also occur on skin that does not receive sun exposure.

• A brown patch of skin with darker brown spots
• A mole gets bigger, changes color/texture, or bleeds
• An irregular-shaped patch of skin that is red, blue, or black
• Dark patches of skin in the mouth or nose or on your hands or feet

Basal Cell Carcinoma

This type of cancer usually occurs on areas of skin that get sun exposure, such as your face or neck.

• A bump on the skin that feels waxy
• A patch of brown skin that resembles a scar
• A bleeding lesion that heals and then comes back

Squamous Cell carcinoma

This type of cancer typically occurs in areas of skin that get a lot of sun exposure, such as your hands, ears, and face.

• A firm, red bump
• A flat patch of discolored skin that feels crusted

If you are concerned about changes in your skin you should talk to a dermatologist as soon as possible.

If you live in or around Huntington, Hicksville, Syosset, or Plainview, NY, contact Dr. Sherer to make an appointment for all your dermatology needs:

• Huntington office - (631) 271-2769
• Hicksville office -(516) 433-3200

How Botox from your dermatologists in Huntington and Hicksville, NY, can help you look your best

You feel young, but you don’t look as young as you feel. Does this sound familiar? Well, it doesn't have to be your reality. With Botox, you can take years off of your look, quickly and easily.

Here at Long Island Medical & Cosmetic Dermatology, your dermatologists, Drs. Daniel Sherer and Todd Coven, offer a wide range of dermatology services including Botox treatment to help you look your best. With two convenient office locations in Huntington and Hicksville, NY, they proudly serve the residents of Huntington, Hicksville, Syosset, and Plainview, and they can help you too!

More about Botox

As you age, your skin loses vital moisture and elasticity. Accordingly, when you show emotions like frowning or laughing, the lines in your face don’t snap back the way they did when you were younger. The result is the emotion lines become deeper as you age, forming lines and wrinkles in your face.

Botox is an injectable medication made from Clostridium botulinum bacteria. It works by temporarily weakening or “freezing” the muscles and nerves, smoothing out your skin. Botox has a long history of safety and effectiveness and is used for many purposes including anti-aging treatments from your dermatologist.

Botox treatment is clinically shown to reduce the appearance of:

• Laugh and smile lines which run from your mouth to your nose
• Lines running across your forehead, called furrows
• Lines at the corners of your eyes, called crow’s feet
• Lines between your eyebrows, called glabella

Your dermatologist will use a tiny needle to inject the Botox medication into your skin. The procedure is tolerated very well, and your doctor can use a numbing spray before treatment if you wish. The amount of injections you will need depends on the size of the treatment area. You will notice excellent results within 2 to 4 days after treatment. Maintenance treatments are recommended every 4 to 6 months to look your best.

Interested? Give Us a Call

To learn more about Botox and our other anti-aging skincare treatments, talk with the experts—call Long Island Medical & Cosmetic Dermatology in Huntington, NY, at (631) 271-2769, or phone our office in Hicksville at (516) 433-3200.