Dr. Lawrence speaks at the national meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology on Cosmetic Tips and Pearls.

Winter Blahs?  Diet and Exercise just not moving that “muffin top”?

Come in for a free liposuction consultation!

Call the Center for Dermatologic Surgery at 856-596-3040 and schedule a consultation!

The Newest in Skin Resurfacing and Rejuvenation is Now Available

Over time, skin ages and loses its youthful appearance. Wrinkles appear around the eyes, fine lines bloom around the lips, and age spots surface on the hands. While some of these factors are natural, many of the visible signs of aging are caused by the sun. Repeated sun exposure can also cause what are commonly called age spots, or liver spots.  They don’t have anything to do with your liver, but have everything to do with sun.  An ‘age spot’ is actually a solar lentigo – a small bit of pigmentation caused by sun exposure. 

Today, dermatologists now have available a large array of light-based strategies to treat aging and photoaged skin. The newest technology currently available is the fractionated laser devices. If you think facial resurfacing procedures are just cosmetic, think again. Facial resurfacing techniques – medical treatments that improve the look and feel of skin – are popular with patients looking to treat signs of photoaging (premature aging caused by ultraviolet exposure) like wrinkles, fine lines, leatheriness, discoloration, and sagging skin. But research now shows that facial resurfacing used restore skin’s youthful appearance may help prevent skin cancer, too.

The use of lasers involves recruiting a single specific wavelength of light to treat a plethora of skin conditions. Historically, most lasers for this purpose were fully ablative, meaning they removed the skin’s top layer to reveal a softer, smoother skin surface. The downside of this traditional technology was the longer recovery time following the procedure.

Fractionated lasers are among the newest technologies in laser photorejuvenation. “Fractionated” means that the light energy is broken up into and delivered as neat columns instead of being transmitted in a large bolus (a single, large, concentrated dose) as is common with traditional lasers. This allows for deeper levels of penetration, quicker and better healing, and more evenly distributed results.

The fractionated ablative laser (10,600 nm; one example is the Active FX^TM laser) removes the top layers of the skin, allowing newer, healthier skin to grow. The results are often dramatic, with tightening of the skin and the removal of superficial wrinkles, sun spots, and some broken blood vessels. The healing time after the procedure is approximately five days and very well-tolerated.

If you are interested in this new and exciting procedure, please contact our office at (856) 596-3040 to schedule a no-obligation consultation.

http://www.skincancer.org/healthy-lifestyle/anti-aging/what-is-photoaging

http://www.skincancer.org/healthy-lifestyle/anti-aging/facial-resurfacing-treatments-for-photoaging-may-also-help-prevent-skin-cancer

http://www.skincancer.org/healthy-lifestyle/anti-aging/light-for-light

A new study has revealed an alarming rise in melanoma among people aged 18 to 39: over the past 40 years, rates of this potentially deadly skin cancer grew by 800 percent among young women and 400 percent among young men. Researchers examined data on the 256 young adults in Olmstead County, MN, who were diagnosed with melanoma between 1970 and 2009. Between 1970 and 1979, just 16 new cases, or 4.8 cases per 100,000 people, were diagnosed. But in the decade ending December 31, 2009, 129 cases were recorded, an incidence rate of 30.8 cases per 100,000 people — an enormous jump from the 1970’s.

Although lifetime risk of melanoma is about 1.5 times greater in males than in females, among young people this pattern is reversed, as this Mayo Clinic Proceedings study demonstrated. The authors observed that Indoor ultraviolet (UV) tanning, which is much more popular among young women than young men, may account for the disproportionate increase in incidence among young women. UV rays emitted by tanning machines are cancer-causing, and Indoor ultraviolet (UV) tanners are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors; those who tan indoors just four times a year increase their risk of developing melanoma by 11 percent. Indoor tanners are also 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma.

While the skyrocketing incidence figures are cause for major concern, the authors noted that death from the disease among young people is actually decreasing, due to earlier diagnosis; with more people aware of changes in their skin, and better diagnostic methods, melanomas are more frequently discovered at earlier stages, when they are easiest to treat. 

http://www.skincancer.org/news/melanoma/melanoma-young-adults-2012

Fall 2012 Special!

15% discount on Botox, Dysport, and Fillers

Begins September 6, 2012

Expires December 20, 2012

Skin Cancer: More Facts

 INDOOR TANNING

• Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a proven human carcinogen. Currently tanning beds are regulated by the FDA as Class I medical devices, the same designation given elastic bandages and tongue depressors.

• The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an affiliate of the World Health Organization, includes ultraviolet (UV) tanning devices in its Group 1, a list of the most dangerous cancer-causing substances. Group 1 also includes agents such as plutonium, cigarettes, and solar UV radiation.

• Frequent tanners using new high-pressure sunlamps may receive as much as 12 times the annual UVA dose compared to the dose they receive from sun exposure.

• Ten minutes in a sunbed matches the cancer-causing effects of 10 minutes in the Mediterranean summer sun.

• Nearly 30 million people tan indoors in the U.S. every year; 2.3 million of them are teens.

• On an average day, more than one million Americans use tanning salons.

• Seventy-one percent of tanning salon patrons are girls and women aged 16-29.

• Indoor ultraviolet (UV) tanners are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors.

• People who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma.

• The indoor tanning industry has an annual estimated revenue of $5 billion.

PEDIATRICS

• Melanoma accounts for up to three percent of all pediatric cancers.

• Between 1973 and 2001, melanoma incidence in those under age 20 rose 2.9 percent.

• Melanoma is seven times more common between the ages of 10 and 20 than it is between birth and 10 years.

• Diagnoses — and treatment — are delayed in 40 percent of childhood melanoma cases.

• Ninety percent of pediatric melanoma cases occur in girls aged 10-19.

ETHNICITY

• Asian American and African American melanoma patients have a greater tendency than Caucasians to present with advanced disease at time of diagnosis.

• Skin cancer comprises one to two percent of all cancers in African Americans and Asian Indians.

• While melanoma is uncommon in African Americans, Latinos, and Asians, it is frequently fatal for these populations. • As few as 48 percent of melanomas in African Americans are diagnosed at an early stage, compared to 74 percent in Hispanics and 84 percent in Caucasians.

• The overall melanoma survival rate for African Americans is only 77 percent, versus 91 percent for Caucasians. • Melanomas in African Americans, Asians, Filipinos, Indonesians, and native Hawaiians most often occur on non-exposed skin with less pigment, with up to 60-75 percent of tumors arising on the palms, soles, mucous membranes and nail regions.

• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer in Caucasians, Hispanics, Chinese, Japanese, and other Asian populations.

• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common skin cancer among African Americans and Asian Indians.

• Squamous cell carcinomas in African Americans tend to be more aggressive and are associated with a 20-40 percent risk of metastasis (spreading).

• Skin cancer represents approximately 2-4 percent of all cancers in Asians.

• Among non-Caucasians, melanoma is a higher risk for children than adults: 6.5 percent of pediatric melanomas occur in non-Caucasians.

AGING/SUN DAMAGE

• Up to 90 percent of the visible changes commonly attributed to aging are caused by the sun.

• Contrary to popular belief, 80 percent of a person’s lifetime sun exposure is not acquired before age 18; only about 23 percent of lifetime exposure occurs by age 18. Lifetime UV Exposure in the United States Ages Average Accumulated Exposure* 1-18 22.73 percent 19-40 46.53 percent 41-59 73.7 percent 60-78 100 percent *Based on a 78 year lifespan

TREATMENT COSTS

• In 2004, the total direct cost associated with the treatment for nonmelanoma skin cancer was $1.5 billion.

• The number of nonmelanoma skin cancers in the Medicare population went up an average of 4.2 percent every year between 1992 and 2006.

• In adults 65 or older, melanoma treatment costs total about $249 million annually. About 40 percent of the annual cost for melanoma goes to treating stage IV (advanced) cancers, though they account for only three percent of melanomas. Published by the Skin Cancer Foundation

GENERAL

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in theUnited States. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually.
• Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.
• One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
• Over the past 31 years, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined.
• Nearly 800,000 Americans are living with a history of melanoma and 13 million are living with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer, typically diagnosed as basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.
• Actinic keratosis is the most common precancer; it affects more than 58 million Americans. Approximately 65 percent of all squamous cell carcinomas arise in lesions that previously were diagnosed as actinic keratoses. In patients with a history of two or more skin cancers, 36 percent of basal cell carcinomas arise in lesions previously diagnosed as actinic keratoses.
• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer; an estimated 2.8 million are diagnosed annually in theUS.BCCs are rarely fatal, but can be highly disfiguring if allowed to grow.
• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. An estimated 700,000 cases are diagnosed each year in theUS, resulting in approximately 2,500 deaths.
• Between 40 and 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have either skin cancer at least once.
• About 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
• Treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers increased by nearly 77 percent between 1992 and 2006.

MELANOMA

• One person dies of melanoma every hour (every 62 minutes).
• One in 55 people will be diagnosed with melanoma during their lifetime.
• Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for young people 15-29 years old.
• The survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected early, before the tumor has penetrated the skin, is about 99 percent.The survival rate falls to 15 percent for those with advanced disease.
• The vast majority of mutations found in melanoma are caused by ultraviolet radiation.
• The incidence of many common cancers is falling, but the incidence of melanoma continues to rise at a rate faster than that of any of the seven most common cancers.Between 1992 and 2004, melanoma incidence increased 45 percent, or 3.1 percent annually.
• An estimated 114,900 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in the USin 2010 — 46,770 noninvasive (in situ) and 68,l30 invasive, with nearly 8,700 resulting in death
• Melanoma accounts for less than five percent of skin cancer cases,²⁰ but it causes more than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths.²¹
• Survival with melanoma increased from 49 percent (1950 – 1954) to 92 percent (1996 – 2003).
• Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer for males and sixth most common for females.
• Women aged 39 and under have a higher probability of developing melanoma than any other cancer except breast cancer.
• About 65 percent of melanoma cases can be attributed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
• One or more blistering sunburns in childhood or adolescence more than double a person’s chances of developing melanoma later in life.
• A person’s risk for melanoma doubles if he or she has had more than five sunburns at any age.
• Survivors of melanoma are about nine times as likely as the general population to develop a new melanoma.

MEN/WOMEN

• The majority of people diagnosed with melanoma are white men over age 50.
• One in 39 Caucasian men and one in 58 Caucasian women will develop melanoma in their lifetimes.
• Approximately 39,000 new cases of melanoma occur in men each year in theUS, and 29,000 in women.
• Approximately 5,700 deaths from melanoma occur in men each year in theUS, and 3,000 in women.
• Five percent of all cancers in men are melanomas; four percent of all cancers in women are melanomas.
• Adults over age 40, especially men, have the highest annual exposure to UV.
• Melanoma is one of only three cancers with an increasing mortality rate for men, along with liver cancer and esophageal cancer.
• Caucasian men over age 65 have had an 8.8 percent annual increase in melanoma incidence since 2003, the highest annual increase of any gender or age group
• Between 1980 and 2004, the annual incidence of melanoma among young women increased by 50 percent, from 9.4 cases to 13.9 cases per 100,000 women.
• The number of women under age 40 diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma has more than doubled in the last 30 years; the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma among women under age 40 has increased almost 700 percent.
• Until age 39, women are almost twice as likely to develop melanoma as men. Starting at age 40, melanoma incidence in men exceeds incidence in women, and this trend becomes more pronounced with each decade.

Read an interview with Dr Lawrence in South Jersey Mom Magazine to stay informed about sun safety, the risk of skin cancer, and indoor tanning.  Dr Lawrence discusses how to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays, cellular DNA damage and alternatives on how to obtain Vitamin D.

“A Beautiful Day Could Be

Detrimental To Your Skin Health

Naomi Lawrence, MD

Head of Procedural Dermatology, Cooper University Hospital”

 http://southjerseymom.com/index.php/current-issues

Causes of Aging Skin and what you can do about it
Research shows that there are, in fact, two distinct types of aging. Aging caused by the genes we inherit is called intrinsic (internal) aging. The other type of aging is known as extrinsic (external) aging and is caused by environmental factors, such as exposure to the sun’s rays.

Intrinsic Aging
Intrinsic aging, also known as the natural aging process, is a continuous process that normally begins in our mid-20s. Within the skin, collagen production slows, and elastin, the substance that enables skin to snap back into place, has a bit less spring. Dead skin cells do not shed as quickly and turnover of new skin cells may decrease slightly. While these changes usually begin in our 20s, the signs of intrinsic aging are typically not visible for decades. The signs of intrinsic aging are:
• Fine wrinkles
• Thin and transparent skin
• Loss of underlying fat, leading to hollowed cheeks and eye sockets as well as noticeable loss of firmness on the hands and neck
• Bones shrink away from the skin due to bone loss, which causes sagging skin
• Dry skin that may itch
• Inability to sweat sufficiently to cool the skin
• Graying hair that eventually turns white
• Hair loss
• Unwanted hair
• Nail plate thins, the half moons disappear, and ridges develops
Genes control how quickly the normal aging process unfolds. Some notice those first gray hairs in their 20s; others do not see graying until their 40s. People with Werner’s syndrome, a rare inherited condition that rapidly accelerates the normal aging process, usually appear elderly in their 30s. Their hair can gray and thin considerably in their teens. Cataracts may appear in their 20s. The average life expectancy for people with Werner’s syndrome is 46 years of age.

Extrinsic Aging
A number of extrinsic, or external, factors often act together with the normal aging process to prematurely age our skin. Most premature aging is caused by sun exposure. Other external factors that prematurely age our skin are repetitive facial expressions, gravity, sleeping positions, and smoking.

The Sun. Without protection from the sun’s rays, just a few minutes of exposure each day over the years can cause noticeable changes to the skin. Freckles, age spots, spider veins on the face, rough and leathery skin, fine wrinkles that disappear when stretched, loose skin, a blotchy complexion, actinic keratoses (thick wart-like, rough, reddish patches of skin), and skin cancer can all be traced to sun exposure.

“Photoaging” is the term dermatologists use to describe this type of aging caused by exposure to the sun’s rays. The amount of photoaging that develops depends on: 1) a person’s skin color and 2) their history of long-term or intense sun exposure. People with fair skin who have a history of sun exposure develop more signs of photoaging than those with dark skin. In the darkest skin, the signs of photoaging are usually limited to fine wrinkles and a mottled complexion.

Photoaging occurs over a period of years. With repeated exposure to the sun, the skin loses the ability to repair itself, and the damage accumulates. Scientific studies have shown that repeated ultraviolet (UV) exposure breaks down collagen and impairs the synthesis of new collagen. The sun also attacks our elastin. Sun-weakened skin ceases to spring back much earlier than skin protected from UV rays. Skin also becomes loose, wrinkled, and leathery much earlier with unprotected exposure to sunlight.
People who live in sun-intense areas, such as Florida or Arizona, can show signs of photoaging in their 20s. In fact, some people who live in sun-intense areas develop actinic keratoses (AKs) and skin cancer in their 20s.

While it may seem that the signs of photoaging appear overnight, they actually lie invisible beneath the surface of the skin for years. UV photography enables us to see the damage accumulating beneath the surface of the skin years before the signs of photoaging appear. Most people are surprised by the amount of photoaging that the UV camera shows. To see actual patient photographs that show: 1) what is visible to the naked eye and 2) what damage lies beneath the surface, visit:
For Healthier, Younger-Looking Skin
Prevention. While you cannot stop or even slow down the intrinsic aging process, you can prevent signs of premature aging by protecting your skin from the sun, quitting smoking, and eliminating facial exercises.

Dermatologists recommend comprehensive sun protection to prevent premature aging caused by the sun. Comprehensive sun protection includes:
• Avoiding deliberate tanning, including use of indoor tanning devices.
• Staying out of the sun between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., when the sun’s rays are the strongest.
• Wearing protective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat and long sleeves, when outdoors during the day.
• Applying sunscreen year round. Sunscreen should be broad spectrum (offers UVA and UVB protection) and have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before going outdoors to all skin that will be exposed. It should be reapplied after sweating or being in water.

Treatment. If you are bothered by visible signs of aging, a number of treatments are available. Injectable fillers and botulinum toxin are suitable for people with busy lifestyles who do not want the inconvenience of a long recovery. Radiofrequency is a procedure that offers an alternative to the traditional facelift. Dermabrasion, laser resurfacing, chemical peeling, microdermabrasion, and some topical treatments can restore skin, giving it a smoother and refreshed appearance.

Scientific research in the field of anti-aging continues to give rise to new and promising treatment options. To schedule a personalized consultation with one of our cosmetic consultant and our physicians, let our office know. We would be happy to discuss the many treatment options available to you.

Published by AgingSkinNet – sponsored by the American Academy of Dermatology

New research shows that a melanoma diagnosis can have long-term effects on women’s lives.

Melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer, but if it’s caught early, it can be cured. According to a recent issue of Archives of Dermatology, women were more likely to report negative cancer-related issues with their quality of life, including problems with socializing, traveling or time with family. However, women were more likely to adjust their sun behavior more significantly than men and were more worried about the effects of ultraviolet radiation.

This report coincides with a rising trend in melanoma cases among young women. In 1973, there were 5½ cases per 100,000 women ages 15 to 39. By 2004, that number rose to 15 per 100,000.

Melanomas occur most frequently in people with light-colored hair or eye color because their skin is more susceptible to ultraviolet light rays. Any woman who freckles and burns in the sun regularly without tanning has an increased risk. A woman who has a large number of moles (i.e., greater than 25) is also at greater risk to develop a melanoma.

Treatment for a melanoma usually involves surgically removing the cancerous skin cells and some normal tissue that surround the cancer site. If the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, they may also need to be removed. Subsequent chemotherapy or immunotherapy may also be needed.

To help detect melanomas, what should you look for? Use the “ABCDE” method:

Asymmetry
• Melanomas generally have an irregular shape.

Border irregularity
• The border is irregular and often notched.

Color variation
• Although melanomas are usually dark brown or black, any skin lesion that is multicolored should be checked.

Diameter
• Eventually, melanomas become larger than ordinary moles. Any pigmented spot greater than six millimeters in diameter should be examined and followed carefully.

Evolving
• Any skin lesion that changes in size, color, elevation or sensation should be checked immediately.

Melanoma in advanced stages is difficult to treat. So, avoid the urge to visit tanning salons, and use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Use sunscreens daily and not just on sunny days. If you experience any of the “ABCDE” signs of a melanoma, have a doctor examine your skin.

Published on the website for the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.