MEDICAL DERMATOLOGY

Acne

Acne is one of the most common of all complexion problems. Approximately 90% of all people will have acne at some time in their lives. Acne affects millions of teenagers to some degree and even many adults. Pimples most often occur on the face, but may also extend to the neck, chest, back and upper arms. Acne usually begins at puberty when there is an increase in hormones called androgens. Androgens stimulate the sebaceous skin glands to make more of an oily substance called sebum. Sebaceous skin glands within the hair follicles become plugged with sebum. Plugged oil glands may form blackheads and whiteheads. Bacteria that normally live on the skin and thrive on the sebum produced by oil glands cause infection and acne. Adult acne is many times precipitated by hormonal changes which also affect the sebaceous skin glands.

In addition to topical and/or prescriptions provided by our medical staff, WellSprings SkinCare offers state of the art acne treatments and skin care products to produce effective results for our acne patients. We recommend All patients begin with a protocol of cleansing and toning two times a day and a scrub 2-3 times a week.

Eczema

Eczema is a chronic, superficial inflammation of the skin that affects approximately 5% of our population. This condition is usually associated with redness and itching. The exact cause of eczema is unknown, but genetics appears to play a role. There is no cure, but it can be kept under control and may periodically clear up by itself. Medical treatment for eczema may include topical or oral steroids and antihistamines for the inflammation and itching. Mild cleansers, topical moisturizers, and barrier repair creams available at WellSprings SkinCare have proved to be beneficial in reducing the symptoms of this condition, and may minimize the need for prescription medications.

Rosacea

Rosacea is a disorder that is sometimes referred to as middle-age acne or acne rosacea and occurs most commonly in fair-skinned people. It usually develops between the ages of 30 and 50 years of age, causing redness and pustules on the face. Rosacea may begin as a tendency to blush and gradually progress to continuous redness and acne-like bumps across the cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose. Severe or prolonged cases may result in broken capillaries on the affected areas of the face.

The cause of rosacea is unknown; circumstances that seem to aggravate the condition are stress, sunlight exposure and certain foods such as spicy foods, alcohol, coffee, artificial sweeteners, dairy, and sugar.

Many people with rosacea think of their skin as so sensitive that they avoid proper skin care protocols but this is critical for decreasing inflammation. See us at WellSprings SkinCare or call for recommendations.

The medical staff at WellSprings may use a combination of treatments depending on the severity of the disorder. Topical and oral prescriptions along with specific cleansers and soothing lotions have proven to be very effective in the treatment of our patients.

Lupus

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys. The body’s immune system normally makes proteins called antibodies to protect the body against viruses, bacteria, and other foreign materials. These foreign materials are called antigens. In an autoimmune disorder such as lupus, the immune system loses its ability to tell the difference between foreign substances (antigens) and its own cells and tissues forming immune complexes. The immune complexes build up in the tissues and can cause inflammation, damage to tissues, and pain. More than 16,000 Americans develop lupus each year.

The medical staff at WellSprings Dermatology is experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of lupus. Treatment plans are based on the specific needs and symptoms of each patient.

Warts

Warts are non-cancerous skin growths caused by a viral infection. They appear most frequently on the hands and feet, but may appear anywhere. Wart colors can be skin-colored, pink, brown and even white. Some can be dark, flat and smooth while others appear as tiny, hard bumps with a rough surface.

Several treatment options are available for warts. These include application of topicals, scraping of the wart or cryotherapy (freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen).

Moles

Moles can appear anywhere on the skin. Their colors can be light brown, red, blue, dark brown, gray or black. The texture ranges from flat and smooth to slightly raised and rough containing dark hair. Moles referred to as benign nevi are harmless. The term dysplastic nevus refers to moles that contain abnormal cells. Dysplastic nevi have a greater chance for becoming a skin cancer. It is important to recognize early warning signs such as changes in size, shape or color of moles. Early detection of skin cancer is available at WellSprings Dermatology.

Dr. Jones recommends Heliocare™ (a natural antioxidant supplement) for anyone that works or spends time outdoors, including children playing or going to camp. Heliocare™ helps preserve the skin’s ability to protect itself against sun-related effects.

Types of Skin Cancer

How to Detect Skin Cancer, Self-Exam Instructions

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a red and scaly chronic skin condition that can flare up for no apparent reason. The rash shows up with dry, silvery scaling patches that often crack and are sometimes painful. The rash may appear on the elbows, knees, scalp, chest or trunk. About 30% of people with psoriasis have a family history of the condition and it affects 1% to 2% of the world’s population. It may begin in late childhood and usually continues throughout life.

Patients at WellSprings have learned that psoriasis can be controlled with the treatments and prescriptions provided by our medical staff.

In addition, we recommend all patients make lifestyle choices to decrease inflammation. Get enough sleep, control stress, avoid inflammatory foods such as sugar, dairy, artificial sweeteners, processed and packaged foods.