Your Skin and Your Health

Dr. Brian Keegan

There is an intriguing connection between your skin and your overall health and wellness. Treating your body with healthy food and regular exercise can vastly increase the chances you will also maintain healthy, beautiful skin.

What triggers flare-ups of different skin conditions?

Many factors can contribute. For example, obesity exacerbates many skin diseases including psoriasis, hyperhidrosis and acne, so it’s important to maintain a healthy weight.  Furthermore, certain food and drinks can trigger skin conditions. For instance, spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine are among the many known triggers for Rosacea flares.

What alleviates flare-ups?

On the other hand, certain foods can alleviate symptoms of different types of skin conditions. Mild improvements with acne can occur by following a low glycemic index diet. Probiotics, such as the live cultures found in yogurt, can also help show mild improvement for those affected by eczema.

Foods that help show more moderate improvements include fish oil for psoriasis, as well as generally maintaining a low-calorie diet and integrating more Vitamin D. Antioxidants like ascorbic acid and green tea extract can reduce oxidation and have anti-aging properties.

How can the skin indicate something more serious?

While maintaining the appearance of skin can be important to some patients, nothing is more critical than their overall health and well-being. The skin can act as a surface indicator that can alert you to more serious health conditions.

Sometimes the skin can alert us to profound issues in the body, such as deficiencies of a certain vitamins. Scurvy, for example, will present with numerous small skin lesions across the body, which shows the patient has a Vitamin C deficiency. Pellagra, a disease that presents with extremely scaly skin patches, means there is a Vitamin B3 (niacin) deficiency. People who develop rough skin lesions with alopecia are showing possible signs of a zinc deficiency. Some rashes could even be a warning sign that a very serious malignancy has occurred within the body, signaling different types of cancer.

It’s important to alert your dermatologist as soon as unusual rashes present themselves, as they could mean you have a more serious health condition. Often these conditions can be treated with supplements or diet changes, however in the rare instance it is something more serious, catching it early on will increase the chances of successful treatment.

Call us at (609) 443-4500 to schedule an appointment to find out more about the connection between your skin and your overall health and well-being. You can also find more resources on our website, www.WindsorDermatology.com.

What is Contact Dermatitis?

Dr. David Nieves

What does the oil found in poison ivy plants, a woman’s perfume and preservatives found in deodorant have in common? All are possible agents triggering contact dermatitis.

Skin inflammation caused by contact with offending agents is called contact dermatitis. There are two forms of contact dermatitis: allergic and irritant. Allergic contact dermatitis is a reaction of the immune system to an allergen such as the three types of agents described above. It typically occurs 1-2 days after exposure.

Irritant dermatitis is inflammation of the skin caused by physical disruption brought on by contact with an outside substance. Examples include contact with acid or long-term exposure to wet diapers.

Contact dermatitis causes the areas of skin which came into contact with the inciting allergen or irritant to become red, dry and itchy. In many cases, contact dermatitis is a short-term phenomenon. Treatment includes moisturizer, topical steroid creams and avoidance of exposure to the source of the reaction.

Unfortunately, many times the source of the reaction is unknown, making it difficult to avoid future exposure. Even if the affected individual changes his or her personal care products, the problem may persist if an allergen is used as a common ingredient. Allergens causing allergic contact dermatitis can be identified with patch testing.

Patch testing is a noninvasive procedure in which a collection of allergen samples is applied to the patient’s back on a Monday, removed on Wednesday and with final interpretation of the application site on Friday. Windsor Dermatology uses a large inventory of allergen samples to perform testing, increasing the likelihood that the causative allergen or irritant can be found.

We have been able to help patients demystify what is causing their contact dermatitis over the years, helping them move on with their lives in comfort. In one memorable instance, a man had suffered from severe, chronic hand rashes for many years. Patch testing revealed he was allergic to a chemical used in the soap in the lavatory of his workplace. Now he brings his own supply of allergen-free soap to work and the problem has been solved.

In another case, a woman with chronic rashes on her eyelids had tried numerous brands of makeup, yet her rash persisted. Patch testing identified she was allergic to the rubber in her makeup removal sponge. Avoidance of this sponge helped to rapidly clear up the irritation.

Another woman suffered for years with itchy, dry lips despite frequently moisturizing with lip moisturizer. She was found to be allergic to a sunscreen used in the particular ChapStick product she was using. She switched to one which did not contain sunscreen and her inflammation disappeared.

Have you experienced repeated rashes on your skin? You can put an end to your discomfort by scheduling an appointment at Windsor Dermatology. Please call us at 609-443-4500.

How Tanning Beds Can Cause Cancer

Dr. Wendy Myers

The buzz about indoor tanning has been increasingly loud lately since a bill recently passed by the State Senate creating tougher age restrictions for teens who want to tan. With the warm weather approaching and Spring Break upon us, it’s time to reveal the hard truth about tanning beds.

How Does Tanning Affect the Skin?

Tanning beds emit UVA and UVB radiation, similar to and at times, greater than the radiation from the sun. UV radiation causes genetic mutations in your skin's DNA. Although UVB rays—the rays of radiation primarily thought to be responsible for skin reddening and sunburn— have been thought to be the main culprit in causing skin cancers, it is now known that UVA is also responsible.

Changes from excessive exposure to these rays lead to premature photo aging, eye damage including cataracts and increased risk of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer.

Is Melanoma Deadly?

Melanoma skin cancer develops when the pigment producing cells of the skin called melanocytes are mutated, most often by UV radiation. These cells then divide rapidly and form malignant tumors. If recognized early, melanoma is often curable. Unlike other skin cancers though, if left untreated, melanoma can advance and spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body, where it can be difficult to treat and even be fatal. While melanoma is not the most frequent skin cancer, it is responsible for the most fatalities. 

What Are the Chances that Melanoma is Caused by Tanning?

The incidence of melanoma has continued to increase over the past several decades. In particular, a dramatic increase in women in their 20s and 30s has been noted. This patient population is more likely to participate in activities such as tanning booths and sun bathing.

70% of tanning salon patrons are girls and women between the ages of 16 to 29. Studies have found a 75% increase in the risk of melanoma in those exposed to UV radiation from tanning booths. This risk for melanoma increases with each use and is increased to 87% for those individuals who start tanning in beds or booths before the age of 35. 

There are many reality stars on TV who endorse indoor tanning as a way of life. But people need to realize the negative effects tanning can have that they don’t show on TV. For more tips on preventing skin cancer, please visit www.skincancer.org or visit the archive of our newsletter, Healthy Skin.

Living with Psoriasis: Breaking Free of Your Emotional Prison

By Dr. Jerry Bagel

Recent studies have shown there is a 50% increase frequency of depression in psoriatics compared to non-psoriatics. Psoriatics are also treated for depression 71% more than non-psoriatics.

Mostly, psoriatics feel embarrassed or self-conscious about the appearance of psoriasis plaques. 

While today, the general public has a pretty good understanding of psoriasis, it wasn’t always like this. Patients who are now middle-aged and older often tell our staff stories of being ridiculed throughout their childhoods. They were not able to play with other kids because their parents thought their skin condition was contagious. Imagine never being able to attend a public pool because of the appearance of your psoriasis. 

These experiences have lasting effects on the psyche and having psoriasis as an adult is often seen as a difficult burden as well. Some psoriatics report high anxiety and even suicidal thoughts. Their suffering is prolonged because of the chronic nature of the disease—decades upon decades of dealing with outbreaks. Adult patients often slip into an emotional cycle—stress triggers psoriasis outbreaks and then the patient becomes even more worried about their appearance. This may keep them from seeking relationships, getting exercise and generally enjoying hobbies that people without psoriasis might take for granted. 

But there are many reasons for psoriatics to be optimistic. With so many treatments and ways to alter your lifestyle to reduce flare ups, you don’t have to imprison yourself. 

Seek treatment from an experienced dermatologist. Most obviously, patients shouldn’t wait for psoriasis to go away on its own. If you lessen the appearance and chance of flare-ups, the better you will feel, physically and emotionally. One study conducted by the manufacturers of Enbrel shows depression improves over a 12 week period as the psoriasis improves. It’s important to see a dermatologist with substantial psoriasis experience who can help find the treatment that is right for you. Windsor Dermatology regularly offers clinical trials to help deliver the most cutting-edge treatment for psoriasis available. 

Reduce stress. Sometimes the chaos of life is unavoidable but there are small steps you can take to ensure you are lessening the chances of a psoriasis outbreak. Try to get more sleep, don’t take on any extra responsibilities and think about integrating meditation or yoga into your routine. 

Take the healthy route. It’s easy to binge on junk food when you are feeling bad about yourself, but the best thing for psoriasis is to stick to a diet comprised of lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish. Limit your sugar and alcohol intake, as well as fatty and processed foods. Staying committed to this diet can vastly improve your psoriasis, as well as your overall health, emotional well-being and longevity. 

These lifestyle changes take effort, but if you find yourself fed up with feeling trapped by your psoriasis, it’s time to take action against it. You don’t have to just give into it. Let the professionals at the Psoriasis Treatment Center of Central New Jersey help you customize a plan that works for you. Call us today at (609) 443-4500.