The ABC of Skin Cancer

No one knows your body like you do!

Because early detection is key in the treatment of melanoma, self-examination is a MUST!

Would you know what changes to look for in the inspection of your moles? Take a look at the ABCs of skin cancer. Also see our post on the Body Mole Map.

If you notice any of these changes, schedule an appointment with your dermatologist for further follow-up.

Interested in joining the Sona Team in Houston?

Sona is the industry leader in laser hair removal and skin rejuvenation. Due to our anticipated growth, we are looking for talented professionals to join our team in Houston.

We are currently looking for LVN's and Aestheticians to join our teams in the Galleria Area, Sugar Land and Northwest Houston.

If you meet the requirements, are eager to experience the vision of progressive leadership, live the values that will shape your life, feel the pride of the community and be a part of the fastest growing segment of the service industry, please e-mail your resume to me as soon as possible.

Read more and get the contact details here...

Why do I still have Acne..?

The American Acne & Rosacea Society (AARS) recently announced June 2009 as National Acne Awareness Month. At the 4th Annual Meeting of the AARS, James Q. Del Rosso, DO, President, stated that National Acne Awareness Month is an important opportunity to educate healthcare providers concerning the treatment of acne and to generate awareness for this disease which affects over 17 million Americans.

So.... May is running out...and no reason we cannot get an early start on such a worthy cause.

What is Acne?

Acne is a skin condition which has plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), inflamed pimples (pustules), and deeper lumps (nodules). You can get acne to the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms.

Who gets Acne?

EVERYONE! Well almost…Although most teenagers get some form of acne, adults in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s or even older, can develop acne.

What causes Acne?

First we need to cover what doesn’t cause acne … Poor hygiene does not cause acne. Now, cleaning your skin is recommended, but washing your skin hard and frequently can actually worsen your acne. Studies have not found a connection between diet and acne either. In other words, chocolate does not cause acne! Amongst the actual causes of acne are hormones such as testosterone, present in both males and females and increasing during puberty. Testosterone stimulates the sebaceous glands of the skin to enlarge, produce oil, and plug the pores. Further causes of adult acne include hormones, childbirth, menopause or stopping the pill.

In our next post we will talk more about how to get rid of acne.

DeAnna Maher (RN.)
Clinical Manager. Sona MedSpa - Galleria

See the new LATISSE commercial with Brooke Shields

Enjoy the clip, and then I'll tell you a bit more about Latisse...

Latisse is a perscription treatment that is used to grow eye lashes, making them longer, darker and thicker.

Here are ACTUAL before and after pictures of Brooke Shields, taken 12 weeks apart.

Can anyone use Latisse?

You should not use Latisse if you are allergic to any of its ingredients.

You should also tell your doctor/clinician if:

• You were previoulsy diagnosed with eye pressure problems, or are currently taking medication for eye pressure problems
• You have risk factors for Glaucoma

Remember, in order to buy Latisse, you need to get a perscription from your doctor. ... or you can get a free consultation and script at any Sona MedSpa in Houston! Just call them at 866-GET-SONA and make your appointment. You will have to come in for a consultation, so make sure you put this on your calendar!

Click on this link to learn more about Latisse. You can also see Brooke Shields' complete journey with Latisse.

The Latisse ™ mark is owned by Allergan, Inc

The Body Mole Map - it may save your life!

In keeping with the Skin Cancer Awareness theme of May, let's introduce you to the Body Mole Map, developed by the American Academy of Dermatology.

Maybe the MOST important point that they make in the Body Mole Map is that if you have ANY doubt about a mole, you should see a dermatologist. The five year survival rate for people whose Melanoma is detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 99%.... so that is a really good incentive to check your skin regularly.

The Body Mole Map is is a set of instructions, accompanied by a map of the body, and examples of moles and skin lesions. After examining your skin, you document the moles and lesions on the Body Mole Map. It is important that you keep this in a safe place, as you will need it again a year from now when you do your next skin examination....and then compare your moles and lesions with what you documented the previous time. Specifically look for any change in color, shape or size.


Click on the image on the left to download the Body Mole Map, with instructions.

Remember to protect yourself from the sun. Also see our previous article on Tanning is skin cells in Trauma.

And Thank You to Deanna Maher, Clinical Manager at Sona MedSpa - Galleria, who brought this Body Mole Map to our attention!

Sona MedSpa and The Buzz presents the Hairiest Back Contest

Sona MedSpa and Theresa, from 94.5 The Buzz, brings you the Hairiest Back Contest... held at the Baker Street Pub in Sugar Land (Texas) on April 30, 2009.

This fun clip shows that some men do indeed have more hair than other! (Video time 7:20 ... but all worth it!)

Our thanks go to everyone, and especially the contestants, that made this such a fun event!

Do you think indoor tanning is safe?

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is known to be the single largest environmental factor contributing to the development of skin cancer. So where does this leave us with indoor tanning? UV radiation levels in indoor tanning devices can be many times greater than what one would be exposed to outdoors.

More than one million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year. At these rates, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer at some point in their life. See what the American Academy of Dermatolgy Association says about indoor tanning.

Consumer Reports did a great aricle on the unexpected dangers of indoor tanning. They did a survey of 296 facilites in 12 cities. Here are the highlights of their investigation.

See this short video sponsored by the American Academy of Dermatolgy Association (www.aad.org)

Still not convinced?

Read Brittany Lietz' story here.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

May is skin cancer awareness month, and we are already a week into the month. So let's get started with some disturbing skin cancer facts (courtesy of the The Skin Cancer Foundation):

More than a million skin cancers are diagnosed each year. That is a disturbingly high number for a society that knows the primary causes of skin cancer!

Let us put this into perspective: Randomly pick four of your friends...or four of your family members. Now add yourself to this group. One in your group of five can expect to develop skin cancer over the course of a lifetime.

Skin cancer is more prevalent than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.

Women under the age of 40 have a higher probability of developing melanoma than any other cancer, except breast cancer.

There are many resources on the internet on skin cancer prevention and awareness.

• American Cancer Society
  
• Skin Cancer Foundation
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  

Is skin cancer curable?

On the popular television series,“Grey’s Anatomy,” Dr. Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) faces a grim diagnosis: stage IV metastatic melanoma. As the scary and heartbreaking scenes unfold, TV viewers get a glimpse at why patients with the deadliest form of skin cancer — in the most advanced stage of diagnosis — face a mere 10-month median survival rate.

If detected in its earliest stages (before Stage 2), melanoma is highly curable. However, if the tumor has spread to a more distant site, such as the lung, brain or other organs, this is considered a stage IV melanoma - with an average survival rate of only 10 months.

Here are some more great resources to read more about Melanoma:

• Skin Care and Beauty Blog
• How to perform a skin care self examination
• The dark side of tanning - what is Melanoma
• Melanoma.com

Also see this eye opening Australian video ad on tanning, called "Tanning is skin cells in trauma!"

See what clients want, despite the economy

This post may be a little late, as the first signs are there that the economy is starting to turn. The stockmarket is almost back up to the point where we started 2009... way up from the low point reached on March 9.

So what did clients still want, even during these difficult times?

• BOTOX - up 8%*
• Hyaluronic dermal fillers - up 6%*
• Laser skin resurfacing - up 15%*

Who would have thought that?

Here is something else that you may be interested in. Summer is approaching rapidly, and we really want to look after our skin as we start enjoying the nice weather.

Over many years, your skin has been exposed to a number of environmental factors, all of which stresses the skin. These stressors cause damage that can reach the deepest layers of your skin.

 Damage caused by the sun’s harmful rays is the main cause of the fine lines, wrinkles and age spots that you may already see ... or you will eventually see on your face.

 

The Obagi Nu-Derm System is the physician-dispensed, prescription-strength skincare system that can transform your skin right at the cellular level. 

By addressing the signs of sun damage and restoring the healthy function of your skin cells, this system is clinically proven to result in younger- and healthier-looking skin.

(*source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Economic Impact on America's Skin Care Habits)

Top 5 Swine Flu Don'ts

It is so easy to panic when it seams that everywhere we turn, we hear about more cases of Swine Flu (now called H1N1 influenza A).

Here is a list of 5 things not to do...

Don't rush to the ER

If you actually have flu-like symptoms — a fever above 100° F, headache, sore throat, body aches, chills or fatigue — and you live in an area where there have been confirmed swine flu cases, by all means report to your doctor.

Don't turn away, it's fine to eat pork!

There is no evidence that this virus makes pigs really sick. The H1N1 virus actually contains genes from swine, avian and human flus. The virus also cannot be spread through pork products, so you can't contract the H1N1 virus by eating bacon, hot dogs or anything else that was once a pig.

Don't build up your own stash of antivirals

A cornerstone of the government's preparations for the outbreak of a pandemic was the stockpiling of 50 million doses of those drugs over the past few years. This is enough to ensure that doctors would be able to respond sufficiently to new outbreaks. However, that capacity could be put at risk if people begin stockpiling antivirals for their own use.

If you feel sick, don't leave home

When it comes to slowing the overall spread of a pandemic, such as the flu, the best thing we can do is keep sick people away from everyone else. If you're feeling sick, don't go to work until you feel better . This may not be great advice if you don't get sick leave, but in the end may be in the interst of everyone.

This sounds trite...but DONT PANIC!

Panic can only lead to irresponsible actions — on a personal and national level — that would likely make a pandemic worse. There is actuall even some good news here: the H1N1 virus is hitting North America at the tail end of its flu season. "This is a cause for deep concern, but not panic," said President Barack Obama in his April 29 news conference. In the midst of all this uncertainty and anxiety, that's good advice.

(Source: www.time.com)