When you are a licensed skin expert, you know, someone who walks into a building every day and the word Dermatology is on the front door, absurd skin advice gets under your skin (pun intended). Social media is so fun, it’s addictive, it’s connecting us all the time, even when we may not be close by or get to visit each other as often as we’de like. Every single day as I scroll through my various social media feeds I see all these crazy skin hacks that people recommend or are sharing from a blog or wherever else. I’m not talking about your run of the mill pyramid selling skin care line products (that’s a whole different blog post) I’m talking about those things that make you say “Really?!?!” or “gross!” or WHY?!?”. You know what I’m talking about, you’ve seen them and sometimes even for a brief moment wanted to try them. Although some of them may not help your skin, that’s really not too bad a loss. Some of them could hurt your skin-BOO! Here are some of the more infamous skin hacks and their safer, scientific based alternatives.

Crazy skin trick #1: Toothpaste on acne. It’s not called skinpaste for a reason, it’s for your teeth. I love toothpaste on my teeth but most of them have dyes and irritants that cause the skin to be dry, red and inflamed-no good. Although these symptoms will camouflage a pimple I think you are better off to treat the pimple.

Scientific Alternative: Pulsed Dye Laser. Instead of freaking out when you get that pimple the day before a big interview come see us and let us laser it. The PDL will help get rid of the red in that pimple instead of camouflaging it with more red.

Crazy skin trick #2: Cannabis Facial. Okay first of all marijuana oil is illegal in the state of Arkansas so unless you enjoy jail time or want to move to Colorado or Washington I’de find an alternative. But second of all there is no science (yet) that the THC in old Mary Jane actually has any anti-inflammatory effects topically.

Scientific Alternative: Moisturize. Yeah a cannabis facial may make you “feel younger” as some have recently claimed but so will slapping on a good thick moisturizer. Moisturizer will instantly plump fine lines and help with dullness and overall skin health. Try something plain like Cetaphil.

Crazy skin trick #3:Urotherapy (applying your urine to your skin). I can’t even stop laughing as I type this. Really? Google it, Ur-In-therapy, pee for pimples, the urine facial…. I mean you can’t make this stuff up. How many online reviews that encourage it and say it works is even more mind blowing. I recently read an article of kids that were getting infections because they were keeping pee in a jar for weeks that would grow bacteria (shocker) and then they had infections all over their face on top of acne.

Scientific Alternative:Benzoyl Peroxide. It’s over the counter, not as free as pee but cheap. You can get it as a leave on cream or as a wash. It’s been researched and is an old tried and true. It has a bactericidal effect on P. acnes (the bacteria associated with acne) and is actually very effective, cheap and easy. Warning-can cause irritation and will bleach towels on contact.

Crazy skin trick #4: Rubbing a penny on a hickey. Who thought penny’s would get rid of hickeys? Weird. If you rubbed hard enough with that penny you could cause redness, inflammation and even more bruising.

Scientific Alternative: Don’t let someone suck your skin so hard you get a bruise. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. But just in case that didn’t work for you come let us laser it to go away quicker or try some Arnicare gel.

What crazy skin tricks have you guys tried? I so remember putting toothpaste on my face before Woodland Junior High dances….. not the worst thing I ever did to my skin, but not the smartest either! I had fun reading all the wild advice on the internet and it just made me appreciate you all so much. There are too many options out there and you choose to trust us at Johnson Dermatology with your skin. Thank you.

Hope your Memorial Day long weekend was as excellent as mine! Hope to see you all this week at the clinic, XXOO, Nina

“I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.” Lee Greenwood

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I feel like SPF is the ultimate false security. I think people grab a 100 SPF lather some on at 7AM and then after 8 hours in a bikini in the sun wonder how in the world they are sun burned. I hear it all the time “and I used 100 proof sunblock and still burned”. Sunscreen should only be used in areas that can’t be covered with clothes. If you happen to be a math person or a visual person then follow this “sun protective clothing >sun screen”. Then you have to pick a good sunscreen which is daunting. Even I just buy what we have at Johnson Dermatology because I don’t want to search that overwhelming aisle at Wal-Mart. SPF stands for sun protection factor. It’s a confusing thing knowing exactly what it means but here is my best attempt at explaining it to you.

SPF refers to the amount of UVB (UV-burn)only. That’s right, it has nothing to do with UVA (UV-aging, think wrinkling and sunspots) which is why you need to make sure you are getting a broad-spectrum sunscreen (think titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in the ingredients).

SPF 15 filter out 93% UVB, SPF 30 filter out 97%UVB, SPF 50 filters out 98% UVB and SPF 100 filters out 99%UVB. None are 100%. That’s why we say at least 30 SPF because after that they are pretty close together.

The number after SPF is the amount of UV rays it takes someone to burn with the sunscreen divided by the amount of rays it takes them to burn without the sunscreen and the result is then rounded to the nearest 5. It’s not exact, no one has the exact same skin tone. It just isn’t as simple as SPF last this long or that long. Wouldn’t that be so much more user friendly? I mean why don’t we just say all sunscreens last 2 hours then you need to re-apply and be done with it America? ( #NinaforPresident )The American Academy of Dermatology recommends reapplying sunscreen every 2 hours regardless of which SPF.

Other factors weigh in too like sunscreen rubbing off, getting washed off with sweat or water and all the other things that make anything you rub on your skin not stay like you would love it to. Think of your lipstick. It naturally wears off without you rubbing it off, right? This is why you should reapply every 2 hours when outdoors, more frequently if in water activities.

Bottom line, get a broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher and reapply every 2 hours to skin that can’t be covered by clothes.

It’s still Skin Cancer Awareness month which means we are still running a special on our BOB (my entire families favorite sunscreen) which is the brush on powder sunscreen. If you buy one in the month of May at Johnson Dermatology you get a free refill!

Come get in on all the sun protective fun at JD this Summer!

Stay hip, stay with it, stay skintastic, Nina

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I have recently had so many questions about the different devices that we have at Johnson Dermatology. More specifically about our skin resurfacing options. Sublative is a procedure that we use at Johnson Dermatology for resurfacing of the skin. This is a device that looks like a “laser” or a microneedling device but it’s actually quite different. We use this to treat acne scars, wrinkles, fine lines, stretch marks and uneven texture. What makes sublative treatments so unique is that it is the ONLY radiofrequency device cleared by the FDA for skin resurfacing on the market. Aging skin suffers from collagen destruction which causes skin laxity and overall deterioration in skin tone and texture. So the goal in treating aging skin (whichever mode being used) is collagen regeneration. Sublative is often confused with microneedling or skinpen and lasers because these are other devices that can regenerate collagen. Sublative uses radiofrequency delivered through small probes that do not penetrate the skin. Microneedling uses small needles that actually penetrate the skin. The advantage of sublative probes is less damage to the top layer of skin called the epidermis while still maximizing desired impact to the dermis (deeper layer of skin) for collagen regeneration. With epidermis intact there is less chance of complication such as infection. Infections after microneedling can be very difficult to treat so this is an example where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and you should always make sure your procedures are done with a licensed medical professional with expertise (and cleansing protocols). Lasers use light at different wavelengths, there are multiple different lasers with wide ranges of capabilities and downtimes etc. We have tons of before and after pictures at the clinic of real patients that have had SHOCKINGLY GOOD results with sublative for acne scars, eyelids, traumatic scars, sagging and wrinkles. Come and see for yourself!

In my opinion one procedure doesn’t fit all. Certain people have different expectations, different down time capabilities, different pain tolerances and different skin types. A personal consultation with an expert is key to finding the best fit for you. I don’t do facelifts but I do tell people they need them sometimes. I don’t do blepharoplasty but I do recommend them from time to time. My point is that my patients’ best outcomes is what is most important to me. I want what’s best for your skin and will help you achieve that goal whether with me or not, that’s my number one priority. Please remember that Dani, our cosmetic concierge is always available for free consults and Tasha our expert laser technician loves to talk lasers so if you have any questions we are only a phone call away. You may have noticed the clinic is growing and lots of exciting things are happening at JD. Follow along with us on snapchat at jdermatology where we are always snapping the daily going ons at the clinic and lots of procedures including injections, lasers, peels, make-up and much much more!

I missed you guys while I was at the beach, glad to be home! Have a great week!

Stay hip, stay happy and always stay skintastic, Nina

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Practice what you preach, it’s a pretty universally agreed upon idea. Don’t tell someone they shouldn’t smoke then light up a cigarette. Don’t tell someone to lose 50 pounds when you need to lose 100. You lose credibility, people shrug you off and laugh at your advice. If you want to be credible and trusted you should really practice what you preach. Now I must admit I often break my own rule. Like when I tell my kids they can’t eat in the car while I am stuffing a granola bar down my throat. There are often times in parenting when I have to say “because I’m the Mom” and sometimes I just don’t lead my example. It’s a whole different situation with my skin. Everyday I ask people to be sun smart and wear their sun protective clothing and sunscreen. I’m off to the beach this month and I am stocking up on all the skin smart beach wear I can find. If I want you to take my advice you have to know I believe in it, and I do. So here are this season’s (yes I did this last season if you want to check that post too) sun smart clothing must haves:

First for the littles. How annoying is it trying to keep a hat on a baby? And one that protects the face, ears and neck? And is stylish? It’s tough! Try out the shop George Hats on Etsy. They have really cute prints and the elastic keeps the hat in place. My favorite is this dessert print.

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But don’t worry they have the boys covered too….

You can never go wrong with monochrome. They are just a click away at www.georgehats.etsy.com.

And speaking of for the kids. I’ve been eyeing this super cute flamingo print one piece from www.snapperrock.com for my girls.

I haven’t pulled the trigger because there are no pants on it but I might use extra sunscreen to the legs and live a little because it is so dang cute!

But let’s not forget about the adults. Another Etsy shop in the business of hat making is Freckles California. This shop will make you a custom wide brim hat, reversible! Pick your print, pick your color! My personal fav is this greek key pattern in black because it is so versatile.

If you can’t find what you like in the stores then this is a good option to find one perfect for your taste. www.frecklescalifornia.etsy.com

Next up, one of my personal favorite shops, Cabana Life. I have shopped from Cabana Life multiple times now. They are an online store with men’s, women’s and children’s. They usually have a good sale running at all times. My favorite piece from them is the ruched rash guard because you can cinch it up and wear it with pants or release the ruching and wear it as a dress with bottoms while swimming.

I love this embroidered one and it comes in multiple prints. Check out their lounge pants too while browsing the site. (www.cabanalife.com) They are comfy and cute!

Want something affordable and easy to find? Head to Target. Marimekko for Target has some great rashguards and swim pants that are cute and come in baby to adult. Yes, you can match your baby or kids! Isn’t that fun? From $19.99-24.99 how could you go wrong? These are the two prints I found at our Target in Fort Smith.

If you have followed me on my blog for any amount of time you have seen me in my one piece amazing leopard suit, if not here ya go!

This one is from www.exoticwaterwear.com.au and they ship to the US for free. But I have my eye on a new print for this Summer. I found some really cute print one pieces at www.slipins.com like this tribal one!!!

This print comes in pants and rash guard separates too. I really like all their prints but this is my fav and if you get it we can totally twin together this Summer!

And for all you cool cats that shop Anthropologie they have teamed up with Seea again this year. Last year I showed you their vintage rose line (which I own and LOVE) but this year I am drooling over this new print…..

I just can’t decide which piece to get! You will love all the pieces they have collaborated on and you can find them at www.Anthropologie.com or www.Seea.com

Hope you all found something you will find fashionable and helpful to protect your skin from harmful UV rays this Summer. I know I’m stocked up and you can expect to see me practicing what I preach the entire season. I will post beach pics later this Month!

Have a great week and remember May is Melanoma & Skin Cancer Awareness Month so what better month of the year to stay skintastic or become skintastic?!?!?

Cheers, Nina

P.S. E-mail me if you ever need help finding sun protective clothing-combining shopping and skin is my happy place!

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