Most of my patients have at least one brown spot. Sun damage or brown spots are a common problem for which my patients commonly come to me seeking advice. Right now is the perfect time to be working on your skin tone and fading away those brown spots. Before you start working on getting rid of discolorations on your face you should have them checked by a dermatologist. There are some skin cancers that often times can be mistaken for a normal freckle, liver spot, pimple or wound. Women commonly suffer from melasma which is brownish-gray patches often found on the forehead, cheeks and upper lip exacerbated by sunlight and/or hormones. Right now(winter) is the time to get aggressive with melasma. Unfortunately, most people come to me when they are tan and their melasma is worse during the summer when treatment options are more limited. Most patients’ goal should be for melasma to stay the same during the summer and to improve during the winter. With this cycle melasma will fade as time goes on instead of getting worse and worse over the years. After you #getnaked for a good skin cancer check here are some things your dermatologist may recommend for you to help with unwanted benign discolorations.

1. Sun protection- This includes sun protective clothing, sunscreen, avoiding the hottest part of day and seeking shade when possible. My favorite sunscreen right now is SkinMedica Total Defense and Repair. It protects against UVA, UVB and infrared rays. It also has antioxidants in it which improve fine lines and wrinkles. Oh and did I mention it comes in a tinted too?!?! It’s 3 products in one and feels like a powder going on, not a greasy sunscreen.

2. Retinol- Because what doesn’t retinol do? It will help take away damaged skin, including lightening and brightening those brown spots. Everyone not pregnant or breastfeeding should pick up one of these. I use a pea size drop of the SkinMedica Retinol 0.5 mixed with equal part of moisturizer to my entire face every other night during the winter for good tolerability.

3. Lytera- Lightener and brightener extrodanaire. This is my favorite product to put on at night. It’s smooth and creamy and luxurious. I use it for all the post inflammatory discolorations I have left over from acne. I use it morning and night. Next time you are checking in at the clinic, nonchalantly examine Daisy’s skin (she’s one of our AMAZING front office staff that helps you check in). She loves Lytera. We can show you her before and after pictures of Lytera after just 4 weeks and it’s crazy how lightened her brown spots are!

4. Chemical Peels- We do a lot of trichloroacetic acid peels at the clinic which are a middle of the road peel. It penetrates deeper than  a light peel but doesn’t have the downtime of a deep (phenol) peel. You can’t be tan when you have a peel done. Chemical peels can cause discolorations or scarring so I highly recommend you have your peel done with a dermatologist experienced in chemical peels. TCA peels can help with discolorations, blemishes and fine lines.

5. Heliocare-This is a pill you take that is made from the extract of a fern called polypodium leukotomos. It’s an antioxidant that helps protect your skin from sun damage. It’s not a sunscreen so you still need that but it does help your skin be protected from the damage the sun can cause.

6. ATV laser- Certain skin types and certain brown spots can be lasered. Some are not good candidates. Melasma isn’t treated effectively with laser but if your problem is just one small brown spot then the laser may be a good option for you. You do have a blister-like sore and as it heals it takes the spot with it.

7. Hydroquinone- This is a prescription “bleaching cream”. You can only use it for 3 months and it can’t be used during the sunny months of the year or it could cause discoloration. Most people don’t like the smell of it but I still keep it in my bag of tricks.

8. Make-up- Sometimes you just need a little mineral based make-up to cover those spots up. Our cosmetic concierges have an awesome make-up room with great products at JD.  If you’re in the market call and schedule a free consultation with them to check it out. Jane Iredale really does have my heart.

I hope these tips help you all out. I would love to evaluate all your skin needs. Cosmetic Dermatology really is a happy place. We are concentrating our efforts on spreading JOY this December at Johnson Dermatology so I will leave you with this Swedish Proverb…..

Shared joy is double joy!

Hope I’ve shared the skin joy with you this week, Nina

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Black Friday is out of control. So much so that people miss their Thanksgiving dinner, or worse, the whole day because they are camped out in front of some large store to get a deal on a TV. You’ve seen it…. the tents at Best Buy, the fights at Target, it all makes the 5, 6 and 10 o’clock news. I must shamelessly admit I have participated. There is something rewarding about being the person that got that deal everyone wanted. I really like to shop local though and this year I’m going to keep it local even on Black Friday. I love Fort Smith and how much it’s grown since I started calling it home. I like getting to know the  little shop owners and feeling like my money is contributing to my community. I want all the Fort Smith small businesses to thrive and be successful.

I’ve hardly been able to think about anything this weekend other than our “gratitude evening” tomorrow night at Johnson Dermatology. I’m so excited to have a fun time and see all your pretty faces while you shop our products. From 5-7pm we are saying Thank You to our patients with 20% off cosmetic procedures, lasers, make-up and products. Carrot Dirt Organics will be there with juice samples for you. Roots hair salon will have a braid bar set up so you can get a cute braided do while you pick up some of the best hair products known to man (they are bringing the davines line I use). We will have a tester bar of our GRASS regimen (come find out more if you don’t know what that means). So much exciting things happening I am giddy just typing this! But we aren’t the only ones enjoying Thanksgiving with some Black Friday deal madness. Here are some local shops that are celebrating Black Friday and I’m not going to miss it. Enjoy the Black Friday deals this year while keeping it local because I know you love Fort Smith and its citizens as much as I do! I’ll see you there!

1. Hazels Haven- Did you hear they are moving? Their grand opening is Black Friday at 4120 Rogers Ave in Williamsburg Square. They open at 10AM with the best specials so the earlier you show up the best deal you will get. Be the first to see the new location while getting amazing deals? Winning! Plus, I hear Sweet Bay Coffee is going to be there all day! Don’t miss it, you will need the caffeine!

2. Suite One- Are you an early bird that will stand in line for a deal? They are kicking off at 8AM and they will have 40% off the entire store for an hour.  BUT, the first 15 people in line get 50% off! Tell me you wouldn’t feel like a winner if you were one of the 15?!?!

3. Inscriptions- Are you going out Thursday night but don’t want to be standing outside in a cold a line?! Inscriptions is opening at midnight and having specials and snacks until 6AM!

4. Kens & Co- Have you seen how cute my kids dress? This shop carries half of their outfits. It’s a booth in Mama Says Emporium on Garrison and if you haven’t been, you must go. Black Friday she is having 10% off of everything (even already marked down items). But do you want to wait until Saturday to miss the Black Friday crowd? Head here for small business Saturday and get 15% off the entire booth!

5. Baby Chic- The other half of my girls outfits are from this store. She usually closes during the Black Friday madness but she is opening this year so you know it’s gonna be good. Baby Chic’s new location is in Green Pointe shopping center conveniently close to Carrot Dirt so grab some organic cold pressed juice for some shopping fuel while you’re there! Baby Chic will be open from 11AM-2PM on Friday and she is going to have a surprise special every hour! I’m going to have to go out of curiosity if nothing else, haha!

I really hope I get to see you guys tomorrow night at the clinic so I can personally say Thank You for trusting my skin advice for you and yours. If not, maybe I will see you around Fort Smith on Black Friday at one of our local small shops…. I guarantee there won’t be any physical brawls on scene at these classy little shops.

Happy Turkey Day to all, Nina

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I’ve really been focusing on making gratitude my attitude this month. I’m grateful for my blog readers. At the suggestion of my mentor this week I’ve really been thinking about excellence, not success. To sum it up, excellence is being your best self and success is more comparing yourself to others. Excellence often leads to success. It’s easy to get caught up in being successful and forgetting that sometimes success is not excellent. I want you all to know that I am grateful for this blog and I hope to make it more and more excellent. This week I’m shooting for a post that appeals to all of you. I think male or female, rich or poor, Arkansan or Oklahoman we all care about our skin health and how it looks. So this week I’m listing my general skin rules. Do your skin a favor and follow them for better skin health.

1. Be gentle. Scrubbing, exfoliating, wash cloths, loofas, washes with little beads, sugar scrubs and anything else that doesn’t feel like butterfly kisses from a toddler should not be a part of your regimen. These things can cause inflammation which can cause acne, dullness, redness, wrinkles and rashes.

2. Use sun protection, other than sunscreen. We all know that sunscreen is a good thing but protecting yourself from the sun with clothing and avoiding the sunniest parts of the day are even better. More and more frequently I’m reading articles about this concept. Wear sun protective clothing. Seek the shade. Avoid outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day. UV damage can cause wrinkles, brown spots, leathery looking skin and put you at risk for skin cancer.

3. Use good sunscreen. Too often I hear people say “It’s in my make-up” but usually that isn’t enough. The main things to look for are an SPF of at least 30, UVA/UVB (broadband) and water resistant. I usually tell people to look for the ingredient zinc as this is a physical rather than chemical sunscreen.

4. Use sunscreen correctly. Did you know sunscreen needs to be reapplied every 2 hours?  Even more often than that when swimming? Well now you do, so do it!

5. Use Retinol. It’s the tried and true. It has been researched more than any other anti-aging ingredient. It is the one thing almost all dermatologist agree on. No retinol is created equal. Talk to your dermatologist about a good one for you. I use SkinMedica 0.5 strength and most people love it as much as I do.

6. Get your skin a dermatologist. Dermatologists are skin experts. Skin is what their education focused on, skin is what they do all day, skin is what they know. Get a baseline skin cancer check. Get in a gown and let your dermatologist look at your skin from your scalp to your tiny pinky toe. Let your dermatologist recommend how often to have one done after that, most likely at least once per year.

7. Check your skin. Look at your skin and know your moles. I will often recommend people check their spouses too. Take pictures of your moles (use your phone if you want) and compare the pictures to the moles every few months to track if they are changing. Most skin cancers are found by the patient.

8. Moisturize. Do you take an aspirin everyday for your heart? A multivitamin for overall health? Exercise daily? Eat healthy? These are all health maintenance. Things you do on the daily to keep yourself healthy. Moisturizing is a great daily practice to take care of your skin. Keep the water in your skin and prevent dry, cracking skin that is prone to infection. I keep 100% petroleum jelly in the shower and take the lid off and let the hot water warm it up while I shower. After I pat dry I dump the water off the top of my vaseline and rub warm vaseline all over my skin. It locks in moisture and it feels like I’m at the spa {insert hair flip here}.

9. Don’t pick. Don’t scratch until you develop a sore from scratching. Don’t pick and pop your acne. Just don’t do it. There are lots of things in dermatology that we attribute to “picking” such as lichen simplex chronicus, prurigo nodularis, trichotillomania and more. On the other hand, there is nothing in dermatology that we treat by telling you to scratch it and pick it and dig at your skin. If you think something needs “popped” see a dermatologist first. (I know you’re all imagining those youtube videos of cyst right now. Resist, no fingernail surgery).

10. Strive for excellence not success. Make your goal for your skin to be your best. I promise you that’s the way you will feel good in your own skin. It could always be worse and probably could always be better. See a dermatologist and let them help you make your skin look how you feel.

I hope you all enjoy the blog. I truly enjoy skin and love writing about it in this blog. I’m always open to suggestions if there is a topic you would like me to post about. Johnson Dermatology has started snapchatting and instagramming (are those words? Get with it spell check, it’s 2015) and I hope you follow us there too. Our snapchat user ID is jdermatology and our IG is johnsondermatology. You won’t want to miss my snaps at the clinic.They provide a peek into what we are doing every day at the clinic.

“The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment.”

-William Arthur Ward

Have an excellent week, Nina

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For some reason, when marketing their products, companies use the words “science”, “research” and “proven” improperly. So then we, the consumers, don’t know how to chose the best. People often want to know my personal regimen. You want to know what I use and what works for me? I think you all know by now that I have Botox and filler injected into my skin and I’ve had laser treatments and peels. Those are all things I suggest you buy during our Thanksgiving week special coming up if you have ever considered them. Although we use the week as a “Thank You” to our consumers, our only sale of the year, it is a good time for first timers to take the leap. It’s easier to get your first Botox treatment when it’s on sale, right? But what products do we sell that I stock pile? That I can’t live without all year? That you must get during the sale? Here they are, what I use and photos to prove it!

1. The BOB for my car. BOB stands for brush on block. It is a powder sunscreen that brushes onto your skin clear. I keep it in my car so I won’t forget my sunscreen during my morning bustle. I can reapply when I’m on a long drive or if I forget sunscreen at home I always have some in my car. My kids love it because it isn’t greasy and it’s fun to apply. I love it because it doesn’t melt and get yucky when kept in my car and because it’s so easy to use. Get one!

2. Jane Iredale Lip Crayons. I’m borderline obsessed. The colors they come in are all flattering on any skin tone. They are easy to apply and they stay on. They are marriage between lip stick and lip liner so it’s almost like getting two in one! Must have!

3. A great sunscreen. If you want one with anti-aging properties that goes on like a powder then I recommend the tinted Total Defense and Repair by SkinMedica. I use this one when my skin isn’t super winter dry. Beware if you have been sensitive to sunscreens in the past. If you are more of a sensitive skin, acne prone and you are even drier during these cold winter months then I recommend the Elta MD sunscreen. It’s not greasy but it gives me a little extra moisture when I’m feeling dry.

4. Retinol. It’s the little black dress of skincare. Without it my skin is just blah. When I was pregnant I had moments of sorrow just looking at my retinol, wishing I could apply it. My skin was depressed. Retinol is the antidepressant of skin! It lightens, brightens, prevents acne, treats acne, helps with fine lines and wrinkles, decreases oil, smooths, evens texture…… it would be quicker if I just told you what it didn’t do. If you aren’t pregnant you better get this SkinMedica Retinol (I use the 0.5 strength).

5. Specialty Products. We only have one sale per year people. It’s like black Friday. It’s like new years day at Dillards. It’s the one time you can get the products you’ve wanted to splurge on all year with a good excuse (they are on sale). I use Lytera to lighten and brighten my dark discolorations I have from pregnancy and acne post inflammatory hyperpigmentations. I also use TNS recovery complex. This is growth factor, not to be confused with growth hormone. Growth factor is the pre-curser to collagen. It really helps those fine lines, great for crinkled tissue-thin aged skin. I think of it like breast milk. You can’t duplicate it nor understand exactly why it’s so good, but it is that good. Formula just isn’t the same as breast milk and neither is any other growth factor. The SkinMedica TNS recovery complex can also be bought with Vitamin C in the two pump TNS essential serum. The Vitamin C is a little creamier and thicker and I like the gel-like consistency of the TNS recovery complex alone better for me personally as I am acne prone. Mandelic Acid is what I used when I was pregnant. If you’re pregnant it is a good replacement for your Retinol.

If you feel overwhelmed by all the skin care products and lines out there you are normal. Join the club. I saw three different products while scrolling through my facebook feed as I wrote this post. Did you know that you can schedule a free skin care consult at Johnson Dermatology with Dani? She will personalize a perfect plan for you that fits in your time schedule and budget. There are going to be some really good announcements and giveaways this month on the Johnson Dermatology social media sites too so don’t forget to follow us! Follow us not only on Facebook but on instagram @JohnsonDermatology and on snap chat userID: Jdermatology I’m kind of obsessed with snapchat and I’ve been doing a lot of the snapping at work. It’s a great way to see what is happening day to day at the clinic so follow along with me! Last week I snapped live Botox injections! Let me know what you want to see next!

I’m grateful for all my blog followers! Keep it skintastic, stay grateful, have a blessed evening, Nina

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Today is the first day of November. Halloween is gone. Daylight savings has made our clocks fall back an hour. For all those stores that think this means putting out the Christmas decorations I would like to remind you the next holiday is actually Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday because we are all celebrating giving thanks and there are no presents or other things that make us all forget the reason for the season. This month at Johnson Dermatology we are all concentrating on making Gratitude our attitude. We are working on not just being grateful but expressing gratefulness. Gratefulness for each other, our patients and all of our blessings. Sometimes it is easy to be grateful and sometimes it is difficult. Here are some reminder tips for all of us to be grateful and show gratefulness this month. Happy Thanks month.

1. Find the positive in negative. When one door closes, another opens. After kids running all around my house all day yesterday hyped up on candy I laid my head on my pillow and felt exhaustion and started to fret of all the cleaning that waited for me when I would awaken. I had to stop myself and instead I went to bed thinking of how grateful I am to be able to have a home full of healthy children to make a mess and lots of memories.

2. Accept the fact that some things just stink. If we didn’t experience things that put us in a bad mood or people who were not nice to us then how would we know how grateful we are to experience the wonderful experiences and people we do have in our lives.

3. Speak your gratefulness often. You may be grateful for your husband, your coworkers and your kids but if you don’t tell them how do they know? We live in a fast-paced busy world. I spend most my days taking care of patients, kids and home and I’m horrible at “stopping to smell the roses”. But when I do take the time to thank my husband or my boss and it puts a smile on someone else’s face, that’s when I realize just how grateful I really am for the people in my life.

4. Realize it could always be worse, always. Remember that your worst might be someone else’s best. Therefore there is always something to be grateful for, always.

5.Decide you are grateful. It’s really the better option. A mood is a mood. Sometimes we are in bad moods and sometimes we are in good moods. But we control our mood. We don’t control the circumstances around us oftentimes but we do control how we let it affect our mood. So you can be unappreciative of the cards you have been dealt or you can choose to be grateful. I choose to be grateful because it is on a happier island and I want to live on Island Happy, don’t you?

I’m grateful for an excellent job that I love. I’m grateful for the best patients. I’m grateful for  a loving family. I want you all to know I’m grateful you read my blog and trust me with your skin.

As a Thank you to our patients we will be celebrating with 20% off cosmetic procedures, products and lasers the week of Thanksgiving. I hope you all get to come to our clinic that week and enjoy all the fun things we have happening.

“In life, one has a choice to take one of two paths: to wait for some special day–or to celebrate each special day.” Rasheed Ogunlaru

Hope your today is special, Nina

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Johnson Dermatology has a new girl on the cosmetic team, Dani. Dani is our cosmetic coordinator. She has worked at Johnson Dermatology for years and has a passion for cosmetic dermatology. Being one of the largest injectors in the state, we had a need for someone special to take care of our cosmetic patients. We want to insure they get the experience they deserve when choosing Johnson Dermatology to make their skin represent how young they feel. Dani is Dr. Sandy’s and my right hand gal when it comes to cosmetic patients.  This week she is also taking over social media at Johnson Dermatology. She will be posting before and after pics, videos of me injecting, videos of laser treatments and much more.

My new obsession on social media is snapchat. So we are launching a snapchat and instagram for the clinic this week. I’m going to make our snapchat a way for you to see what’s going on at the clinic every day and you don’t want to miss it. If you don’t already, then go now and like our facebook page (Johnson Dermatology) and follow us on insta @johnsondermatology and snapchat username jdermatology. Please snapchat me what you want to see and I promise I will try to make it happen. To kick off Dani’s social media takeover this week I asked her to write a guest blog post. My favorite thing about Dani is her way of explaining things to patients. By far my number one concern from cosmetic patients is they want to look natural. Natural enough that no one can tell they have had botox or fillers or laser. I try to explain that sometimes more procedures look more natural than less but Dani explains it better than I do. So here it is….. thank you Dani for the amazing example of why more can be less.

Why MORE is BETTER

Authored by Dani Serbout, cosmetic coordinator of Johnson Dermatology

As the holidays are approaching, the cosmetic world will get busier! Everyone MUST be holiday ready!  Working as the Cosmetic Coordinator at Johnson Dermatology it is at the utmost importance for me to educate my patients that more, is better! You don’t do yourself justice by having fabulous full lips while being paired with those “elevens” between your eyebrows.  We must look fabulous from head to toe and from forehead to collarbone. My favorite gift to myself is my Botox. I have been injected with Botox for the last two years and I absolutely love it but I would not dare go without my Latiesse or my Retinol which help me continue to look young and refreshed all over. So without further adieu, I have paired some of my cosmetic procedure favs!

1. Botox and Skincare-Botox is great for lines in motion and by staying up to date on your Botox it not only helps with those lines in motion it also helps soften those fine lines you have at rest. However, if we are going to have that smooth looking forehead from our botox we must have that even skin texture and tone, as well.  That is where the Retinol comes into play. Retinol is “the little black dress” of skin care. Every woman, especially those investing in injectables, should also be on a Retinol. It helps not only with skin texture and tone but with big pores and fine lines as well; helping to ensure my skin is looking as fabulous and smooth as my forehead!

2. Botox with Latiesse for refreshed eyes. My all time favorite to pair with my Botox is Latiesse.  More is better, right?!  My Botox helps with the areas around my eyes so why would I not also give my lashes attention as well! Longer, thicker, fuller lashes keep you looking young and beautiful.   So I always spoil myself with Latiesse! {Nina commentary-If your lashes are sparse and thin but you have no crows feet it is a dead give-away to me that you get Botox. Everyone is shocked at how much younger they look with darker, thicker, longer lashes!}

3. Botox AND filler! As we age we will begin to lose volume in our cheeks. That volume falls to form those folds around our mouth and nose that no one tends to like!  So as we continue our Botox, we must also keep an open mind towards filler injections. We can’t have the upper half of our face looking beautiful and our lower half looking 5-10 years older(dead give away that you get Botox).  AGAIN, this is where more is better!  We must fight those folds and wrinkles just like we do our elevens and crow’s feet! We must lift those folds and put that skin where it belongs and give those apples back to our cheeks!  We must keep ourselves looking refreshed from forehead to chin not just in one area.

4. Last but not least! The FDA has recently approved a fantastic procedure, Kybella, to help us get rid of that “double chin.” As the holidays get closer and the cookies and cakes get sweeter, we tend to gain some of those cookies and cakes under our chin. No worries though, Kybella is here to save the day!  We can now get rid of that double chin!  We must understand, however, that the permanent fat cell reduction of our double chin may leave us with the heavy jowls so there again more is better! After that great Kybella experience, we can also lift those jowls and once again give those cheeks back their apples!

So as the holidays near and you turn your focus to looking great for the Christmas and Thanksgiving festivities, remember MORE is BETTER! Happy Holiday shopping y’all!

I can’t wait to get snapchats from you guys telling me what you want to see on social media this week! I also can’t wait to see all the fun before and after pics and videos that Dani exposes to the world. Great things are happening at Johnson Dermatology this Holiday season and you don’t want to miss it, social media is our link to keep you in the loop, don’t miss out!!!

Happy Fall Y’all, xoxo, Nina

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Isn’t Arkansas weather crazy? I mean it was 90-something degrees out at one point this week, in October! But this weekend something happened. The cool breeze blew and I needed a sweater, I wanted a hot coffee and my house felt chilly. Fall is officially here and all things that go with it are here too! The pumpkin spice flavors are every where and although I do love a good pumpkin spice latte I feel like the flavor may be a little over done at this point. Fall needs a new flavor and this fall I have all new favs that I’m considering much hipper. Because I’m hip, I’m with it! Here are my fall “must haves”.

1. Davines hair products. OMGEEEEEEE my hair has never been softer. I have officially said good bye to any other hair products. It’s a line created in Italy whose motto is “sustainable beauty”. Their products are natural and the company focuses on taking care of you and the environment. My favorite product is the LOVE shampoo and conditioner. I also got the OI for my husband. I mean lets get real ladies, no man bun should be dishonored with bad products. Your man worked hard for the #manbunmonday social media post go get him some good products and you’ll love running your fingers through his hair. Find it at Roots salon right here in Fort Smith, Arkansas. With fall comes dry skin and dry hair, don’t have a frizzy fall.

2. Jane Iredale lip crayons. They are the love child of a lip liner and lip stick. They go on so smooth and stay forever. The best part is the colors they come in, neutrals to deep reds. My favorite right now is the color naughty. It’s a deep maroon that looks good with any outfit and any hair color. I literally own every color though…. find ’em at Johnson Dermatology.

3. Cinnamon Latte at Moka Joe’s. Like I said isn’t pumpkin spice latte sooo last year? Nothing is as challenging as maneuvering their drive-thru but I would side swipe the entire side of my car for one of those cinnamon lattes! They are warm and earthy and the service is best in town! This cup of coffee is sure to put a smile on to go with that scarf.

4. Latisse brows. You’re getting rid of spaghetti straps and strapless dresses and feeling all fall ready in your plaid, scarves and sweaters. Get rid of those skinny little light brows too. I’ve been putting latisse on my brows to make them darker and thicker for fall and I must say I’m pretty proud. Not to brag or anything but I look like Cindy Crawford. Honestly. Seriously. That good.

5. Felt Hats- Let there be shade….. on my face…… at all times….. in style. The only answer is a fall felt hat. My go to is maroon, I put it with everything. Just because you aren’t frolicking around on the beach this fall the sun is still going to rise and fall. Protect your skin when you’re out on that hay ride in a fashionable way. Oh and don’t forget a manly one for your husband too, think Indiana Jones or John Wayne.

As the saying goes, Happy Fall Y’all!!!

Nina

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This week I did a guest blog post on one of my favorite blogs www.flancake.co by Flannery Lyle. I am honored to be a part of the series among some amazing girl bosses. The older I get the more I realize how important it is for women to be nice and support each other. Such a simple idea but for some reason women, as with many things, we make it complicated. If you have ever been to Johnson Dermatology you know we are a large group of powerful women. We all have different backgrounds and lots of different personalities. We make it work because we are positive and support each other. We are happy in our job working with all these women because we are lead by a girl boss who encourages us and supports us to be women that lead. To lead in the workplace, lead in our community, lead our lives in a way that makes us better humans. People often say “I bet it’s hard working with all those women all day” but it’s quite the opposite. I enjoy getting to know all of their strengths and weaknesses and seeing how they flourish in different ways. I am lucky that they support me and encourage me to be a better health care provider instead of competing with me. One of my greatest blessings has been being able to be a working Mom and still breastfeed my babies. When I get behind at work or feel too busy to pump (express breastmilk) my bosses, my nurses, my front staff, all of them make it possible for me to pump anyway. They pick up the slack for me, they make me feel like they want me to go pump, they never make me feel like my pump breaks are a nuissance or a pain in their workflow even though I know it probably is. That’s women empowerment to me; lifting each other up. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all the women I work with for empowering me and helping me flourish as a working woman. Thank You Dr. Brad for being an excellent role model to other male bosses out there on how to let business women flourish without feeling like we are the minority gender in the work force. Without further a do, please this Sunday head over to www.flancake.co and read my interview and then follow along on the women empowerment series, it’s some powerful reading and some great advice!

“My persuasion can build a nation
Endless power, with our love we can devour
You’ll do anything for me……..Who runs the world? Girls!” -Beyonce

Hope to see you this week at Johnson Dermatology, where we encourage girls to run the world, Nina

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There is a new injectable drug out that is designed to get rid of submental fullness (that’s a fancy nice medical term for double chin). It is so exciting and amazing because there is nothing out there like it.

Kybella (deoxycholic acid) is the first and only FDA approved injectable for contouring submental fullness. It is a series of 3-6 treatment sessions about a month apart. The medication is injected directly into your neck underneath your chin where the fat is located. After your initial injection there is an inflammatory response over the next month that takes the fat away and tightens the skin. The clinical trials of the drug that were done to get FDA approval had over 1600 patients in them and the drug has been found to be very safe.

Johnson Dermatology is one of only 10 offices in the state of Arkansas that was chosen to launch the medication. We are currently the only office offering Kybella in the River Valley and I would like to “toot toot” our horn on that fact!

As soon as we received the product Honey injected it into my double chin. The actual process of injections is actually pretty simple. We clean your neck off with surgical scrub and then mark out anatomical locations to see exactly where you will be injected. We numb your neck with lidocaine because the dissolving of fat can be painful. After you are numb the rest is a breeze. We inject the medication, which takes about 45 seconds and then you leave. For the next 24 hours you will have swelling, minor pain or tingling and paresthesias. You can take some ibuprofen and ice the area for up to 20 minutes of every hour to help. These symptoms are the worst the first 24 hours and then continue to get better over the next 4-6 weeks or so.  I’m almost 4 weeks out from my injections and my double chin is still slightly numb but literally it has been getting a little better everyday since I was injected. I can already see a significant difference in my double chin shrinking after just one treatment session. It’s like birthing a child. When I was in labor, I swore I would never have another baby but after that sweet little baby arrived I wanted another one. When I was all swollen I didn’t think I would do another treatment but now that I see my double chin shrinking I’d do it 20 more times! I should also point out that I saw patients all day the next day and no one noticed my swelling. People that knew me could tell I was swollen from injections but a stranger would probably just look at me and think I was 5 pounds heavier than I truly weigh.

This treatment is so exciting because it is the first time we have had something for double chin other than liposuction. It is a great adjunct treatment to your botox and fillers. Remember full facial rejuvenation always looks more natural while working on anti-aging.

For a consultation to see if you’re a candidate for this new and exciting treatment call Johnson Dermatology at 479-649-3376. Dani is our cosmetic concierge and she can get you scheduled and answer all your pre-visit questions. You can ask to speak with her and get to know her!

See you at the clinic!

Happy Fall Y’all!!

Nina

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When I come to these dermatology conferences I listen to a TON of lectures. At each one I try to pick at least one point that I’m going to take home and apply to my practice.  I just got done with todays sessions and I’m about to head to a networking reception but thought I would share with you some of my “pearls” or “take-homes” of the day.

1. Derms disagree- Have you heard the saying “there is more than one way to skin a cat”? Even the best dermatologist have different opinions on how to approach a disease or wha drugs to use. Sometimes you just have to see what everyone else does and then pick what works best for you and your patients. There isn’t always a right or wrong answer, everything isn’t black and white.

2. The more you magnify skin the uglier it gets. This was a realization I made today thanks to the 5x magnifying mirror in my bathroom. I was thinking my skin looked pretty good until I looked at my self in that thing and saw every little bump and discoloration. Then during dermatopathology lectures I looked at skin as seen under a microscope, even crazier. The lesson learned here is, if you are going to judge your skin do it from the same distance as everyone else. Magnifying mirrors are unnatural and not nice, get rid of yours, no ones looks at your skin under a microscope and you shouldn’t either.

3. Dermatology is its own language. Some of the words we use sound like I just got cursed at in German or some other language I don’t understand. My point is that if I can get overwhelmed then I know you guys can get overwhelmed. Don’t feel bad to stop me and ask what something means. It’s normal to be overwhelmed by the language of dermatology, it’s foreign to most people.

4. Nail polish doesn’t necessarily cause brittle nails, nail polish remover is the problem. Brittle nails are a common problem and women constantly ask me what they can do to strengthen the nail. Dr. Pheobe Rich is a renowned nail expert who I love to hear speak. She gets so excited about nails so take her advice. She recommends good nutrition (plenty of protein since nails are protein) and good nail care practices (moisturize, don’t traumatize).

5. Women generally earn less than men. What?!? Why?!?! {insert sad face emoji here} It’s not because we are less than men but because we don’t negotiate. They did a study called the boggle game study where they told men and women they would pay them $20 to play a board game. After they were done playing the board game they payed them only $10. The study found that women were much more likely to take the $10 and go on whereas the men wanted to know where the other $10 were and spoke up about it. I’m now brainstorming ways to help women in the work force not be afraid to stand up for themselves and show support for each other. Let me know if you have any ideas.

I’ve learned so much more than what I even have time to put in my blog but I hope you guys are enjoying the little skin tidbits that I’m throwing at you throughout the week.

Enjoy your weekend!

Stay Skintastic, Nina

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