Micro-needling is a great skin rejuvenation technique used by dermatologists to smooth and revitalize your skin. Micro-needling creates a controlled injury under the skin’s surface to activate the body’s natural collagen inducing response. This generates new layers of tissue packed with elastin, collagen, fibers and new capillaries. When combined with PRP, tunnels created by the micro-needling process allow infiltration of growth factors into the dermis easily. The deep infiltration of growth factors repairs and triggers tissue regeneration. This combination procedure is ideal for acne scars and skin texture imperfections.
Chemical Peels
At Arizona Dermatology, we offer multiple chemical peels, all varying in intensity, to give you the results you need.
Perfect Peel
The perfect peel is our heaviest peel that works to repair and nourish the skin by giving it a radiant glow, refining pores, improving hyperpigmentation, lifting melasma, diminishing fine lines and wrinkles, exfoliating sun-damaged skin, slowing aging process and eliminating acne and improving acne scars. This is the strongest chemical peel offered by Arizona Dermatology, but is safe for all skin types.
There is minimal to no discomfort during the 30 minute application process. Patients will experience peeling three to five days after the treatment occurs, and will be completely finished with the peel process by day seven, leaving radiant, glowing results.
Vitalize Peel
The vitalize peel helps fight the effects of time, sun damage and environmental assaults. This powerful, yet non-damaging peel is safe for all skin types. It is recommended as an anti-aging skin treatment, but is often used for those with sun damaged or acne prone skin.
From start to finish the vitalize peel can be done in just 20 minutes. In no time, you can reveal the healthier skin you had no idea was always there. Vitalize peel is gentle enough to use every three weeks and can be treated on all skin types. More dramatic results are achieved with a series of peels and will present maximum benefits.
After only one treatment you will see a noticeable difference in your skin’s texture and tone, lessening of fine lines, and an overall healthier and more youthful appearance. Patients typically return to their usual routine quickly after receiving this peel because of the treatment’s speedy recovery time.
People who benefit most from the Vitalize peel tend to suffer from:
• Sun damaged skin
• Aging
• Blemish-prone skin
• Acne scarring
• Hyperpigmentation
• Melasma
• General poor skin texture
Alpha Beta Acid Peel
The alpha beta acid peel is a non-invasive, light chemical peel that utilizes milder alpha-hydroxy and beta-hydroxy acid combinations to maximize skin rejuvenating effects, with mild irritation. It is recommended as a lunch time peel that will increase skin glow and improve acne in a short time with no downtime!
Glycolic Acid Peel
The glycolic acid peel is one of the most popular and lightest peels that we offer. This peel was derived from sugar cane, so it can be considered a natural product. It helps to improve the appearance of aging skin, as well as uneven skin texture and tone. This natural peel gives you noticeable and long lasting results!
Salicylic Acid Peel
Our salicylic acid peel is one of our lightest chemical peels we offer to our patients and it’s great for killing off acne prone bacteria within the skin. This is an antiseptic exfoliate that deeply cleanses the pores of your skin. The peel is an excellent treatment for acne, and aids in overall skin rejuvenation. Salicylic acid smoothens skin and improves texture with anti-acne and anti-irritant properties.
Modified Jessner’s Peel
The modified Jessner’s Peel is a mix of peels including lactic, salicylic and resorcinol. It is a great solution for acne, acne scarring and pigmentation on the body. The peel is applied in layers so it can be more or less aggressive, depending on your needs and budget. To keep lasting results, it’s recommended that the peel be repeated multiple times per year, depending on the intensity of the peel.
Vascular Laser
The Gentle Max creates a beam of high-intensity light that penetrates deeply into skin tissue and targets the vascular lesion, spider vein or facial redness. Candela’s patented DCD™ technology protects the upper layers of your skin with a cooling burst of cryogen, giving optimal results with minimal side effects.
Arizona Dermatology provides vascular laser treatment in Phoenix and the Valley’s surrounding areas.
Dermaplaning
Dermaplaning is a simple, safe and non-invasive procedure that dermatologists use to gently exfoliate and remove the surface layer of dead skin cells. Dermaplaning also increases cell turnover rate and removes facial hair, or “peach fuzz” allowing your skin to feel softer and smoother than ever. This is an extremely popular treatment at Arizona Dermatology since there is no downtime, and it can performed as often as every two weeks.
Medspa Services
At Arizona Dermatology, we offer a wide range of med spa services to help keep your skin young and beautiful. Whether you’re looking for a safe way to tan, or a non-invasive way to revitalize your skin, you’ve come to the right place. Our med spa treatments include micro-needling, chemical peels, vascular laser, dermaplaning and microdermabrasion. We are also proud to offer our patients NEOCUTIS, Colorescience, Jane Iredale and Epionce skin care collections. We will work with you to find the best treatment option to give you your desired results, and will do our best to do it within your budget and time constraints. Schedule an appointment to get started on your path to beautiful skin!
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is a safe, non-invasive procedure that dermatologists use to stimulate the production of healthy skin cells and collagen. It uses gentle exfoliation to abrade the surface of the skin, leaving a fresh and invigorated skin surface. With a short recovery time of one to two days, your skin will look and feel as good as new!
Additional Skin Cancer Treatments
Depending on the severity and the type of skin cancer you have, we will recommend one or more of a wide range of treatment options. We may also use these treatments if you have Actinic Keratosis. Actinic keratoses (AKs), are precancerous lesions that typically develop on fair-skinned individuals in areas exposed to sunlight.They are characterized by rough, scaly patches that may resemble stubborn scabs that resist shedding and can even bleed when irritated. Roughly 10% to 30% of these lesions can evolve into malignancies if left untreated.
Preventing actinic keratosis and skin cancer hinges on effective sun protection strategies, such as using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily, wearing a wide-brimmed hat to protect vulnerable areas like the ears, and wearing long sleeves or UPF-rated clothing.
Excision (Malignancies on bodily areas)
Mohs micrographic surgery is a highly specialized treatment used for skin cancers found on the head, neck, or cosmetically sensitive areas. However, the mainstay of treatment for most skin cancers is surgical excision.The cancerous tumor is excised with some of the surrounding healthy tissue and is then submitted to our laboratory for an evaluation of margins. Excision has a high cure rate and can reduce the risk of the cancer recurring.
Electrodessication & Curettage (Superficial skin cancers)
This treatment provides great results and is less invasive than many other skin cancer procedures. A curette is employed to scrape away the cancerous tissue until healthy tissue is revealed. Next, an electric current is applied to the area, effectively destroying any remaining cancer cells and controlling bleeding through cauterization of the wound. The residual effect from electrodessication and curettage is typically a hypopigmented or light-colored scar usually around the size of a quarter depending on the size of the initial skin cancer.
Prescription Medication (Superficial BCCs or AKs)
Chemotherapy for the skin works to destroy mutated cells present in actinic keratoses or superficial basal cell carcinoma (BCC) cancers. Based on your symptoms, needs, and budget, we will work with you to find the best prescription medication for you. Two of the most common prescription medicines we use are Imiquimod and 5-Fluorouracil. Imiquimod works by stimulating the body’s immune response to target and eradicate abnormal skin cells. 5-Fluorouracil interferes with cancer cells’ ability to replicate DNA, ultimately leading to their death and the regression of skin cancer lesions. Both of these creams are used for about two to three weeks at a time. Common side effects include redness, irritation and sometimes blistering. These side effects can be calmed down with the use of a low-potency topical steroid.
Cryotherapy (AKs)
Cryotherapy involves the application of extreme cold, typically using liquid nitrogen, to freeze and destroy abnormal cells in the skin affected by actinic keratosis. During the procedure, the liquid nitrogen is sprayed directly onto the lesions, causing them to blister and eventually slough off as the treated skin heals.
Chemical Peels (AKs, Sun damage)
Moderate chemical peels, such as the Vitalize Peel or Perfect Peel, can be utilized to exfoliate away actinic keratoses. These work by burning off the damaged cells to improve the quality and health of the skin. We will work with you to find the best chemical peel based on your needs, symptoms, and budget.
Laser Treatment
Laser skin resurfacing is another treatment for moderate-to-severe actinic keratosis. The top layer of skin (epidermis) is ablated or removed. Heat from the laser penetrates into the second layer of skin (dermis) to stimulate an intense collagen reaction. The combination of ablating the epidermis and stimulating deep collagen production removes actinic keratoses and results in healthy, rejuvenated skin.
Superficial Radiation Therapy (SRT)
Superficial Radiation Therapy (SRT) is a non-invasive treatment option that delivers low-energy radiation directly to the skin’s surface, targeting cancerous cells while preserving surrounding healthy tissue. Patients receive short, 30-second treatments once or twice a week over several weeks.
Photodynamic Therapy
Ameluz is a topical gel used to treat actinic keratosis (AK) and sun-damaged areas on the face and scalp. The gel is applied to lesions and allowed to absorb for a period of time. Next, a special deep-penetrating red light is used to activate the medication. Most patients will see their lesions disappear over the next several weeks.
Eczema and Dermatitis Treatments
Eczema usually develops as a rash and typically appears dry and discolored on the surface of our skin. Scratching often leads to redness, crusting and scaly skin. Excessive scratching often results in more serious conditions such as skin damage, infection, and sleep loss. Eczema develops most frequently on the elbow and knees during the teenage and adult years. While patients have experienced it on the hands, feet, ankles, wrists, face, neck, and upper chest, these areas tend to be less common. There are several common types of diseases that may loosely be described as eczema, so it’s important to schedule an appointment and have us verify the condition. A few diseases which are commonly referred to as eczema, but may require different treatments, include:
Types of Eczema and Dermatitis
Allergic Contact Dermatitis
There are many chemicals in our environment which can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Examples include nickel, fragrances, hair dyes, preservatives, rubber, and latex products. The hallmark of allergic contact dermatitis is that only some people exposed to the allergen will develop dermatitis. If a rash that appears to be allergic contact dermatitis emerges, a careful history and physical may be all that is required to uncover the culprit. However in some cases, more extensive usage testing or patch testing may be needed in order to achieve an accurate diagnosis.
Atopic Dermatitis
Called “the scratch that itches,” atopic dermatitis is an immunologic disease of hyper-reactivity of the skin to many external substances. Scratching often leads to redness, swelling, cracking, blistering or “weeping” of clear fluid, and scaling of the skin. Atopic dermatitis is an inherited tendency and is associated with asthma and hay fever. Just as the appearance of eczema and the exacerbating factors vary from one person to another, so do the treatment options.
Hand Eczema
Any type of eczema that forms on the hands is considered hand eczema and may require a different treatment approach. Hand eczema is extremely common due to constant exposure to multiple irritants: air, water, harsh soaps, cleaning agents, chemicals and solvents.
Irritant Contact Dermatitis
Some compounds cause eczema on exposure because they are irritating and/or drying. Examples of these would be items such as harsh soaps, cleansers, or solvents. Unlike allergic contact reactions which only affect a small proportion of those exposed, a true irritant dermatitis will affect anybody who has adequate exposure to the chemical.
Neurodermatitis
This type of eczema starts as an itchy patch of skin that if scratched, can irritate the nerve endings in the skin. This increases the itchy sensation, eventually leading to the cycle of chronic itching.
Nummular Dermatitis
Nummular dermatitis creates coin-shaped marks which appear on the skin. Overtime, these spots become itchy and cause the area to become crusty or filled with pus. This chronic condition is usually experienced after a skin injury or insect bite.
Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis
In children red, itchy patches that often lead to cracking of the skin tend to develop on the cheeks, back of the knee and inside of the elbow. When atopic dermatitis develops in an infant or young child, the child tends to get better with age.
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Seborrheic dermatitis produces red, oily, scaly itchy patches on the scalp, eyebrows, sides of nose or ear caused by a yeast-like organism that lives on the skin. Seborrheic dermatitis is common in babies (commonly called cradle cap), but can be present in patients of any age.
Stasis Dermatitis
Stasis dermatitis arises when the skin becomes severely inflamed. The extreme skin inflammation is caused by the lack of blood flow in the veins of the leg. This can cause pooling of blood in the legs, which increases the difficulty of blood circulation to the heart. Those who suffer from stasis dermatitis will notice thin, brown areas of the skin, accompanied by itchy and swollen legs. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to get in touch with our expert dermatologists to determine the cause and help to narrow down your treatment options. Below are a few of the treatment options that we offer at Arizona Dermatology for eczema and eczema-related diseases.
No matter which type of eczema or dermatitis you have, it’s important to come see one of our board certified dermatologists to correctly identify the condition. Based on your symptoms, budget and needs, we will work with you to find the best treatment option for you:
Corticosteroid Creams or Ointments
Corticosteroid creams or ointments are commonly used to relieve people from scaling and extreme itching. Topical corticosteroid creams and ointments are available with or without a prescription, but may cause harmful side effects if not used correctly. Speaking with a skin care professional at Arizona Dermatology is recommended so that we can suggest the best option for your specific needs.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are often used to treat bacterial infections, open sores, or cracking in the skin caused by frequent scratching. A skin care professional from Arizona Dermatology can prescribe antibiotics for a length of time based on the condition of your skin issue and your specific needs. Taking the required antibiotics for the recommended time will continue to prevent infections from reoccurring. This means longer lasting results for you and your skin!
Oral Antihistamines
Oral antihistamines are ideal for those suffering with severe itching. Certain types of medications make you sleepy, helping not only to eliminate itching itself but also helping anyone whose sleep is affected by the continuous sensation to scratch. Finally get a good night’s sleep and relief from scratching by taking a simple oral antihistamine.
Oral or Injected Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids are used for extreme cases of itching. Oral corticosteroids prescription or simple corticosteroid injections, are performed to reduce inflammation and control the severe itching sensation. Although this treatment is effective for eczema, it is used as a short-term solution due to potential long-term usage side effects.
Immunomodulators
Immunomodulators (Elidel, Protopic) are a classification of prescription-only medications used to maintain a normal skin texture and reduce the flaring symptoms of dermatitis. Immunomodulators are used as a topical treatment to help reduce inflammation and redness of the skin without the side effects of traditional corticosteroids. Due to safety data, this is the treatment of choice for children over the age of 2 and rashes in sensitive areas such as face and genitals.
Phototherapy
Phototherapy uses light to treat the skin by helping to reduce itching directly and inflammation effectively. By increasing the production of Vitamin D in the skin, itchy skin is soothed. This simple treatment has been used to increase the defensive systems in the body that fight off bacteria to limit the risk of infection, you may generate from scratching.
RAST Testing
Another option to help find the cause of your eczema is through RAST (radioallergosorbent) Testing. We can administer a blood test to determine environmental and food allergies that can be contributing to skin sensitivity. Discovering the origin of a patient’s eczema through RAST testing is a treatment option many people who suffer from chronic itching rely on today.
Mohs Therapy Skin Cancer Treatment
Mohs micrographic surgery is a specialized, highly effective technique for the removal of skin cancer. The procedure was developed in the 1930s by Dr. Frederic Mohs at the University of Wisconsin and is now practiced throughout the world.
The Mohs procedure involves surgically removing skin cancer layer by layer, and examining the tissue under a microscope until healthy, cancer-free tissue around the tumor is reached (called clear margins). The procedure is performed specifically for large cancers where standard surgery has failed in complete clearance of the tumor. Mohs surgery will be performed in our office and can sometimes take up to three or four hours to complete. This allows us to eliminate the cancer accurately by targeting two parts in the removal of skin cancer. The two parts being: clearing the cancerous tumor and then proceeding to close the wound. We are able to perform both parts of the procedure on the same day to make it much more convenient for the patients.
Mohs surgery has the highest success rate for the treatment of skin cancer (up to 99%) because our Mohs surgeon is specially trained as a cancer surgeon, pathologist, and reconstructive surgeon.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer found in the United States. In addition to having 3.5 million cases per year in the country, Arizona ranks exceedingly high as second in the world for the number of skin cancer incidents, only behind Australia. Because Arizona is such a dangerous environment for skin, it is essential for you to take care of your skin.
Skin cancer includes a wide range of cancers that begin to form abnormal skin cells caused by uncontrolled growths. It is important to check for any signs of skin cancer or unfamiliar moles that begin to develop overtime. Taking preventative measures such as applying sunscreen and reducing the amount of sun exposure are only the first steps to remain cancer-free. We recommend visiting us one to two times a year for full skin exams to ensure your skin stays healthy.
The three main types of skin cancer include Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Malignant Melanoma. It’s important to find out which type of skin cancer you have to understand your skin cancer treatment options.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of cancer found in the human body. It begins as a locally destructive tumor that arises in the body’s basal skin cells. The formation of BCCs are typically caused by cumulative intense sun exposure. These BCCs form in the deepest layer of the skin as uncontrollable growths that can progress and basically damage blood vessels, muscle tissue, and other nerve endings. With early detection and the proper treatment, BCC can be eliminated. Removing the original tumor site is very important to the body because aggressive basal cell carcinoma has the ability to spread to other areas of the skin and can be locally destructive and disfiguring. BCCs often look like open sores, red patches, pimple-like growths, shiny bumps or scars.After you are diagnosed with BCC, there are a number of surgical and nonsurgical options to help treat this form of skin cancer. Depending on the size, location, and characteristics of the tumor, as well as the overall health needs of the patient, we provide the ideal treatment to assess the problem properly. While basal cell carcinoma is a serious issue which can lead to permanent disfigurement, it rarely spreads to other areas in the body. Early diagnosis is necessary to prevent further complications.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)is the second most common type of skin cancer. It is a type of carcinoma cancer that may occur in many different organs, including the skin, lips, mouth, esophagus, urinary bladder, prostate, lungs, vagina and cervix. SCCs may appear as a red crusted or scaly patch on the skin, a non-healing ulcer, or a firm red nodule on areas that are most exposed to the sun such as the ears, nose, head, neck, torso and arms.With early detection and proper treatment, SCC can be removed and easily treatable. Understanding the signs and recognizing SCCs early increases the cure rate and minimizes your odds of further extensive treatments. If left untreated, aggressive squamous cell carcinomas (especially of the ears and lips) have a greater risk for spreading to the lymph nodes and other internal organs.
Malignant Melanoma
Malignant melanoma is a type of cancer that begins in the skin. It is treatable and possible to remove when detected early, but can be fatal to your health if allowed to progress and spread. Melanoma is a cancer of the pigment producing cells in the skin, known as melanocytes. Normal melanocytes reside in the outer layer of the skin and produce the brown pigment melanin, which is responsible for the color of our skin. Melanoma occurs when melanocytes become cancerous, grow and invade other tissues.We are not certain how all cases of melanoma develop; however it is clear that if you endure excessive sun exposure, especially severe blistering sunburns during childhood or persistent indoor tanning, you may be increasing your risk of developing melanoma. Although moles and brown spots on the skin are usually harmless, anyone who has more than 100 moles is also at a greater risk for melanoma. The first signs can appear in one or more atypical moles, which is why it’s so important to get to know your skin very well and to recognize any changes in the moles on your body.
If you have seen any signs of skin cancer, make an appointment for a skin cancer screening right away. Depending on the type of skin cancer, the severity, and your needs and budget, we will work with you to find the best skin cancer treatment for you. Read more about our skin cancer treatments and schedule an appointment to come see us!
Actinic Keratosis
Actinic keratosis, also known as A.K.S., are precancerous conditions of the skin. When I say precancer that is really meaning basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. These tend to develop in fair skinned individuals and more commonly on sun exposed areas.
The signs of actinic keratosis is a rough adherent scale. What most patients are going to describe them as is basically a scab that just does not want to fall off, and sometimes if they scratch it hard enough it can bleed. Approximately 10 to 30% of these can go on to develop into non-melanoma skin cancer.
Prevention of actinic keratosis is best achieved through sun protective measures. First is sunscreen. Now the important thing to know about sunscreen, that a lot of people do not know, is that S.P.F. tells you only how much U.V.B. rays it protects you from. Now that doesn’t tell you about how much U.V.A. it protects you from and U.V.A is equally causative of these. So it’s very important that when you are buying sunscreen, that it should have an S.P.F. of 30 or better, but also on the label it should say broad spectrum protection.
The other thing that works really well, they have new U.P.F. shirts which are long sleeve or short sleeve shirts and you put that on and that will alleviate the necessity to put sunscreen all over your upper body. I also recommend wide brim hats because skin cancers and precancers are very common on the ears.
Actinic Keratosis is a dry, scaly, rough bump that is typically anything from skin-colored to reddish-brown. Actinic keratosis can also be referred to as “solar keratoses” or “sun spots.” Fair-skinned people are more susceptible, and actinic keratosis tends to appear on skin that receives the most sun such as the forehead, ears, neck, arms, hands, lower lip, a bald scalp and lower legs. No matter where actinic keratosis develops, it is considered the earliest stage in the development of skin cancer. Actinic keratoses may be removed by liquid nitrogen—a simple, quick and rather painless treatment in which the area is frozen off—but if you have many actinic keratoses, additional treatment options may include photodynamic laser therapy, chemical peels, or prescription creams.Keeping your skin well moisturized is a great way to maintain healthy skin and help avoid the risk of developing actinic keratosis. If your skin begins to itch, develop red bumps, or appears to have a sand-paper like texture for a long period of time, contact us for a professional diagnosis.
Dysplastic Nevus
Dysplastic nevus is an atypical mole that often resembles melanoma. An atypical mole is a mole that differs in size, color, texture and height from a common mole. This pre-cancerous mole tends to have a mixture of pink, tan, or brown shades and is flat to the skin’s surface. It doesn’t have a symmetrical circle or oval shape, but does have very distinct edges. An atypical mole could be the first sign towards the development of a single or multiple melanomas. A higher number of moles relate to a higher possibility of developing melanoma. Heredity also has a major impact in the development of dysplastic nevus and is commonly carried down from a family history of melanoma. Unfortunately, if you don’t have a family history of melanoma you are still at risk for developing this type of skin cancer, especially if you undergo high amounts of sun exposure or sun burns. If you notice any moles that have these characteristics, get them looked at immediately.
Skin Cancer Treatments
If you see any signs of skin cancer, make an appointment for a skin cancer screening immediately. We will perform a full skin cancer screening and if anything is found, we will work with you to find the best skin cancer treatment for you. We have a wide range of treatments from Mohs Therapy, Brachytherapy, and many other additional skin cancer treatments. Depending on the type of skin cancer found, the severity, as well as your needs and budget, we will work with you to find the best treatment for you.
