It doesn’t matter how old you are, acne can hit at the most inopportune times. However, adult acne is just no fun, as some people get it so bad they don’t want to leave home. The dermatologists at Shady Grove Dermatology in Rockville, MD, offer a variety of adult acne treatments. 

How to Treat Your Adult Acne

Adult acne can be caused by any number of things, including stress, hormone changes, menopause, and more. Here are a few things you can do to treat and prevent adult acne. 

Clean Your Face Daily

To treat and prevent acne, one of the best things you can do is keep your face clean. You should wash your face in the morning and at night before bed. This will help to kill acne-causing bacteria while reducing inflammation. However, you must use the right product. Look for products that contain acne-fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid. 

Avoid Scrubbing Your Face

When your face is riddled with acne, the last thing you want to do is scrub your face with a washcloth or an exfoliating brush. This can cause the acne to get worse. Instead, you should always use your hands while cleansing your face, and make sure to pat your skin dry afterward (don’t rub!). 

Use Oil-free, Water-based Makeup Products

For women, it is common to use makeup to cover up those acne blemishes and make them less noticeable or hide them completely. Unfortunately, makeup could potentially make your breakouts worse. Certain products, such as those with mineral oil or cocoa butter, could aggravate your acne. Therefore, opt for makeup products that are hypoallergenic, oil-free, and water-based. Products with silica or zinc oxide can help minimize the redness of your acne while also absorbing the oil on your face. 

Avoid Constantly Touching Your Face

Each time you touch your face, your fingers are transferring oil, dirt, and more to your skin. While it can be difficult to minimize touching your face, it is important to do so. Also, keep your hands washed with warm water and soap often to ensure your hands are always as clean as possible. 

Eat Healthily

You can reduce your breakouts by eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong foods. For instance, greasy foods and chocolate have long been said to aggravate acne. Therefore, avoiding these foods (carbs and sugars) can decrease your breakouts. A healthier diet may be able to improve the appearance of your skin. 

Schedule an Appointment with an Adult Acne Doctor Today

The professionals at Shady Grove Dermatology in Rockville, MD, can help you identify the best adult acne treatments for your skin. Call (240) 246-7417 to schedule an initial consultation with one of our dermatologists. 

How your dermatologists in Rockville, MD, can help with skin rashes

A skin rash is one of the most common issues you will experience, and they are caused by a variety of things. You need to know the facts about skin rashes, because a skin rash may be a sign of a more serious issue.

The dermatologists of Shady Grove Dermatology in Rockville, MD, offer a wide variety of skincare and dermatology services, including treatment of skin rashes.

These are just a few of the frequently asked questions and answers about skin rashes:

What does a skin rash look like?

Skin rashes can look like small red bumps or larger swollen areas. They can cover only a small area of your body, or they can be diffuse, spread out over a large area of your body.

What does a skin rash feel like?

Some skin rashes have no symptoms however, other skin rashes can itch, sometimes severely. Occasionally, a skin rash can also be painful.

What causes a skin rash?

A skin rash is commonly associated with an allergy to a substance. Allergic reaction rashes can be caused by:

• Medications
• Pet dander
• Foods
• Plants like poison ivy

Skin rashes can also be caused by inflammation from contact with a chemical or other substance. This skin rash is known as dermatitis, and it is a dry rash that doesn’t itch.

What can I do for a skin rash?

You can try:

• Over-the-counter antihistamine medication
• Over-the-counter topical cortisone cream
• Aveeno oatmeal products like bath solutions
• Benadryl topical or oral medications

When should I see a dermatologist?

If you’ve tried over-the-counter products and your rash doesn’t go away or your symptoms grow worse, it’s best to visit your dermatologist. A skin rash that is accompanied by a high fever, nausea, or difficulty breathing could signal the onset of an anaphylactic reaction, which is a medical emergency requiring emergency services.

How can my dermatologist help?

Common professional treatments your dermatologist may recommend include:

• Prescription-strength antihistamine medications
• Prescription-strength steroid medications
• Cortisone or antibiotic creams and lotions

To learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of skin rashes, talk with the experts. Call the dermatologists of Shady Grove Dermatology in Rockville, MD, at (240) 246-7417. Call today!

It’s common for teens to experience acne as they go through puberty, but we all expect it to fully stop there. So, when you experience acne as an adult, it can be frustrating, and you may not be sure how to treat and prevent acne from coming back and affecting your life. Your dermatologists at Shady Grove Dermatology, LLC, in Rockville, MD, can help you learn how you can treat your adult acne and have the clear skin you’ve always dreamed of!

Dealing with Adult Acne

There are two common types of acne that you might deal with. These are whiteheads/blackheads and red pustules or papules. Papules are more likely to lead to scarring and can affect your skin in the long term. It’s important to talk to your dermatologists in Rockville, MD, and discuss which is more common with your adult acne, and develop a treatment plan that works for you!

There are multiple forms of treatment that you can go through for adult acne and each person’s skin reacts differently to a treatment. Your dermatologist may recommend some of these common forms of treatment:

• Benzoyl Peroxide- This helps to reduce the number of blockages in the hair follicles and is used for mild cases.
• Antibiotics- Antibiotics can be oral or topical and are used to treat infections in the pores.
• Hormonal Treatments- These are most commonly used to treat hormonal acne in women.
• Tretinoin- This is a very common acne treatment and helps to unclog the blocked-up areas in whiteheads and blackheads.
• Extraction- This removes whiteheads and blackheads using a small metal device that helps unclog the blocked pore.

Contact Your Dermatologist Today!

Acne treatment isn’t one size fits all and you may need multiple forms of treatment for the best results. Contact your dermatologists at Shady Grove Dermatology, LLC, in Rockville, MD, to learn more about treating adult acne. Call for more information at (240) 246-7417.

Skin cancer, one of the more common types of cancer, will affect more than 20% of Americans by the time they're 70, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Like so many types of cancer, skin cancer is easiest to treat when it's caught early. During skin exams at their Rockville, MD, office, your dermatologists at Shady Grove Dermatology can spot and treat changes in moles, helping you protect your health.

Signs and symptoms of skin cancer

Melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer, can change the appearance of moles. Call the Rockville, MD, dermatology office if you notice:

• A Large Mole: Bigger moles are more likely to cause problems. Any mole larger than a pencil eraser should be examined.
• Color Changes: Melanoma may cause color changes in part or all of your mole.
• Unusual Borders: A blurred, irregular or rough mole border could also be caused by melanoma.
• Redness: Redness, swelling or pain around the mole can be signs of trouble.
• Changes in Texture or Symmetry: Both sides of the mole should be the same size. If one side has gotten bigger than the other, it's a good to pay a visit to the skin doctor. Moles that feel rough should also be checked.

If you have basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, you may notice sores that never heal, pimple-like bumps that keep coming back, new skin growths, or flaky, red skin patches, sores that never heal.

Regular skin exams are crucial

Skin exams, both at home and at the dermatologist's office, can help you ensure that you spot skin cancer as soon as possible. At least once a month, remove all of your clothing and examine any inch of your body. Hand mirrors can help you see out-of-the-way places.

In addition to conducting home exams, schedule a skin check in the dermatology office once a year. Although it's important to do your own exams, you may overlook a concerning spot. Seeing the dermatologist every year is a simple, effective way to ensure that you're a success story should you ever develop skin cancer.

Are you concerned about a change in one of your moles? Call (240) 246-7417 to reach your dermatologists in Rockville, MD, at Shady Grove Dermatology.

There are steps you can take to protect you and your loved ones from skin cancer.

This year alone, around 106,110 new melanoma cases with be diagnosed here in the US. Melanoma prevalence is on the rise, and the goal of our Rockville, MD, dermatologists is to protect you from both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. After all, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Here are some tips to follow to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer.

Protect Yourself from the Sun

This is probably the most important tip to follow: Always practice good sun safety, and this doesn’t just mean during the summer months. After all, UV rays are powerful and potentially harmful all year long, even on snowy and rainy days. Since the sun’s rays are strongest between the hours of 10 am-4 pm, it’s best to avoid extended periods of sun exposure during these times. If you must be outside,

• Wear sunscreen every day (more on that, below!)
• Stay in the shade as much as possible
• Wear protective clothing with tightly woven fabrics
• Wear sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to protect the ears, face and neck

Wear Sunscreen

Again, sunscreen isn’t just something that you need to put on once in a blue moon (or on that summer vacation); it’s something that you need to apply each and every day. UV rays are strong enough to penetrate through the windows of your car and clouds on rainy days, which can lead to some serious sun damage over time. Here are some tips on proper sunscreen use,

• Look for a sunscreen that is broad-spectrum and protects against both UVA and UVB rays
• Make sure that you use a sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15
• Apply sunscreen every day about 30 minutes before going outside. Make sure to reapply every two hours (or immediately after, if you are swimming or sweating).

Say “No” to Tanning Beds

At this point, we hope that most people know the dangers of a tanning bed, but just in case you need a little refresher: Tanning beds not only cause significant skin damage, but they can also greatly increase your risk for developing skin cancer. In fact, just one season can increase your risk for developing melanoma by 20%.

Skin Cancer Warning Signs

It’s important to know what to look for. The ABCDEs can certainly help people remember the warning signs of melanoma. Of course, a simple rule of thumb is, if any mole changes color, shape or size it’s a good idea to have our Rockville, MD, dermatologist take a look. You should also turn to us if: you develop a new mole, or you have a growth or mole that bleeds, crusts over, hurts or resembles a scar.

Here at Shady Grove Dermatology in Rockville, MD, we’ve made it our mission to protect our patients from skin cancer. Whether you’re noticing changes in a mole or you simply want to schedule a routine skin cancer screening, we are here for you. Call us today at (240) 246-7417 to schedule an appointment.