Epiphany Dermatology

7 Common Myths About Sun Tanning

Most of the misconceptions about tanning involve a lack of understanding about what is happening when the body tans. The truth is, tanning is a reaction to skin damage. When the sun’s energy hits the DNA in your skin cells, it causes damage and triggers a chain of events. The DNA will try to repair itself, and it’s often successful. As part of that repair process, the body’s pigmenting cells produce more pigments. These pigments are then pushed o...

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Tips for Preventing Dry Hands

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night because you feel a burning, stinging or itching sensation on your hands? Or maybe you have chapping, cracking or fissures on your fingers or palms? These kinds of skin conditions (See: How to Exfoliate Your Skin Without Drying it Out) are caused by a number of things, but the most common reason is over-washing and overusing hand sanitizers. The goal of washing and sanitizing your hands is to keep germs...

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How to Choose the Best Sunscreen for Your Skin

In previous posts, we’ve discussed the general differences between chemical and physical sunscreens, and how much SPF is enough, but how do you know what sunscreen is ideal for your skin, and what factors you need to consider before making a purchase? A Different Way To Think About Sunscreen Think about what you’re going to be doing when using sunscreen. Just like you have different clothes for different seasons and occasions, you shouldn’t use t...

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Which Sunscreen SPF is Enough For Your Skin?

There are several misconceptions about SPF. SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, is a measure of UVB protection in a particular sunscreen. People always want to know what the right SPF is, and they’re often mistaken about the difference between SPF 15 and SPF 30, for example. Both provide the same amount of protection, blocking 95 percent or more of sunlight, but one lasts longer than the other. Let’s take a step back and talk about how soon skin burns a...

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How to Prevent Summer Skin Problems in Sports

During the summer, a high school football player will spend a lot of time outside in a mesh jersey. Similarly, a cheerleader will wear a tight-fitting outfit in the same conditions. As these athletes get hot and sweaty, and their clothes cling to their skin, it’s common for them to develop little red bumps that are mistaken for acne. In many cases, these red bumps are actually folliculitis, an infection or inflammation of the hair follicle. Folliculi...

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The Epiphany Dermatology Back-To-School Checklist for Students

It’s time to send the kids back to school. They need new clothes and shoes. Younger students need new school supplies. Older students need to get signed up for the classes they want. But in addition to these more common tasks, the back-to-school season can also involve a few doctors’ appointments – the family physician, the dentist, the orthodontist, the eye doctor, and yes, the dermatologist. These appointments can’t wait until the last minute...

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The Epiphany Dermatology Summer Sunscreen Guide

As you prepare to send your kids back to school, you probably tend to focus on clothes, shoes and a fresh haircut. After all, that’s what the kids care about, right? However, a major part of back-to-school preparation needs to be sunscreen, especially if your son or daughter participates in outdoor activities like football, soccer, cheerleading and the marching band. These squads typically spend several hours each day in the sweltering Texas sun, so ...

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Call Them Anything But “Age Spots!”

Dark spots and sun spots are all common terms for what dermatologists know as solar lentigos. These types of pigment problems are chronic acquired skin conditions and appear as freckles or larger irregular brown patches on the forehead, cheeks, lips, neck and nose. To find out more about the causes and treatments, Dr.Plott was featured in society life magazine discussing age spots, as found in the link below: ...

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