Botox treatment in Phoenix can gently smooth out wrinkles and leave your face looking refreshed and more aesthetically pleasing. No downtime is required after a Botox treatment and patients can return to most of their usual activities immediately following your Botox application. There are a few activities that should be avoided following treatment, including:

Touching the Injection Sites – You may feel slight discomfort after the procedure and want to massage or rub the injection area, but this should be avoided for at least 24 hours after treatment. This could potentially move the Botox around into an unwanted area, producing unwanted results.

Lying on Your Face – The typical time to recover after Botox injections is 2 to 4 hours, so it’s best to avoid napping during that time.

Heavy Drinking – You should avoid large quantities of alcohol following Botox injections to avoid any negative reactions such as bruising. It’s recommended that you not consume alcohol at least a few days before and one day after your procedure.

Blood Thinners – Avoid taking anti-inflammatory painkillers, such as Aspirin or Ibuprofen, for 2 days before and 2 days after treatment. This medication reduces your blood’s ability to clot, and the reduced clotting can increase bruising and bleeding after a Botox injection.

Strenuous Activity – Give yourself a 24-hour window before resuming any strenuous activity regimens, including exercise. 

Avoid Excessive Heat – Until the redness and swelling have disappeared, avoid any sunbathing or heat lamp procedures.

Other Facial Procedures – For the first week following a Botox treatment you should stay away from other aesthetic treatments such as microdermabrasion, chemical peel and laser hair removal.

Botox is just one of several non-invasive procedures to reduce facial wrinkles. If you’re frustrated with lines on your face, contact THE CENTER for Advanced Dermatology at 602-867-7546 or website to schedule an appointment with Dr. Holy to determine the best wrinkle reducing option for you.

When it comes to reducing wrinkles, the first thing most people think of is Botox. Botox treatment in Phoenix can gently smooth out wrinkles and leave your face looking refreshed and more aesthetically pleasing.

How Botox Works

As your facial muscles contract, the overlying skin is pushed and pulled in different directions. These repetitive actions lead to the formation of wrinkles. To smooth these lines, the muscles responsible for them need to relax. Botox breaks the communication chain between muscles and nerves, leading to forced muscle relaxation. 

Common uses for Botox include:

• Soften crow’s feet
• Remove frown lines between brows
• Smooth the forehead
• Smooth lip lines 
• Prevent chin dimpling
• Lift the corners of the mouth
• Freshen your look

Botox injections are very simple to perform and usually take less than five minutes per facial area. A topical anesthetic is typically used to ensure comfort during the treatment. During Botox treatment in Phoenix, Dr. Holy uses a tiny micro-needle to very precisely inject the botulinum toxin type A serum into select facial muscles.

Some patients see results within a few days, while most see results by one week. Within one or two weeks of the Botox injections, the treated facial muscles become temporarily relaxed, causing the overlying skin to lay flat and unwrinkled. The untreated facial muscles contract in a normal fashion, allowing normal facial expression to be unaffected.

Although individual results vary, most patients can expect significant wrinkle reduction for about four months following the Botox injections. To maintain the desired wrinkle reduction effects, treatments can and should be repeated about every four or five months. The results tend to last longer with subsequent treatments.  

When to Begin Botox Treatment

Botox is one of the most popular wrinkle treatments available – among many different age groups. Middle-aged patients with existing facial lines use Botox to regain youthful skin. And younger patients (even some in their 20s) choose Botox to prevent wrinkles from ever forming. Depending on your aging concerns, taking an offensive approach to facial lines may be the ideal plan.

Botox is just one of several procedures used to reduce facial wrinkles. If you’re frustrated with lines on your face, contact THE CENTER for Advanced Dermatology at 602-867-7546 or website to schedule an appointment with Dr. Holy to determine the best wrinkle reducing option for you.

TruSculpt is a non-invasive body contouring system that uses radio frequencies to heat the skin and break down fat cells with no downtime at all. This radiofrequency also allows truSculpt to treat skin laxity and texture, resulting in firmer and smoother skin. One advantage of TruSculpt is that it can be used anywhere on the body where there is fat. TruSculpt is commonly used to treat the abdomen, love handles, inner and outer thighs, knees, arms, back, buttocks and double chin.

Another advantages of TruSculpt is that the procedure is simple and comfortable. It requires no anesthetic before and no downtime afterward. During a TruSculpt treatment in Phoenix, a handheld tool that emits radiofrequency energy is placed over the targeted area. The pulses of energy cause fat cells to heat up and shrink, promoting skin contraction for a slimming and smoothing effect. Each TruSculpt treatment lasts about 1 hour. Immediately following your treatment you will be free to resume normal activities.  

Most patients begin to see results from TruSculpt in about 4 weeks, with the final results appearing about 12 weeks after their treatment. To see significant improvements, 1-2 sessions are usually needed, but more treatments can be performed if necessary.

A common question among patients is if TruSculpt will deliver permanent results. Fat cells removed via TruSculpt are permanently gone. However, patients must be diligent to ensure their results last. This means that your results following TruSculpt will be permanent if your weight remains the same. Maintenance is the key to staying slim following your TruSculpt procedure. Following your treatment, Dr. Holy recommends maintaining a healthy balanced diet and regular physical activity or exercise.  

To learn more about TruSculpt or to schedule an appointment, contact THE CENTER for Advanced Dermatology at 602-867-7546 or website.

Itchy skin is a common complaint of dermatology patients. Itchy skin, also known as pruritus, is most often caused by dry skin. Dry skin is commonly a result of external environmental factors such as low-humidity, long-term use of air conditioners, central heating or washing and bathing too much. Itchy skin can also be caused by numerous other conditions including hives, eczema (atopic dermatitis), psoriasis, rashes, seborrheic keratoses, seborrheic dermatitis, mites (scabies), lice, chickenpox, bites or infections. 

At times, itchy skin may also be a sign of a more serious underlying medical condition such as liver disease, celiac disease, kidney disease, thyroid problems and leukemia.

Other possible causes of itchy skin are:

Nerve Disorders such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and herpes zoster (shingles) can cause itching.

Irritation and allergic reactions of the skin.

Certain medications – drug rashes can cause widespread rashes and itching of the skin

Pregnancy – some women experience itchy skin during pregnancy. In addition, many conditions, such as dermatitis and eczema, can worsen during a woman’s pregnancy.

In many cases it can be difficult to determine the cause of itchy skin. Sometimes, a blood test or even skin biopsy may be necessary to discover the cause. It’s important to treat the underlying cause to most effectively relieve the itching. Topical steroid creams, oral antihistamines and moisturizers may be effective until a cause is determined. 

The best way to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment is to see a board-certified dermatologist like Dr. Holy in Phoenix. To schedule a consultation, contact THE CENTER for Advanced Dermatology at 602-867-7546 or website.

A chemical peel treatment is a procedure that involves the application of a chemical to the face, neck or hands. A predefined chemical solution is applied to the area to be treated to diminish imperfections by peeling away the skin’s top layers. 

The amount of peeling you can expect to experience after a chemical peel depends on the depth of your procedure. There are 3 main types of chemical peels; light, medium and deep, categorized by the differing levels of “peeling” and utilizing varying amounts of chemicals for the desired results. 

A light chemical peel is most commonly performed, and is the mildest of the peel formulas that uses Alpha hydroxy acids. You may experience a slight tingling or warming sensation of the skin. AHA may be applied weekly or at longer intervals to achieve the desired results.

A medium chemical peel is performed using a trichloroacetic acid. Medium deep peeling can sting mildly with much warmer sensations on the skin. Because of deeper penetration, it can remove larger wrinkles and precancerous skin lesions; however, this peel can also make the skin temporarily look like a sunburn.

Deep chemical peels, using Phenol acid, are rarely performed. The application is very painful and is done under a general anesthesia.

Chemical peels are generally performed in our Phoenix office. Immediately after a chemical peel treatment, the surface of the skin will appear whitish, and you may experience a warm to hot sensation followed by a stinging sensation. Cool compresses can be applied to help alleviate any discomfort. In the following days, the skin will feel tight and dry. After 4 to 6 days, the tight skin will begin to peel. Peeling may last only a few days to up to several weeks, depending on the depth of the peel. After peeling has subsided, the skin should appear normal and refreshed. 

At THE CENTER for Advanced Dermatology, Dr. Holy will discuss an appropriate treatment plan with you based on your specific skin problem and desired results. Contact us at 602-867-7546 or website to schedule your chemical peel treatment today. 

Moles are growths or lesions found on the skin and come in various shapes and sizes. Moles can appear anywhere on the skin, from the facial area, as well as arms and chest areas, in groups, or by themselves. They can be present at birth, or can begin to appear over time. Moles are bothersome to some people, and can even lead to dangerous health risks. Mole removal can help people wanting to improve their appearance and reduce associated health risks.

The mole removal process, whether for cosmetic or preventive reasons, requires a fair level of surgical skill to prevent unpleasant scarring. It is best to seek the professional services of a dermatologist. Never attempt to remove a mole on your own. 

Concern over the presence of moles on the skin is mainly an issue of appearance for most people. In Phoenix, Dr. Holy can remove moles from skin using one of several techniques. If a mole is suspicious looking, Dr. Holy can run tests to determine if the mole is cancerous and/or should be removed. If a mole begins to crack, bleed, ooze or becomes itchy or painful, contact THE CENTER for Advanced Dermatology promptly to schedule an evaluation.

You may choose to remove a mole for health, cosmetic or comfort-related reasons. The type and size of mole being removed determines what technique is used.  

Scalpel Excision: The most basic type of mole removal is the scalpel excision that can be performed quite simply in Dr. Holy office. This mole removal process begins with numbing the area with an anesthetic, cleaning the area to prevent infection and then using a scalpel to remove the blemish. Stitches are generally used with this technique. 

Cauterization: If the mole is only slightly raised from the skin, Dr. Holy may choose to cauterize the blemish off your skin instead of using a scalpel. First, the area will be numbed and cleaned and then a burning tool will be used to burn away the blemish and its base. This procedure does not require stitches, as the burned skin will heal over time, although it will likely leave a light scar.

Laser Excision: This method of mole removal is the least likely to leave noticeable scarring. This procedure is similar to scalpel excision only a laser is used in place of a scalpel to remove the mole and base. Lasers also decrease the chance of infection, as they make cleaner cuts. This method does not require stitches since the laser will evaporate the colored cells of the blemish without cutting into the skin. While scarring is not an issue for this technique, it is important to know this is not a method used for treating deep moles because the laser does not penetrate deeply enough.

If you have a mole you would like evaluated for removal, contact THE CENTER for Advanced Dermatology at 602-867-7546 or website to schedule an appointment.

Everyone loses hair; it is normal to lose about 50-100 hairs every day. However, if you experience bald patches or large amounts of thinning, you may be experiencing hair loss that requires a visit to the dermatologist for proper diagnosis and possible treatment. Dr. Holy in Phoenix specializes in treating the skin, nails, and hair. Most hair loss causes can be stopped or treated following proper diagnosis.

The following describes some hair loss causes: 

Hair disorders: Hereditary thinning or baldness (also called androgenetic alopecia): This is the most common cause of hair loss. It affects men and women, affecting millions of people in the United States. 

Disease: Hair loss can be the first sign of an underlying disease. About 30 diseases, including thyroid disease and anemia, cause hair loss. By treating the disease, hair loss often can be stopped or reversed.

Illness: Significant hair loss can occur after an illness. A major surgery, high fever, severe infection, or even the flu can cause hair loss. 

Some Cancer Treatments: Radiation therapy and chemotherapy can cause hair loss. This hair loss is often temporary, but it can cause great distress.

Ringworm of the Scalp: This disease is contagious and common in children. Without effective treatment, ringworm can cause balding.

Having a Baby: After giving birth, some women have noticeable hair loss, caused by falling estrogen levels. The hair loss is temporary and re-growth usually occurs within a few months.

Menopause: Hair loss is common during menopause. This loss is often temporary. Hair re-grows with time. If a woman is 40 years of age or older, she should not expect her hair to have the fullness that it did when she was younger.

Stress: Experiencing a traumatic event can cause hair loss.

Protein: When the body does not get enough protein, it rations the protein it does get. One way the body can ration protein is to shut down hair growth. 

Iron: Not getting enough iron can lead to hair loss. Good sources of iron are soybeans, pumpkin seeds, white beans, lentils, spinach, clams, oysters, and organ meats.

Medications: Some prescription medicines can cause hair loss. These include: 

• Blood thinners
• Medicines that treat arthritis, depression, gout, heart problems, and high blood pressure 
• Birth control pills 
• Anabolic steroids 

Hair Care: Your hairstyle and even some of the products you use on your hair can cause hair loss. Frequent bleaching or permanents can cause the hair to break. Regular or improper use of dyes, gels, relaxers, and hair sprays also can cause hair breakage. When used to hold hair tightly, hairpins, clips, and rubber bands can break hair.

No matter the cause, hair loss can affect the way both men and women look or think about themselves and can have a huge effect on self-confidence. If you are in Phoenix and are experiencing hair loss, contact THE CENTER for Advanced Dermatology at 602-867-7546 or website to schedule an exam with Dr. Holy.

A chemical peel is a skin resurfacing technique that uses a chemical solution to improve and smooth the texture of the skin by removing its damaged outer layers. It involves the application of toxic chemical solutions to the skin in a controlled manner, producing controlled tissue death and resulting in a superficial wound. As the tissue damage is repaired by the natural healing process, the skin’s appearance is improved.

There are many benefits of a chemical peel. Chemical peels effectively treat a host of skin problems, including acne, discolorations and fine lines and wrinkles. Most procedures take less than an hour to perform, with minimal discomfort during the treatment. There are several types of chemical peels offered today which allows you and your dermatologist to partner together to find the best formula for your specific needs. 

Chemical peels are available in different strengths and use different types of chemicals to achieve specific results. The type of peel that will benefit you will depend on the results you’re looking for and your skin type, as well as any underlying medical conditions.

In Phoenix, Dr. Holy will use a specific formula for your chemical peel based on the characteristics of your skin and your desired result. There are three main types of chemical peels; light, medium and deep, categorized by the differing levels of “peeling” and utilizing varying amounts of chemicals for the desired results. 

A light chemical peel is most commonly performed and is the mildest of the peel formulas that uses Alpha hydroxy acids. You may experience a slight tingling or warming sensation of the skin. AHA may be applied weekly or at longer intervals to achieve the desired results.

A medium chemical peel is performed using a trichloroacetic acid. Medium deep peeling can sting mildly with much warmer sensations on the skin. Because of deeper penetration, it can remove larger wrinkles and precancerous skin lesions; however, this peel can also make the skin temporarily look like a sunburn.

Deep chemical peels, using Phenol acid, are rarely performed. The application is very painful and is done under a general anesthesia. 

To learn more about chemical peel treatments in Phoenix or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Holy, contact THE CENTER for Advanced Dermatology at 602-867-7546 or website today.

All people have some form of pigmented spotting on their skin. Whether you are born with these spots or develop them over time through aging or sun exposure, it’s very important to monitor your skin and discuss any changes of your skin spots with a dermatologist. While most spots are harmless, some may be a sign of skin cancer.

Here’s a brief overview of the most common forms of skin spots (along with best treatment options):

Freckles – Freckles are tiny, flat, circular spots that are typically beige or brown in color. They typically appear in groups along areas of the skin that are regularly exposed to the sun like the face, arms and legs. Freckles often become darker after sun exposure and significantly lighten up in the winter months. Options to get rid of freckles include topical skin care products (such as retinoid creams and vitamin C serums) and laser skin resurfacing treatments (such as Fraxel).

Age Spots – Also referred to as sun spots or solar lentigines, age spots are flat brown spots that appear when the skin is chronically exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, either from the sun or from tanning beds. Age spots commonly form on areas of the body that are most frequently exposed to the sun, like the face, hands, neck, chest, arms and legs. Treatment options for age spots include topical products, chemical peels, laser treatments and microdermabrasion.

Moles – A mole is a growth on the skin that can be flesh-colored, brown or black. Moles can appear anywhere on the skin, alone or in groups. Moles can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) which is why it’s critical to monitor any moles you have for changes. We recommend monitoring the mole for changes to the ABCDE’s: Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter and Evolving. Malignant moles should be removed by an excision or Mohs surgery, and non-cancerous moles can also be surgically removed if desired by the patient.

Melasma – Melasma is a common skin disorder that creates dark discoloration patches along the skin. Melasma generally manifests itself in a brown or gray discoloration across the cheeks, forehead, nose, chin or upper lip, and is most often uniform and symmetrical on both sides of the face. Most melasma is caused by hormonal changes within the body. It can be treated with topical skin treatments, chemical peels or microdermabrasion. Laser treatments are often not recommended because laser heat can actually make melasma symptoms worse.

If you would like Dr. Holy to evaluate your skin spots, contact THE CENTER for Advanced Dermatology at 602-867-7546 or website to schedule an examination. 

Skin cancer does not discriminate by age, gender or ethnicity. It is important to know the signs of skin cancer and how to perform a skin check at home to spot potential problems early. While skin cancer can occur anywhere on the body, approximately 85% of cases are located on the head and neck – the most sun exposed areas of your body. In Phoenix, dermatologist Dr. Holy recommends that his patients use the ABCDE rule when examining their own skin.

Asymmetry

Melanoma lesions are often irregular, not symmetrical, in shape. A non-cancerous mole is typically symmetrical in shape. If you were to draw a line through the middle of a mole, the two halves should roughly match. 

Border

Typically, a non-cancerous mole will have smooth, even borders. Melanoma spots usually have irregular boarders that are difficult to define. 

Color

A non-cancerous mole is commonly a single shade of brown or tan. If there is a presence of more than one color, or an uneven distribution of color this can be a warning sign of melanoma. Melanoma can occur in a variety of colors including brown, black, red, blue or purple. These spots can be flat or raised and can bleed easily. Non-melanoma skin cancer, also known as basal and squamous cell carcinoma, typically appear as small, pearly, or pale bumps or as dark red patches that can be raised, flat or scaly in texture.

Diameter

Non-cancerous moles are typically smaller than malignant ones. If the diameter is greater than a pencil eraser, it may be a sign that it is growing or changing. Larger moles that have been stable for an extended period of time are not typically cause for concern; though continued observation is recommended.

Evolving

The evolution of a mole is the most crucial factor to consider when performing a self-skin check. This is why regular self-checks at home are so important. If you know what is normal, you will easily be able to tell if it has grown, or evolved overtime. 

Be Proactive

Remember, early detection of skin cancer can save lives. Along with skin checks at home, a simple in-office skin screening with dermatologist Dr. Holy can truly mean the difference between life and death. Contact THE CENTER for Advanced Dermatology today at phone or website to schedule your skin screening in Phoenix.