It is hard to say what the spots are without actually seeing them, but any new spot should be evaluated by a dermatologist for potential skin cancer. If they are age spots/sun spots, then one of the most effective treatments out there for that condition is IPL (intense pulsed light). IPL is a light based treatment and not a laser, so the price is typically less than that of a laser treatment. As far as financing is concerned, many cosmetic dermatologists offer financing plans and you may want to look into something like that if you definitely want to do a cosmetic procedure.   [less]

Steroid shots really are the primary treatment of keloids and while some people do laser treatments of keloids, it often isn't any better than steroid injections and is more expensive. It is possible that you need a higher frequency of steroid injections to diminish the size of the keloid.   [less]

Ingrown hairs are a common problem in men with thick beards. If you never plan on growing a beard, a simple solution would be to have laser hair removal of the entire beard area. If you plan on keeping the beard, there are prescription antibiotic lotions that can help decrease the inflammation and lessen the razor cuts on bumpy skin.   [less]

It depends on if they are true moles or freckles that you have on your face. If they are moles, those can often be shaved off surgically. If they are really freckles, then IPL (intense pulsed light) treatments can decrease the appearance of the freckles. Hope that helps!  [less]

Acne scars that are deep can be treated with laser skin resurfacing. Fractional Laser treatment delivers light energy in microbeams, which penetrates deeply into the layers of the skin. The heated skin tissue then begins a healing process that forms new healthy tissue, and that is how the acne scars can be treated using laser technology. It may take anywhere from 2-4 treatments to get the desired results. You would definitely want to make sure that your acne is under control prior to doing any laser treatment.   [less]

I recommend regular skin check ups for all of my patients and it is especially important for those patients who have fair skin, history of sun burns, extensive sun exposure, or a family history of skin cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology also is a great resource for knowledge about melanoma. Here is a link; http://www.aad.org/public/exams/abcd.html  [less]

There are many uses for Botox besides the typical crow's feet and frown lines. I have even used it to weaken the muscles of the jaw to give the appearance of a thinner face. It appears you are interested in reducing what people commonly refer to as sagging jowls or "turkey fat" under the chin. Over time the collagen in that area begins to weaken, and the skin loosens resulting in the appearance of a sagging jaw line. There are many options to treat this condition without undergoing more invasive surgery and Botox is one of them. Some doctors prefer threadlifts while other doctors perform Thermage or skin tightening. I prefer to use Infrared based energy technology which creates collagen contraction and stimulates long-term collagen rebuilding to tighten the area under the neck. If you are interested in learning more about this, you can see a before and after photo here: http://www.kaliaskincare.com/services-detail.php?s_id=4   [less]

It really depends on what exactly is the nature of the "brown moles". For example, if they are moles and look suspicious for cancer, they would need to be removed or biopsied. If they are what is commonly referred to as "liver spots" or seborrheic keratosis, those can be treated with cryotherapy or shaved off. I would recommend that your wife see a dermatologist to determine the medical nature of these spots.   [less]

Although hydroquinone and Retin-A can be effective in lightening pigmentation, some skin types are too sensitive to tolerate these creams. The skin can become irritated and turn red. After the redness subsides, the skin can turn darker as a result of the irritation. There are lower concentration formulations of hydroquinone and other lightening creams that can help fade the pigmentation, but it will take several months to work.   [less]

Prior to cosmetic removal of brown spots, it is important that these spots are evaluated by a dermatologist to make sure that they are of a benign nature and not related to skin cancer. Some brown spots can be lightened by prescription lightening creams accompanied by the use of effective sunblocks. Other brown spots can be more stubborn, and require laser or pulsed light treatments to lighten them.   [less]