Belaray Dermatology - Jericho, Plainview, Long Island, NY

It’s summertime, and kids will soon be off to camp! No parent wants to get that phone call saying that their child has head lice. And no parent wants to discover that their child has brought lice home! Head lice are insects and parasites which can be found on a person’s scalp, behind the ears, and near the neckline at the back of the neck. Sometimes head lice are even found on the eyebrows and eyelashes. Head lice are most common in preschool and elementary school children. The egg of a louse is often called a nit. These eggs are very small – about the size of a knot in thread – and they can be very hard to see.

Sometimes they may be mistaken for dandruff or hair spray droplets.  Head lice do not transmit disease, but they are a nuisance. Parents often get upset, or even angry, when they learn their child has head lice. But having head lice is a fairly common problem, and has nothing to do with good hygiene or good parenting. In fact, good health and hygiene habits or a clean house or school have nothing to do with getting head lice.

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Wearing sunglasses is not just a fashion statement - they protect your eyes from damaging UV rays.   We suggest getting polarized lenses, as they are the best at removing glare while protecting your eyes.

Want to save money?  You can buy your prescription polarized sunglasses on line. Both non-prescription and prescription polarized lenses can be found for as little as $48.95.  (They also have regular eye glasses at great prices too - as little as $39 including shipping!)

Summer is here… and sunburns are inevitable.  Right?

Hopefully not.  The best way to treat a sunburn is to avoid one in the first place.  We discuss many ways to do just that in a previous post.

But what to do when… for whatever reason… you get burned?

There are numerous suggestions on-line, including yogurt, alcohol, asprin in alcohol, aloe, honey, sour cream, and diaper cream.  What to choose!?! The compound that has been studied the most is Indomethacin.  This is a prescription NSAID (a type of pain medication).

If you get a sunburn, we suggest that you call your physician and ask them if the following regimen is safe for you:

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We are pleased to announce Pellevé™, a newly FDA approved skin tightening procedure, is now available at Belaray Dermatology.   This is a non-ablative skin tightening procedure for mild to moderate facial wrinkles.  The procedure utilizes high frequency radiowave to safely and effectively tighten and improve the appearance of skin on the face.  Improvements may last for over six months.

Pellevé uses the advanced radiowave technology to precisely deliver energy through the skin to the dermal tissue beneath.  This results in a noticeable improvement in skin quality and appearance with minimal side effects and healing time for patients.

In a recent clinical study, more than 87% of patients showed measurable and immediate positive results in skin laxity and wrinkle improvement with continued response at six months after treatment. Patients are typically able to return to work and social activities immediately after treatment.

For more info, click here

At Belaray Dermatology, we know all about warts.  We treat them wherever they grow - from head to toe - and everywhere in between.  Warts are caused by a common virus, called Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

This virus can affect almost any skin but most frequently are found on the hands, feet, and genitals.

We are committed to helping treat warts, and offer a wide variety of treatment options to fit the specific needs of our patients.  We are honored to be recognized for our ongoing efforts by the website WarOnWarts.com as one of the best dermatologists in the New York area to visit for wart treatment.  Thank you!

NEW HYDE PARK, NY — North Shore-LIJ Health System physicians recently presented “The Doctors Are In,” a women’s health symposium attended by over fifty Long Island business women at the Suffolk County Bar Association in Hauppauge.

Presented by the North Shore-LIJ’s Katz Women’s Hospital and Women’s Health Institute and co-sponsored by the Suffolk County Bar Association and Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association, the symposium was moderated by Neeta Shah, MD, FACP, vice president of women’s health services at North Shore-LIJ.

Jeffrey Ellis, MD, director of dermatological surgery at North Shore University Hospital and LIJ Medical Center was amongst the panel of speakers.  He discussed the role of UV Radiation and Skin Cancer.

“The goal of this program was to educate the community on disease prevention and present the most updated health care information available,” said Dr. Shah. “Programs like this teach and empower women to make enlightened health care decisions for themselves and their families.”

To learn more about women’s health, go to North Shore-LIJ’s Women’s Health Institute at: http://whi.northshorelij.com.

Izzie, from Grey’s Anatomy, was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma in season five.

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer, that is most common in fair skinned individuals.  In sun prone areas, like New Zealand, about one in fifteen Caucasians will be diagnosed with one.  Most melanoma is diagnosed after age 40, with only about 14% of cases diagnosed in younger individuals. In the US, about 55,000 cases are diagnosed per year, and on average one person dies every hour from this cancer.

Melanoma, when diagnosed early, is almost always treatable.  When diagnosed late, the prognosis is often poor, and effective treatment options limited.

What should you do?

1. Protect yourself from the sun using hats, seeking shade, and avoiding peak hours of the day (from 10am-4pm)

2. Learn what the signs of a problem are - when you examine your moles and freckles

2. Make an appointment with your dermatologist for a full body skin examination - and bring your family

Here is information about clinical trials in NY for treating Melanoma

Smile at the world… and the world will smile back.

According to a study published the March issue of the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Botox may lift patients’ “spirits” by “literally wiping the frowns” off their faces.  It has been long known that our facial expressions can influence our mood - and simply smiling can make you feel better.  Not surprisingly, it seems that Botox can have the same beneficial effects.

Some rashes are caused by a sensitivity to every day products and items that you come in contact with.  Many patients suffer for years with an itchy rash which may be due to a glue, dye, soap, or moisturizer that they use.  Others have eczema and can not figure out why it flairs.

The way to figure out what ingredients you are sensitive to is with patch testing.  Patch testing is a custom skin test designed to determine whether or not you are allergic to any chemicals contained in commonly used items or products.  We have an extensive number of common and uncommon allergens from which to choose to customize our test according to your needs.  This maximizes the ability to identify the exact substances that you may be allergic to.  We can test substances that scratch tests, typically done by allergists, can not.  

In addition we offer a thorough evaluation, examination, and diagnosis as well as information about how to help you avoid allergens in products, toiletries, grooming items, cosmetics, and other items used every day.

Research suggests that Caffeine kills some skin cancer cells.  According to a study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology this month,  “caffeine could be added to sunscreen to boost protection against the most common form of skin cancer.”  We do not find this surprising.  Infact, we have thought that for a long time.  That is why we offer our patients a sunscreen that has Caffeine as well as potent antioxidants from green tea.  We believe that the best protection you can get is by combining sunscreen, caffeine, and anteoxidants - and that is just what we do in our Anteox Sunscreen.