There are a few tips you should know when buying makeup such as foundation…
1. If you have oily skin: buy oil free foundations from Prescriptives or Clinique
2. If you have very sensitive skin, you can try Almay products although no makeup is 100% proof that you won’t have a skin allergy.
3. If you have melasma (brown blotches on your cheeks), try using covering make up such as Dermablend. You can find them in Department stores such as Dillard’s, Macy’s…
4. If you have acne, try to stick to no makeup or, oil free makeup. There are some brands such as Neutrogena that have salycilic acid which in turn helps reduce acne a little.
5. If you tend to get sun spots or you hate to reapply sunblock during the day over makeup, there are some makeup powders that have sunscreen. Brands such as Philosophy and Color Science are some examples….

Have a nice week,

Dr. Welsh

Whenever you visit your derdmatologist remember to do a full skin check exam. It is very quick and simple. Will take you only 5 minutes and you will get all your skin checked for skin cancer. What to look for:
The ABC’s of moles and spots on your skin (See photographs above):

A asymmetry
B irregular border
C different colors, or colors that have changed
D diameter greater than 5 mm
E Evolution. Moles or spots that have changed

Now there are some other skin growths that change very slowly and these also need to be checked by your dermatologist.
The most common cancer in the human body is skin cancer of which basal cell carcinoma is the most frequent. It generally affects the skin around your eyes or nose or face in general. It can also grow on other parts of your body, but since it is directly related to sun exposure, face is the number one place where it appears.

Basal cell carcinoma (second photograph) is not an aggressive cancer generally, but it can destroy and invade surrounding tissue so it is better to treat it early. So get a skin check and always use sunscrean. My favorite ones are Anthelios from La Roche Posay, Cleanance AC sunscreen from Avene, Ansolar suncreen from Stiefel and Neutrogena Ultrashear dry touch from Neutrogena.

Have a beautiful day!

Dr. Welsh

1. ROSACEA: condition of the skin that makes your face always look red, with or without acne and with or without broken blood vessels.
PEARLS:
*Avoid red wine, hot spices, being on a warm or hot environment, try to avoid or reduce stress, ALL these factors induce flushing of the skin which then in turn makes your face look red.
*Dermatological therapy: Oral antibiotics, isotretinoin, topical medications such as metrocream, benzoyl peroxide (sometimes), topical antibiotics.
*Dermatologic procedures: pulsed dye laser, IPL, photodynamic therapy, chemical peels.
*Makeup: you can use Diroseal which has a green tint and thus lowering the intensity of the redness on your face. You can use bare minerals, dermablend fondo tinta correctore, among others.
*ROSACEA IS A CONDITION THAT CAN BE CONTROLLED BUT YOU NEED MAINTENANCE THERAPY.

Take care,

Dr. Welsh

1. Try to treat the scars early. Remember skin is like clay, when it is recent you can mold it better.
2. Use silicone patches such as Neosporin Scar Solution or Curad silicone patches. Any silicone patch will do just fine. Use it daily for 3 months at least.
3. Use silicone gel if patches get difficult to find or to use. Some brands are: Dermatix, Kelo-cote, among others.
4. If the scar is red, you can get treated with the pulsed dye laser or green filter of your IPL.
5. If the scar is white, you can blend the scar with the surrounding skin using the diffferent fractional lasers or pulsed dye laser.
6. There are other therapies you can try such as peels, cryosurgery, and dermabrasion but only under the expert hands of your dermatologic surgeon…

Have a wonderful weekend,

Dr. Esperanza Welsh, MD FAAD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Monterrey, Mexico

1. Don’t get tanned before the procedure and avoid the sun for a few weeks after the laser hair removal.
2. Use sunscreen afterwards.
3. Some patients get a little red bump on the hair follicle, this is normal. You can apply some Bactroban and hydrocortisone 1% cream to clear it up sooner.
4. Avoid going to the pool after laser hair removal for a few days so the pore doesn’t get infected.
5. Notify your dermatologist or the person in charge of the procedure if you are taking any medications for acne or diuretics or any other medication.
6. If you feel a LOT of PAIN, be careful, it might be that it is burning your skin. Pain is the best indicator that you might be getting burned by the laser.

Good luck, and have a nice weekend.

Dr. Welsh

Latin skin is very prone to get melasma. A brown pigment that generally appears on the cheeks, nose, upper lip and forhead. It is due to increased production of melanin (skin color). Dermatologists know how to treat melasma, generally using chemical substances that slowly bleach the skin. These include creams with hydroquinone, kojic acid, arbutine, licorice extract, vitamin C, glycolic acid, and some other formulas which when mixed together they bleach the skin faster. Now, it is extremely important to use a GOOD SUNSCREEN EVERYDAY. Sunscreens are extremely important when bleaching the skin. Bleaching agents just bleach. Your skin is still very prone to produce pigment, that is why sunscreens help. By reducing the stimulus that the cells get with exposure to light by using sunscreens, this makes the skin less reactive to produce more color. Now, not all bleaching agents even if they contain the same ingredient, work the same. Some have a slight difference in the chemical composition of the cream which makes them more irritating. This is where dermatologists make a difference. The dermatologist will know when and how to use each cream depending on your skin type and will orient you in doing it correctly. And last, but not least, remember that you need to ALWAYS stay away from the sun, use your creams as specified by your derm, and ALWAYS USE SUNSCREEN. There are some powders that have good SPF protection such as Shiseido, Philosophy powder and Color science compact powder. This way it is easy to reapply sunscreen and also look great.

Have a great day!

Dr. Welsh

Temporary tattoos are a good alternative for those who just want to try something fun for a few days or just want to make sure they feel comfortable with a tattoo before they get a permanent one. Henna is natural dye and is used in ceremonies such as Indian Weddings where the bride gets beautiful designs on her hands and feet. Now in America, henna temporary tattoos are made of another substance (paraphenylendiamine) that stains darker and quicker the skin. You can get a reaction to this substance when you get a temporary henna tattoo. You can get inflammation of the skin that can go from a little redness to blisters where the tattoo was applied. The problem is not the skin inflammation, but the fact that in the future you might have trouble finding a hair dye that doesn’t have paraphenylendiamine. So be careful.

Have a good day

Dr. Esperanza C. Welsh

If you have oily scalp here are a few recommendations:

1. Wash your hair daily.
2. Use products with coal tar such as Tgel, salycilic acid such as Tsal, selenium sulfide, zinc pyrithione. These are some of the most common ingredients, but there are others.
3. If you have dandruff, you can also add a shampoo with ketoconazole an antifungal.
4. Don’t use very hot water to wash your scalp use warm water.
5. Don’t use hair conditioners other than at the ends of the hair because of the oil that they contain.
6. If you like to wear ponytails, you can but after the hair and the scalp are dry.
7. Try to change the shampoos that you use even if they are for oily scalp. The skin gets used to them after a while.

Have a good day,

Dr. Esperanza C. Welsh

Board Certified Dermatologist
American Board of Dermatology
Monterrey, Mexico

Atopic Dermatitis is a genetically inherited disorder mainly in children on whom their skin dries out and develops eczema (red, scaly, itchy dry patches). There is a specific substance filagrin that is lost in this type of skin. This protein keeps our skin’s natural moisture inside the skin. Generally babies get patches on their cheeks, diaper area, arms and legs, and older children get in on their arms and legs (on the folds), but they can get it all over the skin. So what to do:
1. Visit a dermatologist to make sure it is Atopic Dermatitis
2. Use a corticosteroid cream on the affected areas, your dermatologist will tell you how to apply it.
3. Avoid perfumes or creams with perfume.
4. Use soaps such as dove or cetaphil.
5. Always moisture your child’s skin at least twice a day. Your dermatologist can recommend you some of the best moisturizers in the market for this type of condiction.
6. Sometimes the skin is very itchy and the patient needs to take an oral antihistamine.
7. Avoid wool, use cotton instead.
8. AD will get worse in the winter, when kids go into the pool in the summer, and when they get infections such as the flu.

Have a wonderful day!
Dr. Welsh

The skin type solution works for EVERYONE. Yes everyone…. it doesn’t matter if you are white or black, latino or asian. It works for every skin type. I use the Baumann Skin Typing System in my dermatology practice in Mexico. It is very simple. You just answer the questionnaire and then you will end up with four letters to describe your skin type. We can help you the most if you take the questionnaire found in the book “The Skin Type Solution” to determine your skin type. I will be frequently blogging to share my views and perspective from Mexico. Feel free to comment here and ask me questions.

So lets get started…

The ABC’s of skin care basic tips everyone should know.

A) Always use sunscreen. You will do well with an SPF of 15 or higher. Remember that the MOST IMPORTANT STEP IN GOOD SKIN CARE IS A GOOD SUNSCREEN. Apply it every day! Now the higher the SPF, sunscreens tend to get thicker and whiter… Look for products with Mexoryl, Parsol 1789 with helioblock, or micronized zinc. Companies are making better sunscreens each day.

B) Bathe your skin with antioxidants! Yes, antioxidants protect your skin from free radicals which are sort of watse products which can damage our skin. There are many antioxidants in the market. My favorites are: Coenzyme Q10, Green Tea, Vitamin C, and Coffeeberry. The way they are packaged and their concentration varies form product to prodcut making some better than others. Ask you dermatologist which ones are the best for your skin. Now you can ingest orally antioxidants as well….For example, you can take Coenzyme Q10, drink a cup or two of green tea, or take another super potent antioxidant which is superoxide dismutase linked with gliadin (Available in Mexico, not in the United States).

C) Cover your skin at night with retinoid creams. These are scientifically proven to improve your skin. There are many types of retinoids in the market, some will need to be prescibed by your dermatologist. There are others which are lighter which you can find over the counter such as retinol.

D) Decide to use a soap that will not foam very much. If it foams too much, this will decrease natural lipids or oil from your skin making it drier and thus having a higher tendency of getting wrinkles.

E) Enjoy life and be happy, this will make your skin look and be healthier!

Have a beautiful day,

Dr. Welsh