EXCESSIVE SWEATING – WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A DOCTOR?

Excessive Sweating - When should you see a doctor?

Although it seems unglamorous and sticky, everyone sweats. The stain under your armpits and slick hands – no one is a stranger to that. Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) which means you sweat a lot more than normal.

Sweating is the body’s natural way of cooling down while it is physically active and moving or when the temperature rises above the normal limits. Other than that, our body also tends to sweat and perspire as a reaction to anxiety and stress. Either way, it is a normal bodily function.

But there are some people who tend to sweat unusually more than the averagely active person. If you perspire excessively and have smelly and sweaty armpits, pals, neck, and/or feet without any reason, it might be an indicator of a diagnosable medical condition known as hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating.

Don’t worry; this condition is not as uncommon as you might think it to be. In fact, according to the Canadian Medical Association, 3% of the population i.e. more than 950,000 people suffer from a mild to severe case of hyperhidrosis.

An interesting statistic about excessive sweating is that less than 40 percent of people with this condition actually seek medication. They credit their sweating as normal and ignore it. It’s understandable as there is no measure of how much sweating is too much.

So what counts as excessive sweating?

Medical professionals consider any amount of sweating that creates difficulties and distress as excessive. With this, you can say that what counts as excessive sweating varies from person to person. For instance, excessive sweat for an athlete will be much more than someone who doesn’t exercise regularly.

As for what causes or triggers excessive sweating, they are not exactly clear. But, it usually starts during adolescence or young adulthood. It mostly happens in different areas, including the armpits, palms, and/or soles of the feet. If excessive sweating is limited to either one or all three of these areas, it is called focal hyperhidrosis.

When it comes to other symptoms, most people with focal hyperhidrosis lead pretty normal and healthy lives. In fact, different studies suggest that these people are no more or less nervous or anxious than people without focal hyperhidrosis.

But for some people, especially ones more concerned about appearances, this condition can have negative implications. For instance, they feel too embarrassed to be in public, meet people, shake hands, hug and lead a normal sex life.

When should you see a doctor then?

The moment you start feeling that your quality of life is getting impacted negatively and you’re missing out on opportunities. There are several treatments that have proven effective in treating hyperhidrosis. There are both medications and procedures that can lower the amount of sweat you produce.

If you live in Edmonton and areas , Excellence Medical and Skin Care clinic can help you there. You can call us and book an appointment to get a consultation for excessive sweating. We’ll make sure that you get treated right and gain your confidence back, improving the quality of your life.

*Note: Besides that, if your heavy sweating is accompanied by vertigo, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, high temperature, and/or chest pains, seek emergency medical attention.

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UNDERSTANDING MELASMA AND POSSIBLE TREATMENTS

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Understanding Melasma And Possible Treatments for melasma

In the few weeks after spending a superb time under the sun during summer vacations, you might notice your tan wearing off. But along with that, you might also notice a few brown and/or greyish spots seemed to be sticking around for a while. These patches are indicators of a sunray-induced skin condition called melasma.

Melasma blotches usually appear on the forehead, cheeks, upper lips, and/ or nose. Basically, the areas on your face that are highlighted when the sun hits them directly are most affected by melasma. But they are not only limited to the face as there are cases where people get melasma spots on their shoulders, neck, back and other body parts that might be exposed to the skin regularly.

As climate change picks up speed and our environment takes a turn for the worst, the sunrays become harsher. Skin exposed to these rays without the proper SPF protection gets the brunt of the reaction.

That is why many health professionals advise to invest in a high-quality and high-SPF sunscreen and use it every time you step out under the sun. The winter season is no exception as the sun rays don’t lose their intensity even then.

Cause of Melasma

As of now, it is quite difficult to find a direct cause of melasma. But the general theory is explained as the melanocytes in our skin producing more melanin or colour than necessary.

When these cells do that, it results in discoloured patches appearing on the skin. And this reaction on melanocytes is often triggered by prolonged exposure to the sun.

Besides sun exposure, Treatments for Melasma. Since women tend to experience hormonal disturbances more than men, they are at higher risk for getting melasma. That is why melasma in pregnant women is quite common. In fact, sometimes melasma is referred to as ‘the mask of pregnancy’.

Treatments for Melasma

For a few lucky people, melasma goes away on its own without any issues. Then there are those who have melasma that hangs around for a long time. If someone has melasma that doesn’t seem to be healing, consulting a healthcare professional is the right call.

Depending on the severity and extent of your melasma, your doctor may use a different form of treatment. The most common treatment is the administration of creams that contain various kinds of agents and ingredients that help reduce the pigmentation.

If your melasma is caused by hormonal changes, the doctor will take a detail medical history to find out why your hormone levels are disturbed. After that, they will make the necessary adjustments.

The conclusion is that you should be rigorous about sun protection. Never forget to apply a liberal amount sunscreen and wear clothes that protect you from the sun’s harsh rays.

But if you have already developed melasma, you can contact the Excellence Medical and Skin Care Clinic to BOOK AN APPOINTMENT. Our experienced doctor will make sure that you find the right solution to improve the discolouration on your skin.

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PROACTIVE SKINCARE: GET A FULL-BODY SKIN CHECK

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Proactive Skincare: Get A Full Body Skin Check

Full body skin check can be something that can easily scare anyone, especially if you haven’t had one done for a long time. It is not something that you should be scared of, to begin with, but it’s understandable that you might be. The checkup is painless and gets over and done pretty fast. But you might still have some questions before going in for an exam.

Being experienced in the field, we urge that you get a full-body skin exam if you haven’t gotten one done in a long while. Since we work with skin-related problems every day, we have compiled a list of tips that might help you prepare.

What to Wear during Full Body Skin Check

There are no special requirements for clothing for a full-body skin check as you will be required to change into a gown. Besides that, you should remove nail polish and keep the makeup to the minimum. The doctor might ask you to remove it, so bring what you need for a touc

What to Expect

Once you’re checked in and stepped into the exam room, the doctor will ask you to step into a gown or robe. So, you don’t have to worry about being completely naked. The doctor will start from the scalp and move on to the hair, face, lips, mouth, neck, chest, arms, hands, fingers, nails, thighs, calves, feet, and your toes.

Skin care specialist look for pink or rough-looking bumps, sores or abrasions that might be causing irritation that won’t heal normally. Besides that, the doctor will also look for papules, lesions, uneven coloration, any suspicious moles, and asymmetric and unusual skin growth. While these problems don’t have to be indicative of a serious problem, but there have been cases where full- body checks have caught cancers and melanomas early on. Hence, full-body checks are imperative at regular intervals.

After a thorough physical exam, the doctor might ask you a series of questions, including a complete clinical history. Along with that might ask you how you have been feeling and if you’ve noticed anything different about your skin in the last few days.

Collectively, the doctor will be able to tell you the condition of your skin and give you a green signal. If the doctor does come across something unusual, they will let you know and advise you on what you need to do next.

The Benefits of Full Body Skin Check

When it comes to skin screening, the benefit of getting one is pretty clear. It can detect anything unusual early and potentially save a life.

So, we advise that you should get one scheduled. Excellence Medical and Skincare Clinic provides meticulous and thorough checks to make sure you get the best of our services. You can visit our website or give the clinic a call to book a consultation that works to exceed all expectations.

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THE 101 ON TOENAIL FUNGUS

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Toenail Fungus

Toenail fungus is certainly not a glamorous subject to talk about as it grosses out most people. But since it is one of the most common nail abnormalities that happen to many people, it is important that we know the basics about it. So, we’ve put together a brief containing all the information you need to understand what toenail fungus is.

But unfortunately, growing older brings with some side effects like wrinkles and fine lines. As you grow older, the amount of collagen and hyaluronic acid in your skin decreases. This causes wrinkles and fine lines to appear and become more pronounced. But instead of looking at them as a side effect, consider them a sign telling people that you’ve lived a full life.

As the name suggests, toenail fungus is an abnormality that affects toenails. In medical terms, toenail fungus is known by several other names, including ringworm of the toenail, onychomycosis, and dermatophytic onychomycosis. It is characterized or identified by discoloration and deformation caused in a toenail due to an infection. In severe cases where the infection goes unchecked and untreated for a prolonged time, it can even result in the deterioration of the toenail.

The people who most frequently get toenail fungus consist of diabetic and HIV patients. Besides that, ageing individuals are also more prone to getting an infected toenail that ends up in a fungus. One precaution we would like to make here is that toenail fungus is contagious, meaning that it can be transmitted from one person to another rather quickly.

In fact, different incidence studies have traced many cases to public places like shower stalls, public bathrooms, locker rooms and other unhygienic places. You want to make sure that if you see some unusual discoloration and deformity on or around your toenail with a bit of pain, get it checked out as soon as possible so it doesn’t get worse and spreads.

Types of Toenail Fungus

Moving on, let’s have a peek at the four main categories of fungus. These categories are designated based on the type and extent the fungal infection has spread.

Category 1 - Distal Subungal Onychomycosis

The first type of toenail fungus is the most common type and most widely known. It’s caused by a pathogen called trichophyton rubrum. The pathogen burrows into the nail bed and destroys the keratin ultimately infecting the nail plate..

Category 2 - Candida Onychomycosis

Also simply known as candida, this type of toenail fungal infection is also very common. This is usually caused when a person soaks their feet in water for an elongated period of time, mostly habitually.

Category 3 - Proximal Subungal Onychomycosis

This type of fungal infection is linked to tinea ungunium and is associated with a weak immunity system. It is called proximal subungal onychomycosis as the fungus first enters the proximal nail fold and then spreads into the nail plate and nail bed.

Category 4 - White Superficial Onychomycosis

The last type of toenail fungus is identified by the presence of white spots on the toenail. These ‘white islands’ are caused when the fungal infection eats away at the superficial layer under the toenail. Among the other 3 types of toenail fungus, this is one is less common and often confused with another condition called keratin granulation.

Hence, it is imperative that you make a trip to a doctor if you see even the slightest of change in your toenails. Excellence Medical and Skin Care Clinic provides skin care services in Edmonton, Sherwood park Alberta and can diagnose and treat toenail fungus. You can contact us here and to book an appointment.

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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ROSACEA

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All You Need To Know About Rosacea

According to the Acne and Rosacea Society of Canada, more than 3 million people are affected by a certain skin condition called rosacea. The skin condition often first presents as red patches on the skin. In fact, many people often confuse these patches with sunburn. Besides that, people often mix the effects of rosacea with acne and other skin conditions.

But rosacea is an entirely different skin condition. While it is most common among fair-skinned people, there have been cases found in people of colour as well. In fact, some estimates suggest that around 10 percent of the world’s human population suffer with it, making it not unusual.

Rosacea - What is it?

TAs said before, rosacea is a skin condition that appears as redness on the skin. But that’s not the only symptom. Other common symptoms of the condition include red blotches, pimples, bumps and slight swelling on the central area of the face, nose, cheeks, forehead, and/or chin. Besides these symptoms, rosacea is also known to cause swelling and pronounced follicles on the nose and redness, stinging and dryness around and in the eyes.

It is also categorized as a chronic inflammatory disease of hair follicles and blood vessels, characterized by red and flushed skin, inflamed papules and pustules, and a feeling of burning. As for what causes rosacea, there is no final answer. But there are various factors and underlying health conditions that might aggravate it by increasing the amount of blood flow to the skin’s surface.

According to some clinical studies, rosacea can be triggered by emotional stress, changes in the weather or climate, prolonged exposure to the sun, unsafe skincare and makeup products, etc.

Types of Rosacea

Rosacea is categorized into four main types. These include:

1. ETR: This type of rosacea appears as permanent redness and visible vessels and/or intermittent flushing on the chin, cheeks, nose and/or forehead. Along with that, it also dilates blood vessels that increases skin sensitivity, temperature intolerance, and rough and scaling/dry skin.

2. Papulo-Pustular Rosacea: Type 2 presents with all of the symptoms of Type 1 rosacea with the addition of acne-like breakouts on and around inflamed areas.

3. Phymatous Rosacea: This type of rosacea is characterized by thickening of the skin. Symptoms include bumpy skin and open pores along with the skin beginning to thicken mainly on the nose. But these symptoms may also affect the chin, cheeks, ears, and the forehead.

4. Ocular Rosacea: Lastly, this type of rosacea – as the name suggests- has several symptoms that affect the eyes and the skin around them. This can include dry and irritated eyes and itchy and swollen eyelids with recurring styes and a sensation of burning and tearing.

Rosacea Treatment

One important thing to remember here is rosacea is treatable with intervention. It does not resolve on its own or with over-the-counter products. Also, if you ignore it for long or leave it untreated, it might even worsen. So it’s incredibly important that you go to a Physician if any signs of rosacea appear on your skin.

The doctor will run some tests to rule out other conditions and give the right diagnosis. After that, they might use IPL photography and other topical or systemic medical treatments to improve the symptoms. If you live in Edmonton and areas , Excellence Medical and Skin care Clinic provides proper rosacea treatment facilities. You can give us a call HERE or drop in at the clinic to book an appointment..

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AGEING GRACEFULLY WITH A BIT OF HELP

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Ageing Gracefully with A Bit of Help:

Ageing is a natural part of growing older. In fact, for many people getting older is a privilege that signifies a life lived well. Throughout the years of life, you experience a range of moments and emotions that all add up to put you where you are in that moment.

Ageing Gracefully

While accepting the fine lines and wrinkles is a part of growing old, there are ways that you can tweak them. Scientists and skin experts have put in years of hard work and research into figuring out exactly how to do that. Over the years, the beauty industry has been introduced to a wide range of both surgical and non-surgical treatments that slow down or improve the signs of ageing. Wrinkle treatments that include injectables are one of these non-surgical treatments.

These treatments come in a wide range of formulae that are designed to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Ever since they were approved by relevant authorities, these injectables have become a popular anti-ageing treatment around the world.

Some of the common areas that these injectables are used include:

Frown Lines

The lines that appear vertically between the eyebrows, above the nose are called frown lines. They are also called furrowed brows. These appear when a person scrunches their eyebrows together while frowning.

Forehead Wrinkles

As the name suggests, forehead wrinkles are the horizontal lines that appear on the forehead that become prominent when you raise your eyebrows.

Crow’s Feet

Crow’s feet are the small lines that appear around the outer corner of the eyes. These appear as a result of laughing and smiling.

Marionette Lines/Smile Lines

These are small curved lines that appear around the corners of the mouth that become prominent while smiling.

Bunny Lines

Bunny lines are the small lines that appear on the top of the nose while squinting the eyes.

Smoker’s Lines

These are small vertical lines that appear above the top lip. While these are called smoker’s lines, they can occur in non-smokers as well.

Drooping Eyebrows

The decreased levels of collagen and hyaluronic acid can lead to the area underneath the eyebrows to droop. This makes the person look older.

Cheeks

Ageing can cause the masseter muscle to droop, much like the drooping eyebrows.

The injectables are used to administer a small dose of anti-wrinkle formula to treat these lines. The liquid formula raises and smoothes out the lines, making the area appear more youthful.

Excellence Medical and Skin Care Clinic provides an effective injectable treatment that can address all these areas. The treatment takes 15-30 minutes and there is no downtime required. Give us a call today to book your appointment for a consult.

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hyperpigmentation treatment sherwood park

HOW TO ACTUALLY PREVENT AND TREAT HYPERPIGMENTATION

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How to Actually Prevent & Treat Hyperpigmentation

The hyperpigmentation treatment is important that comes in many forms, including sun spots, acne scars, brown spots, and even pregnancy masks. These patches of darker skin happen when melanin, which produces your normal skin color, creates heavier deposits in your skin.

While these spots are typically harmless, they can make you look older and ruin an otherwise clear complexion. If you’re dreaming of a healthy, even glow to your face, here’s what you should know about avoiding these spots and hyperpigmentation treatment that really work.

What Causes Hyperpigmentation ?

Hyperpigmentation can be caused by many factors, but the number one cause is sun exposure. This is because sunlight is responsible for triggering your production of melanin, which is why you get a golden glow during the summer. Melanin is your skin’s natural way to protect you from UV rays, but too much sun exposure can lead to spots.

Sun spots usually occur on areas of your body that get frequent sun exposure, including your arms, hands, and face. Hormonal changes can also trigger melasma, or pregnancy mask. It isn’t just pregnant women who are affected; taking birth control pills can also cause irregularly shaped dark spots on the arms and face. Melasma usually fades slowly after childbirth, but it may not disappear fully without treatment.

The third common trigger for dark spots is a post-inflammatory reaction when your skin is injured and heals itself. Acne scars are the most common type of post-inflammatory darkness, but it can also be the result of certain cosmetic procedures. When hyperpigmentation is the result of trauma or inflammation, it may resolve itself without treatment, but it may take several months or years.

How to Prevent Hyperpigmentation ?

While hyperpigmentation can’t always be avoided especially if you are at high risk, there are steps you can take to guard your skin against spots and splotches.

Wear sunscreen whenever you go outside, even if it’s cloudy. Choose an everyday sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection and a high SPF rating. This is the most effective and reliable way to prevent hyperpigmentation.

Don’t just rely on sunscreen. When outside on a sunny day, wear a hat and stay in the shade as much as you can.

Reduce inflammation. Don’t pick at pimples, which increases the risk of scarring and acne marks.

Use a gentle exfoliant once or twice a week, which can help remove old, discolored skin cells.

Use a moisturizer to soothe skin. This can reduce irritation and prevent scratching, which may trigger hyperpigmentation.

Effective Treatment of Hyperpigmentation

At Excellence Medical and Skincare Clinic, we offer several types of hyperpigmentation treatment that truly work to fade and eliminate all types of dark spots, including sun spots, age spots, and acne scars. We will help you choose the treatment option most appropriate for your skin type and the cause of the hyperpigmentation.

Our customized facials can help you meet your skin care goals. When hyperpigmentation is a concern, we may recommend a chemical peel facial. Chemical peels use a mixture of acids that exfoliate the top layers of the skin to expose healthy, spot-free skin below. Chemical peels come in many strengths to best target spots with the most gentle approach necessary. An alternative to a chemical peel is microdermabrasion, which exfoliates skin to reduce superficial hyperpigmentation like age spots while reducing the appearance of scars.

For many, laser skin treatment is a safe and effective treatment that can reduce the appearance of dark spots and wrinkles for a smoother and more even appearance. Laser therapy can produce results that aren’t just dramatic, they’re permanent. An IPL treatment uses pulsed light to target discolored or damaged area of the skin. An IPL photo facial is commonly used for sun spot removal and the treatment of hyperpigmentation acne marks with just 3-5 treatments necessary to eliminate spots for good.

At Excellence Medical and Skincare Clinic we don’t believe there is a single solution that works best for everyone. We will work with you to develop a custom treatment plan for your skin, whether you are most interested in sun spot removal or you have dark spots caused by trauma and inflammation. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you achieve the glowing skin of your dreams.

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EXCESSIVE SWEATING – WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A DOCTOR?

Excessive Sweating - When should you see a doctor?