ASK A DERMATOLOGIST

I’m a 50-year-old woman suffering from severe signs of premature skin ageing, which make me look 10-15 years older than my real age. Is stem cell treatment a good option?

Premature skin ageing has been one of the major complaints and concerns. Premature skin ageing expresses itself through various skin manifestations. Skin wrinkling on face, neck, upper chest, outer hands, and forearms is the commonest and most bothersome complaint. Among others, skin pigment alterations, lusterless skin surface, excessive dryness, occurrence of solar Keratosis on sun-exposed areas are also very common complaints. These issues do not happen overnight but results from cumulative photo damage to the sun exposed areas of skin over decades. Excessive alcohol intake, smoking, stress and a generally ignorant attitude towards proper skin care are the other factors. It must be noted that an individual’s genetic pre-disposition also plays a significant role. We would suggest that before seeing any doctor you should extensively read about the indications, effectiveness and potential side effects of newly marketed treatments which includes a number of anti-ageing products, clinical injectables, chemical peels among others. Lastly, regarding stem cell treatment, we must say that it is still in its infancy stages. The promises made by the manufacturers will take years to be found successfully proven. Therefore, if you are not in search of an instant fix of your complaints, then you can surely go for it but with patience to wait for few years to seeing the results.

As someone who had many blistering sunburns as a child, what do I need to watch for?

"Watch for" is key: You can't reverse the cellular damage that could lead to skin cancer. Get an annual skin check with a dermatologist, and be vigilant about examining your moles yourself for any ABCDEs: Asymmetries, Border irregularities, Colour aberrations, Diameters that are sizeable (larger than 1/4 inch), or Evolving changes. (For more specifics, visit skincancer.org.) Additionally, if you have any bumpy, pink spots that don't go away after a month, or pink, flat, unexplainable scars (in other words, in a spot where you didn't have a wound), see a physician.

How do I keep my brown spots from becoming more prominent?

Apply two layers of protection; spots are exquisitely sun-sensitive. Put on a chemical sunscreen, then a mineral one. Also, wear a hat with a four-inch-wide brim as well as UV-blocking sunglasses.

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