What is the vision behind Facile?

Facile was created with the intention of being a one-of-a-kind boutique dermatology office where we provide safe, cutting-edge procedures and medical care for skin. It is a place where people don’t feel like “patients,” rather they feel like they are at home. The providers are knowledgeable and the staff and environment is warm and friendly.

As a board-certified dermatologist, you’ve probably seen sun damage on patients’ skin up close. What surprises you about how people think about sun exposure?

The thing I hear the most that is very frustrating is “but I never lay out in the sun!” People often don’t realize that many of the effects of sun damage are from little bits of every day sun exposure that have a cumulative effect. The most visible signs of sun damage are in areas that are more commonly exposed like the face, neck, decolletage of the chest, hands and forearms.

What misconceptions do you think people have around tanning?

I’m usually surprised when I see someone intentionally laying in the sun to get tan or going to tanning beds, but it is definitely still happening frequently. Many people seem to think that if they have applied sunscreen and they are getting tan, but not burned, that their skin is not getting damaged. In fact, a tan is your body’s defense mechanism against the sun and it means that the damage is occurring. Sunscreen quality has improved significantly in the past 10 years, but applying sunscreen and even reapplying doesn’t mean that you are completely safe.

What advice would you give to people about the overall long-term health of their skin?

In order to have healthy skin for the long-term, you really have to think about your skin on a daily basis. Daily skincare including a healthy dose of vitamin C and retinol can do a lot of damage control. Sunscreen should be applied every day as part of a routine. Ingredients to look for in a quality sunscreen, at least SPF 30 or higher with some mineral content like zinc and titanium give the best broad spectrum protection. People who have excess skin pigmentation (like melasma) will also benefit from the iron oxide that is in tinted sunscreens. The best sun protection is always to physically cover your skin with clothing, hats, driving gloves, etc and there are a lot of stylish brands available now with this goal in mind. Finally, there are some supplements that have been shown to be beneficial in giving your skin additional protection and ability to repair sun damage. These include Heliocare (derived from Polypodium leucotomos, an antioxidant-rich tropical plant), the B-vitamin niacinamide, and milk thistle. I recommend yearly full body skin exams by a board-certified dermatologist to help you get to know your skin, your level of skin cancer risk, and how to recognize changes in your skin that are suspicious.

What steps do you take to keep your own skin healthy?

I follow a healthy skin care regimen, use sun protection, and take daily supplements (as described above). I also regularly have skin rejuvenating procedures done on my face/neck/chest/hands to stimulate repair and growth of healthy skin. Some of the most popular procedures at Facile include chemical peels, laser resurfacing (with Clear and Brilliant or Fraxel) and microneedling with PRP.

To learn more about Facile, go here