The beauty of many of our Alberta golf courses is the tree lined fairways. I can attest to the fact that I have had up close and personal encounters with some of these trees while tromping through the underbrush in an attempt to find my ball. Having read an article written by Michelle Gagnon in the Rocky Mountain Outlook about Ticks and the risk of the Lyme disease I am more inclined to take the penalty strokes and leave the ball where it lies.

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacterium is spread from small animals to humans by little biting arachnids called ticks. Ticks are like vampires – they attach to you and suck away, quite possibly and inadvertently leaving behind the bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. The name of the bacterium is not as important as the damage it can do if a person is unfortunate enough to be exposed to it.

One of the first signs of Lyme disease is a bulls-eye rash around the site of the tick bite. Not all people get this rash so early detection may be missed. Other symptoms in the early stages are: fatigue; chills; headaches; joint and muscle pain and/or swollen lymph nodes. If you experience these flu- like symptoms after you have been in or near tree and shrub bed areas it may be prudent to visit your family doctor.

If untreated the consequences may become more severe – possibly involving the central and peripheral nervous systems; the joints; and the heart. Afflicted individuals often experience extreme fatigue and general weakness.

Specialized tests are necessary to confirm the diagnosis of Lyme disease. Treatment depends on the symptoms and where in the body the bacterium has settled.

As with many medical conditions awareness and prevention is the best approach. After you, your family members and your pets have been romping in the woods do a self check to insure that one of these little critters has not attached itself to your skin. If a tick has decided to tag along for the ride home remove it with caution. Using tweezers grasp the tick’s head and mouth parts as close to the skin as possible and pull gently. Do not traumatize the tick by squeezing or twisting it – this can cause the tick to regurgitate its stomach contents into your blood. Yuck!  As much as you may wish to destroy it – resist the urge. Place it in a zip lock bag as it may provide important information if you develop symptoms.

For more information, go to the Public Health Agency of Canada website http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/id-mi/lyme-fs-eng.php.

Dr. Nakatsui attended the TELUS World of Science Annual Fundraising Gala at the Shaw Conference Centre on November 4, 2015. He was happy to attend on behalf of the Groot DermaSurgery Centre and donate funds to support science education at the TELUS World of Science.

We are now offering direct online booking for Hydrafacial MD and Coolsculpting consultations at the Groot DermaSurgery Centre in Edmonton. We will eventually expand this to include bookings for HydraFacial treatments and other services so you can book them whenever you want to without having to wait on the phone when our lines are busy.

The Groot DermaSurgery Centre recently introduced online bookings for Botox appointments. Dr. Nakatsui thought this would make it more convenient for tech-savvy patients who want to book their appointments with their web browsers, even in the middle of the night or while on vacation from the cold of an Edmonton winter! Though many patients still prefer to phone, we have already had positive feedback with our online bookings.

A patient called our office the other day to tell us that we do ‘an excellent job’ and to say ‘how very impressed’ they are with our service. In turn, we would like to thank this patient for taking the time from their busy schedule to thank us for a job well done. It lifts our spirits to know that we are achieving excellence in the services that we provide to our patients.

After 34 years of serving the skin care needs of many of the citizens of Edmonton and Alberta, Dr. Groot has decided to retire. He does so with mixed emotions but knows that all his patients will be well served by the many competent dermatologists in the community.

The Groot DermaSurgery Centre will continue to operate under the direction of Dr. Thomas Nakatsui, dermatologist and as such will provide the same high quality care to our patients through a wide variety of skin care services including, but not limited to:

• skin rejuvenation including BOTOX Cosmetic®  and dermal fillers (Juvéderm®, VOLUMA®, VOLBELLA ®)
• 3D rejuvenation
• laser hair removal
• CoolSculpting for unwanted fat
• pigment removal by laser (tattoos, lentigines, blue black birthmarks)
• vascular treatments by laser (facial veins, birthmarks)
• small and medium size leg vein treatments
• mole removal
• laser treatments of onychomycosis (nail fungus)
• hair transplants

Many of these conditions do not require a referral. Our patient coordinators will be happy to advise you as to what is required to book an appointment.

Dr. Groot extends his gratitude for all the support he has received over the years from the medical community and his patients.

Party Season is just around the corner. Please consider booking your appointments for Botox Cosmetic and/or Dermal Fillers (Juvederm, Voluma, Volbella) at your earliest convenience to ensure that we can accommodate you.

Edmonton dermatologist, Dr. Don Groot suggests five quick treatments to enhance your natural beauty:

• Microdermabrasions exfoliate the superficial dead skin cells of the face, increasing the production of new cells resulting in a fresh, polished appearance.
• IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments reduce pigment and red discoloration to improve your complexion.
• Muscle Relaxants soften frown lines and crow’s feet giving a relaxed and rejuvenated appearance.
• Juvéderm fills creases around the mouth enhancing your smile and those kissable moments.
• CoolSculpting freezes away pockets of unwanted fat in just a couple of hours so that your party clothes look particularly attractive.

Here are ten skin care ideas you may wish to add to your list of New Year’s Resolutions for 2013:

• Wear sunscreen of an SPF of 45 or more whenever I am out in the sun.
• Simplify my skin care routine – get rid of all the expensive creams.
• Deal with unwanted fat with CoolSculpting.
• Permanently remove unwanted hair with Laser Hair Removal.
• Get rid of my tattoo with Laser Pigment Removal.
• Have my ugly mole removed.
• Age spots – gone.
• Bring my pesky rosacea under control.
• Deal with my hair loss.
• Oh yes, maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly – this will help maintain a healthy glow to my skin.