Call: 780-482-1414 Email: info@nakatsuiderm.com
Formerly Groot DermaSurgery

Archive for the ‘Conditions’ Category

 

Blood Vessel (Telangiectasia) Treatments

September 24th, 2019 | Conditions

Broken blood vessels, or telangiectasias, are a very common and typically non-threatening condition that can affect any part of the body. Telangiectasias can naturally arise at any time, however, individuals that have chronically exposed their skin to the sun or extreme temperatures may be more susceptible to telangiectasias. 

For the majority of times, once a telangiectasia appears, it rarely if ever goes away on it’s own. Over time people may notice an increase in these broken blood vessels. Usually most people do not care if the telangiectasia appears on their arms, legs, or torso as it can be easily covered; however, once they become more apparent on the face and neck, then it becomes more of a cosmetic concern.

The typical treatment for telangiectasias at our centre involves the use of a laser called the V-Beam pulsed dye laser. This laser uses a specific wave length of light to destroy the hemoglobin in the red blood cell, which is predominantly what is seen in telangiectasia. The energy is absorbed by the hemoglobin and bursts the cell. Once the treatment is complete, the body reabsorbs the vessel. Because the laser is physically bursting the vessel, a bruise may become evident which can last for approximately 5-10 days. 

The treatment is fairly quick and has relatively low pain associated with it. Most of our patients say that it is similar to a rubber band being snapped onto your skin. It is advisable that should you go for a V-beam pulsed dye laser treatment (or all lasers for that fact), it is important to do your best to avoid excessive sun exposure before and after the treatment for as long as possible.

For more information, please visit our facial vein page or please feel free to contact our clinic at (780)482-1414 and any of our friendly staff will be able to assist you.

Laser Treatment of Periorbital Veins | Dr. Thomas Nakatsui

December 12th, 2018 | Conditions, General Info

At our centre, we can treat a variety of skin conditions using the latest in laser technology. In this video, Dr. Nakatsui is treating veins located around the eye with the Cutera XEO 1064nm laser. It is really neat to watch because during treatment, instant results can be seen. For more information, please contact our clinic at (780)482-1414.

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Lipoma Removal Surgery | Dr. Thomas Nakatsui

November 27th, 2018 | Conditions, General Info, Treatments, Video

 

 

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT 

VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED

 

 

In this video, we are seeing what Dr. Nakatsui sees when performing surgery. This surgery is the removal of a lipoma, a benign fatty growth that can occur anywhere on the body. Many are small, but lipomas can grow very large in size. Dr. Nakatsui makes a small excision where the lipoma is located. This particular lipoma came out relatively easily, but keep in mind that not all lipomas will be this easily extracted. To close the surgery site, Dr. Nakatsui uses a subcuticular running stitch.

 

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Solutions for Dry Skin

September 14th, 2017 | Conditions

Dry Skin

Dry skin is particularly noticeable during the winter months due to low humidity and cold temperatures. Other contributing factors include overuse of harsh skin care products especially those containing perfumes and preservatives, aging, and yes, your grandparents (genetics).

 

To avoid dry skin try these options:

  • Choose gentle cleansers that remove the superficial dirt and excess oil from your skin without stripping away all your natural oils.
  • Gently exfoliate the skin with a gritty cleanser or for tougher jobs micro-dermabrasions.
  • Apply a moisturizer which contains ingredients that draw moisture to the epidermis such as glycerine, urea and hyaluronic acid. Moisturizers are most effective when applied to the skin while it is damp.
  • Apply a sunscreen daily with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 45 or more. Even though the winter sun seems harmless it’s UVA and UVB rays can still damage the skin as well as tending to exacerbate dry skin.

Caution: Applying too much moisturizer to dry skin without proper cleansing may contribute to the development of seborrhoeic dermatitis, an inflammatory condition of the skin resulting in scaly, flaky, itchy, red skin.

Written by Patricia Johnston

Removing The Regretted Tattoo

August 31st, 2017 | Conditions, General Info, Treatments

We’ve heard it all before: a woman falls deeply in love with her boyfriend, Kevin, and decides to have his name tattooed across her arm only to become heartbroken the following week.  She is now stuck with this unwanted tattoo across her arm.

Years ago, she only had a few options: live with the regret and have his name forever inked on her skin, or try to cover it up with a second tattoo on top of her current tattoo.  Various creams have been suggested; however, many of them were either ineffective or, worse yet, caused scarring due to the strong nature of the creams.

The newest and most advanced technique for removing unwanted tattoos is with laser therapy.  At the Groot DermaSurgery Centre, we use the Q-switch Alexandrite laser.  Various lasers are used for various conditions such as excessive hair, mole removal, or unwanted blood vessels.  Each one of these conditions will require a different wavelength light.

Specific to tattoos, the laser penetrates the skin at a specific wavelength with the goal of breaking pigmented particles.  Your body’s immune system then removes these pigmented particles over time.  After a few treatments, the tattoo can potentially be completely erased from a person’s skin.

As with any procedure, especially those that involve lasers, it is always important to be aware of the risks and precautions surrounding the treatment.  Regarding laser therapies for tattoo removal, one potential risk is hypopigmentation, or the loss of colour, of the skin.   Or conversely, a person may get hyperpigmentation, or the increase in pigmentation in the skin.  The laser used in tattoos cannot distinguish between naturally dark pigmented skin and a tattoo, therefore, when the tattoo is being removed, surrounding skin can potentially be affected as well.

At the Groot DermaSurgery when consulting an individual about tattoo removal, we highly suggest that the individual not have any tan in their skin before and after treatment for these exact reasons. As always, speak to a certified medical professional when dealing with any treatment. If you have any questions or you would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact the Groot DermaSurgery Centre and book a complimentary consultation for your specific needs or please visit this link.

*At the Groot DermaSurgery Centre we love Kevins and even employ a Kevin at our facility!  We only used your name as an example* 

Sudden and exaggerated hair loss? You may have Telogen Effluvium.

August 5th, 2017 | Conditions, Hair Transplant

Telogen Effluvium

(Scalp Hair Thinning Due to a Shift in the Hair Cycle)

The sudden loss of exaggerated amounts of scalp hair is quite a common complaint, particularly in women.  This shift in the hair cycle, creating a hair loss pattern called “telogen effluvium”, usually occurs suddenly.  This is not associated with isolated bald patches of the scalp, or with excessive crusting or infections of the hair follicles.  It may “unmask” male/female pattern hair loss, revealing thinning on the top of the scalp.  In these cases, treatment is required for both problems.

NORMAL HAIR CYCLE

When a scalp hair begins to grow in each individual hair follicle, it remains in the “growth phase” (anagen phase) for approximately three years.  This average growth phase for the scalp hair creates hair that will grow to approximately mid-back level.  Some people have a longer growth phase and can grow their hair until they can almost stand on it, while others with a shorter cycle, can grow their hair no longer than shoulder length.  This is an individual genetic variation.

After the growth phase, the individual hair follicles, independent of each other, convert into a “resting phase” (telogen phase), and remain in this dormant stage for approximately three months.  During this time, a new hair is suddenly stimulated to grow, which eventually “pushes out” the old hairs as you comb, brush, and wash your hair.  You will see these hairs coming out all of the time.  This resting hair has the typical white tip on the scalp-end of the hair.  This white tip is not the root, but indicates that this hair was in the resting phase, and that another hair is replacing it in the same follicle.  In the normal hair cycle, approximately 85% of hairs are in the growth phase at any one time and 15% are in the resting phase.  With this ration, it has been calculated that the average person will lose 100 hairs per day.  If you do not shampoo every day, you will notice that on the days you do shampoo, you will lose an exaggerated number of hairs.  This is normal.

TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM MYTHS:

The hair cycle and the growth phase of your hair have nothing to do with having a tight scalp or a lack of blood flow to the scalp.  The tightness of your scalp is genetically determined, and has nothing to do with “circulation”.

Telogen effluvium is not associated with frequent shampooing.  In fact, the healthiest scalps and hair that I see are the patients who shampoo daily.

The length of hair does not affect the growth rate.

WHAT CAUSES TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM?

It is important to remember that after the triggering event that causes a shift in the hair cycle, it takes up to three months before the hair loss is noticed.  Due to this delay, it is important to look back at least three months prior to the onset of your hair loss.  Following are some of the common causes of telogen effluvium:

Pregnancy and Delivery – 8-12 weeks after the delivery of a child a scalp hair loss often occurs that can be quite frightening.  This is temporary, and the hair cycle will re-establish itself.

A high fever (from any cause) is a common initiator of a shift in the hair cycle from the growth phase to the resting phase, the growth phase will return to normal.

Ingestion of various anticoagulants (blood thinners) can affect the hair cycle.

Birth control pills can initiate a shift in the hair cycle, either while the patient is on them or once the patient has stopped the pills.  The same type of hair loss can be experienced as with the birth of a child.

Emotions – some patients have a very sensitive hair cycle and emotionally disturbing experiences can shift the hair cycle, creating an exaggerated hair loss.

Anemia, particularly iron deficiency anemia, can influence the hair cycle in a negative way.

Any severe, systemic illness can create a shift in the hair cycle.

Hypo- or hyperthyroidism can create telogen effluvium.

Diets – any crash diet program can create a shift in the hair cycle (the HCG weight control program often influences the hair cycle).

THERAPY:

Correct the precipitating cause if it is ongoing.

Avoid aggressive combing, brushing, and back-combing of your hair.

Do not “over use” the hair dryer.

Use mild shampoos

It is important to have serum iron and iron binding capacity laboratory tests done, as there are significant number of patients who have low tissue iron levels who will not regain the growth phase of the hair without iron replacement.

It is very important to remember that once the hair cycle has shifted, it takes months for the hair cycle to re-establish itself, even in patients where the cause of the hair loss is easily determined and eliminated.  Few patients never quite regain the volume of hair they had before the shift occurred. If you feel that your hair loss has gone past the preventative stage, you may need a hair loss treatment that is more intensive and more personalized to your particular issue. Thankfully there are plenty of options available in today’s market.

Zinc (Usually in the form of Stress Tabs with zinc and copper, 1 pill twice daily) and Rogaine lotion (1 ml twice daily to thin hair areas, is often helpful but may require many months of therapy).

As with any medical treatments, it is always important to check with your family doctor or dermatologist to see if any of the above medications or treatment regimens is right for you. For more information, please visit our dedicated hair transplant website at DrNakatsui.com

Dr. Thomas Nakatsui is the medical director of the Groot DermaSurgery Centre, a certified non-hospital surgical facility. Dr. Nakatsui is a dermatologist that specialises in ultra-refined hair transplantation, using the lateral slit technique. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and is board certified in both the United States and Canada. He completed his medical training and residency in Dermatology at the University Of Alberta and received additional training at several Centres of Excellence including Harvard, the Johns Hopkins Medical Centre, the Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Mayo Clinic.

The Dreaded Man-breast

May 2nd, 2017 | Conditions, Treatments

You’re working out, eating well, and simply doing all of the right things.  You look in the mirror and see your abs toning up; your biceps getting bigger.  Things are going great… except, your just not satisfied with your chest because it still has some fatty deposits that make it appear like breasts.  Fatty deposits on the chest can affect many males and can be difficult to treat on your own no matter how strict you are with diet and exercise.

In comes CoolSculpting, a non-invasive technology that freezes away stubborn fat.  An applicator is placed on the problem area, in this case the chest, and gently targets and cools unwanted fat cells in the selected area.  Millions of CoolSculpting Procedures have been performed worldwide with great success!  The Groot DermaSurgery Centre was one of the first clinics to offer CoolSculpting in the city!

CoolSculpting can be effective in reducing the fat in the chest region of a man.  However, not all man breasts are simply fatty tissue.  A condition known as gynecomastia is when there is an excess of male breast tissue.  In this situation, CoolSculpting may not be an ideal treatment.  It is important to have a consultation for a proper assessment to determine if you are a candidate for CoolSculpting.

If you would like to book a complimentary consultation please do not hesitate to contact our clinic at (780) 482 – 1414.

For your convenience, Botox and filler appointments, as well as Coolsculpting, Thermitight, and HydraFacial MD appointments can be booked directly online or by calling the office directly at 780-482-1414. There is a $100.00 refundable deposit required to reserve an appointment using the online booking service (please note there is a $20.00 administrative fee deducted from this deposit). If you cannot find a convenient time using the online scheduler, please call as there may be additional appointment times available that are not visible online.

For all other services, please call to schedule an appointment.

Fields marked with an asterisk (*) must be filled out to complete this form.

Please note that you WILL receive a confirmatory email upon successful completion of this online request. If you do not receive a confirmatory email, please contact our office by telephone to ensure that your request was successfully completed.

  • Your Info

 

What Do You Do When Antiperspirants Don’t Work for Hyperhidrosis?

August 24th, 2016 | Conditions, Treatments

HyperhidrosisDespite the fact that sweating serves the very important function of cooling the body it is considered to be unacceptable in certain social settings. For example a sweaty palm during a handshake is often frowned upon whereas sweaty palms while exercising falls within most people’s tolerance level. Sweat marks under the armpits while dining at a restaurant is socially undesirable whereas arm pit sweat while working in intense heat would be considered understandable.

For those socially awkward situations antiperspirants work for most individuals to control underarm sweating. However there is a condition known as hyperhidrosis where excessive sweating in any circumstance is a problem. The problem may be limited to the armpits, but often the palms of the hands and soles of the feet produce excessive amounts of sweat as well. Antiperspirants fail to work in individuals with hyperhidrosis.

There is no cure for hyperhidrosis. The good news is that there are controls. Sweat inhibiting injections of Botox have proven to markedly reduce sweating for anywhere between 3 to 16 months (average of 6 months) after 1 or 2 treatments.  The injections have been approved by Health Canada for the treatment of excess underarm sweating.

Topical applications of aluminum chloride hexahydrate, may provide satisfactory sweat control for sufferers of hyperhidrosis.  In Canada, a 20% aluminum chloride hexahydrate alcohol solution is available without prescription under the name of Drysol.

Other options may include internal medications (such as acetycholine), electrophoreses, the Drionic machine, or dilute formalin (for sweaty feet).  In very rare cases surgery is necessary to remove the sweat glands or sever the nerve responsible for their stimulation.

If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact our clinic at (780) 482-1414.  Thank you!

Written By Patricia Johnston

Tips for Sensitive Skin!

July 30th, 2016 | Conditions

 

Applying moisturizer cream. Care for female legs isolated on white background

Our skin is the largest organ we have.  It acts as a barrier between your surrounding environment and your internal organs.  Our skin is the first line of defence from the outside world and is constantly bombarded with various irritants in the environment such as dust, bacteria, and the effects of weather.  Many people suffer from sensitive skin and one of the most notable and common issues with our skin is eczema.  Eczema is inflammation of the skin usually due to dryness, irritation, and possible allergy.

The ”Mayo Clinic Regime” is a guideline for sensitive skin for people suffering from eczema:

YES:

SOAPS – Use products that are soft and non-irritating to the skin.  This may take some trial and error to find the perfect soap for you.

Use unscented laundry detergents.

Wash all new clothes and linens five times before using

White cotton gloves under vinyl or nitrile gloves for any activities where you anticipate your hands getting wet. Trim nails short or wear white cotton gloves full time.  Long nails are dangerous weapons to the skin.

 

NO:

No HOT water (use lukewarm only).  Hot water can cause major irritation to the skin.

No powders, rubbing alcohol, perfumes, colognes, after shave, or pre-shaves on any part of the body or clothing.

No fabric softener in the washer or dryer.  White vinegar in the rinse cycle of the water is okay.

No scented deodorants.

No rubber or vinyl gloves without cotton gloves beneath them.

No wetting of hands more than five times per day, unless instructed, and if so, appropriate creams/lotions on afterwards.

No tight-fitting clothes.

Do not scratch, scrub, or pull off dead skin, and do not use a loofah.

 

Cream Schedule

Apply at morning and bedtime:

  • Plain moisturizer generously to all dry skin (And anytime skin feels dry). Ideally applying to moist skin, as it “traps” the moisture.  After a brief bath or shower, pat dry and apply the cream.

 

As eczema improves, decrease the use of any prescription hydrocortisones or mixture creams.  However, always use plain moisturizer at least once or twice daily on all sensitive skin.

These are some tips to help those suffering from eczema.  Always check with your dermatologist for more care and management of eczema/dermatitis or any other skin ailments you may have.

 

 

Hope for Ugly Toenails

June 28th, 2016 | Conditions, Treatments

wedge-sandals

Are you embarrassed to wear sandals because of your ugly toe nails – toe nails that are yellow, brittle and/or scaly? If so, it is possible that you have fungus of the toe nails (onychomycosis) – a condition that can be treated.

Two options are available: medication and laser treatments. Lamisil, Soranox or Nizoral are examples of prescription anti-fungal medications that are taken by mouth for a period of 3 to 6 months. They work from the inside out (systemically) with about a 70% success rate.  A new medication to the market called Jublia  is a topical ointment that is applied directly onto the problematic nail.

Lasers work from the outside in. Two treatments and the fungus is eradicated in 70% of cases. The success rate depends on how long you have had the fungus. If it has been left untreated for over a year then a combination of medication and laser treatments is usually required.

If you are hiding your toes, call us at (780) 482-1414 to find out if one of these treatment options might work for you. Then go out and buy a pair of those cute little sandals that you have been coveting.

Do you suffer from a double chin?

February 23rd, 2016 | Conditions, Treatments


ThermiTight

No matter how hard your work out or how well you eat, your double chin can remain in place.  Age, genetics, and other factors can cause additional fat/skin to deposit under the chin giving the appearance of a double chin.

Historically, the only way to improve a double chin would be through a face lift surgery.  The face lift surgery is still a great option, however it can have a lengthy downtime and many individuals do not want to undergo an invasive surgery.

ThermiTight™ is the newest in non-invasive procedures in which Dr. Nakatsui is able to deliver controlled thermal energy under the skin in order to reverse the effects of aging.  ThermiTight™ is able to sculpt the troublesome area under the chin and tighten loose skin drastically improving the double chin appearance.

The majority of patients only require a single session. While every patient is unique and individual results may vary, most patients experience dramatic improvements in skin laxity and the appearance of age lines after just one treatment. Patients continue to experience improvement in appearance for months after their procedure and ThermiTight™ results have been proven to last for several years.

If you would like to book a free consultation with Dr. Nakatsui please call our office at (780)482-1414 or you can book online for an appointment.  Thank you and have a great day!

  • Your Info

For your convenience, Botox and filler appointments, as well as Coolsculpting, Thermitight, and HydraFacial MD appointments can be booked directly online or by calling the office directly at 780-482-1414. There is a $100.00 refundable deposit required to reserve an appointment using the online booking service (please note there is a $20.00 administrative fee deducted from this deposit). If you cannot find a convenient time using the online scheduler, please call as there may be additional appointment times available that are not visible online.

For all other services, please call to schedule an appointment.

Fields marked with an asterisk (*) must be filled out to complete this form.

Post Tattoo Regrets

January 20th, 2014 | Conditions, Treatments

 

tattoo image
Post tattoo regrets are common. You went to a party and after a couple of drinks a group of you decided now was the time to be bold and get the tattoo you always wanted or you decided that you and your mate should solidify your relationship with matching tattoos only to discover a month later that he or she has flown the coup but the tattoo is permanent. Then there is the rebellious phase where you want to show the world that you are different and that you won’t conform to social norms even though the crowd you run with all have tattoo. Whatever the reason for your post tattoo regrets lasers now offer a permanent solution to tattoo removal. Depending on the type and amount of ink, the colour, and the size laser tattoo removal requires some patience. However it is possible to remove an unwanted tattoo with lasers without leaving a big scar or removing to much of your natural pigment. Removing unwanted tattoos is something we do every day at the Groot DermaSurgery Centre. Lasers are our business and we do it well. See Laser Pigment Removal under Treatments for more details.

Getting Rid of the Number Elevens (Frown Lines)

March 11th, 2013 | Conditions, Treatments

Some of my most engaging conversations take place in the change room at the gym. The latest was with a fellow gym mate. She has been going to a spa for ‘laser’ treatments to the creases between her eye brows. After her fifth treatment she was feeling a bit discouraged as she did not see much change.

My gym mate is unlikely to see results as the creases between the eyebrows are ‘dynamic wrinkles’ caused by repeat muscle movement. To erase the lines between the eyebrows it is necessary to stop the muscle movement. This is achieved by injecting inhibiting agents into the Glabellar muscles. Within days of the injection the frown lines usually disappear. These treatments are temporary and need to be repeated every 3 to 6 months.

My gym mate should also be aware that ‘laser’ treatments at a spa are best used for fine, superficial wrinkles. Deeper rhytides, as they are known medically, require the use of wave lengths of laser light that reach deep into the dermis to realign the collagen and elastins. Such powerful lasers are only to be found in dermatology or plastic surgery centers.  The treatments are not for the faint of heart however the results are dramatic.