Meet Mary Lauren Antici

Mary Lauren Antici, our newest Medical Aesthetician and Laser Technician, joined the Greenville Dermatology team in March 2015! Mary Lauren provides many services to our clients, including various medical grade facials and chemical peels, laser hair reductions, laser resurfacing, and IPL facial rejuvenation. Get to know Mary Lauren better with the quick Q&A session below. To schedule an appointment or initial consultation with Mary Lauren, please call us at 864-242-5872.

What inspired you to choose Dermatology?

I became passionate about skin care after struggling with hormonal acne in my early 20’s. I tried countless products over several months but nothing worked. Finally, I was diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal imbalance that has many symptoms, including severe acne. I began taking medications to balance my hormones and started using medical grade skin care products, facial treatments and chemical peels. After six months my breakouts were gone but I was left with deep acne scars. My medical aesthetician recommended that I try laser resurfacing, and after five sessions my acne scars were non-existent.

After my personal skin success, I decided I wanted to make Aesthetics my career so I could help others. I completed my Aesthetics course and attended the National Laser Institute in Chicago, IL to become a certified Medical Aesthetician/ Laser Technician. It is incredibly rewarding to help my patients achieve their skin care goals and to see them gain their self-confidence back.

What is your personal skincare routine?

I start out by double cleansing my skin using a Clarisonic facial brush. I then use the following products in this order:

• Teamine® Eye Complex – helps to reduce dark circles under the eyes   
• Papaya Enzyme Cleanser – exfoliates the skin and is rich in vitamins and minerals
• Vitamin C 30% - helps to prevent sun damage, locks in moisture, lightens hyperpigmentation and brings back your skin’s natural glow
• Intellishade® Broad-Spectrum SPF 45 (matte finish) – helps to moisturize the skin, prevents premature aging and protects your skin from sun damage

All of the products mentioned above are made by Revision Skincare and can be purchased in the Greenville Dermatology retail store.

What are some skincare products (various cost levels) that you can’t live without?

My favorite skin care products are:

• All Revision products mentioned above
• Elta MD UV Clear by Elta MD: Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide that is non greasy and fragrance free
• Obagi-C Cleansing Gel – Very moisturizing! Helps balance skin, locks in moisture, protects skin against sun damage
• Hyalis by Neocutis: Hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid
• GloMinerals Luxe Foundation, High Beam Concealer, and the Texture Brush

How do you change your skincare routine from season to season?

When seasons change, I switch out my cleanser and moisturizer. I use an oil-free cleanser and moisturizer that are still very hydrating in the summer.

What are some things patients should know about laser procedures before considering them for themselves?

Laser can cause your skin to become red and inflamed from 2-7 days depending on treatment.  It is important to let your skin heal before returning to your regular outdoor or exercise activities that require you to have sun exposure or cause your body to become heated.

What type of things do you do to stay healthy (not necessarily skin care related)?

I try to drink as much water as I can throughout the day. Water is crucial for your body and skin’s overall health as well as appearance.

It’s hard to make time to exercise when you work full time. I have to make exercising as easy as possible. I try to power walk for one hour and lift dumbbell weights at home at least 3 times a week. When I have extra time I love to do hot yoga!

What is your favorite place to vacation?

Folly Beach!

What are your favorite spring/summer activities?

I love love love laying out at the pool! The sun on my face gives me a warm happy feeling like nothing else. There are ways to do that without “baking” in the sun like I might have when I was younger. Now I apply sunscreen hourly, wear a sunhat and sunglasses and sit back and relax!

Tips to Improve Dark Circles under the Eyes from Dr. Poinsette

We have all seen these circles and probably had them for one reason or another. There are five main reasons they occur, and each cause has different symptoms and requires different treatment. Read below for how you can reduce the appearance of dark circles.

Bags Caused by Fat Pads

Bags are caused by increased fat below the eye. The best solution is called blepharoplasty which is removal of this extra fat and lid by a plastic or dermatologic surgeon.

Puffiness

Puffiness occurs because the skin below the eye is very thin and sensitive to fluid collection. The loose thin skin around the eyes can swell for various reasons including seasonal allergies, sinus infections, crying, or water retention from high blood pressure or eating food high in sodium.  Suggestions for treating this puffiness include:

1. Treating seasonal allergies with over the counter allergy medications or see your doctor for prescription allergy or sinus infection medication.

2. Switch your sleep position. Sleeping on your stomach or sides can encourage fluids to collect under your eyes. Try sleeping on your back and add an extra pillow under your head.

3. Avoid rubbing your eyes, going to bed with makeup on, and harsh cleansers. Anything that irritates the eyes can cause fluids to pool.

4. Place an ice pack, slices of cucumber, or even a package of frozen peas on eyes. This causes tightening of the vessels around the eyes and can lessen puffiness.

5. Some eye puffiness can be the result of an underlying medical condition (thyroid, heart, or kidney diseases) especially if the eye bags appear suddenly and none of the above conditions apply. These conditions can cause fluids to be retained under the eyes.

Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation or darkness of color of the skin around the eyes is very common in darker skin types. Genetics, rubbing, and inflammation from skin diseases, such as, eczema may play a part in exacerbating the pigmentation of the thin under-eye skin.  Recommendations include:

1. Avoid rubbing the area around the eyes.

2. Retinoic acid creams (Retin-A, Tazorac, tretinoin) can help slough the dark pigmented skin. It should, however, be used in small amounts with increasing use over several weeks to avoid irritation.

3. Skin lightening creams with azaleic acid, glycolic acid, and hydroquinone have shown success in lightening the under eye darkness.

4. Light chemical peels and IPL (Intense-pulsed light) may help minimize the pigmentation especially if it seems to be the result of sunlight.

Tear Trough

Tear Trough or hollows under the eyes are caused by a loss of volume in the area and shows up as a dark circle. It can be caused by genetics, significant weight loss, and the aging process that causes the loss of fat in the area. The best way to treat this problem is with a filler like Restylane or Juvederm, etc.

The skin around the eye becomes thinner with age as well which causes the blood vessels to be more easily seen. This can lead to a bluish tone to the skin under the eye which casts a dark shadow under the eye making the area appear dark or sallow. This can be helped by eye creams that contain caffeine which constricts these vessels. Lasers can also be used to treat the larger veins.

Wrinkles

Wrinkles can be improved with Botox and laser resurfacing.

In addition to these solutions, there are some other daily steps you can take to reduce the dark circles, including the application of sunscreen and moisturizer, avoid smoking and use a concealer that is a slightly lighter color than your skin tone.  

If your at home treatment of your dark circles is not earning you the results you want, come see us at Greenville Dermatology. We can assess the reason behind your dark circles and figure out a treatment plan that will improve your look. Call us at (864) 242-5872 to schedule an appointment today.