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Karin McCay with KCBD News Channel 11 begins her interview with Dr. Claire Reddick, Dermatologist. May 2010
"This is National Skin Awareness Month and Dr. Reddick is going to tell us how to take care of our skin so that it lasts a lifetime, uh, what are we doing wrong? Basically, not keeping it moisturized?
Dr. Reddick: Well basically, the skin is the largest organ in our body and often gets ignored. It can cause significant problems like getting itchy in the winter when it gets dry and keeping it moisturized and taking care of it and being aware of it is something easy that you can do each day.
Karin: So moisturizer every day really does make a difference long term.
Dr. Reddick: It makes a big difference long term.
Karin: For aging too?
Dr. Reddick: For aging as well. Not only does it keep your skin moisturized, it helps to prevent breakdown in the skin, it can also help prevent annoying symptoms like being really itchy, especially in the winter when it gets colder.
Karin: So, what can we do in the winter to try and protect it because you know sometimes it hurts and your skin cracks, especially on the hands if you don't keep it moisturized.
Dr. Reddick: Absolutely. You know the best thing is using a good moisturizer. There are great products just even at the drugstore that are inexpensive and easy to use. In general, when you are looking for moisturizers, creams are better than lotions, and ointments are more moisturizing than creams.
Karin: And I'm surprised on how much money you can spend on extremely expensive moisturizers.
Dr. Reddick: Absolutely.
Karin: Does it make that much difference between what you get at the drugstore - a basic midline price - is that basically as effective as the high dollar ones?
Dr. Reddick: I would say in general that the more moderately prices or even the inexpensive ones are often as effective compared to the expensive brands that you can buy in department stores or elsewhere in doctor's offices.
Karin: Kind of the same thing we've heard about sunscreens too. You know you can buy 100 proof (SPF) or if its fifteen or twenty, is it still all pretty much the same in terms of protection?
Dr. Reddick: In general, past a SPF of 15 or 30, the incremental increase in protection that your getting hasn't been well defined. I would say the higher the better, if you live around our office, we all wear 70+.
Karin: How important is it to wear sunscreen all the time, even in the winter, is it important?
Dr. Reddick: Absolutely. If you talk to dermatologists, we put it on every morning with our moisturizers and things like that, it makes a huge difference, especially cumulatively over your lifetime.
Karin: But you'd think in the winter, we're not gonna have a problem, because the sun, sometimes you don't even feel it, but still it can damage the skin?
Dr. Reddick: Absolutely. And you see that often times with skiers, you know, they're covered head to toe but they get awful sunburns even in the winter, when its cold, so the sun is still there and you are still getting the UV damage.
Karen: What about warts? Can they turn into a problem like skin cancer? We always talk about suspicious spots, but how about that wart that just won't go away?
Dr. Reddick: In general, they are benign. There are some rare types of skin cancers that can develop in very chronic, growing warts and so if you are worried about a spot, I would have it checked out.
Karen: Over the counter remedies will take care of the warts or should that person go into see a dermatologist?
Dr. Reddick: For smaller warts, over the counter remedies are great, we do recommend them all the time. Sometimes for the larger warts or the thicker, deeper warts - the ones that are more difficult to get rid of, then you do better with dermatologist care.
