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Grand Strand Dermatology, LLC

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9400 Frontage Road (Hwy 17 Bypass)

Murrell Inlet, SC 29576

(843) 215-1100

933 Medical Circle

Myrtle Beach, SC 29572

(843) 215-1100

843-215-1211

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  • Is your sports equipment causing your acne?

Is your sports equipment causing your acne?

  • Created in Acne and rosacea, Exercise and sports
acne-sports-equipment.jpg
Shot-putter: When equipment frequently rubs against your skin, acne can flare.

Some sports equipment and clothing provide an ideal environment for acne to thrive. This is so common that there’s a medical term for this type of acne. It’s called acne mechanica.

You get this type of acne when sports equipment or clothing traps heat and sweat on your skin. As the equipment or clothing rubs against your heated skin, your skin becomes irritated. If you have acne or acne-prone skin, this irritation can cause new acne breakouts.

Many types of athletes get acne mechanica. Football and hockey players may have it on their chin, shoulders, or forehead. Shot-putters tend to develop acne where they cradle the shot against their necks. Anywhere that equipment rubs, acne can appear.

The first sign that you may have acne mechanica is small, rough-feeling bumps that you can feel more easily than see. These may appear where a chin strap, helmet, or other piece of equipment rubs. If you continue to use your equipment without taking precautions, these small, rough bumps can turn into pimples and sometimes deep acne cysts.

Examples of sporting equipment that can lead to acne mechanica

Sport Equipment
Auto racing Back of the driver's seat
Backpacking Backpack, especially the straps on the backpack
Cycling Helmet
Dance Synthetic dance clothes
Football Helmet, chin strap, shoulder pads, or other protective gear
Golf Strap on the golf bag
Gymnastics Synthetic clothes
Horseback riding Hunt helmet
Hockey Helmet, chest protector, or other protective gear
Lacrosse Helmet, shoulder pads, or other protective gear
Shot put The shot (from cradling it against your neck)
Weightlifting Plastic on weightlifting benches, weightlifting belt
Wrestling Face guard


If you feel that your sports equipment or clothing is causing acne breakouts, it’s possible to continue your sport(s) and see clearer skin.

To clear your skin and prevent more acne, dermatologists recommend the following:

    • Place clean, soft padding between the equipment and your skin. This can eliminate rubbing, which can prevent your skin from becoming irritated.

    • Wear moisture-wicking clothes next to your skin. This fabric pulls sweat away from your body, reducing the friction on your skin so that you have less skin irritation.

    • Trade tight-fitting workout clothes for loose-fitting ones. This helps prevent heat and sweat from getting trapped on your skin.

  • Treat the acne mechanica with acne medication. Using an acne medication with salicylic acid often works well to clear this type of acne. Salicylic acid helps unclog pores. You’ll find acne treatment that contains salicylic acid in stores and online. No prescription needed.

Acne mechanica tends to clear more quickly than regular acne. If you still have acne mechanica after treating it for 6 to 8 weeks, a dermatologist can help. A prescription acne medicine may be necessary. For some patients, microdermabrasion or laser therapy can help.

You may also want to make sure that certain habits aren’t causing you to breakout when you exercise. You’ll find simple things you can do to prevent acne caused by working out at: Is your workout causing your acne?


Image: ​Getty Images

References
Botros PA Tsai G, et al. “Evaluation and Management of Acne.” Prim Care. 2015; 42(4):465-71.

Fulton JE, Acne Rx: What acne really is and how to eliminate its devastating effects! Self-published; 2001.

Harper JC. “Acne: The Basics.” Paper written by dermatologist Julie C. Harper, MD to help her patients get the best results from their acne treatment. May 2003.

Knable AL Jr, Hanke CW, et al. “Prevalence of acne keloidalis nuchae in football players.” J Am Acad Dermatol. 1997 Oct;37(4):570-4.

Smith ML. “Environmental and sports-related skin disease.” In: Bolognia JL, et al. Dermatology. (second edition). Mosby Elsevier, Spain, 2008:1469-76.

Zaenglein AL, Graber EM, et al. “Acne vulgaris and acneiform eruptions.” In: Wolff K, Goldsmith LA, et al. Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine (seventh edition). McGraw Hill Medical, New York, 2008:701.

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Skin Cancer Removal Procedures

Skin Cancer patients can expect a surgical plan to remove their skin cancer based on the location , size, and type of tumor. Most treatments to remove cancerous lesions can be conducted under local anesthesia.

 

The Skin Cancer is removed with a Surgical tool called a curette with a hoop or scoop on the end for scraping. An electric current is then applied to the area through a needle-like electrode designed to kill the remaining cancer cells and reduce bleeding.

After care instructions: The ED&C site must be kept clean if it is to heal rapidly. It is a small open wound which may or may not leave a scar. To clean the site, follow these instructions

First Wash Your Hands With Soap and Water

1. Remove Initial dressing in 24 hours.

2. Wash the area with soap and water twice a day. Apply a thin film of Aquaphor or Vaseline and cover with a fresh bandage until healing has occurred. This may take up to 2/4 week, depending on size of the wound and location.

3. Do not use Neosporin or other over the counter topical antibiotics as allergies to these medications are quite common and they can slow down healing.

4. Keep wound moist with Vaseline and band-aid, as stated in number 2. A scab or leaving it open to the environment will slow down healing.

It is normal for the site to become puffy, reddened, or irritated. However, if the site is warm to the touch, oozing, or severely reddened or very sore, you need to contact the office at (843)215-1100.

 

The skin cancer growth is removed with surgical excision by cutting or shaving it out of the skin with a scalpel. Local anesthesia is used to numb the affected area. Depending on the type of tumor, our surgeons my remove a certain amount of surrounding tissue. 

After Care Instructions: First Wash Your Hands With Soap and Water

1. You may apply an ice pack following surgery. Apply the ice pack on for 20 minutes, and then remove for 20 minutes, and repeat the process as needed. 

2. Remember, applying direct pressure to the surgery site stops bleeding.

3. You may take Tylenol for Pain if needed.

4. Leave the wound dressing on for 24 hours

5. While showering, remove your current dressing and clean your wound, and the remove for gently with warm water and soap to remove any dried blood and prevent scab formation.

6. Apply Vaseline ointment at least one time daily, and cover the entire wound with a band-aide or gauze dressing.

7. On your scheduled day of suture removal, cleanse the wound, and leave the area DRY(do not apply any ointment) and return to our office at your scheduled time to have the sutures removed

8. If your wound is in the beard area on your face or other area where you normally shave, please avoid shaving near the wound.

9. If the surgical site starts to bleed excessively and doesn't stop with applied pressure for 15 minutes, the dressing become saturated with blood. If there is excessive swelling or the site become inflamed and warm to the touch. Call the office at 843-215-1100

 

The surgeon removes the visible skin cancer and come surrounding tissue via and incision. The removed tissue is frozen, dyed, and evaluated under a microscope by a pathologist to see if the cancer has been removed entirely. If cancerous cells are still present, the process of excision and evaluation is repeated until the cancer is no longer detected. The diagnosis of the removed tissue is made in real-time, so the patient can be confirmed cancer-free the same day. The process can take several hours to fulling remove the cancer.

After Care Instructions: First Wash Your Hands With Soap and Water

1. You may apply an ice pack following surgery. Apply the ice pack on for 20 minutes, and then remove for 20 minutes, and repeat the process as needed. 

2. Remember, applying direct pressure to the surgery site stops bleeding.

3. You may take Tylenol for Pain if needed.

4. Leave the wound dressing on for 24 hours

5. While showering, remove your current dressing and clean your wound, and the remove for gently with warm water and soap to remove any dried blood and prevent scab formation.

6. Apply Vaseline ointment at least one time daily, and cover the entire wound with a band-aide or gauze dressing.

7. On your scheduled day of suture removal, cleanse the wound, and leave the area DRY(do not apply any ointment) and return to our office at your scheduled time to have the sutures removed

8. If your wound is in the beard area on your face or other area where you normally shave, please avoid shaving near the wound.

9. If the surgical site starts to bleed excessively and doesn't stop with applied pressure for 15 minutes, the dressing become saturated with blood. If there is excessive swelling or the site become inflamed and warm to the touch. Call the office at 843-215-1100

 

Typically used to treat minor skin cancers and pre-cancerous lesions, cryosurgery involves the use of liquid nitrogen to freeze and destroy the cancer cells. The procedure, also known as cryotherapy is repeated until the affected area no longer shows signs of pre-cancer or cancer.

After Care Instructions: 

1. You do note need to cover the area treated, unless instructed to do so.

2. The discomfort is temporary but may last for 10-30 minutes after treatment.

3. the area may appear red for up to one hour after freezing but often returns to normal color within 10-15 minutes.

4. A blister may form within 24 hours of treatment. this may be clear fluid filled or blood filled, if it is uncomfortable, you may drain it by using a clean needle cleansed with alcohol. If this is done, cover with a Band-Aid and Vaseline ointment for approximately one week. This bandage should be changed daily. 

5. Sometimes a scab will will form over the area treated. This will come off on its own and does not need to be covered.

6. If you have any questions or concerns after reading the above information, please do not hesitate to call our office at 843-215-1100



Side Effects of Skin Cancer Removal 

With any kind of skin cancer removal, scarring is likely to occur. Incision sites may be sore, red, or drain small amounts of fluid. Healing will continue for weeks and even months after your surgery, incision lines will fade and continue to improve. Sun exposure on wounds and scar lines can result in irregular pigmentation or cause the sight to become red, raised, or dark, so patients should follow post-op preventative instructions carefully. 

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