Derm RF

The Doctor is In … Practicing What I Preach

By Dr. Katie Rodan

Being a dermatologist is more than a day job. Sometimes I can’t help but feel compelled to be the constant voice of caution with friends, family or even strangers on the street. But at the same time, I am the first to head out for a long hike on Saturdays, opt for a bike ride with my family, or meet friends at an outdoor café for lunch.

I realize the grave importance of practicing safe sun, but I’m also not willing to give up my summers and hide indoors. The reality is, that, as with anything else in life, balance is the healthiest option. Taking back summer to me, is finding that precious balance between protecting my skin and enjoying summer outdoor activities. I make it all happen by following these three simple strategies:

1) Plan: I start each week by looking at my calendar, trying to note which events I’m looking most forward to, what I’m obligated to attend, and what I have some leeway with.

2) Prioritize: For each event that’s heavy on the outdoor/sun time and not set in stone, I try to search for alternatives. Whether it’s having lunch indoors after going out on a hike, or trying to move my weekend bike ride to the late afternoon (sleeping in on Saturdays is a must for me!), I try to limit myself to one high sun exposure activity per day.

3) Protect: No matter whether life takes me to the golf course, the office or the car, I never leave home without my sunscreen armor. I opt for a cosmetically elegant SPF 30 sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection. Even better are sunscreens that include peptides for double-duty sun protection and anti-aging benefits. Whenever possible I throw on a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses for additional protection.

It is possible to take back the summer you love and stay safe and healthy. As you enjoy the summer, remember, you can do it all. Just don’t do it all at once and find alternatives that give you the most bang for your summer buck.

July 12, 2011 at 3:51 pm Dr. Katie Rodan 4 comments

The Doctor is In… Moles

By Dr. Kathy Fields

Medically known as melanocytic nevi, moles are small dark spots on your skin that appear predominately during the first 20 years of life. Hormones, sun exposure and genetics are all factors in the number, location and type of moles we each get.

Moles on their own aren’t necessarily dangerous; however, UV exposure can trigger malignant transformations, causing moles to become cancerous. The good news is that if caught early, melanoma is nearly 100% treatable.  The best way to catch your moles before it’s too late is to map them.

Every year on your birthday, I recommend getting in your birthday suit and taking full body pictures. Compare them year after year, carefully checking for the ABCDE’s of melanoma.

A—Asymmetry: the spot isn’t symmetrical and may have an odd shape
B—Border: look for a border that isn’t sharp or defined
C—Color: the color is not uniform and may have different shades of red, brown or black
D—Diameter: the spot is the size of a pencil eraser or larger
E—Evolution: the spot is changing in size and/or shape

This may seem like a lot of work, but at the end of the day you are responsible for your health and well-being. Just like with breast cancer, most melanoma cases are self-diagnosed and not found in your annual exam. If you want a derm’s attention on your moles, make an appointment specifically for a mole evaluation. There’s not much money in mole checks … so while a great derm will make time for it, others will opt for more lucrative procedures like botox. And if you don’t feel your derm is taking your moles seriously, find a new one. There are countless great dermatologists out there who care about the health of their patients.

June 6, 2011 at 6:30 pm Dr. Kathy Fields 1 comment

The Dr. Is In … Tanorexic

By Dr. Katie Rodan

I confess I am a reformed tanorexic.  Growing up in Los Angeles, summer meant soaking up the rays on Topanga Beach. I delighted in seeing my bathing suit tan lines evolve day by day. The greater the contrast in my tanned vs. untanned skin color, the happier I was. I loved the slimming effect of my darkened skin courtesy of amped up melanocytes. My inflamed acne-prone complexion visually improved when camouflaged by a tan. And, the warmth of the sun quashed any remnants of the winter blues, known today as Seasonal Affective Disorder. Even today, a coconut fragrance evokes my favorite tan enhancing lotion and happy memories associated with using it.

My road to recovery began during my dermatology residency at Stanford. For the sake of my skin and my professional credibility (who would trust a tan dermatologist?) repentance was required. On occasion, I admit I relapsed.  During a Caribbean vacation, I paid the ultimate price for my setback by sustaining a sunburn– in front of my children no less!

To set an example beyond reproach, I gradually learned how to replace my bad habits with good ones. Today, I use sunscreen 365 days a year, rain or shine, reapplying every two hours when outdoors. Poolside, I sit under an umbrella, sporting a large brimmed hat and big Jackie O type sunglasses. I even commissioned our company to design a gigantic visor (helps avoid “hat hair”) with a Rodan + Fields logo, hoping Glamour magazine would use it as a “Do” in their iconic fashion “Do’s and Don’ts” section. If an overcast day gives me the “blah’s,” 15 minutes spent in front of a non-UV emitting light box lifts my spirits. And, drum-roll please, I co-created the ultimate sunless tanning foam. It looks natural, dries quickly, smells great, goes on streak-free and lasts for days. It puts all the other ones I’ve ever used to shame.

I’m writing this while traveling en route to Hawaii for our Road to RF^X Maui Incentive Trip. As I admire my faux tan, I can promise you that recovery never looked so good!

May 23, 2011 at 5:02 pm Dr. Katie Rodan 8 comments

The Doctor is In

By Dr. Katie Rodan

One of my guilty pleasures has always been reading the fashion and celebrity magazines. I use them as a diversion while I am exercising on the elliptical machine, taking my mind away from my sore muscles as I continue to push on. I always flip straight to the back page to read my monthly horoscope. While my left brain tells me to remember my scientific training and dismiss horoscopes as “pookey-lookey” advice with predictions that are vague enough to apply to anyone, my right brain wants to believe it’s true. I especially enjoy the January issues which forecast the year ahead. I’m told with Jupiter and Uranus exiting the 10^th house and Jupiter entering Aries, this year will bring “outstanding career success.” Even though I have no clue what all of this means, I love the conclusion. On another page of this magazine I read “self-help and destiny have equal shares in our future.” Horoscopes with nice prophecies are one thing; but this quote sums up the guiding principle that I live by in both my personal and professional life.

As I tell my patients, you can change your skin’s destiny. While genetic s determine your bone structure, skin type and color, the TLC you give your skin makes a huge difference in the overall quality of your complexion.  Taking your skin from “good to great” generally doesn’t require a major overhaul like a resurfacing laser treatment or deep chemical peel. A minor tweak in your daily skincare routine, like incorporating active ingredients such as retinoids, peptides, alpha hydroxy acids and sunscreen, goes a long way toward addressing common aging issues like dull skin, wrinkling and uneven pigmentation. While change doesn’t   happen overnight, given a month, you should expect to see significant improvement. Just like daily physical activity helps you stay in shape, an effective skincare program requires ongoing use.

My patients have also heard me say “be your own dermatologist.”  By that I mean, from time to time, reassess your complexion and make changes as necessary. For example, your summertime oily, acne-prone T Zone may shift gears, becoming dry and chapped while withstanding the winter wind chill. So adding a barrier repairing moisturizer will calm and soothe your skin and allow you to continue using your acne medications without irritation.

When I opened the March issue of my favorite publication and saw these words, “success grows on the tree of persistence,” I nodded in agreement. Whether it is your complexion, career or personal relationship, going from “good to great” takes just a little extra effort on a daily basis.



March 21, 2011 at 6:57 pm Derm RF 1 comment

The Doctor is In by Dr. Katie Rodan

Amp It Up

I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. If I did, the list of all the things I want to accomplish or change about myself would be too long and feel overwhelming.  Instead, I  come up with a catchphrase  that serves the purpose of shaping my attitude toward events for the upcoming year. It reflects the world around me, helps put my daily life into perspective, and motivates me to think differently. For example, “I’m stoked” (a common Southern California surfer’s idiom) seemed fitting for the riding high prosperity and sense of abundance in 2007. It reminded me to appreciate all of my blessings and recognize that life is full of dynamic cycles. Neither good times nor bad ones (fortunately) last forever, something we all tend to forget. It also set me on a path to give back. So, when, 2008 arrived and the economy crashed,  the theme “It’s good for you” helped me to recognize the lifelong lessons I  would learn from facing that year’s challenges and disappointments.

This year, I’m thinking “Amp it up” is apropos. Aside from the homage to our Rodan + Fields product launch, I am excited to amp up my life in all realms. Because I am already pretty busy, I am not looking to do more. Instead, my intent is to turn up the dial on daily activities that can enhance my life. Here are a couple of examples:

Starting a conversation with a complete stranger, an attribute that once came naturally to me, has somewhat diminished with age.  As I tell my kids, by being outgoing, friendly, and open,  you never know who you’ll meet or what you will learn. Chit-chatting with a couple at an adjoining table in a restaurant or getting to know a little bit about the hotel concierge or my taxi driver while traveling the country, sometimes requires me to step outside my comfort zone. My dad has always been gifted in this area. At 87, he can still work a room like nobody’s business. So imagining him in a particular situation and asking myself, “what would my dad Harry do if he were here” helps get me going.  “Channeling” a person in my life who embodies a desired quality both inspires and motivates me.

Amping up my efforts to attack my ever growing “to-do” list on a daily basis will give me a huge sense of accomplishment. I have learned, procrastination leads to guilt and guilt takes away the satisfaction of eventually getting the job done.  Amnon is the master task-master. By the day’s end, his desk is always clean and his inbox always empty. The little bit of focused extra effort he gives toward completing a job makes all the difference. So this year I will strive to be a little more “Amnonian” in my approach to work.

So while sitting in the airport on January 2nd, I am taking the first step toward an amped up 2011. I just met Brenda, a writer of alternative medicine books and I am completing Elana’s assignment to write a blog entry for DermRF.  It’s working!

Wishing you all a year of excellent health and great achievements!

Katie Rodan

January 17, 2011 at 10:01 pm Derm RF 6 comments