Dr Taub’s Letter, Winter/Spring 2017

Dear patients, colleagues and friends,

YAY THE CUBS WON THE WORLD SERIES!!! Let’s say that one more time: THE CUBS ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS! I remember when I was a little girl growing up in Wilmette, I would race home in the afternoons to catch a Cubs game on TV.

I also want to thank everyone for such amazing support for our practice. We have grown so much over the years and have had such loyal support from you. I was fortunate to be invited as faculty to Barcelona (for the 5 Continent Laser Meeting) in September, and Dubai for the DASIL (Dermatologic Aesthetic International League) meeting in October. As much as I hate being away from the office, I love the international meetings best, as the ideas are so different and shared so freely and of course, seeing different peoples and places is a huge perk. I also find that in preparing a lecture (which is a ton of work – like writing a term paper!), my knowledge of my own subject grows deeply and this provides insights that I bring back to the practice. Barcelona was fabulous, the Antoni Gaudi architecture (see page 11) is unique, the shapes are very organic and the colors are intense and beautiful. I was a big fan of his as a teenager interested in art, so it was especially fun for me to be able to see them in person. La Sagrada Familia is his greatest work, a church that remains uncompleted, but is the single most amazing piece of architecture I have ever seen. Since his death in the early 20th century, scores of people and architects still work to complete his vision, with completion estimated in 2026. There are a few photos of this in the newsletter but photos do not do this justice. The city is beautiful and has friendly people and wonderful food.

Dubai is like Las Vegas in terms of being both located in a desert and being more lavish than imaginable. However, there is no gambling and the buildings are not replicas of other places or cities. A main attraction is the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world at 124 stories, but also stunningly beautiful. Every evening they have a light show on the building and fountains below (a la Bellagio hotel). They also have the biggest mall in the world which was fun for people watching (their Friday night is Thursday and they work on Sunday) where people in modern clothes intermingle with men and women in traditional garb. But the stores were mainly international chains, so I much preferred the “souks” where you could see the local crafts and clothing and have middle eastern food.

We want to thank everyone for giving Dr. Mahoney such a warm welcome. She has a sharp intellect as well as being an excellent diagnostician and a highly trained laser surgeon, so take the opportunity to see her for an opinion or a treatment.

As usual, we have a new device to treat acne called the Aerolase, which uses air to cool the internal part of the laser instead of water, so it is portable. It uses a wavelength we are familiar with but with a pulse duration that is unique. This enables us to treat any skin color with almost no discomfort and with no visible mark afterwards (no downtime). The key for acne is that not only does it kill the bacteria with heat but it also potentially shrinks the oil gland itself, rendering the treatment potentially more long term. Acne still tends to be cyclic and is difficult to “cure” without isotretinoin (Accutane) but this represents a choice for those of you who would like to avoid oral medications. It is also good for the red spots that acne leaves. We are recommending a series of 3-6 treatments and it can be done in conjunction with the acne silk peel either at the same time or alternating. It is not covered by insurance but we are trying to price it reasonably so that parents of teenagers can afford it.
I could write another whole book but my space has come to an end. Hope your winter is quick and easy!

Amy Forman Taub, MD
And the Staff of Advanced Dermatology
and skinfo® Specialty Skincare Boutique