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At 11 years old, over half of kids use sunscreen, but that drops to just a quarter by the time kids are 14, according to a new study.

The study, published in Pediatrics, tracked 360 U.S. kids’ sunscreen and tanning behaviors for three years. The participants were first surveyed in 2004 as fifth graders, and they were surveyed again in 2007 as eighth graders.

Researchers found the following about kids’ sunburn and tanning experiences:

• More than half (53 percent) had suffered at least one sunburn by the age of 11.
• Half used sunscreen at the beginning of the study, but only 25 percent still did three years later.
• The proportion of kids who admitted to “liking a tan and spending time outside to get a tan significantly increased” as they got older.
• Two out of 10 went outside just to tan when they were in fifth grade; 4 out of 10 did by eighth grade.

According to the authors, the years of “periadolescence” (ages 11 to 14) seem to be “a crucial period” when kids and teens “increase or decrease their use of sun protection, obtain sunburns, or change their tan-promoting attitudes.”

“I think especially at this age, and in general, there are a lot of forces that promote tanning,” said lead researcher Dr. Stephen Dusza, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Dr. Sophie Balk, a pediatrician, said the study highlights that many kids aren’t protecting their skin.

“The problem is if you sunburn in childhood, you raise your risk of developing skin cancer later on,” said Dr. Balk.

According to Dusza, the next step is to figure out how to effectively promote sun protection in pediatric offices and community settings, like beaches and sporting events.

In addition to wearing sunscreen, Balk recommends protecting your skin with sun-protective clothing, hats and sunglasses.

The topical treatment is for basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer. The cream kills tumors using rhenium-188, a radioactive isotope, and does not damage the skin around it.

In a study of 1,000 patients, the researchers reported that it removed the tumors in 95% of patients after one treatment.

An Alternative to Surgery?

Basal cell carcinoma, which grows slowly and is the least likely form of skin cancer to spread, is usually surgically removed. The topical treatment would offer an alternative so that patients with tumors on their faces could avoid scarring.

Dr. Ulli Köster, a researcher at the Institut Laue-Langevin in France, where the radioactive material is produced, said, “Typically this disease is treated by surgery, and since it doesn’t metastasize this is usually okay. But the problem is if the tumor is on the face, on the nose, ear or somewhere, it is strongly disfiguring – someone can have a big scar or lose half of his face.”

During treatment with the cream, a base layer is applied to the skin to protect the healthy cells from the radioactive isotope. The radioactive cream is then applied over the base and targets the tumor. Dr. Köster described it as “a localized radiation therapy.”

The researchers believe it could improve patients’ quality of life, because they could avoid facial scarring.

“I would imagine we are not talking about a major breakthrough but another option. It is nice to have a menu of different options for people, particularly with things that can have a cosmetic impact,” said Martin Ledwick, of Cancer Research UK.

According to the report, the next step will be larger trials in Germany. There was no word on whether trials were planned for the United States.

Merz’s Xeomin offers patients a third choice — in addition to Botox and Dysport — for those wanting botulinum toxin injections. Xeomin works in the same way as the other two do, with a few differences.

New York dermatologist Dr. Neil Sadick explains that the major difference is in the manufacturing process. All proteins are removed from Xeomin, so potentially there could be less incidence of adverse events that could occur with this toxin, according to Dr. Sadick.

Patients are happy with Xeomin, according to Dr. Sadick, who says the results are very natural, and like other toxins, Xeomin has a very low side effect profile.

He said that about 3 million botulinum toxin treatments are performed each year in the United States.

Does Xeomin last as long as Botox?

Xeomin lasts about the same amount of time as Botox and Dysport, which is usually between 12 to 16 weeks. Dr. Sadick says that most of his patients only come in about once or twice a year for botulinum toxin treatments.

When will you see results?

Xeomin, Botox and Dysport are not like dermal fillers, such as Juvederm or Restylane, and results are not seen immediately. Botulinum toxins take about two to three days to set in. The maximum effect is seen in about five to seven days.

Xeomin is now available at Skin Speaks Spa MD in the Twin Cities. For those who don’t like needles, try medical grade skin care products to fight the signs of aging.

Years of wearing earrings can cause the stretching and age a woman, and earlobe repair surgery can correct the problem.

“It is no secret that more women are having what could be called a ‘lobe job’,” says Wendy Lewis, cosmetic surgery adviser and editor of a beauty news website. “Gravity takes its toll on earlobes — they droop like chins and breasts do, and can make you look older.”

Lewis says that heavy earrings can stretch the earlobe out of shape and sometimes even tear the earlobe, when the hole from a pierced ear gets so stretched that it tears the lobe open and needs to be stitched back together.

In addition to surgery, some surgeons are experimenting with other ways to rejuvenate the ears. A representative of a London-based clinic reported using radio-frequency energy to tighten the skin of the ears. She also said fillers are sometimes used to plump up the ear and make them look younger and fuller without surgery.

Earlobe Repair Surgery for Stretched Earlobes

Earlobe repair surgery is a relatively simple surgical procedure to repair a torn, stretched or split earlobe. Usually performed under local anesthesia, your cosmetic surgeon will remove the skin surrounding the split to create a clean edge, and then sutures are used to close the split earlobe.

Sutures are typically removed within two weeks of surgery, and patients can wear earnings again within six months.

If you’re interested in earlobe rejuvenation, talk to your cosmetic surgeon about the best approach.

Winter Dry Skin Tips

Avoid hot showers. Dr. Neil Sadick, a dermatologist in New York City, says to avoid hot showers. Even though they may be comforting when it’s cold out, hot showers further dehydrate your skin, says Dr. Sadick. “Make showers as tepid as you can tolerate,” he said.

Be sure to use a moisturizer. Dr. Alicia Zalka, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale, recommends an old standby: Vaseline. She says that if you’ve already got very dry skin it can be good to use it for a few days as a sealer and a protectant. Plus, if your skin is already cracked, it doesn’t sting, she says.

Also wear sunscreen to protect skin from sun damage, even in the winter. Dr. Sadick recommends applying a broadband sunscreen once a day.

Think before you drink. Drink beverages with alcohol or caffeine in moderation, as they can be dehydrating, says dermatologist Dr. David Orentreich.

Do drink water to stay hydrated, but don’t rely on it to keep your skin healthy while it’s cold.

Use a humidifier. Dr Orentreich also recommends using a humidifier in your house, especially in your bedroom. That way “healing and repair can take place while you sleep,” he says.

In addition to your skin, also take special care of your hair and nails during the winter, as they can crack and split like the skin does, according to Dr. Zalka. Try B vitamin supplements to improve hair and nails, she says.

Dr. Sadick also suggests using a conditioner more frequently during the winter to keep hair from getting too dry.

For those who suffer from psoriasis, you may also be interested in our post about ways to keep psoriasis under control during the winter.

Researchers at the Maas Clinic in San Francisco treated crow’s feet on 90 patients with Botox on one side of the face and Dysport on the other. Patients were seen two, four and six days after injections. Patients and doctors rated Dysport as more effective at reducing crow’s feet, when patients were smiling.

Researchers concluded that Dysport had a trend toward greater improvements at day two compared to Botox and “statistically significant greater improvement at days four and six.”

Though Dysport resulted in greater improvement, both showed statistically significant changes two days after injection.

ABC News spoke with doctors about the results of the study. Physicians agreed that both Botox and Dysport have positive results, and that the skill and experience of the doctor administering the injection is more important than which botulinum toxin is used.

Botox Maker Questions Study

Allergan, maker of Botox, responded to the study by saying that is was funded by Dysport’s maker Medicis. A spokesperson for Allergan, Kellie Lao, pointed out that the study, published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, only reported data out to 30 days after the injections, so “the long-term comparative efficacy is unknown.”

Medicis spokesperson Kara Stancell wrote Cosmetic Surgery Times, “These findings resulted from an independent, physician-initiated study that was funded by a grant from Medicis, but not designed or conducted by Medicis. The study investigators are well-regarded, and the study speaks for itself.”

Dr. Corey Maas, lead author of the study, said, “It’s good for us to know that we have good, quality options out there for patients. When we have choices and there is good competition, it helps both the doctor and the patient.”

Skin Speaks Spa M.D. in the Twin Cities offers both Botox and Dysport. Dr. Carney will help you determine which botulinum toxin is right for you.

Cigarro by jfjwak on Flickr

Smoking can leave your skin wrinkled and sagging. A new study links it to a more serious skin condition as well: skin cancer.

Women who smoked for 20 years or more were twice as likely to develop squamous cell skin cancer than those who didn’t smoke. The second most common type of skin cancer, squamous cell skin cancer forms on cells of the skin’s outermost layer and is less aggressive than melanoma.

While the study found an association between smoking and skin cancer, it did not prove a cause and effect.

Study Details

The study compared 383 patients with skin cancer to 315 people without it. Researchers collected information on how much participants smoked, when they started smoking and the number of years they smoked.

In total, 355 men and 343 women participated in the study; all participants were white, which is the group who is most at risk for skin cancer.

The more people smoked, the more likely they were to have skin cancer, said the study’s lead author Dana Rollison.

Skin Cancer & Smoking: Gender Differences

For male participants, those who smoked had a “modest” risk for basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer, but the results weren’t statistically significant, according to the study authors.

Rollinson said they aren’t sure why there was a difference between the men’s and women’s risk, but the female hormone estrogen may play a role, she said.

How Smoking Ages Your Skin

While not as serious as cancer, smoking can also cause damage that ages your skin. It can cause wrinkles, uneven skin tone, sagging and lines around the lips.

There are non-invasive procedures that can help correct some of the cosmetic problems caused by smoking. Laser skin resurfacing and chemical peels remove the outer layer of skin, where the damage caused by smoking is most visible.

Image of Paul Brian via drivechicago.com

After losing a significant amount of weight, some bariatric patients find they need body contouring surgery. A smaller number may also need facial surgery as well.

Msnbc.com reported on one man’s struggle to get surgery for the removal of excess skin from his face and neck after his weight loss.

Before bariatric surgery six years ago, Paul Brian weighed 420 pounds. He lost 240 pounds and found that in addition to body contouring surgery, surgery for his face and neck seemed necessary because he had so much sagging skin as a result of the weight loss.

“You’re so overwhelmed with the joy of losing the weight, but there’s this point of realization,” said Brian, who is 60. “You look in the mirror and you say, oh, that’s not good.”

Substantial weight loss can leave some with under-eye bags, slack jaws and wrinkles.

Facial surgery, such as a facelift or neck lift, is less common after massive weight loss than body surgery because the face tends to adjust better, and often insurers won’t cover it.

Brian’s doctor says that his jowls and the flesh under his chin are so heavy that they interfere with his speech and hygiene. Because of the extra skin, the muscles pull things down and make it hard for Brian to talk without drooling, according to his doctor.

While Brian would like to have surgery to fix the problem, he can’t afford it. He has been rejected by his insurance because it considered the procedure cosmetic.

But Brian and his doctor say that it is an issue of function. Brian is a radio announcer, and therefore his job depends on him talking a lot. He plans to appeal the decision made by his health insurance.

While there are many options for non-surgical facial procedures, including lasers and injectables, chemical peels often can achieve similar outcomes to more invasive technologies, according to the latest issue of Cosmetic Surgery Times.

“Contrary to popular belief, the majority of physicians still readily use chemical peels in their cosmetic patients, and they remain as one of the most popular cosmetic procedures, following botulinum toxin and filler procedures,” writes Dr. Marina Landau of Tel Aviv University.

Chemical peels work by exfoliating the top layer of skin to reveal the healthier skin below. They come in a range of strengths. Your doctor determines which to use by evaluating your skin type and the amount of skin damage there is.

Benefits of a Chemical Peel

Chemical peels are versatile; they can treat a variety of skin problems, including acne scarring, sun damage, wrinkles, age spots and freckling.

They are also easy to perform, and they can give patients significant improvement for skin problems.

Another benefit of a chemical peel is that the results can last a long time. For instance, a deep peel’s results can last for years. This means less maintenance for the patient. Fillers, for instance, may need to be maintained several times a year or annually.

Patients who have extensive wrinkling may find that a chemical peel is cost-effective, because the peel targets the whole face. Trying to treat many individual wrinkles with fillers could become too expensive.

The recovery period after a chemical peel depends on the intensity of the peel: the deeper the peel, the longer the recovery period. Usually it averages a few days to two weeks.

Learn more about chemical peels at Skin Speaks in the Twin Cities.