The Summit Plastic Surgery & Dermatology Blog

Cold weather is upon us and for many of us that means one thing: itchy dry winter skin. It’s the kind of dry skin that when scratched feels like unbridled happiness. We know we shouldn’t, but it’s hard not to, because it feels so good. If that sounds familiar, let's...

We all want to live the dream. The dream, of course, is basically what you see in a Neutrogena commercial. Happy people, flawless skin, and maybe some splashing water just for effect. I’m kidding, of course. But the dream is real: we want flawless skin. All too often...

Most of us have a hazy idea of what we should be doing to improve and protect our skin. Wear sunscreen. Exfoliate. Moisturize. These topics have all been written about before (and we’ll probably write more about them in the future). Today we’re approaching the topic a...

BOTOX is one of those items that seems to garner a lot of opinions. Anybody who is old enough to remember when BOTOX first hit the market heard scary things like “it’s botulinum” and saw scary things like actresses foreheads frozen in place.

This has contributed, in some areas, to a lot of myths springing up about what BOTOX is, what it does, and how it works.

On the other hand, it’s extremely likely that you meet people every day that use BOTOX safely and with amazing, natural results.

As a BOTOX provider, and one who sees dozens of patients weekly, we see people all the time on both sides of the issue. Some are nervous, and some love it.

What we hope to do in this article is to bust some common BOTOX myths and to give you a more accurate picture of how BOTOX can be a part of your beauty regimen.

Rosacea Basics Rosacea is a common skin disease that affects over 14 million Americans. It’s most visible attribute is redness on the face that can spread to other areas of the body. However there are actually four subtypes of rosacea. Erythematotelangiectatic...

The name Seborrheic keratosis (seb-o-REE-ik care-uh-TOE-sis) sounds scary, or at least it does after you learn to pronounce it, but it’s really nothing more than a common skin growth. It may seem worrisome because it can look like a wart, pre-cancerous skin growth, or...

Alcohol is humanity’s all time favorite double-edged sword. On the positive side, having a few drinks is fun, a valid social lubricant, and can make one feel better on a bad day. On the other hand, it’s bad for your body, changes how you act (which can causes its own...

We love our dermatology clients! You become part of the Summit family, when you walk in our door. We get to know you because we care. We're thrilled to see that you love us back! Here are ten real reviews from real clients about our dermatology services.   I had...

Your nails. For most of us, trimming them and/or painting them is about as much thought we put into them. But did you know that nails are a reflection of our overall health? Or that they can be like a canary in a coal mine and can show evidence of issues with disease,...

Psoriasis is a chronic disease where your immune system tells skin cells to grow too quickly. This causes skin cells to accumulate on the surface of the skin causing psoriasis to appear. One of the common ways to treat psoriasis is with topical medication. In the...

We love our plastic surgery patients! We pride ourselves on creating a friendly and comforting atmosphere while delivering first-class professional care. You become part of the Summit family when you walk in our door. We're thrilled to say that you love us back! Here...

There are certain telltale signs that we’re getting older. The increase of wrinkles on our face, the first few gray hairs, and the appearance of vertical chest wrinkles.

When vertical chest wrinkles first appear, they may be temporary and go away within an hour or two of waking up. Typically this progresses until you have them all of the time.

What causes vertical chest wrinkles? How can they be prevented? And what can be done about them once they appear? Let’s take a closer look.

Summertime in Wilmington, NC affords most of us the opportunity to spend time at the beach. And unfortunately, with increased sun exposure comes the risk of getting a sunburn. Sometimes it’s just in that one place you forgot to get with sunscreen (hello top of my...

Let’s talk about what causes dark circles under your eyes and how to treat them. Dark circles under your eyes could be a result of several issues.

It’s a simple way to find, diagnose, and treat pre-cancerous, and cancerous skin cells before they become life threatening.

Retinoids are the gold standard for anti-aging products. You’ve seen them advertised on TV for years. But what exactly are retinoids and when should you use them? Retinoids are derivatives of Vitamin A. They come in both prescription and over-the-counter versions....

At some point, most of us will experience thinning hair. Two-thirds of men will see some thinning or loss of hair by age 35 and 40% of women will have visible thinning or hair loss by age 40. Depression, low self-esteem, altered self-image, and a desire to go out in...