Memphis Dermatologist: Why Warts Matter

Memphis Dermatologists like myself spend a lot of time diagnosing and treating warts. So what is a wart? A wart, or verruca vulgaris, is a hard, raised growth in the skin, developing over days to months. Warts are now known to be due to an infection in the skin by a virus, called a papillomavirus. So why are warts important?

First, warts can affect the whole family, and warts are contagious, meaning that they can spread to friends of family members.

The personal in the photo above has what's called a "plantar wart," meaning one that occurs in a site where you plant your foot.

Secondly, warts can spread: one wart can become ten warts, if the infection spreads to other areas of your own skin.

Thirdly, even though warts are considered benign, rather than cancerous or malignant, warts frequently become sore or painful, at times causing people to walk in an atypical fashion, particularly if the wart is on the bottom of one’s foot, thereby increasing future risk of arthritis.

The photo above is actually not a wart, but a type of skin cancer called a melanoma! Did you realize that what you thought was a wart might could it be a skin cancer? And certain warts are what we call oncogenic, meaning that certain strains predispose people to developing future cancer in that area of the body, such as squamous cell cancer, or squamous cell carcinoma.

In developing a care plan for a wart infection, we dermatologists prioritize minimizing discomfort to the patient as well as to minimizing risk of scarring. Most warts are accordingly treated with what’s called cryotherapy, which means “freezing therapy:” Dermatologists apply liquid nitrogen to the lesions to cause the skin to blister, then heal. But if the warts are thick, or if there is a chance of development of skin cancer, we prefer to surgically remove the warts – or excise them – so we can send the tissue off to the lab. This type of treatment frequently requires a shot of some local lidocaine anesthetic, and at times it requires stitches to reduce the scar.

So the rule of thumb is that if you have a new growth, consider getting it checked promptly by a Board-certified Dermatologist, or by a Dermatologic Surgeon. My own Cordova Dermatology practice is in a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee (www.Rheumderm.com; 1-901-753-0168). Or you can find a Dermatologist closer to you by going to the American Academy of Dermatology web site, www.AAD.org, then plugging you zip code into the “Find a Dermatologist” tab.

George Woodbury Jr. M.D. (12/15/2021)

Board-certified Dermatologist,

Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates

www.Rheumderm.com

8143 Walnut Grove Road

Cordova TN 38018

1-901-753-0168

12/15/2021

Getting Ready for Eczema Season: Big River Silk Skincare’s GlycoShea Creams

Dermatologists like myself have long known that the Fall is a challenging time for people with eczema and other sensitive skin conditions. Many of our patients tend to get itchy and to develop rashes this time of year. It’s even possible that the cooler weather increases risk of skin infections, due to skin cracking and fissuring.

In 2016, after 25 years of practicing Dermatology, I decided to pull together 25 years of working with people with eczema to incorporate Big River Silk™ Skincare Inc., manufacturer and distributor of the GlycoShea Creams, organic moisturizers and cleansers. Our logo is Science Simplifying Skincare™. We emphasize simple formulas, avoiding fragrances, dyes, formaldehyde, lanolin, parabens, and sulfates.

Our flagship anti-skin aging line of moisturizers is the GlycoShea™ Creams – with what’s called an Alpha-hydroxy Acid ingredient called Glycolic Acid – originally discovered in pineapple and sugarcane. The GlycoShea Creams could be called anti-wrinkle creams, and they lead to better skin tone, evenness of skin color, and skin smoothness, reducing prior damage from the sun.

Our flagship skincare product is GlycoShea™ Facial&Neck Cream, a smooth blend of Refined Shea Butter and Glycolic Acid, which we blend into a fine emulsion, to quench your skin’s search for lubrication (1 oz: $39.95/2 oz: $59.95/8 oz: $179.95).

GlycoShea™ Hand&Body Cream makes a great hand and foot lubricant – because its Shea Butter moisturizes while its Glycolic Acid removed rough dry scale from the surface of the skin. It also helps to remove sun damage – such as color splotchiness or dry wrinkled areas. Available in Standard Strength (1 oz: $19.95/2 oz: $29.95/8 oz: $89.95) and High Strength (1 oz: $$29.95; 2 oz: $44.95; 8 oz: $134.95).

We also manufacture a special line of moisturizers for babies, seniors, and people with especially sensitive skin – the HypoShea™ Creams - which have all the beneficial effects of the GlycoShea lines while being free of acids. HypoShea is a smooth blend of Refined Shea Butter and some of the purest natural water in the United States, from the Memphis Sands, and it’s free of acids, dyes, added perfumes, and formaldehyde (1 oz: $13.95/2 oz: $18.95/8 oz; $39.95).

Big River Silk Skincare shipping and handling is $5.00 via USPS, but shipping and handling is complimentary for orders over $39.95. Check us out at www.Bigriversilkskincare.com, or call us at 1-901-753-0168. Or you can pick up any of the products at our international headquarters, at 8143 Walnut Grove Road, Cordova TN 38018.

For more, check us out on Instagram or Facebook.

And if you have an actual skin disease, my own Dermatology practice is with Rheumatology and Dermatology (www.Rheumderm.com), or you can find a Dermatologist close to you by going to the American Academy of Dermatology web site, www.AAD.org, then plugging your zip code into the “Find a Dermatologist” tab.

George Woodbury Jr. M.D.

Board-certified Dermatologist and President of Big River Silk Skincare Inc.

8143 Walnut Grove Road

Cordova TN 38018

1-901-753-0168

12/15/2021