Dr. Deborah Sarnoff
Cosmetique Dermatology, Laser & Plastic Surgery, LLP Tell us about a cause you are passionate about and why it is important to you. I serve on the Board and am Senior Vice President of The Skin Cancer Foundation, which was founded by Dr. Perry Robins in 1979. I’m passionate about the work we do to save lives. Many people don’t know that one person dies of malignant melanoma every hour. Skin cancer, the world’s most common cancer, is now occurring at epidemic levels. Yet with early detection, melanoma is entirely curable. Since 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, you could say that skin cancer is primarily a lifestyle disease. Our goal at The Skin Cancer Foundation is to spread the gospel about the dangers of the sun and educate the public about prevention, early detection and treatment of skin cancer. What procedures can help correct sun damage? The rate of skin cancer in young women is increasing at an alarming rate. Much of this is due to young women patronizing indoor tanning salons and sunbathing because they think they look better with a tan. But what they are not thinking about is the premature aging and damage to their skin – i.e., the age spots, broken blood vessels and wrinkles. The good news is that with the right combination of lasers, peels, fillers and Botox®, a lot of that photodamage can be reversed. I tell my patients, fine leather belongs on your handbag – not your face! What sets you apart from others in your field? In my private practice, I specialize in cancer and cosmetic dermatology. Although these might seem like polar opposites, in reality, I bridge two worlds of medicine whose goals are the same: to help people stay healthy and to look as good on the outside as they feel on the inside. I specialize in treating skin cancer with a precise technique called Mohs surgery, which provides the highest cure rate and the best cosmetic result. Sharing an office and being married to a plastic surgeon for many years, Dr. Robert H. Gotkin, I have
SOPHIE ELGORT
Dr. Deborah S. Sarnoff Board Certified Dermatologist 625 Park Avenue 212.794.4000 www.cosmetiqueMD.com
developed a keen aesthetic eye. As a woman of a “certain age,” I truly relate to my patients and feel I have my finger on the pulse of what women want. My philosophies regarding anti-aging and nonsurgical rejuvenation are expressed in my books Beauty and the Beam: Your Complete Guide to Cosmetic Laser Surgery and Instant Beauty: Getting Gorgeous On Your Lunch Break (St. Martin’s Press). What are the new trends and innovations for 2012? I’m currently writing a book, entitled “How to Never Need a Facelift,” which describes my 9-step PHACELIFT program combining photoprotection (the right sunscreen); hydration (the right moisturizer); antioxidants; cosmeceuticals; exfoliation; lasers; injectables; fillers; and, tissue tightening to delay the facelift . . . in some cases, indefinitely. Every day, I try to practice what I preach. After all, as the plastic surgeon’s wife I’m still not ready to go under the knife!
APRIL 2012 • AVENUE MAGAZINE | 119