Tips from a Top Dermatologist

In the year since Nurx launched prescription skincare our medical team has treated more than 80,000 patients for acne, rosacea and anti-aging — and they love helping people achieve their happiest skin! The dermatologist who oversees this care is Nurx advisor Marie Leger, MD, PhD, FAAD. Dr. Leger is passionate about helping people feel great about their skin, and generous with her insights on how we all can achieve that.  We asked her a few questions about skin health, the worst DIY skin ideas and what she loves about dermatology.

How did you decide to become a dermatologist? 

I love doing a mixture of things: seeing kids, adults, doing surgical procedures, helping people look their best, figuring out difficult diagnoses. Being a dermatologist lets me do different things every day! Plus, when I was a medical student and doing an infectious disease rotation at UCSF, I saw the amazing dermatologist Lindy Fox give a lecture on life threatening drug rashes. She was so brilliant–the person everyone in the hospital would ask about medical mysteries –and I wanted to be like her. 

What do too few people understand about skin health?

Sun protection is one of the most important things we can do to protect the health of our skin. I have been living in the Reno/Lake Tahoe area this year, and my patients lead wonderful, adventurous, outdoor lives–hiking, skiing, paddle boarding, fishing, golf, etc. But a lot of them don’t use enough sunscreen–you have to put it on every two hours, and ideally also cover up. Basically if you are really tan or burned you are doing it wrong! 

How much do diet and lifestyle factors affect skin health?  

Honestly, they are important–high glycemic index diets (think processed foods, lots of sugar) and milk products really make some people break out. Smoking shows up on your skin, and alcohol can also impact your skin negatively–dilating blood vessels, contributing to inflammation, making breakouts worse. While I don’t think that strict diets or strictly avoiding certain foods is necessary to have great skin, I do like my patients to eat as healthfully as possible, enjoy themselves from time to time, wear sunscreen, get enough sleep, stop smoking…and then I can help with the rest!  

What are some things you see patients doing to try to treat their skin that simply don’t work?

Apple cider vinegar. Don’t. Do. It. I can’t tell you how many chemical burns from it I have seen! 

Why are you excited about advising the Nurx medical team to treat patients through telehealth?

I’ve been interested in telemedicine for a long time since it is such a great way to allow people to see specialists when they live in remote areas, teach other physicians, and allow us to share our expertise as doctors with as many people as possible. Plus I love technology and using it in ways that help people. I have been able to practice telemedicine in a lot of different settings–advising primary care physicians caring for patients in Botswana and Ghana, working to establish a prison teledermatology program in New York, working in the Manhattan VA doing teledermatology with patients in rural areas, and helping my patients in Elmhurst, Queens during the pandemic. Now I am thrilled to be able to make dermatology treatments more accessible through Nurx!

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Interested in prescription skincare through Nurx?  Request treatment for acne, rosacea or anti-aging.

This blog pro­vides infor­ma­tion about telemed­i­cine, health and related sub­jects. The blog content and any linked materials herein are not intended to be, and should not be con­strued as a substitute for, med­ical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment. Any reader or per­son with a med­ical con­cern should con­sult with an appropriately-licensed physi­cian or other healthcare provider. This blog is provided purely for informational purposes. The views expressed herein are not sponsored by and do not represent the opinions of Nurx™.