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Retinol may be the most over-promised and under-understood skincare ingredient available without a prescription. It genuinely works — the evidence base is extensive and well-established. It’s also frequently used incorrectly, abandoned prematurely, or selected in formulations that can’t deliver what the label suggests. At Queen City Dermatology in Cincinnati, Dr. Kristine Zitelli has these conversations… Continue reading about The Truth About Retinol — What Your Dermatologist Actually Wants You to Know

You’re a functioning adult with a skincare routine, a decent diet, and enough stress management to get through the week. And yet, there it is — a breakout on your chin that would have fit in fine during sophomore year. Acne in adulthood is incredibly common, genuinely frustrating, and — here’s the important part —… Continue reading about Why Adult Acne Is Different — And Why What Worked at 16 Probably Isn’t Working Now

There is no convenient time to hear that something on your skin needs attention. But there is a significant difference between hearing it early — when a suspicious lesion is small, contained, and highly treatable — and hearing it later, when the same lesion has had months or years to change, deepen, and potentially spread.… Continue reading about Top Reasons to Schedule Your Annual Skin Cancer Screening This Summer

There’s a particular kind of damage that accumulates slowly and reveals itself all at once. For years, the skin manages — melanocytes absorbing UV, repair mechanisms patching over breaks, the architecture holding up. Then, somewhere in the late 30s or 40s for most people, the cumulative account comes due. Brown spots appear where skin was… Continue reading about Cincinnati Summers Are Beautiful. Here’s What They’re Doing to Your Skin.

You’ve moisturized religiously. You’ve exfoliated with every scrub on the market. Yet those persistent rough, bumpy patches on your upper arms refuse to smooth out. If you’ve been battling what looks like permanent goosebumps or “chicken skin” for years without success, you’re likely dealing with keratosis pilaris—one of the most common yet frequently misunderstood skin… Continue reading about Those Bumpy Arms Aren’t Just Dry Skin: Understanding and Treating Keratosis Pilaris

April in Cincinnati brings longer days, warmer temperatures, and that irresistible urge to spend time outdoors after months of winter hibernation. But for some people, increased sun exposure triggers something unexpected: itchy rashes, hives, blistering, or painful burning that goes far beyond ordinary sunburn. If you’ve ever wondered why your skin seems to rebel against… Continue reading about When Sunshine Becomes Your Enemy: Understanding Photosensitivity and Sun Allergies

Those stubborn brown or grayish-brown patches on your cheeks, forehead, or upper lip didn’t appear overnight, and you’ve probably noticed they seem to darken every time you step into the sun. If you’re dealing with this frustrating pigmentation condition, you’re far from alone. Melasma affects an estimated six million Americans, predominantly women, and its persistence… Continue reading about Melasma: Understanding the Mask of Pregnancy and How to Reclaim Your Even Skin Tone

If your skin becomes an itchy, inflamed battleground every time temperatures drop in Cincinnati, you’re far from alone. Winter eczema flares affect millions of Americans, and the Queen City’s cold, dry winters create a perfect storm of conditions that can turn manageable eczema into a daily struggle. Understanding why this happens—and what you can do… Continue reading about Why Your Eczema Flares Every Winter—And What Cincinnati Dermatologists Want You to Know

If you’re one of the estimated 16 million Americans living with rosacea, you know the frustration of unpredictable flare-ups that leave your skin red, irritated, and inflamed. One day your complexion looks relatively calm, and the next, you’re dealing with persistent redness, visible blood vessels, or acne-like bumps that seem to appear without warning. While… Continue reading about Understanding Your Rosacea Triggers: The Key to Managing Flare-Ups and Achieving Clearer Skin

You’ve tried every dandruff shampoo on the drugstore shelf, yet those stubborn, scaly patches on your scalp persist, accompanied by redness, itching, and embarrassing flakes. If this sounds familiar, you might be dealing with something more complex than ordinary dandruff—scalp psoriasis. Nearly 50% of people living with psoriasis develop scalp involvement, making it one of… Continue reading about Beyond Dandruff: Why Your Persistent Flaky Scalp Could Be Scalp Psoriasis