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MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Acne is a skin disease consisting of blemishes that can occur on your face, neck, chest, shoulders, and back. Acne is very common during the teen years but it can affect you during adulthood as well. So you keep your hair and skin well lubricated your body depends on sebaceous glands which sit just under your skin. These glands secrete an oily substance called sebum which coats your skin and hair to prevent them from drying out. Sebum travels up hair follicles and out through your pores onto the surface of your skin. Your hair follicles routinely shed dead skin cells which sebum carries out of your body. When your body produces extra sebum and dead skin cells, they can stick together and clog your pores resulting in skin blemishes. Then bacteria that normally exist in small amounts on your skin can flourish in the sebum in the clogged pore leading to inflammation. Depending on where the clog is located and if you have inflammation, acne may appear as whiteheads which are clogged follicles closed off from the air, blackheads which are clogged follicles that turn a darker color when the clog is exposed to air, pustules commonly called pimples which are inflamed follicles clogged with pus, or cysts which are larger, painful, pus-filled lumps going deep under the skin. Hormonal changes, particularly a rise in testosterone, can lead to sebum overproduction which is why acne often occurs during the teen years. However it can occur at any age. Other factors contributing to the development of acne are bacteria, certain medications, and genetics. If you have a mild case of acne your doctor may recommend an over the counter lotion with one of several active ingredients. Benzoyl peroxide kills bacteria, dries excess oil, and removes dead skin cells clogging pores. Salicylic acid slows the loss of skin cells to prevent clogged pores. It may also break down whiteheads and blackheads. Alpha hydroxy acids such as lactic acid help remove dead skin cells, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the growth of new smoother skin. Sulfur removes dead skin cells and dries excess oil. These are strong chemicals that may irritate your skin. Follow the directions for use exactly. If over the counter products are not effective, your dermatologist may prescribe stronger prescription lotions such as vitamin A which reduces the buildup of dead skin cells in your pores, topical antibiotics which kill bacteria on your skin, or a combination of benzoyl peroxide and topical antibiotics. For moderate to severe cases your dermatologist may prescribe an oral medication alone or in combination with a topical treatment. These medications include oral antibiotics which kill bacteria and reduce inflammation and isotretinoin which is used only for the most severe cases. A corticosteroid injection may be given to relieve your pain and help clear up a particularly large lesion. For women birth control pills containing estrogen may be prescribed to minimize the effects of testosterone. Regardless of the treatment your doctor recommends, good skin care is essential. For example wash problem areas twice daily with a mild soap and wash gently without scrubbing. If you have dry or peeling skin use an oil-free water-based moisturizer. When choosing any product to put on your skin look for an oil-free or noncomedogenic label, which means it won't clog your pores. Avoid picking or squeezing blemishes as these actions may lead to infection or scarring. And avoid touching your face with your hands, your hair, or any object such as a cell phone.
"Medical illustrations are essential evidence in personal injury litigation and MLA is simply the best I've found at producing high-quality illustrations. Your illustrators are not only first-class artists, but creative and responsive. Your turn around time is as good as it gets. My clients have won over $60 million in jury verdicts and I can't recall a case which did not include one of your exhibits. On behalf of those clients, thanks and keep up the great work!"
"Medical illustrations are essential during trial for any medical malpractice case. The people at MLA have the uncanny ability of creating medical illustrations that simplify the most complex of medical concepts and human anatomy to a lay audience. The exhibits of MLA allow experts to easily describe complex concepts and human anatomy in a manner that could
not be done otherwise.
In addition, their custom illustrations show in great detail the extent of
injuries suffered and the devastating effects they have had on the client's
anatomy. These custom illustration can show, side by side, the body before
and after a catastrophic injury. The effect of this juxtaposition is
unmatched by any testimony that can be adduced at the time of trial.
Even jurors after trial have commented on the ease with which they grasp
medical concepts and anatomy once the MLA exhibits were introduced and
used by my experts. Even judges who have "seen it all" are thoroughly
impressed by the detail and sophistication of the illustrations.
"Thank you very much for the great work on the medical exhibits. Our trial
resulted in a $16 million verdict for a 9 year old boy with catastrophic
injuries, and the medical illustrations definitely played key role in the
trial."
David Cutt
Brayton Purcell
Salt Lake City, UT
"It is my experience that it's much more effective to show a jury what
happened than simply to tell a jury what happened. In this day and age where
people are used to getting information visually, through television and
other visual media, I would be at a disadvantage using only words.
I teach a Litigation Process class at the University of Baltimore Law Schooland use [Medical Legal Art's] animation in my class. Students always saythat they never really understood what happened to [to my client] until theysaw the animation.
Animations are powerful communication tools that should be used wheneverpossible to persuade juries."
Andrew G. Slutkin Snyder Slutkin & Kopec Baltimore, MD
Medical Legal Art creates medical demonstrative evidence (medical
illustrations, drawings, pictures, graphics, charts, medical animations,
anatomical models, and interactive presentations) for use during legal
proceedings, including research, demand letters, client conferences,
depositions, arbitrations, mediations, settlement conferences, mock jury
trials and for use in the courtroom. We do not provide legal or medical
advice. If you have legal questions, you should find a lawyer with whom you
can discuss your case issues. If you have medical questions, you should seek the advice of a healthcare provider.
