Dr. Aleksandra Brown, DO, FAOCD, FAAD

Dr. Aleksandra Brown, DO, FAOCD, FAAD Aleksandra Brown was born in Derventa, Bosnia and Herzegovina and came to the United States as an exchange student in 1999. She earned her D.O.

Board Certified Dermatologist for women 40+
Perimenopause • Healthy aging
Featured in WSJ & Wash Post
⚠️ No med advice
📧 [email protected]
⬇️ Free guides She decided to pursue a career in medicine after working in a hospital emergency room as an undergraduate. from Des Moines University in 2009, where she was awarded the academic and service excellence award for outstanding academic and i

nterpersonal leadership. She lives in Blacksburg with her family, and is fluent in Bosnian, Serbian, and Croatian in addition to English. Dr. Brown is board certified by the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. She is a member of several medical groups, including the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, the American Osteopathic Association, and the Virginia Medical Society. She joined River Ridge Dermatology in 2013.

08/11/2026

Home skincare devices are everywhere, but not all of them have the same level of evidence. Here’s how I’d rate them based on the current research:

Ice roller (2/10): Great for temporarily reducing puffiness, but there’s no evidence it stimulates collagen or produces lasting anti-aging benefits.
Gua sha (3/10): Facial massage may temporarily improve circulation and puffiness, but there’s no good evidence that gua sha tightens sagging skin or remodels collagen.
High-frequency wand (3/10): Popular online, but there are no published clinical trials showing it improves wrinkles or skin aging. Any potential benefit is more relevant to acne than anti-aging.
Medicube Booster Pro (6/10): Electroporation can increase the pe*******on of skincare ingredients, but the benefit depends on what you’re applying. We don’t have human trials showing the device itself reduces wrinkles.
Microcurrent, ZIIP/NuFACE (6/10): The concept is promising, but much of the stronger evidence comes from professional devices using different energy levels or devices combining multiple technologies. Evidence for consumer microcurrent alone is still limited.
LED hair growth cap (7/10): Multiple randomized trials & meta-analyses show low-level light therapy can improve hair density in androgenetic alopecia. I consider it an adjunct rather than a replacement for proven medical treatments. I find this one to be easy to stay consistent with.
Home radiofrequency (8/10): One of the better-supported home anti-aging device categories. Studies show modest improvements in wrinkles & skin laxity, but don’t expect the same results you’d get from an in-office RF treatment.
Red light mask (8/10): One of my favorite home devices. Multiple randomized controlled trials have shown improvements in fine lines & wrinkles, with a favorable safety profile.

The biggest thing to remember? A device can temporarily make your face look less puffy or more lifted without actually changing the structure of your skin. If your goal is long-term improvement, the evidence matters. I have not tried all of these but I do have some at home that I like & use.
Comment DEVICES & I’ll send you the link to my fave skin/hair devices/tools.

Perimenopause supplements are everywhere right now, but “popular during perimenopause” and “proven to treat perimenopaus...
08/10/2026

Perimenopause supplements are everywhere right now, but “popular during perimenopause” and “proven to treat perimenopause” are two very different things.

COLLAGEN: Moderate evidence for skin hydration and elasticity, with some supportive bone data.

MAGNESIUM: Evidence for certain outcomes, including depressive symptoms, but the data for sleep are limited and an RCT found no improvement in menopausal hot flashes.

CREATINE: Good evidence for lean mass and strength, particularly when ≥5 g/day is combined with resistance training. Cognitive benefits during perimenopause are interesting, but still emerging.

VITAMIN D: Important for bone health, but benefit from supplementation depends heavily on baseline vitamin D status and fracture risk. Giving more vitamin D to people who are already sufficient has not consistently improved bone outcomes.

LION’S MANE: Lots of hype around brain fog and cognition, but very little direct clinical evidence in perimenopausal women.

The question shouldn’t be:
“Is this a good perimenopause supplement?”

It should be:
“Does this supplement have evidence for the specific outcome I’m trying to improve?”

Save this before your next supplement haul. I don’t recommend taking any supplements without talking with your doctor first. For those curious, comment SUPPLEMENT and I’ll send you a link of the ones I’m currently taking.

REFERENCES:

Bassila C, Bassila JC, Slim M. Efficacy and Safety of Hydrolyzed Collagen Supplementation on Skin Health Outcomes: A Systematic Literature Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2026.

Naddafha S, Antonio J, Kreider RB, Stout JR. Creatine Monohydrate for Lean Mass, Strength, and Bone Density in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2026.

Moabedi M, et al. Magnesium Supplementation Beneficially Affects Depression in Adults With Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Front Psychiatry. 2024.

Park H, et al. North Central Cancer Treatment Group N10C2: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study of Magnesium Supplements to Reduce Menopausal Hot Flashes. Menopause. 2015.

Anagnostis P, Livadas S, G

08/10/2026

These are more common in elderly with arthritis though anyone can get them. Derms can deroof the top and cauterize the bottom but risk of recurrence is high. Hand ortho can fuse the joint for more permanent solution if the cyst becomes bothersome.

08/09/2026

If you have a “bug bite” or a “cyst” that is painful and not healing, please have it checked. Any spots that are new or changing and have not healed in two weeks should be looked at.

Share this with someone who needs a skin check.

08/08/2026

Those tiny dots on your nose aren't always blackheads.

More often than not, they're sebaceous filaments, completely normal collections of oil inside your pores. They can't be permanently removed because they'll naturally refill over time.

Instead of trying to eliminate them, focus on minimizing their appearance with:
✔️ Salicylic acid to clear oil from pores
✔️ A retinoid to keep pores from becoming clogged
✔️ A weekly sulfur or clay mask to absorb excess oil
✔️ Niacinamide if you have oily skin

Skip the pore strips and harsh scrubs. They may make your skin look smoother for a day or two, but they can also leave your skin irritated and compromise your barrier.

💬 Want my favorite products for sebaceous filaments? Comment "LINK" and I'll send you my go-to dermatologist-approved recommendations.

Have you been treating sebaceous filaments like blackheads? Let me know in the comments. ⬇️

08/07/2026

• Bio-Oil (3/10): Despite being one of the most popular scar products online, there are no high-quality clinical trials showing it improves scars. A 2025 study found it performed poorly compared with a basic moisturizer in improving skin hydration and barrier function in a scar model.

• Castor oil (1/10): There are no published human clinical trials evaluating castor oil for scars. Its popularity is based almost entirely on anecdotal claims.

• Vitamin E oil (1/10): Multiple studies have failed to show meaningful improvement in scar appearance. It may even worsen irritation, itching, and contact dermatitis in some people.

• Red light therapy (5/10): The evidence is promising. A 2026 review found improvements in scar pigmentation, thickness, and pliability, particularly in newer scars. More studies are needed before I can rate it higher.

• Mederma (4/10): Onion extract (which is the active ingredient in Mederma) gels may improve scars compared with doing nothing, but they have not been shown to outperform other commonly used scar treatments like silicone. They also have a higher rate of irritation.

• Silicone gel or sheets (10/10): Silicone is considered a first-line treatment for hypertrophic scars and keloids and has the strongest evidence of any topical scar treatment. It works by hydrating the scar and helping regulate collagen production. For best results, silicone sheets should be worn at least 12 hours daily for 3 to 6 months.

• Daily sunscreen (10/10): Sunscreen helps prevent healing scars from becoming darker and more noticeable. While it's not going to "erase" a scar, protecting it from UV exposure is one of the easiest and most important things you can do during the healing process.

The best scar treatments aren't usually the most viral ones. For most scars, sunscreen and silicone are where I'd spend my money first.

Not sure which scar treatment is actually worth buying? Comment "SCAR" and I'll send you my favorite evidence-based scar treatment picks.

08/06/2026

Copper peptides and vitamin C are both backed by research for improving the appearance of aging skin. But should you actually use them together? The answer isn't a simple yes or no, it depends on the specific vitamin C in your routine, and the evidence isn't as black and white as many people claim.

Before you change your skincare routine based on a viral tip, here's what the science says.

Let's dive into the evidence. ⬇️

Looking for vitamin C serums you can use with copper peptides? Comment "LINK" and I'll send you my go-to recommendations.



08/05/2026

Copper peptides and tretinoin are both known for supporting healthier, younger-looking skin. Naturally, people want to know if using them together will double the benefits. The truth is that while there's promising theory behind this combination, the clinical evidence simply isn't there yet.

Before you start layering them together, there are a few important things you should know.

Let's break down what the research actually tells us. ⬇️

Want my favorite copper peptide serum recommendations? Comment "LINK" and I'll send you my go-to product picks.

08/04/2026

Your skin can completely change during perimenopause, and nobody really prepares you for it. 😳

As hormone levels fluctuate, your skin barrier can become more vulnerable, which is why products you’ve used for years may suddenly start stinging or burning.

You may also notice unexpected dryness and sensitivity, adult acne along the jawline, increased redness and flushing, and skin that feels thinner or more fragile than before.

These changes can be frustrating, but they’re not “all in your head.” Hormonal shifts can affect oil production, inflammation, collagen, and your skin’s ability to retain moisture.

If your skin suddenly starts acting like it belongs to a completely different person, perimenopause may be part of the reason.

What skin change surprised you most in your 40s? Tell me in the comments. ⬇️

Follow for dermatologist-backed skincare advice for your 40s and beyond.

08/03/2026

The most useful products in my bathroom aren’t always the prettiest ones. Some come from the lice aisle, the dandruff section, and even the surgical scrub shelf.

✨ Ivermectin lotion: Can help with certain cases of rosacea and Demodex-related inflammation but never ingest it or use it on children.

🧴 Ketoconazole shampoo: Useful for more than dandruff, including seborrheic dermatitis and other yeast-related skin conditions.

🚿 Hibiclens: Can help with some cases of body acne and folliculitis, but never use it on your face, near your eyes or ears, or on children.

They may not be glamorous, but when used correctly, these products can be surprisingly effective.

💬 Which one surprised you the most? Lmk in the comments⬇️

Address

3706 S Main Street
Blacksburg, VA
24060

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

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+15409513376

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