Dermatology Services and Treatments

Acne is very common – nearly 80 percent of people in the U.S. between the ages of 11 and 30 will have acne at some point. With acne, the glands in our skin that secrete oil into our hair follicles become clogged, leading to pimples and cysts.

Acne most often begins during puberty when hormone levels rise. In addition, acne is often inherited. Other causes of acne include:

• Bacteria inside pimples
• Certain drugs (such as corticosteroids, lithium and barbiturates)
• Oil and grease from the scalp, mineral or cooking oil and certain cosmetics (may worsen acne)

We can treat acne with topical or oral medication. The goal of acne treatment is to minimize scarring and improve appearance.

Birthmarks are areas of discolored and/or raised skin that are apparent at birth or within a few weeks of birth. Birthmarks are made up of malformed pigment cells or blood vessels.

Although the cause of birthmarks is not known, most of them are noncancerous and do not require treatment. If you decide to treat or remove a birthmark, medications, lasers and surgery are options.

Contact dermatitis is a skin reaction from contact with certain substances. Irritants, which cause inflammation in the skin, are the most common cause of contact dermatitis. Allergens, which cause your body’s immune system to have an allergic reaction, can also trigger contact dermatitis but are not as common. Treatment may include cool cloths, dressings, skin creams or lotions and prescription medicines.

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin disorder. It causes dry, itchy, scaly patches on the skin.

The exact cause of eczema is not known. However, it tends to run in families, so there’s likely a genetic link. Eczema is most common in infants and young children, but it can carry on into adulthood. Treatment for eczema focuses on calming the skin inflammation, decreasing the itching and preventing infections.

Everyone has moles. They often appear as small, brown spots that are elevated on the surface of your skin.

Moles are typically noncancerous, but it is possible that one of your moles could become cancerous. Because of this, it’s important to check your moles regularly to make sure they haven’t changed in shape or size. If you notice any changes, schedule an appointment with your doctor.

More than 7 million people in the United States have psoriasis, an autoimmune disorder that causes inflamed, red, raised areas on the skin. It’s a chronic, hereditary skin condition.

Although psoriasis is a lifelong condition, it often can be controlled with appropriate treatment. Keeping the skin clean and moist and avoiding person-specific psoriasis triggers, like excessive stress, may help decrease flare-ups.

Rosacea is a common skin disorder that affects more than 16 million Americans. Rosacea can cause facial redness, bumps and pimples, skin thickening and eye irritation.

Rosacea can occur in anyone, but it’s most common in middle-aged women who have fair skin. While there is no cure for rosacea and the cause is unknown, medical treatment is available to control or reverse its signs and symptoms.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. Although skin cancer is more common in fair-skinned people, anyone can develop it. The main cause of skin cancer is ultraviolet radiation from sunlight, especially spending too much time in the sun.

Diagnosing skin cancer starts with checking out a mole, bump, spot or other mark on your skin. Any area of skin that doesn’t look normal and may have disease is called a lesion. Your doctor likely will take a biopsy (cell or tissue samples for examination) of any lesion that may look like cancer.

Treatment of skin cancer depends on various factors. Our treatment options for skin cancer include:

• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Surgery
• Clinical trials

Surgery is the most common way to treat skin cancer. Our surgeons use various methods of surgery to remove skin cancer, many times right in the doctor’s office. These procedures include:

• Cryosurgery
• Curettage
• Excision
• Laser treatment
• Mohs surgery

Learn about skin cancer.