Medical Dermatology

Seborrhea, also known as seborrheic dermatitis, is a common chronic inflammatory skin condition that primarily affects areas of the body rich in sebaceous (oil-producing) glands. It manifests as red, scaly, itchy patches and is often associated with dandruff when it occurs on the scalp.

Causes and Risk Factors:

1. Overproduction of Sebum: Excessive oil production by sebaceous glands.
2. Malassezia Yeast: An overgrowth of this yeast, which naturally lives on the skin, can trigger inflammation.
3. Genetic Predisposition: A tendency to develop seborrhea can run in families.
4. Environmental Factors: Stress, cold weather, and changes in humidity can exacerbate symptoms.
5. Health Conditions: More common in people with certain neurological conditions (e.g., Parkinson’s disease) or immune system disorders (e.g., HIV/AIDS).

Symptoms:

1. Scaly Patches: Greasy, yellow or white scales on the skin.
2. Redness: Inflamed, red skin in affected areas.
3. Itching: Itchy skin that can become quite uncomfortable.
4. Affected Areas: Commonly affects the scalp (leading to dandruff), face (especially around the nose, eyebrows, and behind the ears), chest, and other areas with high oil gland concentration.

Diagnosis:

• Clinical Examination: Based on the appearance and location of the symptoms.
• Skin Biopsy: Rarely necessary but can be done to rule out other conditions.

Treatment:

1. Medicated Shampoos: Anti-dandruff shampoos containing ingredients like ketoconazole, selenium sulfide, or zinc pyrithione.
2. Topical Antifungals: Creams or lotions containing antifungal agents to reduce Malassezia yeast.
3. Corticosteroids: Topical steroids to reduce inflammation and itching.
4. Calcineurin Inhibitors: Topical medications like tacrolimus or pimecrolimus for sensitive areas such as the face.
5. Hygiene and Skincare: Regular cleansing with gentle, non-irritating products.

About Skin Cancer

What is it?

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US, affecting around 20 percent of Americans. However, it does not have to be fatal, especially when caught early. That’s why you shouldn’t ignore unusual skin bumps, lesions, discolorations, and other irregularities when they appear. Although the causes of skin cancer vary, there are common risk factors to be aware of, which include chronic sun exposure, a family history of skin cancer, fair skin, multiple sunburns throughout your life, precancerous skin lesions, and sunny and/or high-altitude climates and locales.

What causes it?

Skin cancer is caused by mutations in the DNA of skin cells, which then spreads to adjacent cells. When the spread is rapid or uncontrolled, it can easily become malignant. Three types of skin cancer are prevalent. The first is squamous cell carcinoma, which is located in cells just beneath the skin surface. The second is basal cell carcinoma (the most common type of skin cancer) which develops in the layer beneath squamous cells. Lastly, there is melanoma, the most dangerous variant. Melanoma forms under the other two layers of cells. A precancerous lesion, actinic keratosis (AK), also is possible; it usually is not life-threatening, but it can become cancerous if ignored.

Common treatments

Our skin cancer experts have the experience and training to help you overcome this disease. We highly recommend regular skin cancer screenings, especially if you are prone to the above risk factors. If a carcinoma is found, we’ll discuss the best solution with you from among the following treatment options: excisional surgery, electrodesiccation and curettage (EC&D), cryotherapy, and Mohs micrographic surgery.

Providers

Our approach & expertise

We provide an assortment of treatment options that can be customized to suit your needs based on your goals, concerns, and opinions about which treatment is right for you. We’ll be with you throughout the process with compassionate care and support so you can have your life back and live it to the fullest. We understand that a diagnosis of skin cancer can be traumatic and painful, both physically and emotionally. As your community skin cancer specialists, we’re here to provide encouragement, advice, and answers to your questions should you ever receive such a diagnosis. What sets us apart is our focus on you as a person. Our warm, compassionate practitioners are ready to address your concerns to be here as an essential part of your support.

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin condition characterized by inflammation, redness, itching, and sometimes blistering or oozing of the skin. It can occur anywhere on the body but is most commonly found on the face, hands, feet, elbows, and behind the knees. Eczema is often itchy and can be quite uncomfortable, sometimes leading to skin infections if scratched excessively.

The exact cause of eczema is not fully understood, but it’s believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. People with eczema often have a hypersensitive immune system that reacts to certain triggers such as irritants, allergens, dry skin, stress, or changes in temperature.

Acrochordons, commonly known as skin tags, are small, benign growths that typically occur in areas where the skin folds or rubs together, such as the neck, armpits, groin, or under the breasts. They are composed of loose collagen fibers and blood vessels covered by a layer of skin. Skin tags are usually flesh-colored or slightly darker and can vary in size from a few millimeters to several centimeters.

The exact cause of skin tags is not fully understood, but they are thought to develop due to friction or rubbing between the skin surfaces. Factors such as obesity, genetics, hormonal changes (such as during pregnancy), and age may also contribute to their formation.

Skin tags are generally harmless and painless, although they may become irritated if they rub against clothing or jewelry. While skin tags can be bothersome from a cosmetic perspective, they do not typically require medical treatment unless they cause discomfort or are cosmetically undesirable.

Before and After

About Lumps, Bumps, and Moles

What are they?

“Lumps, bumps, and moles” is a general term that typically refers to warts, skin tags, vascular birthmarks, cysts, fat deposits, and more. Normally, these skin growths and irregularities are benign; however, they can have a negative bearing on your self-esteem because they often form on parts of your body that are easily visible, such as the face or neck. Other areas of the body that frequently develop lumps, bumps, and moles include the torso, back, arms, legs, and groin.

What causes them?

Since lumps, bumps, and moles can develop due to a multitude of reasons, it is important to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist who can properly identify and treat your particular condition.

Common treatments

Our skin experts have the training, knowledge, and experience to help you manage a variety of lumps, bumps, moles, warts, cysts, vascular birthmarks, and other skin irregularities. Treatment options include pulsed dye laser (PDL), Cutera Excel V laser, steroids, surgical excision, and prescription oral or topical medications. In some cases, such as with moles, only simple observation is necessary. However, since benign skin growths and irregularities vary from person to person, a consultation with your favorite skin specialist is the only to way to know which treatment is best for you.

Providers

Our approach & expertise

We understand that abnormal lumps or bumps in your skin may seem like nothing more than just a sign of aging, but they may actually be damaging the health and appearance of your skin. As your neighborhood skin specialists, we’re here to provide encouragement and advice about a variety of lumps, bumps, and moles. Our compassionate staff of experts is ready to answer your questions and address your concerns, so don’t hesitate to contact us today so we can manage these unwanted skin irregularities.

About Warts

What are they?

A wart is harmless, though contagious, skin growth that feels rough to the touch and is often characterized by minuscule clotted blood vessels that resemble tiny black dots. Though not a health risk, you may wish to have it removed because of social embarrassment. Warts can be caused by a variety of factors, the most common of which are the following: common – gray or brown growths with a round top that grow anywhere, particularly on the fingers or toes; plantar – growing into your skin, rather than protruding from it, they are hardened growths on the soles of your feet, making walking difficult and painful; flat – small, flat growths that can be pink, yellow, or brown, and which often develop on the face, arms, or thighs, filiform – small, flesh-colored skin flaps on your nose or around the mouth, chin, or neck; and periungual – painful growths under or around your nails, often inhibiting nail growth.

What causes them?

Warts are caused by HPV, the human papillomavirus. Through a tiny cut or scratch in your skin, this virus will attack skin cells, causing rapid growth that becomes warts. These warts can easily spread via direct skin-to-skin contact, although indirect means are also common, such as touching a towel or clothing that also has touched a wart. They can also spread on your own body once a single one forms.

Common treatments

We offer treatment options tailored to your needs and aesthetic goals., and we’re here to address your concerns and provide support throughout the process. When treating warts, the goal is to destroy the growths themselves or fight off HPV. Either way, our dermatology specialists will work with you to find the best solution for your unique conditions. In many cases, warts simply disappear on their own, though this may take years. For immediate treatment, we offer several effective methods: prescription-strength salicylic, bichloroacetic, or trichloroacetic acids; pulse-dyed lasers; and cryotherapy. Our neighborhood practitioners urge patience when treating warts, as it can take weeks or even months to produce results.

Providers

Our approach & expertise

We understand how warts can be a physical nuisance and even affect your self-esteem. As your experienced community skin experts, we have the knowledge to help you manage this condition. Healthy skin is our passion. Contact us if you have a wart that you want to eliminate so you can have clear, smooth skin once again.

About Seborrheic Keratosis

What is it?

Also known as seborrheic verruca, most people will develop at least one seborrheic keratosis during a lifetime. Seborrheic keratosis is a common skin growth. It may seem worrisome because it can look like a wart, pre-cancerous skin growth (actinic keratosis), or skin cancer. Despite their appearance, they are harmless, benign, and don’t become cancerous. They are characterized as brown, black or yellow growths that grow singly or in groups and are flat or slightly elevated. Often they are mistaken for warts and generally no treatment is required unless the growth becomes irritated. However, because it looks similar in appearance to precancerous growths, your dermatologist might biopsy the tissue to confirm the diagnosis.

What causes it?

People who are prone to develop these harmless growths tend to have fair skin, and they can also be hereditary, so check with family members if you are worried. These growths also develop in people with medium to dark skin and tend to be smaller and around the eye area. If you are pregnant or had estrogen replacement therapy, people have been known to develop these. Most people develop seborrheic keratoses later in life. People who have had a lot of sun exposure tend to develop more of these. These are not contagious, and if you are getting more of them, it’s usually due to age.

Common treatments

Trust your dermatologist to tell if your skin growth is a seborrheic keratosis or skin cancer. If there is any question we will remove the growth and do a biopsy. Most seborrheic keratoses are harmless like skin tags, and might not need treatment. Talk with your dermatologist if you have any concerns, or if they are getting irritated from rubbing or clothing. A common way of treating these is with cryotherapy, your dermatologist will apply liquid nitrogen to the growth, and will tend to fall off in a few days. There are other ways as well, and depending on your skin type your dermatologist will recommend the best solution for you. After removal, it usually does not return. We offer treatment options tailored to your needs and aesthetic goals, and we’re here to address your concerns and provide support throughout the process. Call an office today and make an appointment if you are concerned you have seborrheic keratosis.