General Dermatology

Rosacea

Rosacea Treatment | Skin Cancer Treatment | Eczema Treatment | St. Louis Rosacea is a chronic disorder involving inflammation of the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, or eyelids. It may cause redness, prominent blood vessels, swelling, or skin eruptions similar to acne. The cause of rosacea is unknown. The disorder involves enlargement of the blood vessels just under the skin. It occurs most often in fair skinned people, particularly those who blush easily. Women are more commonly affected, but men are usually more severely affected. Symptoms usually begin between ages 30 to 50.

Symptoms include:

Rashes
Erythema (red areas on the face)
Discrete areas or the entire face
A tendency to flush, blush easily
Increased vascularity (telangiectasis) of the face
A red, bulbous nose
Acne-like skin eruptions (macules, nodules, pustules, may ooze or crust)
A burning or stinging sensation of the face

Treatments consist of topical and oral medications, avoiding certain foods, and laser treatments for the veins and redness.

Acne

Acne is the term for the blocked pores (blackheads and whiteheads), pimples, and deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that can appear typically on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms. Seventeen million Americans currently have acne, making it the most common skin disease in the country. While it affects mostly teenagers, and almost all teenagers have some form of acne, adults of any age can have it. Acne is not life-threatening, but it can cause physical disfigurement (scarring) and emotional distress.

Treatment for acne varies depending on the type and severity of lesions, skin type and the patient's age and life, but on average results are visible in six to eight weeks. Options include:

Laser resurfacing
Soft tissue fillers and fat transfer
Punch excisional surgery for deep "ice-pick" pitted scarring
Dermabrasion and microdermabrasion

Eczema

Rosacea Treatment | Skin Cancer Treatment | Eczema Treatment | St. Louis Eczema is a group of inflamed skin conditions that result in chronic itchy rashes. About 15 million people in the U.S. suffer from some form of eczema, including 10-20 percent of all infants. Symptoms vary from person to person but often include dry, red, itchy patches on the skin which break out in rashes when scratched.

Objects and conditions that trigger itchy eczema outbreaks may include rough or coarse materials touching the skin, excessive heat or sweating, soaps, detergents, disinfectants, fruit and meat juices, dust mites, animal saliva and danders, upper respiratory infections and stress.

Treatment involves the restriction of scratching, use of moisturizing lotions or creams, cold compresses and nonprescription anti-inflammatory corticosteroid creams and ointments. If this proves insufficient, physicians may prescribe corticosteroid medication, antibiotics to combat infection, or sedative antihistamines. Phototherapy is a common procedure that uses light to reduce rashes. For severe cases, drugs such as cyclosporine A may be recommended.

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer refers to the abnormal, uncontrolled growth of skin cells. One in five people will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Risk factors include pale skin, family history of melanoma, being over 40 years old, and regular sun exposure. Fortunately, skin cancer is almost always curable if detected and treated early.

The most common skin cancers are:

Basal cell carcinoma - 80-85% of all skin cancers. Basal cell carcinoma affects cells in the lowest layer of the epidermis.
Squamous cell carcinoma - 10% of all skin cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma affects cells in the middle layer of the epidermis.
Melanoma - 5% of all skin cancers. Melanoma is a rare but very dangerous type of skin cancer. It is the leading cause of death from skin disease.

Skin cancers vary in shape, color, size and texture, so any new, changed or otherwise suspicious growths or rashes should be examined immediately by a physician. Early intervention is essential to preventing the cancer from spreading.

Moles & Birthmarks

Moles & Birthmarks | St. Louis Moles and other birthmarks are benign pigmented spots or patches of skin that range in color from tan, brown and black (moles) to red, pink or purple (vascular lesions, such as strawberry hemangiomas or port wine stains). Though most birthmarks are harmless, they may develop into cancer. Moles exhibiting any of the following warning signs should be examined by a professional immediately:

Larger than six millimeters.
Itches or bleeds.
Rapidly changes in color, size or shape.
Is located where it can't be easily monitored, such as on the scalp.

Depending on their depth, location and color, as well as the patient's skin type, age and other factors, treatment for benign but unattractive birthmarks may take the form of laser or pulsed light therapy, microdermabrasion or surgical excision.

Warts

Warts are skin growths caused by viruses. Different warts respond to different treatments. Approximately half of warts resolve spontaneously. Salicylic acid products (in the form of drops, gels, pads and bandages) can help self-treatment of many warts by dissolving the keratin protein that makes up the wart and the dead skin above it. Others can be removed via liquid nitrogen freezing or electrical stimulation. Surgery may be recommended for painful or large warts that do not respond to these treatments.

Previous 1 2 3 Next