Archive for March 2019

Hand Dermatitis is a descriptive term that includes any number of entities that result in a recurrent tendency for the hands to become irritated, itchy, scaly and/or generally inflamed. Sometimes the feet can be involved as well. Hand Dermatitis is a very common problem. It is quite frustrating and can be tricky to treat at…

Mohs Micrographic Surgery is a specialized surgical technique where skin cancer is precisely removed, and the tissue is processed in the same office to insure that all of the cancer has been eliminated. The procedure is so named in honor of Dr. Frederic Moh, the surgeon who developed the procedure. The Mohs procedure is not…

Nummular Dermatitis (which is sometimes called “Eczema”) is a term that describes a constellation of findings that is quite variable (in appearance, age of onset, symptoms etc.) but is very common. It is one of the most frequently made diagnoses in all of dermatology. Nummular Dermatitis can occur at any age, but it more frequently…

Methotrexate (MTX) is a commonly used drug in dermatology and other medical fields. It affects the immune system in ways to help fight against inflammation in the body. In high doses, it can be used for chemotherapy, but it is used in very low doses for various types of arthritis, psoriasis, urticarial (hives), Grover’s disease…

Scabies (from the Latin, scabere, which means “to scratch”) is one of the most common skin conditions in the world. At any given time, over 100 million people throughout the world have scabies. It is caused by a very tiny mite which burrows in the skin. It is easily contagious with skin to skin contact.…

Seborrheic Keratoses are very common skin lesions; they are not cancerous. They originate in the upper portion of the skin called the epidermis. They often look as if they are “glued onto” the skin. They can be different colors, ranging from flesh color all the way to dark brown. They also vary in size, some…

Atopic Dermatitis (or what some refer to as “Eczema”) is a very common disorder that affects all ages but ESPECIALLY young people. It is essentially a problem of easily irritated skin that comes primarily from genetic forces (sometimes combined with environmental triggers). The skin tends to itch a lot, and it often develops rash/dermatitis in…

Acne is a common skin problem. It occurs most often in people between ages 10 and 30, but it can affect persons of any age. Acne is caused by a complex combination of factors. These include hormones, bacteria and an individual’s genetic tendency to have blocked pores. For the most part, having acne has very…

Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a very common skin infection that causes pearly/whitish bumps, often with indented centers. It is caused by a virus. It is especially common in children, but adults can get it as well. The bumps can occur anywhere on the body. Sometimes the patient has only a few bumps, but sometimes they…

Spontaneous ecchymosis (also called ‘actinic purpura’) is extremely common. It occurs primarily on the forearms and hands but can also occur on the legs. Basically, tiny vessels rupture in the skin and leave black, purple and/or red patches. The patches can easily tear. Though the process is similar to “bruising”, this occurs in the skin…