Archive for 2019

Warts are very common. There are many types of warts. They can occur at any age, but they are especially frequent in children and young people. Technically, they are caused by a virus, and exposure to the virus can occur practically anywhere (e.g. shoes, counter tops, sports equipment, doors, wood, you name it). However, exposure…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Sun damage is a major problem in the U.S. Skin cancer (including Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Melanoma) is becoming more prevalent every year. Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common type of cancer in the world. There are also a variety of non-cancerous lesions that are sun induced and other inflammatory disorders…

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…