Acne	Actinic Keratosis	Eczema	Herpes Simplex
Herpes Zoster	Hyperhidrosis	Moles	Psoriasis
Rosacea	Seborrheic Dermatitis	Skin Cancer	Warts

ACNE

Acne is not caused by dirt. Acne is not caused by the food you eat. Blackheads are caused by the dried oil and shed skin cells in the openings of the hair follicles. Washing your face with a cleanser or soap twice daily and washing your hair regularly is recommended.

Control of acne is an ongoing process. Acne treatments work by preventing new acne. Our dermatologist will start you on an acne treatment that is right for you, but until then don’t pick, scratch or pop those pimples yourself.

ACTINIC KERATOSIS
These lesions are the first step in the development of skin cancers. A small number of these will progress into skin cancers. Actinic Keratosis is easily treated. If left untreated, they can invade surrounding tissue and spread.

Exposure to the sun is the cause of almost all actinic keratosis. Fair skin people are the most at risk for the development of these lesions. One in six people will develop these lesions in their lifetime.

To prevent these lesions from occurring, avoid the sun, wear sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection, with a SPF protection factor of 15 or higher, and see our dermatologist twice a year for skin exams.


ECZEMA
Eczema is a general term used to describe all types of inflamed skin conditions. Patients with allergies such as asthma and hay fever may also have skin eruptions called atopic dermatitis, this skin rash is usually very itchy.

When the disease starts at infancy, it’s sometimes called infantile eczema. In about 10% of the cases, it is directly related to food. Our dermatologist will give you advice and prescribe medications that can treat your eczema.

HERPES SIMPLEX
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) can cause blister-like sores almost anywhere, usually around the mouth, nose, genitals or buttocks. HSV sores may be painful and embarrassing. There are two types of HSV, type 1 and type 2.

Type 1
Most people get type 1, called fever blisters or cold sores. It occurs around the lips, mouth, nose, chin and cheeks. It can be transmitted by kissing, using the same towels or utensils. It is a virus and you can catch it from close contact with family members.

Type 2
It most often appears following sexual contact with an infected person. Infection usually appears two to twenty days after contact with an infected person. You can have a recurrent appearance of these even after years of not having any.

There is no vaccine that prevents this disease from occurring. We do have new medications that are helpful in reducing the number of herpes attacks in people with frequent outbreaks.

HSV is contagious before and during an outbreak. If tingling, burning, or tenderness occur, then the area should be kept away from other people. Avoid kissing, sharing lip balms or cups. For type 2, avoid sexual contact an sharing towels or clothing.

HERPES ZOSTER
This is also known as shingles or zoster. Anyone who’s had chicken pox can develop herpes zoster. The virus remains dormant or inactive in certain nerve root cells and may awaken. We do not know what triggers its activation.

The first symptoms may include burning pain, tingling, or extreme sensitivity in one area. This may last from 1-3 days before a red rash appears. You may have a fever or headache as well. The rash then turns into a group of blisters that look a lot like chicken pox. The blisters can last 2-3 weeks. The pain may last longer. The pain is often severe enough for the dermatologist to prescribe painkillers.

The virus is only passed onto others who have not had chicken pox, and then they will develop chicken pox, not zoster. The blisters usually need to be broken to pass the virus on.

HYPERHIDROSIS
Hyperhidrosis (severe underarm sweating) is a medical condition that can be devastating. Excessive sweating has both physical and social implications. Most people try to disguise the area of sweat with clothing, pads and powders. Others avoid social interaction all together.

There are treatment options available. The newest is being treated with Botulinum Toxin A injections (Botox®). Botox® is FDA-approved for severe underarm sweating when topical agents don’t work. Botox temporarily blocks the chemical signals from the nerves that stimulate the sweat glands.

Please make an appointment with one of our physicians to find out your Hyperhidrosis treatment options.

MOLES
Everyone has moles. Moles have a wide range of appearances and can appear anywhere on the skin. Sun exposure increases the number of moles. Each mole has its own growth pattern. Moles may be freckle like, flat, tan, pink, brown or black in color. Over time, some moles will enlarge, develop hairs, and change in color, shape and size. Some moles may develop into skin cancers.

Moles present at birth are called congenital nevi. These moles pose a greater risk into changing to malignant melanoma. Dysplastic nevi or atypical moles are larger than average and irregular in shape. These moles tend to have uneven color and/or borders. These moles should be monitored regularly by one of our dermatologists.

Early Warning Signs
Asymmetry - When one half of the mole doesn’t match the other half.
Border - When the edges of the mole are ragged, blurred or irregular.
Color -When the color of the mole is not the same throughout or if it has shades of tan, brown, black, red, white or blue.
Diameter - When the size of the mole is larger than 6mm or about the size of a pencil eraser.

PSORIASIS
With psoriasis the skin becomes inflamed, producing red, thickened areas of silvery scales. Psoriasis can be very mild or flare up and be most severe. Psoriasis is not contagious. The cause of psoriasis is unknown. Psoriasis comes in many forms. Each form differs in how bad it is, how long it lasts, where it is, and in the shapes and pattern of the scales. Elbows, knees, groin, genitals, arms, legs, scalp and nails are the most commonly affected areas.

Dermatologists treat psoriasis by trying to reduce the inflammation and slow down the rapid cell division. Prescribe creams and lotions will help loosen scales and control itching. Medications may also be prescribed and used in combination with ultraviolet light treatments. New treatments are now available.

ROSACEA
Rosacea is a common skin disease that causes redness and swelling on the face. Rosacea may begin as a tendency to flush or blush easily, and progress to persistent redness of the face. This condition rarely reverses itself and may last for years. It can become worse without treatment. Self-diagnosis and treatment are not recommended, as some over-the-counter products may make the condition worse.

Dermatologists often recommend a combination of treatments to stop the progress of rosacea and sometimes reverse it.

At infancy it is called “cradle cap” and usually clears without treatment by the age of 8-12 months.

There is no way to prevent or cure seborrheic dermatitis; however it can be effectively treated.





SEBORRHEIC KERATOSES
Although seborrheic keratoses is often confused with warts, they are quite different. These growths are non-cancerous and are usually brown. They can vary in size from a fraction of an inch to a half-dollar. Their main feature is their waxy “pasted on” look.

Seborrheic keratoses is most commonly found on the chest and back. They are not caused by sunlight and may be rough and itchy. Most dermatologists treat these lesions by cryosurgery (freezing), curettage (cutting), or scraping them off.

SKIN CANCER

Actinic Keratosis
These lesions are the first step in the development of skin cancer. A small number of these will progress into skin cancer. Actinic Keratosis is easily treated. If left untreated, these lesions can invade surrounding tissue and spread.

Exposure to the sun is the cause of almost all actinic keratosis. Fair skin people are the most at risk for the development of these lesions. One in six people will develop these lesions in their lifetime.

To prevent these lesions from occurring, avoid the sun, wear sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection, with a SPF protection factor of 15 or higher, and see our dermatologist twice a year for skin exams.

Basal Cell Carcinoma
This is the most common for of skin cancer. In fact, it is the most common cancer of all cancers. Chronic exposure to sunlight is the cause of almost all basal cell carcinomas. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) can mimic other skin conditions, so only a trip to the dermatologist can get you a correct diagnosis.

Five warning signs are:
• An open sore that bleeds, oozes, or crusts and remains open for 3-4 weeks.
• A reddish patch that may itch or hurt.
• A pink growth with a slightly rolled border and crusted indentation in the center.
• A shiny bump or nodule pearly or translucent and is often pink, red, or white.
• A scar like area which is white, yellow, or waxy.
• Basal cell carcinomas are easily treated in our office.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma
This skin cancer may appear as a bump, or a red, scaly patch. It is the second most common skin cancer. This cancer can develop into large masses and can metastasize (spreads to other organs).

Malignant Melanoma
This is the most deadly of all skin cancers. Melanoma is almost always curable when detected in its early stages. Melanoma cells usually continue to produce melanin, which accounts for the cancer appearing in mixed shades of tan, brown, and black. Melanoma tends to spread, making treatment essential. Melanoma may appear without warning.

The most important steps you can take in preventing skin cancers are:
Avoid sun-exposure, use sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection, and have your moles examined by our dermatologist so that early skin cancers may be removed while in a curable stage.

WARTS
Warts are non-cancerous growths caused by a viral infection. There are several kinds of warts, they are: common warts, foot warts, flat warts and genital warts.

Common Warts
These usually grow around the nails, on the fingers and the back of hands.

Foot Warts
These usually are on the soles of the feet and are called plantar warts. Most plantar warts do not stick up above the surface of the skin like common warts because the pressure of walking flattens them and pushes them back into the skin. They are often painful.

Flat Warts
Flat warts are similar and smoother that other warts. They tend to grow in great numbers, 20-100 at any one time. They are most common on the face.

Genital Warts
These are also called condyloma. They tend to be small and flat but can be thin and tall. These are soft and not rough or scaly like other warts. Genital warts have been linked to cancer of the genital area

Warts can be passed from person to person, sometimes indirectly. The risk of catching hand, foot and flat warts is small. Genital warts seem to be more contagious.