General Dermatology
Healthy Living... Protecting Your Skin
We provide a variety of general dermatological services as well dermatological surgery.
We treat many conditions involving the skin, hair, and nails. We offer full skin evaluations as well as biopsy and surgery of suspicious lesions.
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Acne
Acne affects teenagers as well as adults. It can consist of blocked pores, blackheads, pimples, or cysts. Depending on the severity of your acne, we offer prescription medications as well as supplemental cleansers, moisturizers and sunscreens. Other treatment available consists of photodynamic therapy, peels, microdermabrasion and lasers. Acne scarring can be treated with fillers, punch excisions, and Fraxel lasers.
Rosacea
Although rosacea can affect anyone, it typically affects adults with light skin and hair. Rosacea manifests as pimples, redness, and flushing. It can cause dry, burning skin and irritated eyes. There is no known cause of rosacea. Treatment for rosacea consists of avoiding trigger factors (i.e. sun, caffeine, spicy foods, stress, red wines, etc.), topical and oral medications, pulse light, or laser treatment.
Moles and Melanoma
Moles, also known as nevi (nevus), are benign pigmented growths that can be flesh color, pink, tan, brown, or black. They can be present at birth or develop later in life. Moles are usually harmless, however they can change and become atypia (dysplastic) or malignant (malignant melanoma). Malignant melanoma can also develop de novo (suddenly new). If there are any changes, especially if any of the following signs or symptoms appear, you should be examined by a professional immediately:
A - Asymmetry
B - Border (irregular, indistinct borders)
C - Color (variation in colors)
D - Diameter (increase in size; larger than 6 mm)
S - Symptoms (bleeds, itch, pain)
Source: NCI Visuals Online. Skin Cancer Foundation.
http://visualsonline.cancer.gov/about.cfm
Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers
Other skin cancers may include basal cell and squamous cell cancers. Risk factors for these skin cancers may include: fair skin, excessive sun exposure, history of blistering sunburns, family history of skin cancers and advanced age.
There are a variety of options to treat skin cancer including topical chemotherapeutic medications, destruction, excision and MOHS micrographic surgery. The treatment of choice depends on the patients’s medical condition and location of the skin cancer.
MOHS Micrographic Surgery
MOHS is a specialized surgical procedure performed in an outpatient setting. It effectively removes all "roots" of the cancer to ensure the highest cure rate possible. This technique ensures that only cancer tissue is removed to spare normal healthy tissue, thereby minimizing the size of the surgical wound and resulting scar. Not all cancerous tissue is amenable to MOHS. MOHS is the treatment of choice when the tumor is large, the edges of the cancer cannot be clearly defined, prior treatment has failed or the cancer is in an area of the body where it is important to preserve normal tissue. Dr. Pentel can help you determine if MOHS is an option for your type of cancer.
Melasma
Also known as chloasma or "mask of pregnancy" seen most often during pregnancy or with oral contraceptive use. Melasma is seen as light to dark brown splotches affecting the cheeks, forehead, upper lip, nose and chin. They are more common in women of darker skin types. The most common causes of melasma are estrogen and ultraviolet light. Heat may also play a role in melasma because many women develop melasma on the upper lip after hot wax has been used as a hair removal method. Treatment varies from topical prescription hydroquinone, chemical peels, and lasers. Sun protection with broad spectrum sunblock is a must.
Sun Protection
There are 3 main ultraviolet rays: UVC, UVA, and UVB. Most of the UVC is filtered out by the atmosphere. UVB causes most of our sunburns. UVA can penetrate through glass windows and causes most of the skin damage consisting of age spots, melasma, skin cancers. Sunscreens are chemicals (PABA, cinnamates, salicylates, oxybenzone, Parsol 1789, etc.). Sunblock are physical barriers (zinc oxide, titanium ozide) that gives you broader spectrum protection from UVB and UVA. Meroxyl (ecamsule) is a photosable UVA photoprotectant..
Sun Smarts
Apply a water resistant sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15 with UVB and UVA coverage. Apply 15-20 minutes before sun exposure, even during the winter and on cloudy days. Reapply it every 2-3 hours, and after swimming or sweating.
Wear sun protective clothing 
(hats, pants, long-sleeved shirt)
Avoid outdoor activities between 10 AM – 2 PM. If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade.
Be very careful of hyperpigmentation induced by UVA rays especially after chemical peels or laser treatments.
Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkles. Consider using a sunless self-tanning product.
Below is a list of links that you may find helpful:
