Midwest Medical Specialists

Dermatology focuses on the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases affecting not just skin, but also hair, nails and mucous membranes. In light of this, we believe our patients are best served by adhering to this "whole body" approach to diagnosing and treating dermatological conditions.

While skin cancer evaluation, prevention and treatment is a key part of our dermatology services, we also focus on pediatric dermatology, teen acne, diseases affecting the scalp, disorders of nails and gums, psoriasis, allergic diseases of the skin, and aesthetic improvement of the aging face.

Acne

The dermatologists at Midwest Medical Specialists focus on both teen and adult acne - and they understand the unique treatment demands of acne at these different stages of life.

Acne can affects male and females at any age due to a variety of metabolic and/or environmental causes - finding the root cause is a key part of the solution.
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For teens, the root cause of acne are hormonal changes that occur during puberty. When hormones change, oil glands make more sebum (the oil that lubricates your skin). Too much sebum can clog pores. Clogged pores make great places for bacteria to flourish and multiply, causing breakouts.

Clogged pores make great places for bacteria to flourish, leading to breakouts.
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The root causes of adult acne are more complex, and often require metabolic and hormonal assessment.

Eczema

Eczema is used as a general term for many types of skin inflammation (dermatitis) and allergic-type skin rashes. Types of eczema include: allergic, contact, irritant, and nummular eczema, plus several other forms with similar symptoms.

Atopic dermatitis is a common, often chronic skin disease that starts in childhoood. It often occurs in individuals also affected with asthma and hay fever. Atopic dermatitis causes redness, itching, swelling, scaling and even cracking and weeping on affected areas. Dry skin is often present and can actually cause flare-up symptoms. Atopic dermatitis can be hereditary. (Note: The word "atopic" refers to diseases that are hereditary. Dermatitis means "inflammation of the skin.").

Eczema, a severe form of atopic dermatitis takes on many forms and appearances, and can even affect the eyelids.
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The condition can occur at any age, but usually affects young children and often goes into permanent remission as they get older. Patients with atopic dermatitis usually experience periods of flare-ups followed by periods of improvement. The skin may even clear entirely for a time.

Triggers include allergies, dry skin and cold temperatures. But even household items like harsh soaps, detergent and skin products can aggravate the condition.

Harsh soaps, detergent, and skin products can aggravate an eczema condition.
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MMS dermatologists focus on healing the skin, preventing flare-ups and treating/relieving symptoms with a variety of customized care protocols.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis appears as red, dry patches of thickened skin, most commonly seen on the elbows, knees, ears, and scalp. The dry flakes and skin scales are thought to result from the buildup of the rapid production of skin cells.

Most important to note is that psoriasis is a non-contagious condition. While the exact cause is not known, dermatologists believe there may a combination of factors, including genetic predisposition, environmental factors and an individual's immune system, that makeup the underlying causes.

Psoriasis on the hands is not as common as on elbows, knees, ears, and scalp.
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Some people have such a mild form of psoriasis they may mistake small dry patches on their elbows, knees, or scalp with simple dry skin. Others have a very severe form of the disease where nearly every part of the body is involved.

Sufferers often mistake dry patches for simple dry skin. Your dermatologist can confirm a psoriasis diagnosis.
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Psoriasis may clear for years and stay in remission. For some patients, cold weather can be a trigger, while warm weather and sunshine seem to relieve the symptoms. Recent research has shown that those with moderate or severe psoriasis have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Rosacea

You've seen the effects of rosacea on famous people like President Bill Clinton and film legend, W.C. Fields. The ruddy complexion. The bulbous nose. The fact is, an estimated 14 million people in the United States have some form of rosacea - and many don't even know it. It's often mistaken for sunburn or a tendency to blush or flush easily. Although it can be annoying and embarrassing, it is not dangerous. Though it cannot be cured, Midwest Medical Specialists has excellent solutions for treating, controlling and even hiding, rosacea symptoms.

Rosacea isn't dangerous, but it can be embarrassing and annoying.
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The redness, often aggravated by flushing, may cause small blood vessels in the face to enlarge (dilate) and become more visible through the skin, appearing like tiny red lines (called telangiectasias). Continual or repeated episodes of flushing may promote inflammation, causing red bumps that resemble teenage acne. In fact, rosacea can frequently be mistaken for common acne and is also referred to as acne rosacea.

If you think you might have rosacea, don't hesitate to see an MMS dermatologist for an evaluation. The condition is highly treatable with medication, and some forms can be significantly cleared for long periods (months to years) using laser, intense pulse light (IPL), photodynamic therapy, or isotretinoin (Accutane). And be sure to talk to MMS aestheticians about makeup options for minimizing the redness and bumps associated with rosacea.

Pediatric Dermatology

The dermatology staff at Midwest Medical Specialists is highly sensitive to the special challenges involved in evaluating and treating children with skin conditions that may or may not be related to age, including conditions such as contact dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, vitiligo, hives, warts, hemangiomas, birthmarks, and congenital skin disorders.

MMS dermatologists have found it to be a more positive experience when young children participate in their own care when it comes to minor skin conditions.
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Though treating skin conditions can involve uncomfortable and even frightening procedures from a child's perspective, you can rest assured that we will do everything possible to ease your child's fears, limit their pain, and make sure he or she receives the best possible care.

Skin Cancer Screenings

Midwest Medical Specialists recommends that everyone undergo a clinical skin exam once a year - or more often if they have a history of abnormal exams. A clinical skin exam is painless, essentially a visual exam of the skin from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet.

An annual head to toe visual exam is essential to maintain skin health and to diagnose skin cancer at its earliest stages.

In between professional exams, we recommend that all patients perform regular self-exams in a well-lit room using a full-length mirror, a hand mirror and a comb or brush. Get to know the blemishes and other spots on your skin, taking note of size, shape and color. If you detect any changes, be sure to make an appointment with your MMS dermatologist.

Remember, potentially cancerous growths can occur anywhere on your body - even in places never exposed to the sun. In fact, some skin cancers are not even caused by sun exposure.

Between annual exams, if you see anything suspicious, be sure to see your dermatologist immediately.
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Be suspicious if you see:

• New red or darker colored rough-patches or nodules
• New firm, flesh-colored bumps
• Unexplained bleeding sores that don't heal after 2 to 3 weeks
• A change in the size, shape, color, or feel of a mole (especially if it is painful or itchy, growing in size to larger than 6 millimeters across, irregularly shaped, multi-colored, or appears to have a ragged border)

Skin Cancer

The best defense against any type of skin cancer is finding and treating it
early - and the best way to monitor skin changes is through annual whole body screenings. Midwest Medical Specialists highly recommends these annual exams.

Basal Cell Carcinoma accounts for more than 90 percent of all skin cancers in the United States. It is a highly treatable, slow-growing cancer that seldom spreads to other parts of the body. It usually appears as a small, fleshy bump or nodule - mainly on the areas exposed to the sun, such as the head, neck, arms, hands, and face.

Skin cancer lesions may resemble pimples or other skin irritations - but generally do not heal; or they may heal and continue to return.
Photo courtesy of: DR P. MARAZZI / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is more aggressive than basal cell, but it is highly treatable. It may appear as nodules, or as red, scaly patches of skin. It may appear as nodules, or as red, scaly patches of skin. It is typically found on the rim of the ear, face, lips and mouth, however, it can be found on other parts of the body.

Melanoma is the most serious of all skin cancer types because of the potential to spread to other parts of the body. It usually occurs on or around existing moles. Although the incidence of melanoma is lower than other types of skin cancer, it has the highest death rate and is responsible for 75 percent of all deaths from skin cancer. However, when melanoma is diagnosed early and treated, there is a 97% cure rate.

Hair Loss

Excessive loss of hair is a condition that affects both men and women, and even some children. While it can be emotionally devastating, it's important to note that in many cases, it is treatable and even reversible.

Depending on your type of hair loss, MMS dermatologists can explore several treatment options with you that have proven records of success.

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A number of conditions and lifestyle factors can cause excessive hair loss. For example:

• Major surgery or illness - Three or four months after an illness or a major surgery, you may suddenly lose a large amount of hair due to the stress on your body. This is generally temporary.
• Hormonal problems - An underactive or overactive thyroid gland may cause your hair to fall out. Treating thyroid disease should reverse this. An imbalance in male or female hormones can also cause hair loss. Correcting the imbalance may stop your hair loss.
• Pregnancy - Many women notice hair loss about 3 months after they've had a baby. Hair loss after pregnancy can be caused by a number of factors and can be related to blood loss and hormonal and insulin imbalance after delivery. Generally, when the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, the normal cycle of growth and loss begins again.
• Medication - This type of hair loss improves when you stop taking the medicine. Medicines that can cause hair loss include: blood thinners, gout medication, chemotherapy drugs, excessive vitamin A supplements, birth control pills and antidepressants.
• Certain fungal infections - Fungal infections involving the scalp can cause hair loss. When treated with antifungal medicines, normal hair growth returns.
• Hairstyles - Any style that pulls hair, such as pigtails, cornrows or use of tight hair rollers, can cause a type of hair loss called traction alopecia. If the pulling is stopped before scarring of the scalp develops, your hair will grow back normally. However, scarring can cause permanent hair loss.
• Hair treatments - Hot oil hair treatments or chemicals used in permanents (also called "perms") may cause inflammation (swelling) of the hair follicle, which can also result in scarring and hair loss.
• Disease - Hair loss may actually be an early sign of a disease, so it's important to seek the cause of sudden hair loss. This usually involves a complete physical exam and taking a thorough history. In some cases, blood tests or a biopsy (taking a small sample of cells to examine under a microscope) of your scalp may be needed.