Commentary and Observations from
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Sign of the Times: Facial Mask Irritation
Posted By: 
Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS
October 16, 2020
Masks trap moisture, sweat, oil, and dirt close to our skin. The resulting blemishes often include acne: small, inflamed bumps and irritation. Those irritations in fact have become so common that mask acne has now been dubbed "maskne." Even the simple act of breathing or talking while wearing a mask increases moisture, which ends up changing our skin's natural pH.
Skin care is essential in treating the irritation brought on by wearing masks. Facial cleansing with gentle produ... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology
Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: Making the Diagnosis
Posted By: 
Veronica Richardson, MSN, ANP-BC, DCNP
August 28, 2020
For many providers, seeing "hair loss" as the chief complaint on a patient's chart can induce dread. Imagine how the patient feels if their clinician lacks... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology
Pyoderma Gangrenosum
Posted By: Veronica Richardson, MSN, ANP-BC, DCNP
August 25, 2020
A patient presents to your clinic with a painful, rapidly expanding ulcer on a lower extremity. If pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) isn't on your differential, it s... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology
Documenting Skin Color in Medicine: Are We Unconsciously Racially Profiling?
Posted By: 
Lakshi M. Aldredge, MSN, ANP-BC, DCNP
August 14, 2020
Practicing medicine in 2020 has certainly been challenging, especially given recent worldwide discussion on race relations. In a recent Dermatology Grand Rou... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology, Public Health
Sunscreen Updates
Posted By: Lakshi M. Aldredge, MSN, ANP-BC, DCNP
August 11, 2020
Everyone knows they should protect their skin from the harmful effects of UVA and UVB exposure. The proper way to do so, however, has been the subject of muc... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology, Miscellaneous
Spironolactone Use in Adult Female Acne
Posted By: Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS
July 31, 2020
Acne is an inflammatory skin condition that is usually seen in adolescence. However, it is becoming more common past the teenage years, often affecting those... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology
Skin Manifestations of COVID-19
Posted By: Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS
July 28, 2020
By now it is well known that COVID-19 is an illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that may lead to serious respiratory disease. The most common sy... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology, Infectious Diseases
Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria
Posted By: 
Amanda Michaud, MMS, PA-C
July 24, 2020
Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), also called chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), is a condition when urticaria, or hives, are present for more than 6 wee... Continue Reading
Filed under: Allergy/Immunology, Dermatology
Using Topical Steroids Safely and Effectively
Posted By: Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS
May 19, 2020
Since their introduction in early 1950s, topical corticosteroids (TCS) have become the drugs most commonly prescribed by dermatologists for outpatients and a... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology
Determining the Cause of Hair Loss
Posted By: Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS
May 15, 2020
Hair loss, also known as alopecia, is one of the of most common disorders that dermatology practitioners diagnose and treat. With so many potential causes, i... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology
Hidradenitis suppurativa
Posted By: Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS
March 03, 2020
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, debilitating, inflammatory disease of the hair follicle that usually develops after puberty. It presents with pai... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology
Sun Protection
Posted By: Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS
February 25, 2020
In the late 1970s, the promotion of sun protection was almost nonexistent, even though Swiss researcher, Franz Greiter, had developed the concept of sun prot... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology
The Lowdown on Popular Psoriasis Medications
Posted By: Lakshi M. Aldredge, MSN, ANP-BC, DCNP
February 21, 2020
These days, it seems that most of us can't avoid seeing a commercial for a psoriasis medication when watching our favorite shows. Most of the ad... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology
Atopic Dermatitis – It’s Not Just Skin Deep
Posted By: Lakshi M. Aldredge, MSN, ANP-BC, DCNP
February 18, 2020
Atopic dermatitis (AD), or "eczema," is a common cutaneous disorder that most primary care clinicians see in their practices. Howev... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology