Dermatology services are not offered only for adults wishing to counteract the signs of aging or otherwise improve their appearance; children and adolescents, too, can require treatment. If your child suffers from acne, eczema or other skin problems, our friendly and professional staff are here to help.

Acne

Acne is a very common problem in children, especially adolescents. Since acne isn't usually considered to be serious medical problem, it is often ignored and undertreated. However, acne is actually a quite serious problem and is very bothersome and stressful for most teens.

Acne usually starts as your child begins to go through puberty, when hormones cause his skin to become oily. This may lead to oil and bacteria clogging the pores of his skin, giving rise to the characteristic whiteheads and blackheads of acne.

Acne tends to run in families and can be triggered by:

• Hormonal changes related to menstrual periods, pregnancy, birth control pills, or stress.
• Greasy or oily cosmetic and hair products.
• Certain drugs (such as steroids, testosterone , estrogen, lithium, phenytoin for seizures, and isoniazid for tuberculosis).

Despite the popular belief that certain foods (like chocolate and nuts) may aggrevate acne, this does not seem to be true.

Depending on the severity, acne can be treated with various creams, oral antibiotics, hormones, or accutane. We will go over a regimen of skin care. Treatments may consist of blackhead cleanings (acne surgery), injections of cysts, peelings, or facials.

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Molluscum

Molluscum contagiosum is a chronic skin infection caused by a virus. It's quite common among children, and is usually spread by touching an affected area on a person infected with the virus. The virus can also be transmitted through sexual contact. Molluscum causes painless, raised papules or nodules on the skin that look like pink pearls. They appear most often on the face, neck, arms, hands and chest, although they may appear nearly anywhere on the body, including the groin. The growths are often indented in the center and have a firm, waxy core. Scratching can spread the infection, leading to lines or clusters of lesions on the skin.

Patients with healthy immune systems generally find that molluscum contagiosum clears on its own within six to 18 months. Patients should try not to scratch the papules, or else they risk scarring and bacterial infection. If necessary, a dermatologist can remove individual lesions.

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