Editori's note: The information and photos in this post were provided by Amy Gouley.   A patient presented today for a patch on left temple that ''stings.''Diagnosis: Proven by biopsy, Basal Cell Carcinoma   A 12-year-old male presents with a new lesion on his forehead that has been growing for 2 years.Diagnosis: Verrucous ...

Over the years we have introduced various medical skin care products and aesthetic procedures such as laser resurfacing, chemical peels and micro-needling that result in temporary redness, dryness and irritation.  At times, instructions for use of moisturizers for irritation from skin care products or post procedures are not specific ...

  (Pictured above and below) A 54-year-old male presents with two bald patches on the scalp. He complains that the bald patches itch. Diagnosis: Alopecia Areata  (Pictured below) A one-year-old presents with a lesion on her scalp since birth. Diagnosis: Nevus Sebaceous   Nevus Sebaceous has three clinical stages:1. At ...

If the Medical Intensive Care Unit has a scoreboard, I don't want to see it. Some days it feels like the home team always loses. Patients that look like they are about to recover take a nosedive. The real fighters eventually give up. The most hopeful clinicians must face the grim inevitable. But sometimes you just need one, good ...

I had my first jaw dropping patient last week. You know, working in cardiology, you see a lot of the same thing. Acute coronary syndrome, atrial fib, heart failure...Turn 'em and burn 'em, that's my motto. Thursday, I had my first patient that I was completely side-bombed over. That day, an 86-year-old female presented to the ED for ...

Since graduation, I've had plenty of reminders - good and bad - that I am no longer a student. There is the ''PA-C'' behind my name and my shiny new state license. A paycheck arrives every two weeks like an airplane dropping supplies on a desert island. And, of course, I now hold myself to an even higher professional standard. While these ...

Here at the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) 2013 conference in Orlando, leagues of NPs are gathered for 3 days of educational sessions, CE credits and networking.  At today's opening session, hundreds of NPs were welcomed to the Hilton Orlando's Orange Ballroom to launch the week's events. NAPNAP president ...

There are several presentations for patients who have or believe they have ''bugs'' in or on their skin. There are the haves, have nots and the ''I know I have it and I brought proof but have nots.'' The haves are easy to diagnose. The most common of these are lice, scabies, ticks, bed bugs and the occasional erythema migracans. The have nots ...

Working in medicine, specifically dermatology, we know there is no such thing as a ''healthy tan.'' When it comes to educating younger generations, I wish the effects of sun were immediate. I wish when a young girl stepped out of the tanning bed she saw dark spots, wrinkles and skin cancers forming on the body. Only then might ...

My first encounter with homelessness was while living in Ecuador. Homelessness there is pervasive and hard to miss. It is present on most street corners and does not discriminate, affecting both old and young; it is quite merciless and ruthless. I remember seeing kids as young as 3 years old with plastic cups begging on the streets. They had a ...