Caring for the Skin of Our Aging Population: Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is another common problem that interferes with the quality of life of aging Americans. Patients are often surprised to learn they have skin cancer, claiming they haven't been in the sun for years, however, they don't realize that it is common to have a 10-20 year delay from the time of exposure to the development of skin cancer. Another common question is “do I really need to have this examined and/or treated?” The answer is clearly "YES" as untreated cancer will continue to grow and damage nearby structures decreasing the quality of life. Furthermore, these spots can bleed and become infected and this always seems to happen at the worst time (weekends or holidays).

This leads to the next point—treatment of these cancers is also unique in this population due to underlying medical conditions and medications (like blood thinners) so it requires individuals with experience in geriatric dermatology. Specifically, less invasive methods like cryotherapy (local use of low temperatures in medical therapy or the removal of heat from a body part), curettage (the use of a small scoop to remove tissue) and desiccation (the process of extreme drying) are used in the place of aggressive surgery whenever possible. Furthermore, when surgery is performed the scope of the procedure is limited to only what is necessary.

In summary, geriatric dermatology requires a careful evaluation of all aspects of the patient and their medical history. Thus, all individuals in this population should be screened at least once per year to be sure they are not developing concerning issues. At Windsor Dermatology, our team of Board Certified dermatologists is prepared to address these issues for you and your family members. Call to make an appointment today.

Brian Robert Keegan, M.D., Ph.D, Board Certified Dermatologist - Prior to joining Windsor Dermatology, Dr. Keegan worked at the University of Miami and the Miami VA Hospital for 3 years.

Clearing Up Psoriasis with the Excimer Laser

The safest treatment for moderate to severe psoriasis is narrowband UVB treatment. Utilizing a monochromatic ultraviolet wavelength, the patient stands in a light box three times per week for 12 weeks. Each treatment takes less than five minutes! The success rate for clearing the psoriasis is 70% and patients stay clear for six months or longer 40% of the time.

Although the treatment uses UVB rays, there is no increased risk of skin cancer. Since normal skin burns quicker than psoriatic plaques, the amount of phototherapy administered is limited by the normal skin burning and one can only increase the dosage by 10-15% of the previous dose.

By utilizing this laser treatment to localized plaques, one can increase the dose by 30% of the previous dose and clear plaques in 16 treatments. The treatment is only administered to psoriatic plaques and spares other areas of otherwise normal skin.

Utilizing the Pharos Excimer laser, we have been able to clear psoriatic plaques in 16 treatments (twice per week for eight weeks) each treatment taking less than 10 minutes. In addition, due to the small spot size of the apparatus, we can treat areas of the body that were not accessible in the UVB booths, such as the scalp and groin, as well as other localized areas of psoriasis such as the hands and feet, with remarkable success.

Laser treatment for psoriasis is covered by most major insurance plans. Call us today to find out more about the various treatment options available at Windsor Dermatology, home of the Psoriasis Treatment Center of Central New Jersey.

Jerry Bagel, M.D.
David Nieves, M.D.