Dermatologic Services Specialist

What are dermatologic services?

Dermatology deals with skin, hair, and nails. Cortez Foot & Ankle Specialists provides dermatologic services for common skin and nail conditions of the foot like:

• Plantar warts (verrucas)
• Athlete’s foot
• Toenail fungus
• Corns
• Blisters
• Ingrown toenails

The team also has extensive experience in diagnosing skin cancer. They can test for skin cancer and do skin excisions on-site.

What skin cancers do dermatologic services treat?

The three major kinds of skin cancer are:

• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Basal cell carcinoma
• Malignant melanoma

You could also get actinic keratosis, a condition that can develop into cancer in some cases.

Basal and squamous cell carcinomas are usually slow-growing and tend not to spread to other parts of your body. Melanomas are aggressive and spread more quickly. Left untreated, they can be life-threatening.

Skin cancers often develop from existing moles or marks on your skin. However, they can also appear on unblemished skin. They can be crusty, sore, or itchy, bleed, and refuse to heal. Cortez Foot & Ankle Specialists dermatologic services specialize in assessing changes in your skin that could indicate that you have cancer.

What dermatologic services might I need?

The dermatologic services you need vary depending on the kind of skin or nail problem you’ve got. For example, an ingrown toenail might require removal, or warts could need cryotherapy (freezing). Medications can treat many skin and nail problems, like athlete’s foot and toenail fungus.

If you have skin cancer or other kinds of abnormal skin growths (lesions), you might need a skin excision. These are in-office dermatologic services that only require a local anesthetic. The three kinds of skin excisions are:

Shave excision

If the lesion rises above the skin around it, your provider will use a small blade to slice it off. You probably won’t need stitches after a shave excision, just medication to stop any bleeding.

Simple scissor excision

This technique is also suitable for raised lesions. Your provider uses forceps to pull the skin up, then cuts the lesion out.

Full-thickness skin excision

Full-thickness skin excision is where your provider removes the lesion and some of the tissues underneath, ensuring no cancerous cells are left behind. This procedure creates a larger wound that requires stitching and might also need a small skin graft.

Cortez Foot & Ankle Specialists also use cryotherapy to treat actinic keratoses.

If you have concerns about cancer or other skin problems, consult the dermatologic services at Cortez Foot & Ankle Specialists. Call today or request an appointment online.