Medical Dermatology

Full body skin exams consist of skin cancer screenings and diagnosis of other skin conditions. This type of medical evaluation is just as important for preventative healthcare as a yearly physical or dental exam. We typically recommend scheduling these annually to ensure your skin is healthy and cancer-free.

Excisions are performed in-office using local anesthesia for cosmetic mole removal, skin cancer removal, and scar revision.

Mohs surgery is a technique whereby skin cancer lesions, such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are removed with the most minimal margin and precise mapping method. The removed tissue is then immediately examined microscopically to ensure the margins are free of cancer.
If cancer is found in the margin, additional layers are removed and examined during the same visit, ensuring a cancer-free margin has been achieved, resulting in a very high cure rate for these skin cancers. Depending on the location and extent of the skin cancer removal, the best reconstructive surgery procedure will be performed. Mohs micrographic surgery is an office-based procedure that is performed using local anesthesia.

Another in-office procedure provided by Dr. Erickson is mole removal. To begin, a local anesthetic is administered. During treatment, benign nevi, also called moles, will be removed with either a shave or excision technique. The method of removal will depend on the professional expertise of Dr. Erickson with the intent of providing a superior cosmetic outcome.
Although moles often look benign, occasionally they can be found to be cancerous when reviewed microscopically. Therefore, all mole removal procedures include dermatopathology analysis to determine if they are malignant or benign.

Dr. Erickson is highly qualified and experienced to treat acne in its many different forms, including comedonal acne, which manifests as clogged pores, and inflammatory acne, which occurs when clogged pores become inflamed and red. She also provides advanced, targeted treatment solutions for cystic acne, hormonal acne, combination acne, acne-rosacea, and back acne, also called “backne.” .
After Dr. Erickson examines your skin and diagnoses your particular version of acne, she will collaborate with you to develop your unique treatment plan. Although medications are sometimes needed, Dr. Erickson prefers a more holistic approach.

To target the root cause, as well as the visible blemishes associated with acne, Dr. Erickson utilizes lasers, skin care, and/or facials. As a result of these advanced acne treatments, Dr. Erickson’s patients can often avoid the need for long-term oral medications such as antibiotics or isotretinoin, also known as Accutane.

Eczema affects people uniquely. It can develop during infancy, childhood, or adulthood and can be localized to certain areas, such as the hands, or it can be widespread. Proper and successful treatment of eczema requires an accurate diagnosis as there can be many disease mimickers including allergic contact or irritant dermatitis. Topical treatments, as well as biological agents such as Dupixent(R), may be recommended.

Psoriasis is a long-term condition associated with patches of dry, scaly, and itchy skin. Dr. Erickson can help diagnose and manage symptoms; however, for long-term management, she will typically refer you to one of her esteemed colleagues who specializes in the treatment of psoriasis.

Scars can result from an injury or a surgical procedure and are often difficult to conceal with clothing and/or makeup alone. Scar revision treatments are designed to address textural irregularities and/or discoloration of the scar to make it less visible.
Scar revision treatments are often combined to produce an optimal outcome. Depending on the characteristics of the scar, Dr. Erickson may recommend excision, Z-plasty, laser resurfacing, radiofrequency microneedling (RF microneedling), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and/or exosome therapy.

Dr. Erickson administers medical steroid injections to help combat cystic acne and other skin conditions such as eczema and alopecia areata.

Dr. Erickson offers rosacea therapy for vasculogenic rosacea, which causes flushing and progressive redness of the face, as well as for papular rosacea, pustular rosacea, granulomatous rosacea, telangiectatic rosacea, and rhinophyma. Each type of rosacea requires different therapies for optimal treatment success.
Dr. Erickson will examine your skin and determine the optimal treatment or combination of treatments for you based on her decades of expertise. While rosacea is often a chronic and progressive condition, Dr. Erickson’s customized rosacea therapy protocols can deliver significant improvements.

Rhinophyma is a severe form of rosacea that causes the nose to become swollen and bumpy with overgrown sebaceous glands. This condition can affect both men and women, however it typically affects men more severely.

In the most extreme cases of rhinophyma, the nasal skin develops a cauliflower-like appearance that is very disfiguring. Fortunately, Dr. Erickson can expertly treat this condition with either laser or wire loop cautery or a combination of both to restore a more aesthetic, natural look.

Melasma is a condition in which patches of hyperpigmentation develop on the face and sometimes on the arms. The condition often appears during pregnancy and as such, has been known as the “mask of pregnancy.” It may develop with the use of hormonal contraception or occasionally without any hormonal trigger.
Treatment of melasma is challenging and requires strict sun protection. Many treatments that can improve the appearance of melasma can also occasionally exacerbate the condition leading to the conclusion that there is no single treatment that is a home-run every time. Additionally, there is no “cure,” and having melasma requires diligent use of skin care products to optimize results from other treatments such as lasers, chemical peels, and tranexamic acid.

Dr. Erickson provides laser vein treatments using ClearV® to minimize the appearance of spider veins, varicose veins, cherry angiomas, venous lakes, hemangiomas, port wine stains, and vascular malformations.