Gary McKnight is the head basketball coach at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana. At his time there he has become the winningest high school basketball coach in California history. Coach McKnight has led Mater Dei to more than 1250 victories, including a National Championship and 11 California State Titles. He has coached nine players who have gone on to play in the NBA. More recently, he has faced a different battle. “At a regular checkup, my doctor saw a spot on my face and said, we’ve got to get you to the best, and referred me to the SCARS Center. I went in there and they said it required ..read more

Congratulations to Dr. Adam Aronson and Dr. Alexander Miller for being named America’s Best Dermatologists 2023 by Newsweek. We are honored to have two of our physicians receive this great recognition, and proud of the incredible care they provide to our patients. The list is split by cosmetic and medical dermatologists. In total, 150 cosmetic dermatologists and 175 medical dermatologists were awarded and some (including Dr. Aronson!!) were awarded in both specialties. The post America’s Best Dermatologists: We Have Two! first appeared on Skin Cancer And Reconstructive Surgery Center ..read more

Don’t let the fear of anesthesia hold you back from pursuing surgical procedures. Our patients now have the option for an alternative to general anesthesia known as Gentle Sleep. Instead of deep anesthesia, it induces stage 2 sleep, and when used in combination with other medications, it achieves a comfortable state for patients. We are now using it routinely at our on-site surgery center. During Gentle Sleep, patients may cough, reposition themselves, and breathe without assistance. This is a more normal state for patients than deep sedation or general anesthesia.  “It has been a re ..read more

Dr. Simon Madorsky, facial plastic surgeon, addressed an audience of California Dermatologists at the CalDerm Symposium, September 23-25 in Carlsbad. He spoke on Fillers and Nuromuscular Toxins (such as Botox), providing advice and tips for these injectables, as well as explaining relevant facial anatomy. He also spoke to the group about wound repair, including various skin flaps and grafts. These are used for both trauma and skin cancer reconstruction. He had the chance to meet Dr. Sandra Lee, aka Dr. Pimple Popper!! The post Dr. Madorsky speaks to California Dermatologists about Trends in Co ..read more

Chronic open wounds present a lifestyle challenge for patients. In particular, lower leg wounds can take months to fully heal and may require wound care to prevent infection and maintain a healthy, healing wound.  A wound vac or “vacuum-assisted closure of wound” can expedite healing. A wound vac decreases the air pressure on the wound which facilitates healing. It removes fluid from the wound, gently debrides the wound, and prevents a scab from forming. The wound heals from the edges with healthy epithelialization. The wound vac also helps increase blood flow to the wound which further e ..read more

Diffuse actinic sun damage can present a challenge for both patients and providers. First line treatment options include topical 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) cream or photodynamic therapy (PDT). Topical 5-FU cream is applied to the affected area for 2-3 weeks creating inflammation, redness,and crusting as the body eliminates the actinic damage. Alternatively, topical levulan is applied to the affected area followed by the 17 minute blue light exposure of PDT. The blue light activates the levulan causing a chemical reaction that treats the actinic damage. Similar to a 5-FU reaction, in PDT the patient ..read more

Have you ever wondered how your medical provider can look at a lesion and know whether or not it’s something to be concerned about? There are multiple aspects to evaluating pigmented lesions – the most important being physical exam. But there is a very helpful tool that providers have in their tool box: a Wood’s Lamp. It is a type of black light emitting a wavelength around 365nm – the blue edge of the visible light spectrum that includes UV light.  A Wood’s Lamp is a blue fluorescent light that is a very useful tool used frequently in dermatology for the evaluation several diagnoses, suc ..read more

What should you do when you notice a lesion or area of your foot that looks different from the rest of your skin? Should you go to your primary care doctor? A dermatologist? A podiatrist? The lesion could be a variety of things including a wart, an ulcer, a fungal infection, a bruise or blood blister, an ordinary mole, or a skin cancer.  Dermatologists and dermatology PAs are specially trained to identify and treat skin lesions on the foot. While skin cancers on the foot are uncommon overall, they do occur, including on the toes and under the toenails. The most common type of skin cancer ..read more

Acne is caused by a variety of factors. These factors include increased p. acnes bacteria, increased oil production by oil glands, “clogged pores,” genetic susceptibility, and increased androgen hormones. It is important to target multiple causes of acne to best control it. There are many “tried and true” options and some newer and less well known treatment options.  Initial treatment options for mild to moderate acne focus on consistent application of topical products.  Face washes should contain an active ingredient against acne. Examples include benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid ..read more

Some patients find themselves with a large number of skin cancers and pre-cancerous lesions. While surgical excision is recommended for certain types of skin cancer, pre-cancers and superficial skin cancers can often be treated in other ways. These non-surgical options are often ideal for patients with many lesions who want to limit the number of surgical procedures.  One option is topical therapy. The two most common topical therapies are 5-fluorouracil, commonly known as “5-FU”, and imiquimod, brand name Aldara. 5-FU is considered a “chemo cream” that kills cancer cells and prevents the ..read more