Throughout our lives – during infancy, childhood (pediatric dermatology), adolescence, adulthood and old age – our skin can manifest changes or transformations that require dermatological treatment.
All the members of the Derma Associats team are highly qualified to attend to any and all alterations to the skin, mucus, nails and hair that may involve an abnormality in their appearance or functionality.
Clinical dermatology encompasses all skin disorders and diseases as well as the manifestations which occur in the skin but which originate in another part of the body.
The Derma Associats facilities, housed in the internationally recognized Centro Médico Teknon, provide integrated attention in the prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous pathologies thanks to a highly specialized and multidisciplinary team of professionals and the support of the latest technological tools.
Acne is an inflammatory disorder in the skin’s pilosebaceous unit. It is characterized by the appearance of comedones (blackheads), papules and pustules (pimples) on the most seborrheic areas of the body, such as the face, chest and back. Acne generally appears during adolescence and is normally a response to the hormonal changes in the body at this age, though it can also appear in later life as well. In these cases, it most commonly appears in the second and third decades of life. When it occurs in female patients, the doctor has to perform a hormone study and learn about the patient’s cosmetic habits.
Acne treatments are very effective, with very high cure rates. In general, patients benefit from keratolytic substances (peelings), anti-inflammatories and antibiotics, although in severe and/or persistent cases they may be treated with orally administered vitamin A derivatives. Acne disappears after this treatment in the vast majority of cases.
In order to treat the aesthetic after effects of acne, treatments include chemical peelings and/or non-ablative fractional laser therapy to smoothen the surface of the skin and minimize cosmetic imperfections. In most cases, these treatments obtain excellent results in the short and medium term.
Hair loss is a common issue for consultation and it has different causes. The most frequent types of hair loss are androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium.
Androgenetic alopecia usually affects men aged between 20 and 40 years old, who progressively lose their hair, particularly in the central part of the scalp. It appears as a result of a genetic tendency and an excessive sensibility to male hormones. If treatment begins early, the results are usually very positive. In advanced cases, hair micrografting might be recommended and this usually gives excellent aesthetic results.
In the case of the second most common cause of hair loss, telogen effluvium, a large number of hair follicles enter the biological exchange phase due to some external cause (illness, stress, medication, etc.). The patient experiences sudden hair loss for some weeks or months, which can be alarming. After discounting the chance of any hormonal or metabolic alterations by means of an analytical study, patients normally respond very positively to topical and oral treatments.
Regardless of the type of hair loss, each patient is carefully examined with a study and treatment that focus on their particular problem.
Skin cancer is currently the most frequently occurring malign tumor in humans, with a progressive increase in incidence rates. There are different types of skin cancer, the most common of which are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell (or spinocellular) carcinoma and melanoma.
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type and is related to chronic sun exposure. It usually develops on areas directly exposed to sunlight: the face, chest and upper back. Early diagnosis is fundamental to treat it conservatively (with photodynamic therapy, cryotherapy or immunotherapy) or with minimally invasive surgery (Mohs surgery). Basal cell carcinoma does not tend to affect other organs and it can generally be cured by treating the lesion.
Squamous cell carcinoma is also related to sun exposure and tends to grow faster and more aggressively than basal cell carcinoma. The recommended treatment for this type of lesion is surgery and early diagnosis is essential here as well because it has a certain potential to generate metastasis (spreading to other organs).
Melanoma is a skin cancer which originates in the melanocytes, the cells which change the color of skin and moles. It is one of the most aggressive human cancers and early diagnosis of the lesion is therefore especially important. It is advisable to check moles regularly and to consult a dermatologist if you detect any changes in freckles or if any new cutaneous lesions appear. Melanoma is treated surgically.
Psoriasis is a chronic cutaneous disease characterized by inflammatory phenomena and accelerated skin replacement. This provokes the appearance of erythematous (red) scaly lesions on different areas of the body. Nowadays, psoriasis is not considered to be just a skin disease as it can also affect the nails, the scalp and joints or it can increase the predisposition to develop certain cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (high blood pressure, diabetes, ischemic heart disease or strokes).
The treatment of psoriasis is very specific for each patient depending on the type of lesion, its location, the psychological impact of the disease and how it is expected to develop. Treatments can be topical therapies (preparations applied to the skin), oral therapies (drugs which regulate the immune response) and systemic (injections in the cutaneous tissue or vein). Each patient requires a precise assessment and an exclusive treatment to determine the best therapy for their particular case.
Derma Associats forms part of ISADMU, a multidisciplinary unit founded in Teknon to treat inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis, among others. It encompasses over 17 specialisms and Derma Associats is responsible for coordinating patient care.
Children have skin disorders and diseases specific to their age group. These appear very frequently nowadays and include atopic dermatitis, acne, warts, molluscums and impetigo, among others. These types of problems require treatments that are specific to younger patients and can be very different from the treatments for adults: each case must be assessed individually. Any treatment program in pediatric dermatology must be simple to apply and very safe to use.
The most common cutaneous disorder in childhood is atopic dermatitis, meaning the synthesis of the skin’s natural sebum is defective and this leads to progressive skin dehydration and the appearance of inflammation (eczemas) and itching. To alleviate the effects of this disorder, specific skin care is essential (avoiding excessive soap and moisturizing daily) and anti-inflammatory preparations are applied during more intense outbreaks. Some severe cases of atopic dermatitis require oral treatment with medicines which regulate the immune system to reduce the skin inflammation.
Warts are cutaneous infections caused by a virus. They usually appear as hard or rough bumps on the fingers or on the soles of feet (verruca plantaris) or bumpy protuberances on the face (filiform warts). Warts respond to various treatments, including topical formulas, or they can be removed using cryotherapy and immunotherapy (Candidina or imiquimod). In the vast majority of cases, the infection is definitively cured by using one or a combination of these treatments.
Candidina acts like a vaccination, stimulating the patient’s natural defenses against the virus causing the warts or verrucae, and it has a high cure rate, as well as being a very convenient treatment (monthly dose). It is recommended when there are multiple warts that are resistant to the usual treatments. In particularly rebellious cases or for delicate areas (the face or genitals), other techniques may be used such as the CO 2 laser, which removes warts without leaving visible scars.
STDs are caused by pathogens which are transmitted and acquired through sexual contact (vaginal, oral or anal sex). Around the world, millions of cases of gonococcus, chlamydia, trichomonas, syphilis, the papilloma virus or HIV infections appear each year.
In Spain, the scientific society has warned of an increase in the number of people infected by STDs such as chlamydia, syphilis and HIV. This rise over recent years, both in Spain and in the rest of the world, has various causes, including social behaviors, migratory fluxes and the paucity of information about them. In addition, STDs are frequently transmitted because a carrier does not know they are infected because there are often no symptoms and therefore the patient cannot detect it.
The Sexually Transmitted Diseases Unit at Teknon (UITS Teknon) is a multidisciplinary unit dedicated to diagnosing STDs through the use of the most advanced analysis techniques and to providing swift, confidential and appropriate treatment for each patient. The patient is made to feel comfortable and understood so they can resolve any queries and problems regarding a possible sexually transmitted infection.