Transcribing Dermatology Dictation

Most dermatologic diseases respond well to topical drug therapy. There are mild cases of skin diseases like acne, psoriasis, and poison ivy that can be successfully treated with topical agents.

Acne drugs consist of various creams, lotions, and gels to apply topically. These drugs act to cleanse away oil and dead skin, to close the pores, to inhibit the growth of skin bacteria and kill skin bacteria.

Some prescription antibiotics used topically to treat more serious cases of acne vulgaris include:

• Cleocin T, clindamycin
• Meclan, meclocyline
• Topicycline or tetracycline

Severe cystic acne that is unresponsive to antibiotic treatment may be treated with topical tretinoin (Retin-a), which is a form of vitamin A.

Acne rosacea is an adult form of acne not caused by excessive oil but exacerbated by heat, stress, and skin irritation. It is treated with metronidazole (Metro-Gel).

Various topical agents are used to treat psoriasis and include coal tar lotions, gels, and shampoos that cleanse away dead skin and decrease itching. Trade name products include:

• Balnetar
• Denorex
• Estar
• Tegrin
• Zetar

Contact dermatitis, poison ivy, insect bites, seborrhea and eczema are treated with the use of topical corticosteroids both over-the-counter and prescription. Some common over-the-counter and prescription generic and trade name topical corticosteroid agents are: amcinonide (Cyclocort), betamethasone (Diprosone, Uticort, Valisone), clocortolone (Cloderm). The endings –sone, -olone, and –onide are common to some generic corticosteroids.

Common laboratory tests and surgical procedures found in dermatology dictation include:

• Biopsy, excisional, which is a complete excision or removal of a skin lesion with some adjacent, normal-appearing tissue also removed for comparison
• Biopsy, incisional, is partial removal of a lesion by making an incision into the lesion and removing a section of it as well as some adjacent, normal-appearing tissue for comparison.
• Biopsy, punch is removal of one section of a lesion using a sharp instrument known as a punch
• Bx is the abbreviation for biopsy
• Intradermal test is the injection into the intradermal layer of the skin of a chemical or other type of substance known to produce an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals.
• KOH test: KOH (potassium hydroxide) and methylene blue dye are applied to scrapings from the skin to detect under microscope the presence of a fungal infection.
• Skin scrapings are removal of a thin layer of skin cells by lightly scraping the skin with a scalpel and placing the cells on a slide for examination under the microscope after they have been stained.

The medical transcriptionist transcribing medical dictation in a dermatology office or hospital will encounter many of these terms.

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Acne - Dermatologists

Dermatologists are skin specialists who treat disorders of the skin. But they don't just treat skin problems: they treat health problems of the hair and nail as wells. They are full-fledged medical doctors trained to diagnose and treat diseases and disorders of the skin, hair and nails.

The most common skin disease that dermatologists treat is acne. Acne is a skin condition that nearly all people have to contend with at some point during their teen years. The cases of acne vary from mild (the occasional pimple or zit) all the way to very severe (which consists of deep acne lesions and often extensive scarring). Acne is caused by the overproduction of oil from the hair follicles sebaceous glands, which combines with dead cells to clog pores. This can lead to whiteheads, blackheads, pustules and papules, or in the most severe cases, cysts.

Most acne cases don't require the services of a dermatologist, as a healthy skin care regimen and over the counter medications can control it. But for those persistent, moderate to severe cases, a dermatologist is almost always needed. These doctors can prescribe stronger topical medications as well as oral antibiotics, to help get a handle on difficult cases. They can also provide the medical means by which acne scars are reduced or eliminated.

Dermatologists also diagnose and treat other skin disorders such as skin cancer. Doctors will examine suspected skin cancer sites on the body and if need be, perform a biopsy to verify cancer's presence. There are a variety of types of skin cancer of varying degrees of seriousness. Needless to say, a doctor should examine any person who suspects that he or she may have some form of skin cancer, immediately.

Psoriasis is another skin ailment treated by these skin doctors. This is a chronic red scaly, sometimes itchy rash that affects a fairly large segment of the population. It can range in severity from barely noticeable, to needing hospitalization. Aside from the skin rash, a person may experience some degree of pains in various joints - which can be debilitating. It is thought that the immune system is involved in causing psoriasis, though this is not certain. There does seem to be a genetic predisposition to this disease. While there is no cure for it there are effective treatments that a dermatologist can provide after diagnosis.

Dermatologists also treat warts. These rough skin tumor-like growths can appear anywhere (but usually on the hands and feet), and are caused by viruses. Some warts go away by themselves but others can persist for many years. Dermatologists can treat warts in several ways. One option is to wait and see if it goes away on it's own. Also, they can use salicylic acid in liquid form or patch. This often will gradually make the wart disappear. They can freeze it, gently, over a period of time. They can also employ surgery, lasers, and chemical cautery to get rid of them.

Dermatologists can also treat patients to remove scars. They can use lasers of varying types to reduce, or completely get rid of scars. The types of scars that can be treated are those that result from injury, acne scars, keloids, and hypertrophic scars. With today's modern lasers, scarring can be reduced to a degree that it never could be before.

These are but a few of the many conditions dermatologists can treat. This is a field of many different specialties and areas of expertise and it is the state of the art in medicine.

Stephanie McIntyre and Wendell Bryant are Internet developers. Visit their site at http://acnesolutionsuniverse.com/acne-treatment/

How Real Dermatologists And Plastic Surgeons Cure And Treat Fine Lines, Wrinkles, And Acne

Fine lines and wrinkles are a fact of aging. They make everyone look older as the skin loses its elasticity and starts to sag. Frowning and facial expressions over time can also result in the same loss of elasticity. There are thousands of various products we see hawked on TV by leading actresses and assorted hollywood stars from Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Anniston, etc... We even see them on Oprah as some of her recent Oprah's favorite things giveaways. The problem is that 99.9% of them do not work at all or minimally at best! We asked thousands of dermatologists and surgeons what the best remedies were other than plastic surgery. The answer was unanimous - a routine of TCA skin peels, mild cleansers - no harsh soaps, stay out of the sun, use sunscreen, and take vitamin E and fish oil pills. Not one of them mentioned any of the thousands of products we see on TV and in magazines that claim to cure or ease these fine lines and wrinkles.

TCA stands for trichloroacetic acid. TCA peels have long been used in doctors offices and medispas for treatment of many skin problems like sun damage, liver spots, acne, acne scarring, wrinkles, fine lines, freckles, pregnancy mask, etc... TCA peels are not cheap, but they are the most effective product or treatment available for fine line and wrinkles. They increase your skins rate of repair and they also increase collagen production. They are the most prescribed chemical peel and are, hands down, the most effective treatment for fine lines and wrinkles - and also acne! They can now be purchased for home use.

Mild cleansers are inportant as they will clean, but not overdry or aggravate your face. Cetaphil and the Target generic brand are great. They will gently emulsify dirt and oil and remove it with out overdrying your face. Products with benzoyl peroxide, like Proactive, should be avoided as they will overdry and aggravate oily skin and acne. Harsh soaps will have the same effect as benzoyl peroxide products.

The sun is your enemy. It will age your skin and does result in wrinkles and other skin problems like melanoma - the worst type of skin cancer. Use sunscreens with high SPF's like 30 - 40. You need to cover up when going out in the sun. And I can't stress it enough wear sunscreen - If youdon't think you will get cancer from being out in the sun, goto your local hospital oncology department. Most of those people didn't think they could get it either.

Vitamin E and fish oil pills will increase the hydration of your skin. They will increase the elasticity of your skin and reduce wrinkles and fine lines. It can take a few months to see the results and they won't be as dramatic as with the TCA peels mentioned earlier, but they have been clinically proven to be effective.

There you have it - how to treat and cure fine line and wrinkles from real dermatologists and plastic surgeons. Real treatments that really work. For more information on TCA peels please see the link below.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental skin care interests. He can be reached at http://www.bestskinpeel.com.