Services

At Cole Dermatology, we utilize a physician-led, team approach to maximize our complementary skill sets and provide exceptional specialty care. Certified by the American Board of Dermatology, Dr. Cole is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the skin, hair, and nails. He has additional training and certification in Mohs micrographic surgery and skin cancer defect reconstruction. Both of his nurse practitioners have years of dermatology-specific experience, which allows them to effectively provide specialized skin care under his direct supervision to many more patients than he would otherwise be able to accomodate. His oversight and collaboration in the same office ensures quality access to specialized skin care. Occasionally, certain complex medical or surgical cases may benefit from a multidisciplinary approach, in which case we may enlist the expert opinions of other medical and/or surgical subspecialties, including rheumatology, hematology/oncology, radiation oncology, and general or plastic surgery.

From basic skin conditions to more complicated cutaneous disorders, Dr. Cole and his team stand ready to diagnose and manage any cutaneous disorder. Some of the more common conditions we treat include:

• skin cancer screenings/mole or "spot" checks

• acne and rosacea, including management of Accutane patients

• management and monitoring of high risk skin cancer patients

• skin infections, including warts, molluscum, shingles, and other cutaneous viral infections

• psoriasis

• skin rashes, including eczema and contact dermatitis

• hair loss, including alopecia areata and male and female patterned alopecia

• nail fungus and other nail diseases

Dr. Cole treats a wide variety of benign and malignant skin lesions. Surgical procedures are performed in the office under local anesthesia, which provides a cost effective alternative to traditional hospital-based surgeries. Some of the surgeries he performs include:

• excision of skin cancers (including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma [not requiring sentinel lymph node biopsy])

• excision of abnormal moles (severely dysplastic moles or nevi) or other lesions recommended for removal by pathology report

• skin cancer destruction (cryosurgery, electrodessication and curettage) for smaller and/or less aggressive skin cancers

Mohs surgery is a skin cancer removal technique involving real-time examination of tissue under the microscope using specialized processing steps different than that of routine pathology. This technique provides the highest clearance/cure rates for skin cancer, and is ideal in larger or aggressive tumors, or those in cosmetically sensitive areas. By performing the functions of both pathologist and surgeon, Dr. Cole is able to precisely remove cancerous tissue while minimizing the removal of healthy skin. This, coupled with his extensive training in reconstruction of skin cancer defects, ensures aesthetically-pleasing results and very high cure rates.

Patient outcomes, comfort, and convenience are all paramount. Medication can be prescribed to help reduce perioperative anxiety. Most cases are recontructed in the office immediately after skin cancer clearance, which provides the most cost-effective and convenient care. Occasionally, Dr. Cole may recommend referral to another specialist (plastic surgeon, ophthalmologist, oculoplastic surgeon, etc.) for repair after your skin cancer has been cleared. This is generally only for very large tumors or those involving certain structures (large portions of the eyelid margin, for example). In these cases, Dr. Cole will discuss with you the various options on the best plan of care before proceeding.

Due to a demanding surgery schedule and the time required for his direct supervision of the medical clinics, Dr. Cole does not currently perform cosmetic procedures (including Botox or fillers). Occasionally, minor procedures that are considered cosmetic are performed as part of our management of medical and surgical dermatology patients. These procedures include:

• elective/cosmetic removal of benign lesions (e.g., moles, cherry angiomas, or seborrheic keratoses)

• skin tag removal

• superficial chemical peels (e.g., salicylic or glycolic acid) for the management of acne