Medical Services – Astoria Derm

Warts are skin growths caused by viruses. Most warts are non-cancerous, but skin growths (warts) caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) are very much contagious and can spread person to person by physical contact. They may appear on a person’s private parts as well as any place on the body. Different warts respond to different treatments. There are numerous treatment options for warts including topical acid therapy, cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen freezing), cauterization (burning), curettage (scraping) and laser surgery.

Spider veins are extremely common, affecting nearly half of the adult population of the United States. Many patients are bothered when spider veins develop on prominent areas such as the legs or face and seek treatment to eliminate them. Many spider-vein treatments are highly effective and minimally invasive, offering aesthetically pleasing results without painful or lengthy downtime.

Vitiligo (vit-uh-lie-go) causes the skin to lose its natural color. Patches of lighter skin appear. Some people develop a few patches. Others lose much more skin color. Vitiligo can also affect other parts of your body. A section of hair can turn white. Some people lose color inside of their mouths. Even an eye can lose some of its color. What causes this color loss is still a mystery. We do know that vitiligo is not contagious. It is not life-threatening. The type of treatment that is best for you will depend on your preference, Several different topical (applied to the skin) medicines can add color to your skin.other forms of treatment we offer are light box therapy, and laser treatments.

Skin cancer is the most common form of human cancers, affecting more than one million Americans every year. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives. Skin cancers are generally curable if caught early. However, people who have had skin cancer are at a higher risk of developing a new skin cancer, which is why regular self-examination and doctor visits are imperative and an early diagnosis be made. Skin cancer affects people of all colors and races, although those with light skin who sunburn easily have a higher risk. At Astoria Derm , Dr. Nicolaides and his team perform comprehensive full body skin examinations.

Examine your skin: We look at your skin from top to bottom to determine whether your skin changes are likely to be skin cancer. Further testing may be needed to confirm that diagnosis.
Remove a sample of suspicious skin for testing (skin biopsy): We may remove the suspicious-looking skin for lab testing. A biopsy can determine whether you have skin cancer and, if so, what type of skin cancer you have.
If additional treatment is needed, options may include:
- Freezing, Excisional surgery(cutting it out), Mohs surgery(refer to mohs surgeon ) , Photodynamic therapy, Biological Therapy, Cryotherapy.
The vast majority of skin cancers are composed of three different types: aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer
- Basal Cell Carcinoma
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Melanoma

Shingles, caused by the varicella zoster virus comes from the same virus that causes chicken pox. After you have recovered from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in your spinal cord until it gets its second punch and reappears with a painful rash that looks like a band or strip of blisters on one side of your body and wraps around the other, or even on your neck, nose or forehead. There are numerous treatments that Dr. Nicolaides and his team can perform, which includes the use of an anti-viral medication.

The type of scar that a person gets depends on many factors, wheather it’s from a surgical procedure, accident, ace, or burn. Just about everyone has a scar they wish would just fade away. Many factors come to play in the treatment of your scars. Dr. Nicolaides and his team diagnose the kind of skin injury that occurs in a person’s natural skin type and the location of the injury. We custom tailor the treatment of your scars. We also offer many treatment options such as chemical peels, microneedling (PPS), subscicions, punch grafting, soft tissue fillers and micro laser & profractional laser treatments.

Your skin is the largest organ of your body. Its function is to protect your body from infection. Sometimes the skin itself becomes infected. Skin infections are caused by a wide variety of germs, and symptoms can vary from mild to serious. Mild infections may be treatable with over-the-counter medications and home remedies, whereas other infections may require medical attention. There are four categories of major skin infections.

Viral – Viral skin infections are caused by a virus. These infections range from mild to severe. Different types of viral infections include:
- Shingles (herpes zoster) – Shingles, caused by the varicella zoster virus comes from the same virus that causes chicken pox. After you have recovered from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in your spinal cord until it gets its second punch and reappears with a painful rash that looks like a band or strip of blisters on one side of your body and wraps around the other, or even on your neck, nose or forehead. There are numerous treatments that Dr. Nicolaides and his team can perform, and include the use of an anti-viral medication.
- Chickenpox
- Molluscum contagiosum
- Warts
- Measles
- Hand, foot, and mouth disease
Bacterial – Bacterial skin infections often begin as small, red bumps that slowly increase in size. Some bacterial infections are mild and easily treated with topical antibiotics, but other infections require an oral antibiotic. Different types of bacterial skin infections include:
- Cellulitis
- Impetigo – Staphylococcus Aureus
- Boils – Staphylococcus Aureus is the bug that cause
- Leprosy
- Fungal – These types of skin infections are caused by a fungus and are most likely to develop in damp areas of the body, such as the feet or armpit. Some fungal infections aren’t contagious, and these infections are typically non-life-threatening.
  - Different types of fungal infections:
    - Athlete’s foot
    - Yeast infection
    - Ringworm – Ringworm is a common fungal skin infection. Ringworm is not caused by a worm.Ringworm typically begins as a flat scaly area on the skin, which may be red and itchy. This patch develops a slightly raised border that expands outward — forming a roughly circular ring. The contours of the ring may be quite irregular, resembling the wavy outline of a snake or a worm.most commonly affects the skin on the body, the scalp, the feet, or the groin(jock itch). Because ringworm is contagious no matter where ringworm appears on the body, treatment is important. Without treatment, the rash tends to grow slowly and cover a larger area. You can also infect other areas of your body. The treatment for ringworm depends on its location on the body and how serious the infection is. Some forms of ringworm can be treated with over the counter medication , while others need treatment with prescription anti-fungal medication.
    - Nail fungus – Nail fungus is a common condition that begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail. As the fungal infection goes deeper, nail fungus may cause your nail to discolor, thicken and crumble at the edge. It can affect several nails. treatment of nail fungus infections can be a long and expensive process. There are oral anti-fungal medications, topical ointments, and alternative therapies. Over the counter cream have not proved very effective.
    - Oral thrush
    - Diaper rash
Parasitic – These types of skin infections are caused by a parasite. These infections can spread beyond the skin to the bloodstream and organs. A parasitic infection isn’t life-threatening but can be uncomfortable. Different types of parasitic skin infections include:
- Lice
- Bedbugs
- Scabies – Scabies are tiny mites that burrow underneath your skin and lay eggs. They are harmless but highly contagious and are extremely uncomfortable, causing uncomfortable itching feeling usually much worse at night.It is not uncommon that when one member of the family contracts scabies, that the rest of the family may also become infected with scabies and need to be treated for it as well. They may look like tiny pink bumps or blisters on the skin. Our skin becomes extremely allergic to the mites. There are numerous treatments that Dr.N and his team can perform.
- Cutaneous larva migrans

A skin tag is a non-cancerous skin growth that can occur anywhere on your body. Both men and women get them. They are usually found on the neck, chest, back, armpits, under the breasts, or in the groin area. Living with skin tags is more of an annoyance. Depending on where they are located, they tend to get stuck in zippers, clothing, and jewelry. Dr. Nicolaides and his team provide several types of skin tag removal options. While skin tags are harmless, some individuals find the appearance of skin tags undesirable. In this case, the skin tag removal procedure is simple and is performed in the office with minimal discomfort and quick recovery time.

Rosacea, is an inflammatory skin condition that appears on your face. It causes redness and swelling on the scalp, neck, ears, and eyes. Your chest and back may also be affected. Symptoms range from red pimples, lines and visible blood vessels to dry or burning skin and a tendency to flush easily. With time, people who have rosacea often see permanent redness in the center of their face. Rosacea has four subtypes:

Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea: Redness, flushing, visible blood vessels.
Papulopustular rosacea: Redness, swelling, and acne-like breakouts.
Phymatous rosacea: Skin thickens and has a bumpy texture.
Ocular rosacea: Eyes red and irritated, eyelids can be swollen, and person may have what looks like a sty.

Treatment with topical and oral prescription medications often significantly improve rosacea. Laser and light-based treatments may be effective to minimize the redness and appearance of blood vessels.

A rash is a change in the skin’s color or texture. Proper diagnosis is the most important in order choose the best therapy. Simple rashes are called dermatitis, which means the skin is inflamed or swollen. Other common rashes include eczema, psoriasis, impetigo, shingles, chicken pox, measles, insect bites and those caused by medical conditions such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Dr Nicolaides may prescribe an over-the-counter topical product, a prescription topical or oral medication to treat the various rashes.

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