# Ask The Dermatological Medical Assistant **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 8, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486 "2007-09-08T19:54:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/141 "2012-06-24T15:30:22Z")
> [@Brissy](#): > > Had Diolite laser treatment a month ago. I was happy after 3 weeks of treatment that the brown spot has lightened after the black crusty part peeled off. Thought I have finally found the solution to get rid of the unwanted brown spot. To my dismay, the pinkish colour of the treated skin has turned into it,s original color. I am really devastated. I was told I can continue using moisturizer and sun block to protect the treated skin from the sun. Which I did. I am just wondering if anyone,s been the same situation and whar could have caused the spot to return in just a matter weeks after laser treatment. Often, more than one laser treatment is needed. You could also try getting a prescription for hydroquinone or using an over-the-counter lightening cream. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/142 "2012-06-24T15:32:40Z")
> [@LoonyMoon](#): > > Alice, you’re an angel to offer your knowledge and experience! 🙂 > > Here’s my situation–a few weeks ago I developed a small itchy spot under my hair right at the back of my neck at the hairline. No big deal, but it’s gradually gotten to where the itchiness has spread halfway up the back of my head (not near my ears). I thought it might be the neophrene strap from the BiPAP I wear at night for sleep apnea, and started going a few nights without it (and also washing the strap). > > The area is now itchy with a few whitish scabs (I know, yuck!) and often oozy. It’s driving me nuts as it’s so itchy. I’ve never had dandruff, but started using my husband’s dandruff shampoo to see it that would help–and no. > > I’d see a doc, but after being laid off last December, can’t afford to go to one. If I had a clue as to what this is, I’d just go to my pharmacist. BTW, my hairdresser, who has seen all kinds of scalp issues, says that this looks almost like poison ivy. > > Any ideas or remedies (natural ones are ok, too)? > Thank you so much for your help. Of course, IANAD, but it does sound like a fungal infection. You will probably need a prescription cream. Some say that tea tree oil works on fungus, but I’m not sure about that. ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/143 "2012-06-24T21:13:16Z")
Alice, obviously it was 5 years ago, but you answered a question about melasma. I’ve never been diagnosed with it, but I have something like it on my face, with much darker coloring along my jaw line. My doctor and dermatologist did tests several years ago and came up with nothing and suggested it was hormonal (I’m overweight and it didn’t seem to start happening until I gained a lot of weight in the last 20 years). I was given a cream in the last couple of years by another dermatologist that I think is 1% hydroquinone but it didn’t seem to really do much. On a visual level it bothers me, so I would like to at least lighten the darker parts. Would an over the counter bleaching cream with 6% hydroquinone be appropriate or too much (I’m thinking maybe of buying something like Clinicians Complex 6 Percent Skin Bleaching Cream)? Are there good laser treatments to lighten the coloring? ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/144 "2012-06-25T02:59:12Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > As for I & Ds being helpful, yes- your blackheads will be gone, until they come back. What’s an I & D? I feel like I missed something, here. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/145 "2012-06-25T03:02:22Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > What’s an I & D? I feel like I missed something, here. Incision and drainage- scalpel blade to cut a slit, then press down with another instrument to expel the contents. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/146 "2012-06-25T19:26:26Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Of course, IANAD, but it does sound like a fungal infection. You will probably need a prescription cream. Some say that tea tree oil works on fungus, but I’m not sure about that. I’ve had some good results with tea trea oil. Old-school Listerine (the nasty-tasting yellow kind) is also rumored to have antifungal properties. Obviously a Rx is probably best, but if you’re putting it off for $$$ reasons, it can’t hurt to at least try one or the other and see if you get lucky. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/147 "2012-06-25T19:37:36Z")
Well, it’s been five years, and IIRC, you’re not even in this line of work anymore, but since you’re still up to answering: do you happen to know what’s currently considered the most effective treatment for rosacea, and what are the typical expected results for that treatment? I’ve tried Metrogel in the past, and couldn’t really tell whether it was doing anything or not, so I gave up on it. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/148 "2012-06-25T20:09:08Z")
Is there a term for a specific pore on one’s face that repeatedly becomes red/inflamed/pimpled/whatever then heals completely, then starts all over? I’ve had this issue embarrassingly right in the exact middle of my forehead for years. I’ve only recently put together that it’s either the exact same pore over and over again or extraordinarily close to it, and I’ve had no problems anywhere else on my face. I’m not sure exactly what you’d call it, it’s not far from a pimple but it’s not exactly like what adolescents commonly get. It lasts a week or two from origination to completely healing. Always red, never a white or blackhead, although I don’t think I ever got those even as a teenager. What seems unique to me is that my face will completely heal, stay perfect from for anywhere from weeks to months, then the exact same spot gets the exact same problem. Any idea what that is? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/149 "2012-06-25T21:31:40Z")
> [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Well, it’s been five years, and IIRC, you’re not even in this line of work anymore, but since you’re still up to answering: do you happen to know what’s currently considered the most effective treatment for rosacea, and what are the typical expected results for that treatment? I’ve tried Metrogel in the past, and couldn’t really tell whether it was doing anything or not, so I gave up on it. I spent a couple of years out of it, but then recently moved across the country and just started at another derm office. As for rosacea- if you get pimples with it (papulopustular rosacea), then antibiotics can help. Metrogel can help deal with the inflammation and therefore redness. Most doctors will give you a list of things that make rosacea worse, such as wine, chocolate, spicy foods, and wind, and will tell you that the biggest thing you can do for that type of rosacea is just to avoid those things. For broken blood vessels caused by flushing that are now permanent, a diolite laser can work wonders. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/150 "2012-06-25T21:33:49Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > Is there a term for a specific pore on one’s face that repeatedly becomes red/inflamed/pimpled/whatever then heals completely, then starts all over? > > I’ve had this issue embarrassingly right in the exact middle of my forehead for years. I’ve only recently put together that it’s either the exact same pore over and over again or extraordinarily close to it, and I’ve had no problems anywhere else on my face. > > I’m not sure exactly what you’d call it, it’s not far from a pimple but it’s not exactly like what adolescents commonly get. It lasts a week or two from origination to completely healing. Always red, never a white or blackhead, although I don’t think I ever got those even as a teenager. > > What seems unique to me is that my face will completely heal, stay perfect from for anywhere from weeks to months, then the exact same spot gets the exact same problem. > > Any idea what that is? I would not assume that this is a pore. It sounds suspiciously like a basal cell skin cancer. They can need extensive micrographic surgery to treat, but they are not life-threatening. You should see a dermatologist for a biopsy on it. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/151 "2012-06-26T00:06:06Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I would not assume that this is a pore. It sounds suspiciously like a basal cell skin cancer. They can need extensive micrographic surgery to treat, but they are not life-threatening. You should see a dermatologist for a biopsy on it. Eek. I’m looking online and that does sound/look like what my forehead does. Thank goodness for you and for **Brissy** reviving your thread. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/152 "2012-06-26T00:50:48Z")
I’m glad I could help, although I hope that’s not what it is. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/153 "2012-06-26T18:13:39Z")
Do the wart-freezing kits really work? Or freeze + salicylic acid? I have a monster skin tag behind my knee. Suppose I sterilized scissors and snipped it off- would it really bleed that much? I’m thinking snip and wipe a styptic pencil on it. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/154 "2012-06-26T20:55:41Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Do the wart-freezing kits really work? Or freeze + salicylic acid? > > I have a monster skin tag behind my knee. Suppose I sterilized scissors and snipped it off- would it really bleed that much? I’m thinking snip and wipe a styptic pencil on it. My standard answer to questions about whether home remedies work is “I don’t know- the people who they work on don’t come into my office.”😛 They can bleed quite a bit, and people differ as to how much they bleed individually. Sustained pressure with no peeking for 10 to 20 minutes usually stops most bleeding. ---
**Author:** ![maikai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@maikai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maikai)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/155 "2012-06-27T06:41:07Z")
What is the best way to remove blackheads on your nose?I tried Biore strips and they only get out a fraction of them. I got facials before but they remove even less. I have one of those lances(?) with a metal loop on the end but that gets painful really quickly. Is there a vacuum that works well? Do dermatologists have machine that will suck everything out of my pores in one shot? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/156 "2012-06-27T14:10:34Z")
> [@maikai](#): > > What is the best way to remove blackheads on your nose?I tried Biore strips and they only get out a fraction of them. I got facials before but they remove even less. I have one of those lances(?) with a metal loop on the end but that gets painful really quickly. Is there a vacuum that works well? Do dermatologists have machine that will suck everything out of my pores in one shot? No, not really. Blackheads are removed in the office with the lance with the metal loop on the end. You might try a topical solution with salicylic acid to prevent them. ---
**Author:** ![LoonyMoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/34f0e0/32.png) [@LoonyMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoonyMoon)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/157 "2012-06-28T16:57:15Z")
Thank you!! I tried the tea tree oil and it appears to help. Going to the doc is not an option for me; no health insurance. My money is on the oil! ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486/158 "2012-06-28T17:09:27Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > An update! I visited my GP today and his reaction to my question was “Yes, duh, you have rosacea.” Well, not in those exact words. So, everybody, a general redness about the face can also be rosacea, you don’t need bumps or anything. I got a prescription for Metrogel and will be trying it over the next 6 weeks. Wish me luck! Yup, sounds like me. I was diagnosed about 10 years ago, right around the age of 30. No breakouts, just flushing and overall redness. I’ve been using Finacea for several years. The tiny visible blood vessels and diffuse redness has gradually gotten worse over the years. On the plus side, the Finacea makes my skin feel terrific. According to my dermatologist that’s because it’s doing a very mild acid peel every day. So smooth! 🙂 I just ordered some of the Eucerin Redness Relief products. Hoping they’ll help with the diffuse redness. I had laser treatments a few years ago but they didn’t appear to help. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dermatological-medical-assistant/418486.md?page=7)