If your child still has head lice after two weeks with over-the-counter medicated products, contact your dermatologist for more effective treatment.
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As your preferred compounding pharmacy near Dallas specializing in medical dermatology treatment, our team is here to ensure that your medication needs are taken care of quickly, at the best price possible. We want you to feel cared for through every step of your treatment plan and educated about any questions or concerns regarding medical dermatology or dermatology compounding you may have.
Our dermatology pharmacy program streamlines clinical expertise and reimbursement assistance programs. Whether it’s a specific dermatology brand or generic medication, a specialty biologic drug, or even a custom compound prepared in one of our labs, our dermatology team will collaborate with your doctor to ensure you receive the most appropriate treatment. We even offer over-the-counter dermatology treatment options from top brands like L-Lysine by Thorne and Cetaphil foam wash. We will also work with your insurance company to get the prior authorizations needed to make sure the drugs are covered by your benefit plan.
Acne is the single most common skin condition in the United States. It is characterized by pimples that appear on the face, back and chest. Each year, approximately 80% of adolescents have some type of acne and around 5% of adults experience acne.
Also known as comedones, are non-inflammatory and typically show up more on the face and shoulders. As long as they do not become infected, they usually will not lead to scarring.
Inflamed pores that fill with pus. These types of blemishes can lead to scarring.
In normal, healthy skin, oil glands underneath the skin, known as sebaceous glands, form an oily substance called sebum. The sebum moves from the bottom to the top of each hair follicle and then streams out onto the surface of the skin, taking sloughed-off skin cells with it. With acne, the structure through which the sebum flows becomes blocked. This blockage traps sebum and sloughed-off cells under the skin, preventing them from being released onto the skin’s surface. When a pore’s opening is completely blocked, it will produce a whitehead. If the pore’s opening is open, it will produce blackheads. If whiteheads or blackheads become inflamed, they can turn into red pustules or papules.
It is important for patients to know not to pick or scratch at individual lesions because it can make them inflamed which can result in long-term scarring.
Treating acne is a fairly slow process and there is no quick remedy. Here are some treatments:
Birthmarks are abnormal skin colorations in spots that often present at birth or appear shortly thereafter. They can be flat or slightly raised from the skin. They come in a variety of colors, such as red, brown, black, tan, pink, white or purple. Birthmarks are usually harmless. There are two major categories of birthmarks:
Pigmented Birthmarks can grow just about anywhere on the skin and at virtually any time. They are typically black, brown or skin-colored and appear singly or in groups. They can be moles (congenital nevi) that are present at birth, Mongolian spots, which resemble bluish bruises and show up more frequently on people with dark skin, or café-au-lait spots which are flat, light brown or tan and more or less form an oval shape.
Red Birthmarks (also known as macular stains) develop before or soon after birth and are related to the vascular (blood vessel) system. There are several different types:
A blister is a soft area of skin filled with a clear fluid. Blisters may form in response to an irritant. Frequently, the blister is caused from friction, such as a coarse fabric rubbing repeatedly against a person’s skin. In other cases, blisters form in response to a chemical or allergic irritant, which is known as contact dermatitis. Some oral and topical drugs may cause blisters to appear. Blisters can also be symptomatic of bacterial or viral skin infections, such as cold sores, chicken pox, shingles, impetigo or ringworm. Lastly, blisters occur when the skin is exposed to a flame, comes in contact with a hot surface or is overexposed to the sun.
Most blisters do not require medical attention. The most important information to remember is never to pop or break open a blister. A blister acts as a protective covering for damaged skin and helps prevent infection. If a blister does open on its own, be sure to leave the covering in place to support further healing. Simply wash the area gently with mild soap and water, pat it dry and apply an antibacterial ointment. Cover the blister with bandage to keep it clean. Replace the dressing at least once a day. Watch for signs of infection, such as a white or yellow pus coming from the blister, redness or red streaks around the blister or an increase in skin temperature around the blister.
To avoid blisters, you need to eliminate the irritant. Some simple ways to avoid blisters are to avoid tight clothing, make sure socks and shoes fit properly, and when doing heavy work with your hands, wear work gloves.
Eczema is a general term used to describe an inflammation of the skin. Eczema is a series of chronic skin conditions that produce:
It can be located anywhere on the body, but most frequently appears in the creases on the face, arms and legs. Itchiness is the key characteristic and symptom of eczema. When scratched, the lesions may begin to ooze and get crusted. Over time, painful cracks in the scaly, leathery tissue can form.
Eczema affects people of all races, genders and ages. It is believed to be hereditary and is not contagious. The cause of eczema remains unknown, but it usually has physical, environmental or lifestyle triggers. Coming into contact with a trigger, such as wind or an allergy-producing fabric, launches the rash and inflammation. Although it is possible to get eczema only once, the majority of cases are chronic and are characterized by intermittent flare-ups throughout a person’s life.
For mild cases, over-the-counter topical creams and antihistamines can relieve the itching. In persistent cases, a dermatologist will likely prescribe stronger medicine, such as steroid creams, oral steroids (corticosteroids), antibiotic pills or antifungal creams to treat any potential infection.
The best form of prevention is to identify and remove the trigger. You should also use mild cleansers and always keep your skin well moisturized. Also avoid scratching the rash (which can lead to infection) and situations that make you sweat, such as strenuous exercise.
Eczema takes on different forms depending on the nature of the trigger and the location of the rash. While they all share some common symptoms like itchiness there are differences. Following are some of the most common types of eczema:
The most frequent form of eczema, atopic dermatitis is thought to be caused by abnormal functioning of the body’s immune system. It is characterized by itchy, inflamed skin. Atopic dermatitis tends to run in families. About two-thirds of the people who develop this form of eczema do so before the age of one. Atopic dermatitis generally flares up and recedes intermittently throughout the patient’s life.
Contact dermatitis is caused when the skin comes into contact with an allergy-producing agent or an irritant, such as chemicals. Finding the triggering allergen is important to treatment and prevention. Allergens can be things like laundry detergent, cosmetics, jewelry, fabrics, perfume, diapers and poison ivy or poison sumac.
This type of eczema strikes the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It produces clear, deep blisters that itch and burn. Dyshidrotic dermatitis occurs most frequently during the summer months and in warm climates.
Also known as Lichen Simplex Chronicus, this is a chronic skin inflammation caused by a continuous cycle of scratching and itching in response to a localized itch, like a mosquito bite. It creates scaly patches of skin, most commonly on the head, lower legs, wrists or forearms. Over time, the skin may become thickened and leathery.
This form of eczema appears as round patches of irritated skin that may be crusted, scaly and extremely itchy. Nummular dermatitis most frequently appears on the arms, back, buttocks and lower legs, and is usually a chronic condition.
Seborrheic dermatitis is a common condition that causes yellowish, oily and scaly patches on the scalp, face or other body parts. Dandruff in adults, and cradle cap in infants, are both forms of seborrheic dermatitis. Unlike other types of eczema, seborrheic dermatitis does not necessarily itch. It tends to run in families. Known triggers include weather, oily skin, emotional stress and infrequent shampooing.
Also known as varicose eczema, this type of eczema is a skin irritation that appears on the lower legs of middle-aged and elderly people. It is related to circulation and vein problems. Common symptoms include itching and reddish-brown discoloration of the skin on one or both legs. As the condition progresses, it can lead to blistering, oozing and skin lesions.
Head lice are small parasitic insects that thrive in human hair by feeding on tiny amounts of blood from the scalp. An estimated 6 to 12 million infestations occur in the U.S. annually. It is especially common among pre-school and elementary school children. Head lice do not transmit any diseases, but they are very contagious and can be very itchy. They are characterized by the combination of small red bumps and tiny white specks (also known as eggs or nits) on the bottom of hair closest to the skin (less than a quarter-inch from the scalp).
Head lice are visible to the naked eye. The eggs look like yellow, tan or brown dots on a hair. Live lice can also be seen crawling on the scalp. When eggs hatch, they become nymphs (baby lice). Nymphs grow to adult lice within one or two weeks of hatching. An adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed. Lice feed on blood from the scalp several times a day. It is also possible for them to survive up to two days off of the scalp.
To determine if your child has head lice, part the child’s hair and look for nits or lice, particularly around the ears and nape of the neck. If one member of your family is diagnosed with head lice, you will also need to check on every member of the same household.
Medicated lice treatments include shampoos, cream rinses and lotions that kill the lice. Most of these are over-the-counter, but prescription drugs are available for more severe cases. It is important to use these medications exactly as instructed and for the full course of treatment to eliminate the lice. Do not use a cream rinse, conditioner or combined shampoo and conditioner on your hair before a lice treatment. You also should not shampoo for one or two days following the application of a treatment. After applying the medicated treatment, use a special comb to comb out any nits on the scalp. Repeat the entire treatment seven to ten days after the initial treatment to take care of any newly hatched lice. It is important to note that you should not treat a person more than three times with any individual lice medication.
To eliminate the lice, you will also have to:
If your child still has head lice after two weeks with over-the-counter medicated products, contact your dermatologist for more effective treatment.
Considered a severe form of acne, hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic skin inflammation that often occurs deep in the skin in areas of the body with sweat glands, such as the groin or armpits. It is characterized by a combination of blackheads and red lesions that break open and drain pus, which can cause itching or sweating. As the red bumps grow in size, they may also become more painful.
Hidradenitis suppurativa occurs when oil glands and hair follicles become blocked with sweat gland fluid, dead skin cells and other elements found in hair follicles. These substances become trapped and push out into the surrounding tissue. A break or cut of the skin then permits bacteria to enter the area and cause the inflammation.
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition. If it’s a mild case, home remedies can work well, such as warm compresses and regular washing with antibacterial soap. In more the difficult cases, a topical or oral antibiotic medication might be needed to treat the infection. Your Dermatologist may also prescribe oral retinoids to stop oil glands from plugging up the hair follicle, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain and swelling as well as corticosteroids.
Hives are characterized as itchy red, raised welts (also known as wheals) on the skin’s surface that can spread or join together and form larger areas of raised lesions. Typically they are triggered by exposure to an allergen or chemical irritant. They usually appear suddenly and will often disappear equally as suddenly.
Hives are usually an allergic reaction to food, medicine or animals. They can also be triggered by sun exposure, stress, excessive perspiration or other, more serious diseases, such as lupus. Anyone can get hives. They are harmless and not contagious. Hives can itch, burn or sting. The good news is that they rarely need medical attention as usually disappear on their own. However, in persistent cases, your dermatologist may prescribe antihistamines or oral corticosteroids. The most effective way to prevent hives is to discontinue exposure to the allergen that is causing the irritation.
Hives lasting more than six weeks are known as chronic urticaria. However, if there is swelling below the surface of the skin, they are known as angioedema. There are no known causes of angioedema, but it can affect internal organs.
Keratosis pilaris is also known as follicular keratosis. It is a hereditary skin disorder that causes lesions that resemble goosebumps on the back of the arms, thighs or buttocks. The patches of bumps tend to get dry and itchy, especially during the winter months. Keratosis pilaris can occur at any age. Since it is hereditary, there is no way to prevent it. In some cases it will go away on its own over time. In other cases, the condition is can become chronic. However, Keratosis pilaris is not harmful, but it is very difficult to treat.
Keratosis pilaris is caused by a build-up of keratin, a protein in the skin that protects it from infection. Keratin plugs up hair follicles causing the rough, bumpy rash.
Treatment options include various prescriptions for:
To help reduce symptoms, make sure to keep the affected area moistened at all times and avoid harsh soaps.
Lichen simplex chronicus is also known as neurodermatitis or scratch dermatitis. This condition is caused by a chronic combination of scratching and itching an area of skin that becomes rough or leathery. Even though it is not dangerous, Lichen Simplex Chronicus can be a challenging cycle to break because of the severity of the itchiness. It can occur anywhere on the skin, but is most commonly found on the ankles, neck, wrist, forearms, thighs, lower leg, behind the knee or on the inner elbow. It may also be affiliated with other skin conditions such as dry skin, eczema or psoriasis.
Lichen Simplex Chronicus occurs more frequently among women than men and generally appears in people between the ages of 30 and 50. If you are having trouble breaking a scratch and itch cycle somewhere on your skin or if the skin becomes painful, contact your dermatologist. Persistent scratching can lead to a bacterial infection. The doctor can prescribe oral corticosteroids and antihistamines to reduce the inflammation and relieve the itching. Anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medications can provide relief to sufferers in some cases. If scratching does lead to an infection, your dermatologist will likely prescribe an oral or topical antibiotic.
Some patients get relief from the itching by applying a moisturizing lotion and covering the area with a wet dressing. Moisture helps the skin absorb the lotion. Peeling ointments containing salycylic acid may also be recommended to soften rough skin.
There are hundreds of different kinds of Lumps, Bumps and Cysts associated with the skin. The good news is that the vast majority of these are harmless and painless. The below list provides a guide for some of the most common forms of skin lumps, bumps and cysts.
Pruritus refers to the sensation of itching on the skin. It is caused by a wide range of skin conditions including:
While anyone can experience pruritus, it is generally seen more among the elderly, diabetics, people with suppressed immune systems and those with seasonal allergies, like hay fever or eczema. There is also a type of pruritus, called PUPPP (Pruritic Uticarial Papules & Plaques of Pregnancy) that affects pregnant women.
Treatment for pruritus depends on determining the underlying cause. Your dermatologist will examine the itchy area and may make a small scrape on any rash to collect tissue for diagnostic testing. Typical treatment involves topical and/or oral steroids and antihistamines to help relieve the itch. To avoid pruritus, make sure to follow healthy skin care procedures.
Psoriasis is a skin condition that creates red patches of skin with white, flaky scales. It generally occurs on the elbows, knees and trunk, but can appear anywhere on the body. The first episode usually strikes between the ages of 15 and 35. It is a chronic condition that will typically cycle through flare-ups and remissions throughout the patient’s entire life. Psoriasis affects as many as 7.5 million people in the United States. About 20,000 children under the age of 10 have been diagnosed with psoriasis.
In normal skin, skin cells live for approximately 28 days and then are shed from the outermost layer of the skin. With psoriasis, the immune system sends a faulty signal which speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells. Skin cells mature in a matter of 3 to 6 days. The pace is so rapid that the body is unable to shed the dead cells. This causes patches of raised red skin covered by scaly, white flakes to form on the skin.
Psoriasis is a genetic disease (it runs in families), but is not contagious. There is no known cure or method of prevention. Treatments are designed to minimize the symptoms and speed healing.
Psoriasis is classified as Mild to Moderate when it covers 3% to 10% of the body and Moderate to Severe when it covers more than 10% of the body. The severity of the disease impacts the choice of treatments.
People who have psoriasis are at greater risk for contracting other health problems, such as heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease and diabetes. It has also been linked to a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, depression, obesity and other immune-related conditions.
Psoriasis triggers are unique to each person. Some common triggers include stress, injury to the skin, medication allergies, diet and weather.
Mild to moderate psoriasis can generally be treated at home using a combination of three key strategies: over-the-counter medications, prescription topical treatments and light therapy/phototherapy.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved of two active ingredients for the treatment of psoriasis:
Prescription topical treatments focus on slowing down the growth of skin cells and reducing any inflammation. They include:
Controlled exposure of skin to ultraviolet light has been a successful treatment for some forms of psoriasis. Three primary light sources are used:
Treatments for moderate to severe psoriasis include prescription medications, biologics and light therapy/phototherapy.
Oral medications: This includes acitretin, cyclosporine and methotrexate. Your doctor will recommend the best oral medication based on the location, type and severity of your condition.
Biologics: A new classification of injectable drugs, biologics are designed to suppress the immune system. These tend to be very expensive and have many side effects, so they are generally reserved for the most severe cases.
Light Therapy/Phototherapy: Controlled exposure of skin to ultraviolet light has been a successful treatment for some forms of psoriasis. Two primary light sources are used:
Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that causes facial redness, acne-like pimples, visible small blood vessels on the face, swelling and/or watery, irritated eyes. This inflammation of the face can affect the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead or eyelids. More than 14 million Americans suffer from rosacea. It is not contagious, but there is a small amount of evidence suggesting it is inherited. There is no known cause or cure for rosacea. There is also no link between rosacea and cancer.
Rosacea generally begins after age 30 and goes through cycles of flare-ups and remissions. Over time, it gets ruddier in color and small blood vessels (like spider veins) may develop on the face. If left untreated, bumps and pimples may form, the end of the nose may become swollen, red and bulbous and eyes may water or become irritated.
Rosacea occurs most often among people with fair skin who tend to blush or flush easily. It occurs more often among women than men, but men tend to suffer from more severe symptoms. Most patients experience multiple symptoms at varying levels of severity.
These symptoms may also appear on the neck, chest, scalp and ears.
While there is no cure for Rosacea and each case is unique, your doctor will most likely prescribe oral antibiotics and topical medications to reduce the severity of the symptoms. When the condition goes into remission, only topical treatments may be necessary. In more severe cases, a vascular laser, intense pulsed light source or other medical device may be used to remove any visible blood vessels and reduce excess redness and bumpiness on the nose.
To help reduce the incidence of flare-ups, it is recommended to use a gentle daily skin care routine that includes the use of:
Additionally, individuals with rosacea need to protect themselves from sun exposure by using sunscreens with SPF 15 or higher and sunblocks that eliminate UVA and UVB rays. Patients are also encouraged to keep a record of flare-ups to try and determine the lifestyle and environmental triggers that aggravate the condition.
Approximately 300,000 people in the United States suffer from scleroderma. This chronic connective tissue disease results from an over-production of collagen in the skin and other organs. Scleroderma generally appears in people between the ages of 25 and 55. Women get scleroderma more frequently than men. The disease worsens slowly over time.
There are two types of scleroderma:
Typical symptoms of the skin include skin hardening, skin that is abnormally dark or light, skin thickening, shiny hands and forearms, small white lumps beneath the skin’s surface, tight facial skin, ulcerations on the fingers or toes and change in color of the fingers and toes from exposure to heat or cold. Other symptoms impact bones, muscles, lungs and the digestive tract.
There is no known cause of scleroderma and there is no cure. However, there are individualized treatment plans designed to help alleviate certain symptoms and decrease the activity of the immune system to further slow down the disease.
Vitiligo is skin condition that refers to the development of white patches anywhere on the skin. With this condition, pigment-forming cells (known as melanocytes) are destroyed by the immune system. This causes the loss of pigmentation in the skin. Vitiligo typically develops between the ages of 10 and 40. It affects both men and women and appears to be hereditary.
Vitiligo usually affects areas of skin that have been exposed to sun. It also appears in body folds, near moles or at the site of a previous skin injury. The condition is permanent and there is no known cure or prevention. However, there are a few treatments that can be used to improve the appearance of the skin, such as steroid creams and ultraviolet light therapy.
We’re a trusted compounding pharmacy near Dallas, with locations in Wylie, Frisco, and McKinney, Texas, serving patients with a wide range of medical dermatology needs. Our patients trust us to oversee providing care and handling prescriptions related to their personal needs such as acne treatment, rosacea treatment, psoriasis treatment, eczema treatment, and more. And our partnerships with manufacturers and wholesalers enable us to obtain the best medical dermatology medication prices for our patients. We’re committed to delivering top-quality service with a personal, compassionate touch while making sure all patients’ needs are met with as little stress as possible.