Associates in Dermatology

Hampton Roads Virginia Dermatologist since 1970

PHONE: (757) 838-8030

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Black Friday – 12 Days of Christmas Specials

Dermatologist Blog, Events

In the spirit of Black Friday, take advantage of 12 Days of Christmas with 12 special days of savings!.

Don’t wait for December 25th  to celebrate the holidays and save.  During the month of December, take advantage of unique specials each day from Associates in Dermatology.  You can enjoy just one daily special or take advantage of the them all!  Since planning ahead is always a good thing, we’ve mapped out the specials for each of the 12 Days in December.

Be sure to schedule your appointment EARLY.

12 Days of Christmas Specials

Celebrating NPs and PAs

Dermatologist Blog

Our PA and NPFall brings national celebrating of NPs and PAs designed to show our appreciation for our Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants.  But what do NPs and PAs do?

Nurse Practitioners (NPs)

Nurse Practitioners blend clinical expertise in diagnosing and treating health conditions with an added emphasis on disease prevention and health management.   Dermatology is one of the more specialized areas of nurse practitioner work. A dermatology nurse practitioner specializes in treating all types of disease and medical issues that manifest on the surface of the skin. These conditions can vary from acne to skin cancer and everything in between.

Did you know …

  • Over 870 million visits made to NPs each year and patients report an extremely high level of satisfaction with the care they receive.
  • NPs have master’s degrees, and many have doctoral degrees, as well as advanced education and clinical training.
  • NPs  have demonstrated over 5 decades of improving patient access and quality care.

Physicians Assistant (PAs)

Physicians Assistants complement the work of their supervising physicians and make the practice of dermatology more responsive to the needs of patients and dermatologists.  PAs in dermatology play a number of varied and vital roles, refl ecting many facets of the fi eld. From providing patient care and education to undertaking treatment of chronic skin conditions and cosmetic procedures, PAs are skilled and flexible members of the medical team.

Did you know …

  • America’s more than 108,500 certified PAs are a powerful force for better health for millions of patients across the country.
  • A PA is a nationally certified and state-licensed medical professional.
  • PAs must take a test in general medicine in order to be licensed and certified. They must graduate from an accredited PA program and pass a certification exam. Like physicians and NPs, PAs must complete extensive continuing medical education throughout their careers.

Some of things our NP and PA do at Associates in Dermatology

  • Prescribing medications and other treatments.
  • Managing patients’ overall care.
  • Counseling.
  • Educating patients on disease prevention and positive health and lifestyle choices.

Join us in celebrating NPs and PAs at Associates in Dermatology!

 

 

 

What is a Medical Assistant?

Dermatologist Blog

You know the old adage: “Behind every great man is a great woman.”  In a dermatology office, it’s more like, “behind every great doctor is a team of great medical assistants.”

To provide the best of care from the time you step foot into the Associates in Dermatology until you leave our office, our Medical Assistants are with you all along the way.  They help to make your care and visit to Associates in Dermatology as smooth and uncomplicated as possible.

What does an MA do?

  1. Show you to your examination room and help get you settled
  2. Talk with you about the reason for your visit and your medical history
  3. Help to update your medical record
  4. Assist Doctor, Physician Assistant, or Nurse Practitioner during your exam and any needed procedures.
  5. Provide educational materials related to your visit as instructed by your provider.
  6. Help to ensure that all prescriptions needed are sent to your pharmacy before you leave our office.
  7. Conclude your appointment by providing you with a clinical summary of your visit and showing you to our check out area to make your follow up appointment.

Medical Assistants Recognition WeekMedical assistants are trained in both clinical and administrative work. This multidimensional skill set is unique to medical assistants, and sets them apart from other healthcare professionals.  Medical assistants are instrumental in helping our patients feel at ease in the dermatologist’s office.

Every year during the third week of October, we celebrate and recognize our Medical Assistants (or MAs for short). Their continuing devotion and support of our patients helps us take the best care of our patients.

Help us celebrate them this week!

Treat Yourself This Fall

Dermatologist Blog, Latest Technology

Treat yourself this fall

Summer is waning at last  and bringing forth cooler days and nights.  Before all the holiday festivities begin in November and December, now is the perfect time to take some time for YOU!

Ultherapy Eye Treatment is a non-surgical lifting procedure that uses tried-and-true ultrasound technology to stimulate collagen production deep within your skin, providing a lift from the inside out.

Lastisse is help for thinning eyelashes.  You don’t have to live with thinned lashes.  The lashes grow gradually over time with some people beginning to see longer lashes in about four weeks, with full growth at 16 weeks.

Pumpkin Facial is full of enzymes which naturally exfoliate dead skin cells and it also has beta carotene and Vitamin A which are soothing to skin.  Revive your complexion with this seasonal facial treatment.

Vote Today for Your Favorite Dermatologist on the Peninsula

Dermatologist Blog, Events

Vote Today for Your Favorite Dermatologist

Your help is needed!  Tell everyone on the Peninsula who you would select as your favorite Dermatologist. Vote today.

You only get ONE vote for the Peninsula and Dermatology.  Stand up, click and be counted!  Thank you for doing your part!

How to vote before October 2, 2016

  • To vote, click on the VOTE button below.
  • It will take you directly to the Daily Press Choice award Peninsula page.
  • Scroll down to Wellness and select Associates in Dermatology.
  • Don’t forget to click on SUBMIT at the bottom of the page to get your vote tallied.

vote-button

 

2016 Top Docs Award from Coastal Virginia Magazine

Dermatologist Blog, Events

2016 Top Docs Award - Dr. Leslie CokerWe’re excited to announce that our very own, Dr. Leslie Coker, has been selected by a survey of her peers for the 2016 Top Docs Award from Coastal Virginia Magazine.

According to Coastal Virginia Magazine,  this

“survey was administered by a third party, Data Joe Research Company, which specializes in peer-to-peer surveys. More than 4,000 doctors in the Coastal Virginia area were given the opportunity to vote for area doctors within all specialties from March through mid-April 2016. The results were tabulated to determine Coastal Virginia Magazine’s 2016 Top Docs results.”

Dr. Coker works diligently to care for and help her patients at Associates in Dermatology.  It’s rewarding to see other doctors have taken notice, too.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the October 2016 issue of Coastal Virginia Magazine to review all the area doctors.  More than 53 specialties are featured in the issue.  The list provides a great reference if you require a specific type of doctor.

Dr. Coker will be attending the award ceremony in September and celebrating with her fellow 2016 Top Docs Awardees.

If you’d like to learn more, check out the 2016 Top Docs on the Coastal Virginia Magazine website.

Coaslal Virginia Magazine's 2016 Top Doc Awards September Issue

Pale Skin Is In

Dermatologist Blog, Skin Care Answers

Pale Skin Is InA good sun tan is the first sign of skin cancer – what you need to know about protecting yourself

For those of us living in Coastal Virginia, summer signifies fun in the sun. It’s a wonderful time, but it also means we all need to be extra aware of the risk of skin cancer. Dr. William Coker of Associates in Dermatology in Hampton recently answered some important questions about the disease.

Dr. William L. CokerQ. What are the biggest misconceptions people have about skin cancer?
A. They think it’s never going to happen to them – it’s going to happen to someone else. If they wait until they have symptoms, usually whatever cancer they have is pretty advanced. People think if it’s not hurting, it’s not a problem. Lots of times people practice denial rather than good sense.

Q. How can a dermatologist identify cancer that a patient wouldn’t know he/she had?
A. It’s a matter of experience. Cancers don’t always look like they do in the books or the newspaper articles. There can be very subtitle changes. Some cancers grow very slowly. People don’t notice. I’ve found things the size of a quarter on people’s face and they never knew they had it.

Q. What are the best things people can do to protect themselves from skin cancer?
A. Minimize sun exposure. The less sun the better. There’s a saying that a good suntan is the first sign of skin cancer.

Q. What are the best sunscreens?
A. Here’s my stock answer: one you use. If some research comes out and says this is the greatest sunscreen in the world but it smells funny and doesn’t feel right, you won’t use it. Use a high number SPF, and us it frequently. Sunscreens are good in that they minimize sun damage and prevent a lot of skin cancer. But they give people a false sense of security. People think they can lie in the sun all day long and won’t get burned or get skin cancer. A good roof is your best sunscreen.

Q. When should you have a baseline skin check?
A. In your early 20s but earlier than that if you have a lot of moles or have had a lots of sunburns.

Q. Explain the three types of skin cancer.
A. If you have to get a skin cancer, get a basal cell carcinoma. It’s relatively easy to treat and doesn’t usually spread. Squamous cell carcinomas are more serious, especially if they occur on an old burn scar, on lips or other membranes. They’re more apt to spread if they occur in those locations. Melanoma is the most serious type. It’s the most likely to spread.

Q. What’s the youngest patient you’ve treated for skin cancer?
A. I saw a 15-year-old with a basal cell carcinoma on her nose. You can get skin cancers at any age. Melanomas also can pop up in areas that don’t get sun exposure.

Q. Describe the treatments for skin cancer.
A. Basal cell skin cancers that are caught fairly early and aren’t on potentially disfiguring areas can be treated with curettage – a scraping procedure. That’s very successful, especially for patients with small basal cell carcinomas on the back, chest, arms and legs. For larger cancers, we may need to do an incision. For larger cancers, especially on the face, we can so Mohs surgery, where the cancer is removed on layer at a time and immediately examined to see if all cancerous cells are gone.

Q. Are skin cancer cases increasing?
A. Yes. Some studies show a 200 percent increase in the rate of melanomas since 1973. We’ve had a burst of them in the last couple of weeks, maybe 15 or so. It’s partly because we’re looking for them harder. Technology helps us to diagnose them at an earlier stage. Before, they may not have been diagnosed as early. All that being said, the incidence of melanoma is increasing.

Q. Is there any good news related to skin cancer?
A. Forty-five years ago, when I started practicing, a melanoma was almost a death warrant. Some people had waited to come in until they had what looked like a big, black grape growing on them. That was bad. Now, we find them earlier. We have a 98 percent cure rate if found in the early stages. The more advanced the melanoma, the more the cure rate drops off.

Q. Any final words?
A. If you have any questions or concerns about your skin, talk to your primary care physician, or see a dermatologist.

Article Featured in the Health section of Coastal Virginia Magazine, July 2016