Dermatology Programs & Services
Our Dermatology Services
The Department of Dermatology at BIDMC offers a variety of treatment services for all types of skin conditions.
There are many types of benign (non-cancerous) skin conditions that may cause you discomfort and/or displeasure with the appearance of your skin and significantly reduce your quality of life. If left untreated, they can also lead to serious medical complications. We will diagnose, treat, and manage your concerns with your overall health in mind. Our goal is to get you feeling and looking well.
If you have a suspicious mole or lesion, our dermatologists are specially trained in skin cancer diagnosis and treatment. We work collaboratively with our colleagues in the Cancer Center at BIDMC to deliver multidisciplinary care for melanoma and other skin cancers. We also offer cutting-edge clinical trials that may be helpful in treating advanced cancers.
The Dermatology Surgery Unit focuses on surgical treatment of skin cancers. Our unit is located in one of the major teaching hospitals of Harvard Medical School.
Our physicians and supporting personnel are highly trained and focused on providing you with the highest quality care possible. We are able to leverage the considerable resources of our academic medical center in the treatment of your surgical needs. Your care is our first priority.
The Asian Skin Clinic specializes in diagnosing and treating medical and cosmetic skin conditions commonly found or unique in Asian patients. Our program is led by a physician who received training in both the United States and Asia. She continues to collaborate with colleagues and experts in Asia regarding research and new treatments.
At BIDMC's Atopic Dermatitis Specialty Clinic, we diagnose and treat patients with severe atopic dermatitis and related conditions, often requiring multidisciplinary care and systemic therapies. Our comprehensive evaluations include an assessment of a patient’s history of eczema and allergy, a review of prior therapies and clinical response, and a discussion of patient and family perspectives on disease burden and quality of life.
We use shared decision-making to create a customized treatment plan that is tailored to your disease severity and goals of care, and offer the latest in topicals, orals and biologic medications available to treat atopic dermatitis. As a Center of Excellence, we also perform clinical research and industry-sponsored clinical trials, some of which may be relevant to your condition(s). If you are interested in any of our research studies, we would be happy to discuss this with you at your next visit.
Conditions we treat include:
- Atopic dermatitis
- Prurigo nodularis
- Rash/pruritus of immunosenescence
- Allergic/irritant contact dermatitis
The Complex Medical Dermatology Clinic focuses on rare and/or nuanced dermatologic diseases that require advanced systemic therapies. The clinic is run by Dr. Katherine Brag who completed a fellowship in complex medical dermatology after residency.
We manage a variety of conditions, including (but not limited to):
- Autoimmune blistering diseases (pemphigus vulgaris, pemphigus foliaceus, bullous pemphigoid, cicatricial pemphigoid)
- Severe psoriasis
- Immunotherapy rashes
- Cutaneous lymphoma
- Dermatomyositis
- Sarcoidosis
- Neutrophilic dermatoses (pyoderma gangrenosum, Sweet Syndrome)
Currently, the clinic is held every other Thursday morning at our Chestnut Hill location, and every other Friday morning at the Shapiro Clinical Center in Boston. Starting July 1, 2023, the clinic will be held every Friday morning in the Shapiro Clinical Center.
The Contact Dermatitis Clinic is a referral-based specialty clinic that performs customized extended patch testing, a non-invasive method of determining if a patient is allergic to a broad range of possible allergens which may come into contact with the skin. These allergens include chemicals, fragrances, and preservatives in commonly used personal care products and those potentially related to occupational exposure.
Once allergens are identified, patients are provided with information about their specific allergies and a personalized list of products that can be used safely. Most patients are referred to us by primary care physicians, allergists, or dermatologists from within and outside the BIDMC network.
At the Cosmetic and Laser Center, we aim to help you look your best. Whether you are looking for a complete makeover or focused refinement, confidential consultation visits are available with one of our highly skilled and trained physicians to help you achieve your personal goals.
Cosmetic consultations assess the needs of each individual patient and we offer botulinum toxin or filler injections, laser hair removal, vascular laser, laser for pigmentation and sunspots, laser for scars and rejuvenation, radiofrequency microneedling, plasma-rich platelet injections (PRP), microdermabrasion, chemical peels, sclerotherapy, and cosmetic removal of benign skin growth.
The GI-Derm Clinic receives direct referrals from our Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center at BIDMC as well as referrals from local and regional physicians and medical practices. We offer our expertise for all GI patients with concomitant dermatologic diseases. Particularly, we specialize in managing patients who develop cutaneous manifestations of their IBD and/or secondary to biologic therapies.
The Clinic is also actively engaged in research and innovation, including exploration of the role of the gut microbiome in the pathogeneses of skin diseases.
This subspecialty clinic is held during three half-day sessions per week at the BIDMC Shapiro Clinic and one half-day session per week in the BIDMC Dermatology Chestnut Hill office.
Our team consists of dermatologists who are considered international experts in their field as well as dedicated nursing and pharmacy staff. The dermatology team also coordinates with gastroenterology, rheumatology, plastic surgery, OB/GYN, pain management, physical therapy, and other specialists to provide comprehensive care.
Patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), psoriasis, pyoderma gangrenosum, other neutrophilic dermatoses, autoimmune, and connective tissue diseases are cared for with multiple treatments, including biologic and systemic immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory therapies.
The Lupus and Autoimmune Skin Disease Clinic focuses on treating patients with lupus manifesting in the skin as well as patients with other skin diseases that are autoimmune in nature, in which the body’s immune system is attacking the skin and contributes to the skin condition. Patients are often seen in the Rheumatology Clinic for systemic autoimmune disorders and are referred for skin manifestations of their condition, but the Clinic also treats patients in which the autoimmune condition is limited to the skin. The Clinic is held on the first Thursday of each month from 1–4 pm on the second floor of the Shapiro Building.
The Department of Dermatology has participated in the Melanoma and Cutaneous Oncology Program (COP) since its inception in 1998. This weekly interdisciplinary clinic, located on the oncology floor at BIDMC Shapiro Clinical Center, brings together Dermatology, Oncology & Hematology (melanoma, cutaneous T cell lymphoma, B-cell lymphomas, other cancers arising in the skin), Oncology Surgery (sentinel lymph node expertise), ENT (SLN expertise), Radiation Oncology, and Dermatopathology to take care of patients with the most complicated cutaneous oncology conditions.
Diagnoses include metastatic melanoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, skin and soft tissue sarcomas, Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma, and Merkel Cell Carcinoma. The program also includes management of dermatologic adverse events from immunotherapy.
Established in 1975, the Phototherapy Unit at BIDMC was one of the first of its kind nationally. The Unit has treated thousands of patients and provided valuable data to determine the safety and efficacy of broad band ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, psoralen ultraviolent A radiation (PUVA), and narrow band ultraviolent B (NUVB) radiation in the UVB and PUVA multi-center cohort studies and related publications.
The Unit treats patients with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and other less common dermatologic inflammatory conditions.
As a more recent addition to light-based therapy armamentarium, the Unit also offers blue light photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of actinic keratoses and acne. This “field-treatment” for precancerous UV-induced skin changes combines a topical photosensitizing porphyrin solution with visible blue light to broadly treat the skin to prevent future development of squamous cell carcinoma.
Another addition is the XTRAC Laser, which produces a monochromatic wavelength (308nm) of ultraviolet light known to be effective and safe for treating many skin disorders, including psoriasis.
The Pigmented Lesion Clinic is a weekly, tertiary-care clinic that provides initial evaluation and follow-up screening exams for patients who are at high risk for melanoma. Patients generally have a personal history of melanoma, strong family history of melanoma, or a large number of atypical moles. Regional photographs and dermoscopy are used to monitor atypical lesions and identify new lesions over time.
Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) have special needs when it comes to their skin and hair. PCOS is a common endocrine condition that can cause several hormone-related issues, including excessive hair growth (hirsutism), thinning hair or hair loss from the head, and acne. Patients that come to the PCOS Clinic will first be evaluated by an endocrinologist, and then will be conveniently referred to one of our dermatologists for any desired medical and/or cosmetic treatment for the skin and hair.
People of color have unique skin, hair, and nail care needs. Our dermatologists recognize that not all skin and hair is the same and are specially trained to diagnose and treat conditions like melasma, dark spots, keloids, vitiligo, acne, eczema, hair loss, and razor bumps. We’ll work closely with you to determine which treatments and regimens meet your personalized needs.
The Transplant Dermatology Multidisciplinary Clinic provides expert care to treat and prevent skin cancers that may occur after an organ transplant in the setting of chronic immunosuppression.