The next time you’re looking for a dermatologist, look for this one important word: board-certified.
“If you don’t see that magic word, look elsewhere,” explain Drs. Rehana Ahmed MD, PhD, Nancy Leitch MD, and Kathryn Gehrig MD, of Lakes Dermatology. “Board-certification indicates three years of residency training beyond medical school and certification by the American Board of Dermatology,” says Dr. Ahmed.
“It’s easy to assume that one doctor is as good as the next however if your doctor has ‘skin training’ but is not board-certified, that’s a red-flag. There’s no such thing as a ‘skin care’ doctor trained in another field. You’re either a board-certified dermatologist or you’re not. That level of training is required to accurately diagnosis complicated skin conditions and offer effective therapies.”
And the doctors at Lakes Dermatology pride themselves on their reputation for handling those complicated dermatologic cases. "We’re a comprehensive practice," says Dr. Ahmed, "encompassing everything from cosmetic and laser therapies to general, surgical and pediatric dermatology. We diagnose and treat over 2,000 conditions of the skin, hair, and nails.” “Your skin is the visible you,” explains Dr. Gehrig. “It’s what you see and oftentimes a reflection of how you feel inside. That’s why it’s so rewarding to take patients from those challenging-to-make diagnoses to successful treatment.”