general dermatology Blog
Please feel free to use the blog below to share information about the subject, or to ask Dr. Ringpfeil a question that might be of interest to others.
Philadelphia | Main Line | Pennsylvania - Dermatology | Cosmetic Surgery | Laser Surgery
Uncompromised quality through
Unmatched experience | Focus on patient satisfaction | Advanced technology
Unmatched experience | Focus on patient satisfaction | Advanced technology
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| We are located on Main Line PA. We serve Philadelphia PA, Wynnewood PA, Bryn Mawr PA, Haverford PA, Ardmore PA, Gladwyne PA, Havertown PA, Vilanova PA, Bala Cynwyd PA, Narberth PA, Havertown PA, Wayne PA, Vilanova PA, Rosmont PA, Davon PA, Radnor PA, and the rest of the Delaware Valley. |
General Dermatology
Philadelphia, Lower Merion, and Main Line residents do not have to travel far anymore to get world class dermatological and skin care. Dr. Franziska Ringpfeil, a leading dermatologist who trained, practiced, and taught dermatology at top medical and dermatology centers in both Europe and the US is now offering her expertise in a private distinctive setting on the main line.
While teaching dermatology at university hospitals in Germany and the US, Dr. Ringpfeil treated the most difficult skin conditions. In fact, a number of our patients are referred to us from dermatologists in the greater Philadelphia area who rely on Dr. Ringpfeil's expertise.
Dr. Ringpfeil's experience, the highly qualified staff, the state of the art facility, and the quality time we allocate to each of our patients enable us to provide the best skin care and best dermatological care you deserve.
| Next available appointment |
| for a new patient |
| Wed - 10/13/2010 - 9:40 AM |
| Book it |
| or, call us 610.525.5250 |
| Patient comments (source: Patient Satisfaction Report) | |
| 2010-07-29 10:47:49 | Everything about my experience with your practice was excellent - from the moment the phone was answered to make my appointment to the completion of my initial consult. I am certain it will continue this way. Thank You! |
| 2010-07-06 10:19:48 | Very personable, friendly environment, extremely thorough |
| 2010-05-27 15:20:16 | I found everyone to be exceptionally friendly and helpful. The Dr. is exceptional and I am greatly impressed by her professionalism and expertise. I am so glad I saw her. Thank You!! |
I got Dr. Ringpfeil’s name from the Hailey-Hailey disease yahoo group. Is she experienced in the care of HHD patients?
I have special qualifications in genetic disorders of skin and connective tissue. I have performed extensive research in a number of rare genetic skin diseases including Hailey-Hailey disease, Darier disease, pseudoxanthoma elasticum and cutis laxa. Through my in-depth scientific knowledge, I had the privilege to meet and treat many affected individuals. My expertise in these disorders resulted in a number of peer-reviewed scientific publications as well as text book chapters. In addition, I am listed on the expert panel of F.I.R.S.T. (Foundation for ichthyosis and related disorders) and I am on the advisory board for NAPE (National Aassociation for Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum).
Do you accept insurances?
We accept most insurances.
However, we do not accept the following insurances:
1. AmeriChoice
2. Health Partners
3. HMO of Horizon BCBS of NJ
4. Keystone Mercy
5. Pennsylvania Access
Hi: I was recommended to you by my sister in law. She is very satified with your services.
I would love to have my children and myself to be a patient of yours but unfortunately, you dont accept the insurance I have. I wish you would reconsider and accepted Keystone Mercy and Health Partners this could help alot of children and adults with skin problems. Good dermatologists are hard to find. Also, if you can refer a dermatologist that accept KSM or HP it would be highly appreciated. Thanks PS While filling out the online regstration form the word MISSING is spelled wrong (MESSING)
We apologize that we are unable to accept all insurance plans and for the inconvenience this causes. However, we do accept out of pocket pay. My understanding is that Jefferson University Physicians at Thomas Jefferson University still participate with Keystone Mercy and the UPenn system still provides service for Health Partners.
Hi,
Wondering what the copay with Blue Cross Personal Choice is for your office? I want to have a few moles removed (back) and a full skin check. Thanks
The copay for a specialist office is typically printed on your insurance card. Depending on your contract with Independence Blue Cross Personal Choice, you may have an annual deductable and posibly a co-insurance on procedures. To learn about your contract with your insurance, you may want to contact their insurance customer service.
Please also be aware that some elective procedures are not necessary covered by the insurance.
I am so disappointed that my daugheter’s insurance is not accepted at your practice, because I have heard excellent things about your practice. Do you accept patients that pay out of pocket? If so what is the cost of a general consultation for a child (that has just been diagnosed with eczema at 9 months of age)?
I do accept pay out of pocket. A consultation that includes full body skin examination is indicated in eczema (atopic dermatitis). Our fee for this service is $145.
I am a physician and potential new patient with two sebaceous cysts that I’d like excised.
One is located over my mid-thoracic spine, and the other is in the groin.
Both are benign, uninfected lesions measuring about 1 cm that have been stable for several years.
There is no rash, no adenopathy, and no other associated findings.
Your receptionist stated that she cannot schedule the procedure until you first evaluate the lesions during an office visit to determine how much time to allow for the procedures.
I prefer to avoid a second visit, and another 3-week delay to await a schedule opening, and would like to discuss the specifics with you by phone in order to try to expedite scheduling the procedure.
Thank you for your prompt attention.
-CF
As a physician you understand that scheduling efficiency is paramount to provide excellent patient service. We often perform small procedures during an office visit. Larger procedures must be timed appropriately. If time allotted is too short, other patients scheduled that day may have unnecessary waiting time in the office. If procedures times are too long, waiting time for an appointment increases.
Evaluation is usually necessary to make a diagnosis and assess the need for a procedure. Any surgeon will also discuss the specifics of a procedure such as expectations of outcome and scar formation or other side effects.
When we receive specific requests from referring physicians, we can often accommodate procedures during an initial encounter because of the detail provided and the confidence that benefits and side effects are understood.
Good Evening,
We have a 1 month old daughter with a collection of raised, yet flat skin in the middle of her forehead. We have had one appt at Dupont with a dermatologist who believed that this could be a collection of Milia or a Nevus Sebaceous. We are extremely concerned and becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of willingness on the part of anyone to commit to a plan of action. Could you help??? We are just looking for an explanation to set some type of expectations. (6 months to get an appt to see anyone at CHOP!!!)
Regards,
Are you familiar with atrophoderma of Pierini & Pasini? My daughter was diagnosed with this and was told there is no treatment at all for this. Is this correct? Thank you.
Atrophoderma of Pierina and Pasini is a rare atrophy causing condition affecting connective tissue. While I am very familiar with it, I admit that there is no consistently effective treatment at this time.
Antibiotic treatment may work to prevent further lesions when diagnosed early. Certain lasers can help with color changes.
My 25yr old daughter has enlarged pores on her face or as she calls them”holes”. I have been searching on the Internet, i don’t know what can help her. She has seen several doctors, one even suggested Botox. But I am not sure that will be a good fix. What will help her? Isolaz, Frazel lasers, so much information I do not want to do the wrong thing. She has had microdermabrasions, uses retin-A, the highest salicilac acid… Please can you give me some guidelines on what we should do for her. Must be something out there to help her. Thank you for your time
I do understand your frustration which you share with many others. Large pores are extremely difficult to treat and this is the reason that you have not found the right answer. Unfortunately, there is no technology yet to eradicate large pores. During her many consultations your daughter has heard about non-ablative (Isolaz, Fraxel) and maybe about ablative (CO2 laser) devices to tighten the skin and thereby diminishing pore size. If in fact some of these pores are scars from past acne, CO2 laser is currently the best option to lessen these scars. Retin-A should be continued. Salicylic acid, glycolic acid and microdermabrasion are relatively weak compared to
CO2 laser, and Fraxel is better than the aforementioned but may not achieve the level of tightening that CO2 laser resurfacing with Deep FX technology can. However, miracles are not yet possible in enlarged pores.
I am a patient of yours. What is a good non-greasy sunscreen for face and/or body?
UVB protection is important for sunburn protection. It is measured in SPF.
For daily use without continuous sun exposure an SPF 15 is sufficient. When you are predominantly outdoors, an SPF of 30 or higher is recommended.
Sunscreen with a much higher SPF provides only insignificantly better protection against burns.
UVA protection is important to prevent skin cancer and accelerated aging. It also reduces tanning and the ability to develop freckles or sunspots. It is not yet measured. However, research has shown that Avobenzone combined with Mexoryl in some Anthelios products is the top technology to guard against UVA. Second on the market is Avobenzone stabilized by Helioplex technology in some Neutrogena sunscreens.
Zinc oxide is still an excellent all around sunscreen but has to be applied more frequently than every 2 hours when you are active outdoors.
Several choices are available for non-greasy sunscreens for face and body. I list them in descending order of overall efficacy against sunburn, skin cancer prevention and aging prevention.
Anthelios SX is a non-greasy facial moisturizer for daily use year-long. It has an SPF of 15 for burn protection and contains the powerful Mexoryl for UVA protection.
Anthelios 40 is non-greasy for face and body for outdoor use. It has an SPF of 40 for UVB (sunburn) protection and contains Avobenzone and Mexoryl. You can obtain it in our office and at the CVS pharmacy counter Neutrogena has a line called Ultra Sheer – Dry Touch. It is non-greasy and can be applied to face and body. It comes with a variable SPF for UVB protection and Helioplex technology for UVA protection. You can obtain it in nearly all drugstores.
Anthelios 60 for face and body contains an SPF of 60 for UVB protection and Avobenzone for UVA protection. You can obtain it at the CVS pharmacy counter.
Multiprotection moisturizer SPF50 is a non-greasy daily facial moisturizer for your-round use with an SPF of 50, Avobenzone for UVA protection and antioxidants for aging repair. You can obtain it in our office.
I once had a genital piercing that has left me with what I believe is either a keloid or a hypertonic scar, which I would like removed. What are my options and how much are the costs? Any information would be greatly appreciated!
Hypertrophic scars and keloids are very different in their biologic behavior. Both cannot be removed without trace but both can often be injected with a steroid and will reduce significantly or may resolve to a flat scar. There are circumstances under which scar revision by excision for a hypertrophic scar may be preferred, especially when the expected scar is minimal. However, the chance of another keloid developing, when an existing keloid is excised, is about 90%, and therefore excision is usually not an alternative. If several steroid injections soften a keloid without flattening it, shave excision may be attempted with additional steroid injections at time of excision, as well 2 and 4 weeks after to minimize the risk of a returning keloid. In very rare instances, when a keloid does not respond to steroid injections or is so large that it cannot be injected, radiation may be necessary.
Cost of the procedure depends on the size of the lesion. We typically charge $50 per injection and anywhere between 1-3 may be needed for hypertrophic scars and between 2-10 treatments for keloids. Revision of hypertrophic scars by complete excision ranges between $150 (up to 5 mm) and $400 (over 4 mm). Shave removal of keloids may range between $130 (up to 5 mm) and $230 (over 2 cm). Three steroid injections needed after shave removal are charged in addition to the shave removal as mentioned above.
Radiation is not a service that our office performs because it is rarely needed.
While the revision of hypertrophic scars is not always an insurance covered service, most insurances cover the treatment of keloids.
Hello! Ive had rosacea for years and have tried several drs and every treatment. I have constant redness and have itchy bumps/blotchiness during flare ups. During our visit last year you suggested PDL or IPL. My symptoms have gotten progressively worse and I think Im finally ready to go to this extreme. (A) Is one treatment better than the other (PDL v IPL)? (B) In your experience does insurance ever cover these treatments? Thanks so much
Redness due to widened blood vessels in rosacea is a very common problem.
About 85% of all people with rosacea have variable degrees of baseline redness that only becomes more showy with triggers like sun exposure, caffeine, spicy food, hot beverages or red wine.
The most efficient treatment for this redness is the pulsed dye laser (PDL).
Between 2-4 treatments 4-6 weeks apart are needed. Additional laser induced redness typically lasts for up to 24 hours after each treatment but swelling can last for up to one week. Bruising is rare. Sun protection is paramount for 4 weeks after each treatment but should be continued to maintain results. These usually last 5-10 years. PDL treatments can be repeated.
In contrast, intense pulsed light (IPL) is a non-laser light source that quickly reduces redness with rosacea. It is a nice choice when you quickly need to look better. The effects last for several weeks and IPL can then be repeated as needed or every 2 months to maintain results. It is not my preferred choice because most people with rosacea are looking for long term results. Considering that the cost per treatment is the same, PDL is much more cost effective.
Franziska Ringpfeil, MD
My child has a small (size of a pinky nail?) cafe au lait spot on her face and has asked about removal. We have been told not to but I really want her to have the choice. However, I would like her to know if it would cause scarring. Would you anticipate scarring?
Removal of cafe au lait macules is currently not recommended because of scar formation. The only technology currently believed to be safe to remove growths made from pigmented cells, such as cafe au lait macules or melanocytic nevi, is excision. With this technique, a scar is expected.
Hello – I have been diagnosed with Granuloma Annulare and I’ve had it for three 1/2 years. It is one raised, bumpy, reddish spot/lesion on my forehead. Topical steriod creams are not helping. My lesion is slowly increasing in size. From my research online, I believe what I have is Actinic Granuloma (could be a rare subset of granuloma annulare). Can you help treat this condition?
Granuloma annulare and actinic granuloma are benign chronic conditions that are very difficult to treat. Most of the time they regress spontaneously after a while but on occasion they can persist. When spots are in visible areas such as on the face, there is even more pressure to try alternative treatments if spontaneous resolution has not recurred. These alternatives should be carefully discussed with your dermatologist as you would want to be aware of all benefits and side effects.
I think I have Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra. I have read several articles and saw a few pictures of this condition and the moles that I have look and sound similiar to this condition. I have 25-30 small moles that I want removed. My insurance will not cover treatment because this is an elective procedure. How much will removal cost and is there a great chance that I will need more than one treatment to have these moles removed? My moles are small and raised, they appear around my eyes and on my cheek bones.
Dermatosis papulosa nigra (DPN) is a benign condition that can sometimes be aesthetically unpleasing. There are several safe and well tolerated methodologies to remove unwanted DPN on all skin types. Contraindications for removal are rare and will be assessed during an in-person examination.
We charge $400 to remove DPNs from one anatomic area, such as the entire face. The charge may be higher if removal of lesions from face AND neck AND/OR chest is desired. The charge may be lower if the total number of growths is less than 15. Usually only one treatment is required and the spots do not grow back once removed. However, when you have DPN, you may occasionally develop a few new spots over years than can also be removed. To date, we are unaware of a preventative treatment.
Hello – I have minor milia on my face but they bother me. I have tried exfoliating but it doesn’t seem to help. Do you offer solutions for this condition?
Most of the time milia cannot be removed through exfoliation They need to be physically removed one by one by a trained aesthetician. We offer a facial that is geared to extraction of milia. During this time you will also learn about ways to avoid milia formation in the future depending on the specifics of your skin and lifestyle.