Pediatric Dermatologist Orange County CA

Children’s Dermatology is led by Board-Certified Dermatologist and Pediatric Dermatologist Dr. Heidi Goodarzi serving patients throughout Orange County.

Dr. Heidi specializes in Pediatric Dermatology.

Dr. Heidi believes that it is very important that babies’ birthmarks and moles get evaluated by a dermatologist, that children’s eczema gets treated as skin disease and not as an “allergy”, and that teenagers’ acne gets medically managed so that they are not left with scars on their beautiful faces or souls!

Below are some of the common childhood skin conditions.

Eczema/Atopic Dermatitis

A common, long-term skin condition that causes rash & significant itchiness, at times interfering with growth & well-being of a child. Many effective &safe medical treatments are available.

Molluscum Contagiosum

Shiny bumps with a slightly depressed center that are caused by a “pox family” virus. When they itch & are scratched they may spread. They take 1-2 years to go away if not treated.

Warts

Very common skin infection caused by a strain of HPV virus. They are contagious & require multiple treatment sessions to resolve.

Pyogenic Granuloma

Scary but harmless red bump of small blood vessels that grow very quickly and often bleeds
(a lot) when bumped or scratched. Best treatment is to remove the lesion and cauterize the base of it.

Baby Acne

Neonatal acne appears in the first 3 months of life on the face and resolves on its own.

Infantile acne develops later and may last until age 2, causing comedones and possibly scarring. Treatment may be necessary.

Hemangioma Birthmarks

Infantile hemangiomas are clusters of additional blood vessels in the skin. They are non-cancerous growths that usually develop within the first few weeks of life. They must be evaluated- and evaluated early on- to determine if medical treatment is necessary.

Common Moles

Moles or Nevi are common skin growths that may be present at birth or develop later in life. While mostly harmless, any mole with changes in size, shape, or color, or new development of irritation, itchiness or bleeding needs to be evaluated.

Birthmark Moles

Congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) are moles present at birth, caused by extra pigment cells forming before birth. They vary in size, color, and texture, and grow with the child. Their risk of developing melanoma is determined based on their size.

Epidermal Nevus

This is a common birthmark (or can develop in early childhood) that is different from regular moles. They are linear with a different skin texture, flat or raised, pink, brown, or black, and may thicken, roughen, or darken over time.

Melanoma Skin Cancer

Melanoma (“cancer of the mole”) is a deadly skin cancer that requires early detection. Although rare in children, it is more common in children with many moles (50-100) or with a family history of melanoma.

Pediatric Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition affecting 1-2% of people, marked by red plaques with thick scales. It can develop at any age, often before 20, and varies in severity. There is no cure, but treatments are available based on its location and severity.

Vitiligo

A condition where the skin loses pigment, causing white patches. It is caused by the immune system attacking pigment cells. Vitiligo is not contagious. Many new effective treatment options are available.

Alopecia Areata

Hair Loss caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the hair follicles. Hair falls out in round patches, mostly on the scalp. Although extremely concerning to the child & parents, and has unpredictable flares, it is almost always treatable.

Yeast Infection

Bacterial Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus (“Staph”) and Streptococcus pyogenes (“Strep”) are the primary bacteria responsible for most skin infections, including impetigo, folliculitis, furuncles, abscesses, and cellulitis.

Fungal Rashes

Tinea is a fungal infection that affects the skin, hair, or nails. On the skin, particularly on the body and face, it often forms a red, scaly, ring-like pattern, sometimes referred to as “ringworm”. On the scalp they cause rash and hair loss and in nails they form nail changes. Fungal infections always need medical treatment.

Contact Dermatitis

Red, bumpy, itchy, and sometimes blistered skin. It has 2 types:

Irritant Contact Dermatitis that can affect anyone’s skin when exposed to irritants, like acids, soaps, or cold weather.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis only affects those with a specific allergy.

Scars & Keloids

Scars form as part of the skin’s healing process after injury, surgery, or infection. They are a replacement tissue for skin, and not skin. They can be flat, raised, or indented and vary in color. Hypertrophic scars are raised but stay within the injury’s limit. Keloid scars extend beyond the edges of the injury. Treatments vary.