Patient Education

Mohs micrographic surgery achieves up to 99% cure rates for skin cancer while preserving healthy tissue. Learn exactly what to expect on the day of your procedure.

Skin cancer on the eyelid or inner canthus requires coordinated Mohs surgery and oculoplastic reconstruction. Belaray provides both under one roof.

BCC and SCC are the two most common skin cancers in the U.S. Understanding the differences — growth pattern, recurrence risk, treatment options — helps you make informed decisions about your care.

Both treatments address texture, tone, and fine lines — but with different recovery profiles. A dermatologist-supervised comparison of indications, downtime, and expected results.

A full-body skin exam takes about 15 minutes and can detect melanoma, BCC, SCC, and precancerous lesions at the most treatable stages. Learn what to expect and how often you should schedule one.

Atopic dermatitis affects 1 in 10 children. A structured management approach — moisturization, trigger identification, appropriate topical therapy — dramatically reduces flare frequency.

From topical retinoids and antibiotics to Accutane and laser treatments, learn how dermatologists approach acne at every severity level — and how to choose the right path for your skin.

Rosacea is chronic but controllable. This guide covers trigger avoidance, prescription topicals, oral options, and laser-based treatments like BBL that can reduce persistent redness.

Psoriasis affects 7.5 million Americans. Learn how dermatologists stage treatment — topicals first, then phototherapy, then biologics — and what "clear or almost clear" realistically looks like.

Not every mole needs to come off — but when one does, method matters. Understand shave excision vs. surgical excision, when biopsy is required, and what normal healing looks like.

Actinic keratoses are UV-damaged skin cells that can progress to squamous cell carcinoma. Learn how to recognize them and what treatment options — from cryotherapy to field therapy — are available.

Learn who may benefit from a skin exam, how often to schedule one, and what happens during a full-body exam at Belaray.

Children's skin conditions — from eczema and molluscum to warts and birthmarks — often require different approaches than adult treatment. What parents need to know before the appointment.

A non-pesticide way to treat head lice, using a common skin cleanser dried onto the hair to suffocate the lice. Step-by-step instructions, safety, and when to see a dermatologist.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. — over 9,500 people are diagnosed every day. A data-driven overview for patients and clinicians, updated for 2025.

Self-exams catch melanoma early — when it's most curable. Learn the ABCDE criteria, where to look, how often to check, and the warning signs that warrant a same-week dermatology visit.

Broadband light and IPL treatments target sun spots, broken capillaries, and uneven tone with no real downtime. Learn how many sessions you need and what results are realistic.

Drooping upper lids can impair vision — making blepharoplasty medically necessary in some cases. Learn the difference between functional and cosmetic eyelid procedures and what recovery looks like.

Botox and Xeomin relax the muscles that create forehead lines, crow's feet, and frown lines. Learn how neurotoxin injections work, how long results last, and when to start preventive treatment.

Hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvéderm and Restylane restore lost volume in cheeks, lips, and under-eyes. A dermatologist's guide to realistic results, longevity, and safe treatment.

Platelet-rich plasma therapy uses your own growth factors to stimulate hair follicles. Review the clinical evidence, ideal candidates, and what to expect from a full treatment course.

Belaray's own pre- and post-care instructions for dermal filler, laser and light treatments, and laser skin resurfacing: what to avoid before and after, how to reduce swelling and bruising, and when to call.

Belaray Dermatology performs Mohs surgery at Hicksville and Stony Brook. Learn about our dual board-certified surgeons, same-day reconstruction, and why location matters for complex cases.

Plan the whole day, keep taking your medications and blood thinners unless told otherwise, and know what to eat, what to wear, and whether to bring a driver. Belaray's own pre-surgery guidance.

Belaray's own post-procedure instructions for every wound type: cryosurgery, dissolvable sutures, standard sutures, and open wounds. Bleeding, dressings, ointment, pain, and when to call.

Torn earlobes, stretched gauges, and earlobe keloids are all correctable in a short office visit. Learn how repair works, how keloids are kept from returning, and when you can re-pierce.

Most styes resolve with warm compresses — but a persistent chalazion often needs in-office drainage. Learn the difference, when to see a specialist, and how Dr. Rachel Ellis treats eyelid bumps.

Red, crusty, irritated eyelid margins are the hallmark of blepharitis. A daily lid hygiene routine plus targeted treatment — including IPL/BBL light therapy — keeps this chronic condition controlled.

Thyroid eye disease can cause bulging eyes, eyelid retraction, and double vision. Learn the two phases of the condition and how Dr. Rachel Ellis manages the eyelid and orbital changes alongside your endocrinologist.

A drooping upper eyelid can block vision or affect appearance. Learn what causes ptosis, how it differs from excess eyelid skin, the surgical options, and when repair may be covered by insurance.

Constantly watery eyes can come from too many tears or poor drainage. Learn the common causes — blocked tear ducts, eyelid position, even dry eye — and the treatments, including tear-duct (DCR) surgery.

An eyelid that turns outward (ectropion) or inward (entropion) can irritate and damage the eye surface. Learn the causes, symptoms, and short outpatient repair — including eyelid malposition after skin cancer surgery.

Allergic and irritant contact dermatitis, the common triggers, and how patch testing pinpoints your specific allergens. Includes a free tool to check whether an over-the-counter product contains any of them.

What causes the poison ivy rash, how to wash off the urushiol oil and treat the itch, the common myths (it is not spread by blister fluid), how to prevent it, and when a widespread or facial rash needs a dermatologist.

Skin checks, medical visits, Mohs surgery, prescriptions, and SPF 15+ sunscreen are eligible. Cosmetic treatments are not. How FSA deadlines work and how to use your card at Belaray.

Blackheads, flushing, visible vessels, age, and location tell them apart. Why acne products can make rosacea worse, how each is treated, and when to see a dermatologist.

Dry skin lacks oil; dehydrated skin lacks water. How to tell them apart, which ingredients fix each, surviving a Long Island winter, and when dryness is actually eczema or a medical issue.

Appearance, borders, itch, location, age of onset, causes, and nail and joint clues side by side, plus how a dermatologist tells them apart and why the treatments differ.

Normal shedding vs. hair loss, the main types (pattern loss, shedding, alopecia areata, traction, scarring), how a dermatologist finds the cause, and which treatments work for each.

How to tell normal sweating from hyperhidrosis, what causes it, and the step-by-step options: clinical antiperspirants, prescription wipes, iontophoresis, Botox, and oral medication.

What to watch for and what to schedule each month: winter itch, spring allergies and rosacea, peak UV and skin checks from May to September, awareness months, and the year-end FSA deadline.

How to prepare, what a full-body skin exam involves, what can be treated the same day, how a skin biopsy works and when results return, questions to ask, and insurance, referral, and FSA details.

The jawline-and-chin pattern, flares before periods, PCOS clues, and the treatments that target the hormone signal (spironolactone, clascoterone, birth control), plus how to recognize fungal acne.

The hormone, light, and genetic triggers behind melasma, how it differs from sun spots and post-inflammatory marks, and the tinted sunscreen, prescription creams, and oral treatment that fade it.

Three causes of a flaky, itchy scalp compared side by side: flakes, redness, location, hair loss, and cause, plus the shampoos and prescriptions that treat each and when to see a dermatologist.

Dark marks, melasma, keloids, CCCA and traction hair loss, razor bumps, where skin cancer hides in darker skin, sunscreen without a white cast, and how laser and other treatments are adjusted to protect pigment.

What SPF and broad spectrum mean, mineral vs. chemical, how much to apply and how often, the right sunscreen for kids, sensitive skin, melasma, and deeper skin tones, expiration, and FSA eligibility.

Why white patches appear, how vitiligo is diagnosed, and the treatments that restore color: topical creams, ruxolitinib, and narrowband UVB phototherapy, plus sun protection and what results to expect.

How to shave without razor bumps (wet hair, brush lather, single-blade safety razor, with the grain, not baby smooth), what to do if bumps persist, a three-product routine, body acne, sweat, hair loss, and why men need skin checks.

Can you tell skin fact from fiction? Take our dermatologist-reviewed quiz on sun safety, tanning, sunscreen, moles, and skin cancer, with the real answer and explanation for every myth.