Welcome to Modern Dermatology!
By Brooks Dibble
We’re pinching ourselves that you’re reading this, because it means our website is live…which means we’re opening VERY soon! Building this practice has been a labor of love in its truest sense – we’ve enjoyed (almost) every moment and can’t wait to start servicing our local Fairfield County community with top tier medical, surgical, pediatric and cosmetic care.
As long-term local Fairfield County residents and practicing, Yale-trained board-certified Dermatologists, Dr. Deanne Mraz and Dr. Rhonda Klein, have tailored a practice to cater to the high standards and quality of care we not only deserve, but expect in our community.
We put the docs on the spot for a Q&A so you can get to know our co-founders and the mission of Modern Dermatology.
Q: What motivated you to open a practice here in Westport?
RK: Opening our own practice has been a long-time dream, even tracing back to when we first met during our Dermatology residency at Yale years ago. We both have an entrepreneurial spirit and a drive to provide our fellow CT suburbanites with the same level and quality of medical care and cosmetic options available in NYC.
DM: The opportunity to provide high level care to patients of all ages and needs, both in and outside of our community is a responsibility we both welcome and certainly don’t take lightly. Opening the doors to an office that we built from the ground up that reflects our values and quality of care is such a rewarding feeling! As a fellowship-trained cosmetic, laser and surgical dermatologist, I am so excited to offer the best quality care to our patients in a state of the art, welcoming, and comfortable setting.
RK: We also have seen a big influx of “Med Spas” in the area – and from what we’ve heard from our patients over the years, we don’t think a lot of people understand what a practitioner at a Med Spa does as opposed to a board-certified Dermatologist.
Q: OK, what do you mean, what is the difference between a Med Spa and a Doctor's office like yours?
DM: A “Med Spa” is a spa that’s administering medical procedures. Most Med Spa staffs have limited medical experience and may not even have a physician onsite to oversee your care. But, here at Modern Dermatology, we pride ourselves on being able to provide highest level of care whether your concern is medical or cosmetic. The truth is even if we're plumping our lips with filler, we're looking at you through the lens of our medical training, and we've both spotted issues like skin cancers on a patient who wasn't even in the office for a medical appointment.
Q: What makes Modern Dermatology unique?
RK: One of the points of differentiation at Modern Dermatology, and one of which we are most proud, is that when you are our patient you will always be seen by either Dr. Mraz or myself at every single visit. Of course, we have a team of amazing staff in the office that support us, but we’ll be doing all assessments and treatment plans. As busy moms ourselves, we’re also happy to offer a one-stop destination for the entire family – our patients won’t have to trek around town or around the state for their skin care needs.
DM: We also participate in clinical research trials, and as such, our office is equipped with the latest and newest technologies, devices, and products, even before they are available to other dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and med spas. The ability to offer cutting edge therapeutic, medical and cosmetic procedures and treatments is both exciting and critical to providing the highest quality of care to our patients.
Q: Will Modern Dermatology treat children’s skin issues?
RK: YES! In dermatology residency, we are trained and certified to care for both adults and kids. Having trained at Yale with pediatric dermatologists, we were exposed to pediatric dermatology throughout our three years of residency, both in the inpatient and outpatient setting. Additionally, many skin conditions that affect kids also affect adults, and while we may treat them differently, the same principals and therapeutic options are considered. We’re ready for your kids – we have 8 of our own (4 each)!
DM: We also offer a full service of treatments for children and adolescents including ear piercing and specially tailored teen and acne facials.
Q: It’s summer, so I have to ask, is skin cancer really as prevalent here in CT as say in Southern California?
DM: It is a major – and unfortunately growing – issue here in CT! There is also a common misconception that “the damage is done” among people who worshipped the sun when they were younger and assume they can’t do anything now…you can! Over 50% of sun exposure occurs after the age of 40. Turn back the damage with daily prevention and annual skin cancer screenings for early detection.
As a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon, we are equipped to handle treatment for most skin cancer diagnoses on-site at Modern Dermatology. Mohs is a highly specialized procedure that has proven to be one of the most effective treatment options for the most common types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Mohs takes the least amount of healthy tissue to clear the cancer and has the highest clearance rate thus, usually resulting in the smallest scar possible. Read more about the procedure and our dedicated Mohs waiting room onsite at the office.
RK: Also, please know we will NOT judge you at any time…trust me, we’ve seen it all! We want to and need to know the truth about your medical history so that we can provide you with the best possible care. For example, if you used to frequent tanning beds it’s important for us to know – so don’t be embarrassed, be honest! We will help you reverse the damage with our preventive modalities, as well as monitor for and treat potential skin cancers that may arise.
DM: it is so important to be honest with your physician. I always tell my patients that they are not alone. I grew up laying out in the sun with baby oil and went tanning all through college. Obviously, I take my sun protection very seriously now, but its important to discuss these things as it can affect treatments and monitoring.
Q: Ok, let’s switch gears from skin cancer to cosmetic procedures. What are some of your favorites?
DM: I am so excited to be able to treat patients with our PicoSure laser technology! This laser uses short bursts of energy for the removal of tattoos, acne scars, and age spots, as well as the reduction of wrinkles. It is super effective, even on the most stubborn pigmentation issues, and generally requires 3-6 treatments to achieve final results. It’s newer to the market and we’re thrilled to offer this new technology to our patients.
RK: Hydrafacial recently updated their device and we are thrilled to offer this no-downtime procedure at Modern Dermatology. I must admit, prior to researching facial devices for Modern Dermatology, I rarely bothered with facials. After demoing multiple devices, we purchased Hydrafacial. I’ve have had it sitting in my house all summer (it was accidentally delivered a couple months early!) and Dr. Mraz and I have been using it on ourselves and are officially hooked! We love the glow and pore-minimizing benefits of this procedure. It is a feel-good moisturizing procedure for those of us that are chronically dehydrated (what busy mom isn’t!) that can be combined with Botox, fillers, other lasers, microneedling, and most other procedures.
Please click here to learn more about Dr. Deanne Mraz and Dr. Rhonda Klein.