Offer

What kind of disease is this?

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory disease of the large flexural folds. It is a hidden epidemic, affecting around one percent of the population. However, this has not been known for a long time as the disease is very shameful. Even at the dermatologist, some patients are afraid to talk about the disease. We would like to help you if you are affected by abscesses and lumps in the flexural folds, because we know that this can have a very negative impact on your life.

The condition is caused by various factors. One of the most important is that the excretory ducts of the hair follicles in the flexural folds become blocked. This leads to a build-up of secretions, which are then infected by bacteria. The chronic inflammation then leads to scarring over time, which unfortunately can very often result in larger scar plates. If the disease is recognized early, it can be treated and suppressed well, otherwise major operations are often necessary. There are two important risk factors for acne inversa: smoking and obesity. Of course, we do not blame our patients for their disease because of harmful habits, but we will always address these issues carefully during consultations and offer help with both smoking cessation and weight loss. However, the disease also occurs in non-smokers of normal weight! We can also offer them maximum therapy.

Definition of

Four out of five Swiss men and women suffer from acne during puberty. But older people can also be affected. It is the most common inflammatory skin disease. Although it is usually harmless and does not affect the rest of the body, there are many cases where it persists into middle age. Unfortunately, these persistent forms particularly affect women, who are often severely impaired by them.

Acne can be treated very well if it is correctly recognized and classified. Although acne can be passed down in the family, there are many ways in which patients can positively influence their acne. Diet is an important factor, in particular an excess of dairy products, especially skimmed milk, but also foods with quickly available sugar content such as white bread and smoking are things that can be influenced. Strongly covering make-up products are also unfavorable for acne. Acne in women can also be positively influenced by an adapted monthly contraceptive pill.

If you have blackheads, pus-filled pimples and/or scars on your face, then it is worth having a consultation with us - or via teledermatology at hautproblem.ch.

We can look at all of this together with you during the consultation and thus create certainty and the best possible result for you. It is important to rule out other acne-like conditions first - then you can start a treatment tailored to your needs.

What is that?

Autoimmune skin diseases are rare but important. They often affect not only the skin but also internal organs, which is why it is all the more important that they are correctly recognized and treated. They are caused by the immune system, the direction of the defense targets structures of the body such as the skin cells themselves or other structures. This can lead to inflammation, blisters, scarring, redness, nail changes, hair loss, etc. The mucous membrane can also be affected.

In our consultations for autoimmunity, we look at the whole body, the function of the internal organs and markers for autoimmunity, and can therefore offer you maximum certainty regarding these diseases. These diseases are becoming increasingly common in women in particular and can severely impair quality of life, even if no organs are damaged in the narrower sense.

What is that?

Eczema of the skin is an inflammation caused by irritants. These can come from the environment, but can also be allergic in nature or hereditary. Eczema produces red, itchy and weeping skin or, in the chronic stage, scaly, cracked skin and can quickly become chronic. At this stage in particular, they are difficult to treat, which is why it is worth clarifying eczema quickly. It is often not easy to classify the cause, which is why thorough investigations are needed to identify the causes and triggering factors. We carry out a personalized clarification of the risk factors for each patient and test generously for causative allergens so as not to miss any avoidable causes. In the case of eczema, it is often the case that if it is triggered by an allergic substance, it disappears completely by avoiding this substance. We also offer an interdisciplinary assessment of eczema, as it can also be associated with asthma and other allergic manifestations on the body.

What is it about?

Changes in the genetic material can trigger skin diseases, which sometimes manifest themselves at birth, but in other cases only in later adolescence or old age. These can be found on the skin, but can also affect other organs. Because characteristic features of these diseases are particularly visible on the skin, the dermatologist is often the first port of call to recognize and correctly classify the disease. As it is important for both the patient and their family to know the causes of the disease, we do our utmost to clarify and ensure that our patients receive the correct information. We work very closely with medical genetics and all other disciplines on an interdisciplinary basis.

Which diseases affect the hair?

Hair is a very important aspect of self-image for most people, even though it is not vital. Our hair is constantly judged in our social environment in terms of fullness, cleanliness, shape / hairstyle, color, tidiness, etc. - It is therefore not surprising that we want to have hair that is as healthy and beautiful as possible. There are diseases with both increased and decreased hair growth. It is often not easy to understand why hair growth has changed. This is exactly why we offer you our specialized hair consultation. There are substances in the diet, but also hormonal factors as well as stress and interactions of internal diseases that can cause hair problems. We can classify any hair disease for you by means of laboratory tests, as well as fine tissue examinations using punch biopsies, and discuss with you the extent to which treatment is possible and sensible. Because hair disorders often involve hereditary factors, it can be in the interest of the whole family to clarify hair disorders properly.

What are skin tumors?

They are growths in the skin. If the tumors are malignant, they are also referred to as skin cancer. The most important risk factor for the development of skin cancer is long-term exposure to the sun. Due to the increasing life expectancy of the Swiss, skin cancer is developing more and more frequently as a result of chronic UV exposure. By far the most common are so-called actinic keratoses, which mainly develop in areas of skin exposed to the sun. These are rough, scaly patches that reappear after the scales have been removed. They are precursors of white skin cancer, which is why we recommend treatment.

White skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas and spinocellular carcinomas. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer and also the most common form of all types of cancer. Light skin cancer must be actively treated, as spinocellular carcinoma in particular can sometimes metastasize to other organs.

The most dangerous form, however, is black skin cancer, known as melanoma, which can occur on any part of the body. People in middle age between 45 and 60 are particularly frequently affected. In Switzerland, the rate of new cases per 100,000 inhabitants is the highest in Europe. The earlier the disease is detected and treated, the better the chances of recovery. Melanomas can metastasize to lymph nodes or other organs despite being small and causing no symptoms. In recent years, enormous progress has been made in the treatment of advanced melanoma with the introduction of new drugs.

At the Department of Dermatology at the University Hospital Basel, we offer special consultation hours for the pre- and aftercare of skin tumors. We have a whole-body camera that uses 92 cameras to produce a complete image of the body and thus offer you the greatest possible security for the early detection of melanomas (self-pay service). In the case of advanced white and black skin cancer, we work with you and our interdisciplinary team from various specialist disciplines to determine an individual treatment plan.

To prevent skin cancer, it is important that you are informed about risk factors such as sun exposure, other radiation, medication and family history, but we also offer you a rapid examination and uncomplicated treatment.

What is it about?

Skin lymphomas are rare malignant proliferations of long-lived immune cells (T-cells and B-cells) in the skin or in the layers directly underneath, and in a few types also in the blood. These immune cells have a positive effect in the healthy body, they help in the rejection of viruses, degenerated body cells and other diseases. In skin lymphomas, however, these immune cells are disturbed so that they carry out uncontrolled cell divisions. They accumulate in the skin and often form reddened thickening of the skin, which can develop into wounds over time.

A distinction is made between primary cutaneous lymphomas, which affect the skin, and secondary lymphomas, which cause skin involvement as a result of a lymphoma in the lymph nodes or organs. Cutaneous lymphomas usually develop slowly over several years. The most common lymphoma of the skin is mycosis fungoides. In certain forms of cutaneous lymphoma, the lymphoma cells may spread through the blood or invade the bone marrow and internal organs during the course of the disease. The course of the disease and the prognosis vary greatly and depend on various factors such as the form of the lymphoma (primary vs. secondary) and the type of lymphoma. Fortunately, most lymphomas of the skin have a less aggressive but often chronic course and are easily treatable.

If a skin lymphoma is suspected, the clinical picture should be clarified so that we can decide on a treatment together with you as soon as possible. In our consultation for skin lymphomas, your clinical picture will be examined in detail and you will receive comprehensive advice. Due to the numerous, sometimes very rare subtypes with varying prognoses, interdisciplinary care by specialists from different disciplines is essential. In close cooperation with other specialist disciplines, such as haematology, oncology and pathology, we develop an individual, effective treatment strategy for each of our patients. Due to the fact that the diseases are very rare, we work in Swiss and international networks and can therefore offer you the best treatment in each case.

What is that?

The nails play a very important role in our body. In addition to protecting the ends of our fingers and toes, they also provide mechanical stability and are highly exposed to all kinds of environmental factors. Although they affect a relatively small area, nail diseases often affect our patients very severely. If someone has ugly, scaly or no longer semi-transparent fingernails, even handing over small change at the supermarket checkout is an unpleasant situation. Ugly nails are very quickly mistaken for infectious nail fungus, which has a very negative social impact on those affected.

Various diseases can also cause pain, especially at work, and thus impair the ability to work. Nail diseases can be caused by disorders of the nail plate, but also of the nail bed or even the root of the nail. During the consultation, your nails will be examined and the affected underlying regions precisely determined. Nail diseases are often associated with other skin problems, so that an examination of the body is usually worthwhile for you. Eczema, psoriasis, but also diseases of the mucous membranes and joints can affect the nails. We will also ask you about medications that can affect the nails, as well as your nutritional status (biotin is one of the important vitamins for the nails) and internal diseases such as the liver. A routine examination is also an examination for fungi, which occur very frequently on the nails.

What is that?

Psoriasis is one of the most common skin diseases. It affects 3 in 100 people in Switzerland and the disease is becoming increasingly common. It is a non-contagious but chronic inflammation of typical areas of the body such as the scalp, elbows, knees, hands and feet, as well as other areas of the skin. Although pure psoriasis of the skin is not dangerous per se, as long as the area is not too large, it severely restricts the quality of life of those affected. It produces sharply defined, reddened and silvery scaly plaques on the skin and can also affect the hair and nails. The skin becomes roughened and 4 out of 5 patients suffer from severe itching. Due to the disfigurement, even small areas of psoriasis on critical areas such as the hands, nails or face can severely affect patients and require active treatment.

In our psoriasis consultation, we look at your personal type of psoriasis, rule out infectious diseases and allergic diseases, measure the activity of the psoriasis and recommend a personalized treatment plan. In addition, we always have clinical trials with the latest medications that you may be eligible to participate in. Our clinic is also the head of the Swiss Psoriasis Network, where we treat more than 600 patients with the latest medications and therefore have a great deal of experience in the correct treatment of psoriasis.

Psoriasis can occur in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Hereditary factors are involved, psychological factors such as stress are also almost always present, and there are also certain infections and medications that can trigger psoriasis. We will identify these together with you during the consultation and, together with your family doctor, make certain recommendations, for example regarding a change of diet.

Psoriasis is not just a skin disease, but can also affect the whole body, for example the joints and internal organs, as well as causing high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and depression. We work very closely with the rheumatology department at Basel University Hospital and with other disciplines in order to be able to recommend an early treatment plan that makes sense for the whole body.

What is that?

Excessive sweating is a very common condition in the population. Although the excessive sweating process is not dangerous to life and limb, it is a serious impairment of quality of life if clothes get wet at the wrong time and/or in the wrong place. On the one hand, it can only be increased sweating of individual parts of the body such as hands and feet or the armpits, but in many patients the whole body is also involved. Internal processes need to be investigated, particularly in the case of extensive sweating disorders, as hormonal disorders or even cancer can sometimes be the cause. We have many years of expertise in this area and offer you the most gentle and effective therapies for sweating.

What does pediatric dermatology involve?

Children often have skin diseases and these are only partially overlapping with those of adults. This is why the field of pediatric dermatology is a separate one and requires a high level of expertise. We treat children with skin diseases twice a week, both at our clinic and at the children's hospital. Not only are the diseases different, but the treatments also require different approaches, as the focus is on long-term and non-toxic treatment options, especially for chronic diseases. As hereditary factors are often involved in diseases that occur after birth, we also collaborate with medical genetics and, of course, with the University Children's Hospital of Basel.

In the dermatology outpatient clinic, we offer the entire range of treatments for diseases of the skin, mucous membranes, nails and hair as well as sexually transmitted diseases.

Opening hours polyclinic

• Monday 8.00 - 12.00 and 13.00 - 17.00
• Tuesday 8.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. and 1.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m.
• Wednesday 8.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. and 1.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m.
• Thursday 8.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.
• Friday 8.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. and 1.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m.

Emergency dermatology registration times:

• Monday 8.00 a.m. - 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. - 2.00 p.m.
• Tuesday 8.00 - 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 - 2.00 p.m.
• Wednesday 8.00 - 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 - 2.00 p.m.
• Thursday 8.00 - 9.00 a.m.
• Friday 8.00 - 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 - 2.00 p.m.

Please note that only emergencies can be accepted. We are also available online at hautproblem.ch.

Telephone registration

Appointments can only be made with a doctor's referral
Tel. +41 61 265 40 80 (Mon - Fri 8.00 - 12.00 and 13.00 - 17.00)
Fax: +41 61 265 42 00
dermatologie@usb.ch

You will be charged CHF 50 for missed appointments without an excuse.

Consultations

By telephone or directly at our registration desk. If you have been referred by a doctor, you will usually be given an appointment in writing, in urgent cases by telephone. There is an emergency consultation hour for urgent cases.

Location

Since September 2022, you will find the outpatient clinic and the day clinic for dermatology at the University Hospital Basel on the first floor of the Felix Platter Hospital.

University geriatric medicine FELIX PLATTER
Burgfelderstrasse 101
4055 Basel
Switzerland

The allergology outpatient clinic clarifies and treats allergic and intolerance reactions. This includes, for example, hay fever, allergic asthma caused by pollen, house dust mites and animal dander, bee and wasp venom allergy, food allergy and intolerance, and a focus on drug allergies. Skin eczema, neurodermatitis and hives (urticaria) are also treated.

Special interdisciplinary consultation hours are reserved for patients with special problems (rhinoallergology, vasculitis, immunodeficiencies, severe food allergies, occupational eczema).

Opening hours

• Monday 8.00 - 12.00
• Tuesday 8.00 - 12.00, 14.00 - 17.00
• Wednesday 8.00 - 12.00, 14.00 - 17.00
• Thursday 8.30 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.
• Friday 8.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.

Registration
Appointments can only be made with a doctor's referral
Phone +41 61 265 40 98 (Mon - Fri 8.00 - 12.00)
Fax +41 61 265 57 50
allergologie@usb.ch

You will be charged CHF 50 for missed appointments without an excuse.

If the skin is really severely inflamed or chronic skin diseases do not want to heal, then an inpatient stay is recommended. On the ward, we can offer you maximum treatment both during the day and at night, on weekdays and weekends.

Although certain skin diseases could theoretically be treated at home, experience shows that our patients are extremely satisfied after their stay in hospital. If you take a few days, the skin disease will heal much faster with our professional care than if you try to do it at home. During your hospital stay, you can leave yourself to our specialized skin care, enjoy peace and quiet and our award-winning food, be visited daily by our competent dermatologists and discuss your skin condition. A major advantage of staying in hospital is also the ability to quickly adjust your treatment, which means we can react very quickly if something does not improve immediately.

An inpatient stay is also often advisable for the treatment of skin tumors, as we offer 3D incision margin-controlled surgery, which guarantees the complete removal of skin tumors with the greatest possible safety and we can then close the defect with your own skin again with the best possible result after the fine tissue assessment. Our dermatosurgical team only operates on the finest skin changes, so we have the greatest possible experience, which is also reflected in the very beautiful results with thin scars.

In addition to dermatologists and specialized care, we also have more than five wound experts on our dermatology ward who deal with the closure of chronic wounds. This is a very important topic, as chronic wounds can severely impair quality of life. Instead of continuing to treat these chronically on an outpatient basis, where we often see little success, we are increasingly using an active strategy of short hospitalization with immediate closure of the wound by skin grafting. Many patients have already benefited greatly from this.

We have a comprehensive range of services for both Swiss and international patients and, in addition to the most modern dermatological techniques, we also offer classic approaches such as bath/moisturizing therapy and light therapy. We would like to welcome you and look forward to sharing our extensive experience with you.

Offer OP

In addition to the removal of benign skin changes such as melanocytic nevi (liver spots) and sebaceous cysts, we also focus on the surgical treatment of skin tumors and their defect coverage from an aesthetic point of view. For this purpose, reconstructive surgical techniques such as suture flap plasty and skin grafts are used under local anesthesia, tumescent local anesthesia or conduction anesthesia.

Depending on the type of tumour, we use micrographically controlled surgery (MKC) to minimize the risk of recurrence while at the same time protecting the surrounding tissue as much as possible, especially in the face. This involves a complete microscopic examination of the incision margins of the removed tumor in order to identify and remove subclinical tumor extensions.

If, due to the size and location of the skin tumour and other factors, the operation is performed under inpatient conditions, hospitalization can take place directly in our dermatology department.

Laser offer

Various state-of-the-art laser systems (Nd:YAG laser, pulsed dye laser, CO2 laser) and IPL systems (flash lamp) can generally be used to gently treat different skin changes. Several treatment sessions are usually necessary to achieve an optimal result. The number of treatments varies from person to person and depends on the type and size of the skin area to be treated.

Typical indications for laser therapy are

• Vascular malformations or neoplasms e.g.
• N. flammei (port-wine stains)
• Hemangiomas of childhood
• Dilated vessels (telangiectasias, spider nevi)
• Spider vein varices
• Benign neoplasms e.g.
• xanthelasma
• Sebaceous gland hyperplasia
• Angiofibromas
• Unwanted (dark) hair growth