Dr. Phillip M. Williford

Phillip M. Williford, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology, Wake Forest University, prescribes oral corticosteroids if the rash is on the face, genitals, or covers more than 30 percent of the body.The drug must be taken for at least 14 days, and preferably over a three-week period.

Phillip M. Williford, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology, Wake Forest University, prescribes oral corticosteroids if the rash is on the face, genitals, or covers more than 30 percent of the body.The drug must be taken for at least 14 days, and preferably over a three-week period, says FDA's Ko.Shorter courses of treatment, he warns, will cause a rebound with an even more severe rash.

Phillip M. Williford, M.D.Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Phillip M. Williford, M.D.Associate ProfessorDermatology

Dr. Williford
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"When people talk about the cuts, it's not just Medicare," adds Phillip M. Williford, M.D., associate professor of dermatology and director of dermatologic surgery, Wake Forest University Health Sciences."Most managed care contracts are multiples of the Medicare payment system.Eventually there would be reductions in managed care payments based on the Medicare cuts."

Dr. Williford says that even before any reductions, patients had difficulty being seen for medical reasons because the payment system drives dermatologists toward cosmetic and surgical alternatives.

However, he says, "A cut of less than 5 percent is not going to make everybody jump from the Medicare system."

Phillip M. Williford, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology, Wake Forest University, prescribes oral corticosteroids if the rash is on the face, genitals, or covers more than 30 percent of the body.The drug must be taken for at least 14 days, and preferably over a three-week period, says FDA's Ko.Shorter courses of treatment, he warns, will cause a rebound with an even more severe rash.

There are a number of OTC products to help dry up the oozing blisters, including:

aluminum acetate (Burrows solution) baking soda Aveeno (oatmeal bath) aluminum hydroxide gel

Phillip M. Williford, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology, Wake Forest University, prescribes oral corticosteroids if the rash is on the face, genitals, or covers more than 30 percent of the body.The drug must be taken for at least 14 days, and preferably over a three-week period, says FDA's Ko.Shorter courses of treatment, he warns, will cause a rebound with an even more severe rash.

"Anyone can develop skin cancer, but fortunately it can be cured if detected early," said Phillip M. Williford, MD, associate professor of dermatology and director of dermatologic surgery at Wake Forest Baptist.