Dermatologist Near Frisco

The Patient Experience | What to Expect From Your Dermatology Visit

Dermatologist near Frisco examining the skin on his patient's wrist with a dermatoscope which has a magnifying glass and built-in light source. He is checking for warts, skin lesions, and other skin abnormalities.

At McGuiness Dermatology & Plastic Surgery, we strive to make every patient experience educational and positive.

We understand that a trip to the doctor’s office is hardly something patients ever look forward to. The scheduling is often inconvenient, the diagnosis brings anxiety, and medical bills are worrisome. On top of all of that, the visit with the doctor feels impersonal. These factors can deter you from visiting a physician for life-saving care.

McGuiness is different. With over 30 years of experience and 6 locations across Texas, we are setting a new standard for care.

Before we go over the dermatology appointment process, we should talk about the importance of visiting a dermatologist near Frisco, Flower Mound, Murphy, Plano, Prosper, and Richardson.

What Is a Dermatologist?

A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect your skin, hair, and nails. These parts of the body provide a protective barrier between your internal organs and foreign invaders like germs or infections.

You will always be seen by a board-certified dermatologist at McGuiness Dermatology.

There is a notable difference between earning board certification and earning a license. Becoming board-certified is a voluntary process that exceeds the basic skills needed to treat patients.

Board-certified dermatologists stay updated and hone skills through lifelong learning. This means that members continue to gain advanced knowledge and training to diagnose and treat over 3,000 diseases related to your hair, skin, or nails, including:

  • Skin cancer
  • Eczema
  • Psoriasis
  • Warts
  • Moles
  • Skin growths
  • Hair loss
  • Aging skin
  • Acne

Your dermatologist is your skin health expert, providing preventative care and custom treatments.

Meet Dr. Michael McGuiness, MD

Not only is Dr. Michael McGuiness a board-certified dermatologist near Frisco, he is also the founder of McGuiness Dermatology & Plastic Surgery. After completing his dermatology residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School in 1996, he has dedicated his life to helping residents in the Dallas-Fortworth (DFW) Metroplex.

He works to provide accurate diagnoses as well as informed, personable care by connecting with each patient, treating them as unique individuals with unique needs.

Dr. Michael McGuiness, a board-certified Dermatologist near Frisco who can diagnose all type of skin abnormalities and concerns.

 

With his personalized approach, he has helped patients of all ages through many difficult skin situations. From life-threatening conditions like skin cancer, to life-altering conditions like eczema or psoriasis, he treats each patient with compassion and tailors treatments to the individual’s needs.

But he doesn’t work alone. Dr. McGuiness also personally picked each member of his team based on their experience, level of care, and dedication to improving patient’s lives.

Our Team

Our Services at McGuiness Dermatology

We specialize in general and cosmetic dermatology at our center. These branches often intersect because your skin acts as a window to your internal health.

For example, you may be concerned about your acne, hoping to find treatments that give you a clear, radiant complexion. Your dermatologist near Frisco sees acne as an indication for underlying conditions like a hormonal imbalance, poor diet, or stress, and can provide treatments that address these concerns.

Here are some of our services and skin treatments.

Acne Treatments

If you have been fretting for weeks, months, or years over acne, then you’ll be happy to know that an acne treatment at McGuiness only takes 10 minutes. There are many types of acne and many causes as well. Accurately diagnosing and treating acne is difficult without the extensive 12 years of education and training experience that a dermatologist can offer.

Acne happens when the pores of your skin become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. This buildup leads to the formation of blackheads, whiteheads, or cysts.

You may think the best way to treat acne and bumps is to simply exfoliate and cleanse your face to prevent the accumulation from happening in the first place. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple, especially because sometimes the acne products that you use may contain ingredients that can cause a breakout or worsen it.

The first step in determining the best acne treatment for you is finding the root cause of this buildup. This may include:

  • Diet
  • Hormones
  • Stress
  • Certain medications

Related Reading: Hormonal Pimple Treatment

Once your board-certified dermatologist near Frisco determines the type and cause of your acne, they create a personalized treatment plan to help you achieve clear skin. These include:

  • Medications
  • Topical gels or creams
  • Accutane therapy

In addition to prescription acne treatments, our dermatologists may also provide lifestyle and dietary recommendations to prevent further breakouts.

Skin Exam

A skin exam is a 10-minute, life-saving treatment where we assess your skin to check your risk of skin cancer. During this session, your dermatologist checks every part of your body, from head-to-toe for the following signs of skin cancer:

  • A new mole.
  • A mole that has changed in size, shape, or color.
  • Pink, red, or brown patches of skin.
  • Sores that bleed often.
  • Wounds or sores that won’t heal.
  • Rough, scaly lesions that itch, bleed, or become crusty.

After your skin check, your dermatologist near Frisco explains the results and whether they found abnormalities or not. If they are present, your dermatologist photographs it and performs a biopsy, obtaining a sample of the tissue to send it to a pathologist for further evaluation.

A patient leans back in a treatment chair while her dermatologist near Frisco assesses her skin.

 

If the results from your biopsy come back positive for skin cancer, we schedule an appointment for Mohs surgery with a skin cancer dermatologist.

Mohs Surgery

Mohs surgery is a gold-standard skin cancer treatment that can be performed in a single session. This highly effective treatment involves repeatedly removing a thin layer of skin and examining it under a microscope until only cancer-free tissue remains.

There’s no need to worry about pain, we start with a numbing injection and re-administer it as needed depending on the amount of skin that we remove.

Lesion Removal and Excision

A lesion removal and excision removes unwanted masses like skin lesions, cysts, and lipomas. While most patients think of this as a purely cosmetic procedure, it actually improves your health because lesions often show signs of skin cancer.

These skin concerns can often cause bleeding and discomfort. Therefore, removing them not only boosts your self-esteem, but it also prevents potential complications. Furthermore, it promotes overall well-being, both physically and emotionally.

Your dermatologist near Frisco starts this process by applying local anesthesia to the target area. Once you’re comfortable, they make an incision to remove the lesion or mass. The process typically takes 1 hour. Over the next 1 to 2 weeks, your incisions will gradually heal.

Scar Revision

While our dermatology services like acne treatments, Mohs surgery, and lesion removal get rid of one unwanted thing, they may leave you with another: scarring.

Scars get a bad reputation, but really, they are a sign that your body is healing properly from acne, injury, or surgery. Unfortunately, scars aren’t always welcome guests on the skin’s surface. Depending on the size, depth, and location of the scar, it can be a source of discomfort, itching, or aesthetic concern. Thankfully, we offer several advanced scar revision treatments designed to minimize their appearance and restore your skin’s natural beauty.

A dermatologist near Frisco can provide you with ointments or other products to accelerate healing and improve the appearance of the scars. Additionally, our medical aesthetics center also offers several treatments for scar revision:

Woman lays on back with eyes closed as provider wearing gloves places a a microneedling device on her face to boost collagen production. This treatment was recommended to the patient by her dermatologist near Frisco.

 

All of these services stimulate collagen production—a protein in your body that not only keeps your skin firm and tight, but also aids in the process of replacing dead skin cells with new, healthy ones.

As you age, your body produces less and less collagen, meaning scars and other skin irregularities heal slower. But with our scar revision treatments, we speed up the process and improve your overall skin health, giving you clearer, more youthful-looking skin.

Skin Rash Diagnosis and Treatment

A rash can present as an itchy, discolored patch that appears on your skin. Rashes have many different types, causes, and treatments. Many of these rashes have a similar appearance, making it hard to properly identify and diagnose the type of rash—which is key to finding the right treatment.

Related Reading:Psoriasis doctor in Frisco

That’s why it’s important to visit a board-certified dermatologist near Frisco who can determine the rash based on more than appearances. During a skin consultation, our team uses the following information to diagnose your skin rash:

  • Symptoms
  • Medical history
  • Biopsy
  • Allergy test
  • Blood tests

With all of that information, we develop a treatment plan based on the type of rash you have, which can include:

  • Dermatitis – Inflammation or irritation of the skin. This type of rash is typically caused by genetics, allergies, or other environmental factors.
  • Infectious Rashes – Contagious rashes caused by viruses, fungi, bacteria, or parasites.
  • Autoimmune Rashes – These rashes are caused by your immune system mistakenly attacking your body rather than defending it. There is no cure for an autoimmune rash, but treatment and management options are available.

You can book a consultation to check a skin rash, or address this concern during your annual skin check, whichever is more convenient for you.

Rosacea Treatments

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that causes persistent redness, acne-like bumps and pimples, dry skin, and visible blood vessels. While there is no cure for rosacea, a rosacea dermatologist can create a personalized treatment plan to help you manage this condition.

The cause of rosacea is unknown, though researchers believe that there is a link between inflammation and rosacea. This means that patients with rosacea might experience immune system overreactions to environmental and internal temperature changes.

A dermatologist near Frisco focuses on helping you determine what may trigger a rosacea flare-up, which could include:

  • Certain foods high in histamine
  • Spicy foods
  • Hot beverages
  • Overexposure to warm temperatures
  • Strong winds and cold temperatures
  • Stress

Aside from helping you determine your rosacea flare-up triggers, we also have a range of treatment options to calm the redness, including:

  • Laser for rosacea – Uses precise beams of green light to target visible and abnormal blood vessels to destroy them and reduce their appearance on your face.
  • BBL Photofacial – Uses broadband light to target blood vessels, forcing them to contract and tighten.
  • Plated Skin Science Intense Serum – An at-home treatment with a high concentration of exosomes and antioxidants to minimize redness.
  • Sente Dermal Repair Cream – A hydrating cream that is accepted by the National Rosacea Society. Not only does it strengthen skin integrity and calm inflammation, but it also soothes skin with ingredients like green tea extract and vitamin E.

Nonsurgical Hair Restoration

A dermatologist near Frisco can stop hair loss and thinning in its tracks, so you can maintain a full, healthy head of hair. There are many reasons why both men and women experience hair loss, including:

  • Genetics
  • Hormones
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Stress
  • Bodily changes
  • Scalp issues
  • Nutritional deficiencies

A hair dermatologist can determine the cause of your hair loss often by reviewing your medical history and ordering blood work. Next, they create a personalized treatment plan for nonsurgical hair restoration which includes:

  • Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications – Oral medications and topical treatments that stimulate new growth and slow the rate of hair loss.
  • PRP Injections – Platelet-rich plasma injections that use your own blood to stimulate and awaken dormant hair follicles.
  • Keralase Light Therapy – Combines laser technology with a specialized serum to improve blood circulation and stimulate hair growth.
  • Nutritional Support – We may provide supplements that contain specific vitamins and minerals that contribute to hair health. These include vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, and iron.

In some cases, we may even recommend combining all or some of our hair restoration treatments to help you keep a full, healthy head of hair.

What to Expect at McGuiness Dermatology

From scheduling to results, here’s how we make your experience at McGuiness Dermatology effortless and effective.

Streamlined Scheduling

Far too often, the idea of scheduling a visit with a physician or dermatologist is enough to deter a potential patient from receiving life-saving care. Many medical facilities make you sit through long wait times, leaving you with a phone pressed to your ear and elevator music on a long, continuous loop that sometimes lasts longer than the conversation you’re trying to have.

We have a streamlined scheduling system where you can book appointments without the wait. We have online booking, treatment planning tools, and the option to call any of our 6 locations to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist near Frisco.

972-316-4555

Skin Examinations

Once you’ve chosen the dermatology location and time that works best for your schedule, we invite you into our office for a skin exam. This is a total body assessment that looks for skin cancer or other issues in every location of your body. During a skin exam, we may check the following parts of your body:

  • Nose
  • Cheeks
  • Arms and armpits
  • Back
  • Chest
  • Legs
  • Between your toes
  • Anus and genitals
  • Scalp

Skin checks are the most important service we offer at McGuiness Dermatology. While your dermatologist near Frisco performs them to check for skin cancer, they can also check for other concerns, like warts and rashes. A full-body skin examination takes 10 minutes to complete, making it a quick process.

Personalized and Compassionate Care

Dr. McGuiness and the other members of our team form relationships with clients on a personal level. When we first walk into the room, we make sure to explain what to expect from this visit, offering a “blueprint” of the visit for clarity. After that, we’ll listen carefully to your concerns, then examine your skin and medical history to properly diagnose your skin problem.

Patient sitting in treatment room for a visit with her dermatologist near Frisco. Her arm is extending and he is holding it to check her skin for any sign of lesions, cancer, warts, or other abnormalities.

 

Once we assess your skin, we make sure that you are an active participant in the decision-making process regarding your treatment plan. This is a patient and provider collaboration, which gives you a voice in this process. By working together with our patients, we are able to deliver personalized care.

Education

Our team has dedicated our lives to understanding skin conditions and how to treat them, and we are ready to share our wealth of knowledge. We want our patients to understand the importance of sun protection, learn what can prevent acne, and know how to spot signs of skin cancer themselves.

Insurance, Financing, and Payments

One of the biggest concerns you may have about seeing a dermatologist near Frisco is regarding the cost. At McGuiness, we believe everyone deserves access to preventative, personalized, and proactive care. That’s why we accept several major health insurance plans.

If you don’t have insurance, or we don’t accept your provider, we also offer flexible financing through Cherry, which allows you to enroll in manageable payment plans that you can afford to receive the care that you deserve.

Cherry

Once you receive your bill, we offer a hassle-free option to pay online.

Pay Bill

See What Our Patients Are Saying

Patients who have seen our dermatologist near Frisco and at our other locations have a lot to say about their experiences. Here are a few reviews:

Dr. McGuiness is the most meticulous, caring, and excellent dermatologist. I don’t trust my skin with just anyone! He is the only dermatologist I see in North Texas for all mine and my son’s skin concerns.

After battling a skin condition for over a year and consulting with another dermatologist, Dr. McGuiness came highly recommended and the praise my friend gave him was well deserved! Dr. McGuiness was caring and knowledgeable and spent a lot of time explaining my skin problem. His staff was friendly and responsive, and his practice had an efficient front desk and insurance staff. After little more than a month, my skin is clear! I highly recommend Dr. McGuiness and his practice!

My visit at McGuiness Dermatology has always been nothing but the greatest. From the moment I walked into the front door, the employees were helpful, thoughtful, and kind. It’s already nerve-wracking just going into a dermatologist, so being treated with kindness is a huge benefit, at least for me it is.”

The Drs are top notch, as are the assistants. No matter what you are there for, they also are kind and supportive. I wouldn’t think of going anywhere else for my needs except McGuiness Dermatology.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions we hear regarding visits with our dermatologist near Frisco.

Can I receive dermatology services at all 6 locations?

Yes, we have a dermatologist in every location of McGuiness, so you have access to quality care that is convenient for you. We offer general dermatology services like skin checks and acne treatments at all locations.

However, for special services, like Mohs surgery or laser treatments for rosacea, we only offer them in select locations. Mohs surgery is limited to Plano, but laser treatments are in Plano, Prosper, or Flower Mound.

How often should I get a skin exam?

You should get a skin check at least once a year, so we can detect, diagnose, and treat early signs of skin cancer. This is a 10-minute treatment that can be life-saving, so we encourage everyone to get it. If you’ve had skin cancer before or have a family history of skin cancer, we suggest a skin check every 6 months.

What are your treatments for dry skin?

We have a range of dry skin treatments that involve in-office procedures, at-home care, and even lifestyle management.

Your dermatologist near Frisco starts by identifying the cause of your dry skin, which can range from:

  • Climate
  • Allergies
  • Age

It might also stem from having a certain type of skin rash like:

  • Eczema
  • Contact and seborrheic dermatitis
  • Certain health conditions

Once we determine the cause, we can create a personalized treatment plan to restore moisture back to your skin.

Do you offer aesthetic treatments for wrinkles and skin laxity?

Yes. We have a medical aesthetics office that has a variety of laser skin treatments, wrinkle relaxers like Botox, and facial contouring devices like Emface. You can ask your dermatologist about these treatments during your skin check.

Dermatologist near Frisco standing in hallway and reviewing medical history with a physician's assistant. They are looking at each other and discussing appropriate treatment options for a patient who came in for a skin check.

 

Experience Quality Care

With simple scheduling, personalized care, and access to multiple locations, we make it easy to visit a dermatologist near Frisco. You can start now and streamline the process with our treatment planning tool or our online booking option.

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