Z Roc Dermatology, a Fort Lauderdale practice consisting of Drs. Matthew Zarraga and Khongruk Wongkittiroch, provide a wide range of services focused in improving the quality of your life and the way you feel about yourself. Their services range from the aesthetic, like Botox, fillers like Juvederm, Restylane and Radiesse, to the medical, offering skin cancer detection and treatment using the Mohs micrographic surgery technique. The practice also offers treatments for psoriasis, eczema, and the removal of scars from acne, stretch marks, and unsightly veins.
Dr. Zarraga, with six years in the dermatology field and a long-running residency at Wellington Regional Medical Center, handles many of the aesthetic procedures while his partner, Dr. Wongkittiroch, a board certified physician and a fellow candidate of the American Society of Mohs Surgery, handles many medical and surgical procedures, such as the Mohs micrographic surgery and photodynamic therapy.
I spoke with Dr. Zarraga and Dr. Wongkittiroch about their practice and what procedures they offer to people who want to improve their quality of life.
Maintaining clear skin can be a challenge. What procedures do you administer that would help people with acne?
Dr. Z: We actually do a few things. One is called photodynamic therapy for acne. What we do is paint aminolevulinic acid on your face and have it incubate, and then we activate the acid with a laser called Blue Light that we have here in the office. We also treat acne with chemical peels, and also with medication, but mainly we will do chemical peels and the laser treatment.
Psoriasis and rosacea are conditions that can negatively impact a person’s self-esteem. What do you do to treat these conditions so people can regain their confidence?
Dr. Z: With every patient, you can see the improvement on their skin. That’s one of the reasons why I got into dermatology to begin with. I like to be able to see the improvement in someone’s health, as opposed to a cardiologist, you can’t tell outwardly if someone’s blood pressure is down.
With psoriasis, there are multiple treatments we can try. First we would probably try something topical, but there are other medications and therapies we can use, like narrow band UV therapy. There’s also biologic therapy like Enbrel, Stelara and Humira. When the patient sees a significant improvement, there is a big chance in their self-esteem because people don’t look at them in a negative way anymore. There’s no more flaking, no redness, and these are things that patients are very concerned about. When they come back, and they’re 90% improved, you can see the change in their behavior and they are so much happier.
Skin cancer risks are very high for people living in Florida.
Dr. Z: Skin cancer screening is so important, especially considering we live in Florida, where we’re always in the sun. May is Melanoma Awareness Month. Melanoma is the most common form of cancer found in young adults aged 25-29. Young people don’t realize the importance of skin cancer. Once-a-year checkups are necessary and we offer those.
Can you tell us about the Mohs micrographic surgery you offer at your practice?
Dr. W: With Mohs, we only remove the minimum amount of skin necessary to remove the tumor. When I remove that skin, I look at it underneath a microscope. Then we return to the area and remove a little bit more to remove the cancer down to the root. It’s usually reserved for “cosmetic” areas like the face and the neck. This procedure also has a 99% cure rate and the lowest chances for regrowth.
You offer quite a few options for people who want fillers. One that caught my eye was Radiesse. Can you tell us more about that?
Dr. Z: Radiesse is calcium hydroxylapatite, a normal component of our bones. There are certain areas where I really like using Radiesse, like in the cheekbones and the mid-face. I also use it for HIV lipoatrophy, which is the concavity in the cheek area due to rapid weight loss. It’s a wonderful filler; it lasts about a year, but I’ve seen patients who are still happy at 15 months and 18 months. It’s one of the longest-lasting fillers, compared to dermal fillers like Juvederm, which typically last nine months.
Do you take insurance?
Dr. Z: Yes, we take most insurance plans, and that includes Medicaid.
Z-Roc Dermatology’s offices are located on the second floor at 2838 E. Oakland Park Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Wednesday. They are open on Saturdays as well, one time a month, for people who can’t make appointments during the week. The next open Saturday is May 16. To book an appointment, please call (954) 564-0040 or visit zrocderm.com where you can set an appointment time online. “Like” them on Facebook as well at facebook.com/zrocderm.
