Dr. Charles R. Sexton, M.D. is very enthusiastic about the recent opening of his state-of-the-art dermatology facility in the newly constructed Spectrum Medical Plaza near Irvine Regional Hospital.

"I am having a fantastic time seeing my patients in a comfortable, stress-free environment. It allows me to address all of their dermatology concerns without the restrictions of managed care."

Dr. Sexton, a diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology, has been treating patients in the Southern California area for the past 12 years.

He arrived in the San Diego area after finishing his residency at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, where the dermatology program offered a broad array of training in his field. This included cutting-edge cosmetic technologies, as well as subspecialty training in the surgical and pathology disciplines.

"As a tertiary referral center, I was exposed to interesting and diverse patients from all over the region, country, and even the world," Dr. Sexton said.

It wasn't unusual for his patient list to include United States senators, professional athletes or foreign diplomats on any given day.

"I think the best part of my training was that, in addition to the common diseases, I was exposed to many skin disorders that most people only get to read about due to their extremely rare incidence."

He further honed his cosmetic skills by associating with a wellestablished cosmetic dermatology practice his first year after residency.

"The past decade has seen this aspect of dermatology explode with new choices for reversing sun- and age-related skin damage.

"My patients want to know what is new, available, safe and, most of all, effective. They also keep the emphasis on ease of recovery, so that they can achieve these results during their usual busy routines."

Currently, Dr. Sexton's most popular procedure is the Pro-lite facial, a form of intense pulsedlight therapy, or IPL.

"The IPL is a good example of patient-demand-driven technology. It is a quick and relatively painless procedure that is so minimally invasive that patients can re-apply their makeup in my office after the session is over. As a result, they can return to work the same day."

Dr. Sexton has found this treatment effective for the most common complaint in the areas of the face, neck, chest and hands - namely, that of red and brown discolorations.

Rosacea and sun damage top the list of causes of these imperfections. However, Dr. Sexton has also had success with related disorders such as stretch marks, enlarged pores, acne scarring and wrinkles.

"Further studies are needed to verify the extent of this and other pending technologies' effectiveness, but there seems to be no end in sight for the demand for skin rejuvenation," Dr. Sexton said.

A large portion of his practice is devoted to general dermatology, and Dr. Sexton estimates that he has had more than 50,000 patient encounters, with people afflicted by problems from the routine to the exotic.

"I enjoy the detective work associated with skin disorders because, in reality, the skin can only manifest disease in a finite number of ways," Dr. Sexton said.

"It is my privilege to collect the important historical data from the patient and then order the appropriate tests in order to distinguish one from the other, as there are literally thousands of different skin diseases.

"Helping people with these problems is truly a rewarding experience.

"It is nice to be involved with a specialty that allows me to see a 2-month-old in one room followed by an octogenarian in the next. Naturally, the problems and challenges will be different, and this allows me to keep my clinical skills sharp."

Dr. Sexton also enjoys academic pursuits and has contributed numerous articles to the peerreviewed scientific literature as well as book chapters for a plastic-surgery text.

He has trained residents from the University of California at San Diego and at Irvine, and he currently is on staff at Hoag and Irvine Regional hospitals.

"At the Spectrum Medical Plaza, I have created a longsought personal and professional goal, and I look forward to helping people in the area for many years to come."

If you have skin concerns, visit Dr. Sexton's office at 15825 Laguna Canyon Road, Suite 203, in Irvine.

The phone number is 949-679-6900, and he can be seen from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. His Web site is www.drsexton.net.