Division of Dermatology

The Division of Dermatology is a premier provider of dermatological care for San Diego patients, with specialized medical services for the full range of medical, surgical and cosmetic needs. Our team diagnoses and treats all varieties of skin, hair, nail, and mucous membrane conditions and diseases, from chronic diseases like psoriasis and eczema to skin cancer. We provide state-of-the-art medical approaches, rooted in expert understanding of medical dermatology and innovations, to assist in the preservation of skin health for patients of all ages, from newborns to seniors. Our division also offers most advanced options in aesthetic and cosmetic dermatology, including laser, surgical and injectable cosmetic procedures.

Our renowned Mohs subdivision is exclusively focused on Mohs surgery and treatments for skin cancer. The team consists of four Board Certified surgeons and two Physician Assistants often working in collaboration with the Oncology Division or with colleagues in other specialties. In addition to Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Melanoma, the Mohs team treats a number of less common cutaneous malignancies including Sebaceous Carcinoma, Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Dermatofibrosarcoma and adnexal tumors. We also conduct reconstruction of the skin and tissue after Mohs Surgery, working alongside a broader set of surgery specialist colleagues to accomplish complicated reconstructions, when necessary. Our dermatologists and surgeons also participate in the care of organ transplant patients. Our deep expertise with Mohs surgery has contributed to one of the world’s most highly-regarded and largest training fellowships on the subject.

Our Laser and Cosmetic subdivision offers many nonsurgical treatments to correct skin problems, remove scars and dark spots, provide anti-aging skin care and enhance skin texture and appearance. We offer laser services for medical conditions such as port wine stains, warts, and precancers as well as more non-surgical treatments that provide a cost-effective, efficient and convenient alternative to cosmetic surgery. These services include fillers and neuromodulators (Botox), laser skin resurfacing, fractional laser applications, photodynamic therapy, non-ablative skin remodeling, laser treatment of leg veins, laser treatment of acne, and laser hair reduction in dark skinned patients.

Arash Izadpanah, MD (Division Head, Division of Dermatology)
          Arash Izadpanah, MD (Section Head, General Dermatology Section)
          Hubert Greenway, MD (Section Head, Mohs Dermatologic Surgery Section)
          E. Victor Ross, MD (Section Head, Laser & Cosmetic Dermatology Section)

GENERAL DERMATOLOGY SECTION

With areas of particular interest and expertise:

Arash Izadpanah, MD (Division Head, Section Head)

General dermatology
Laser and cosmetic dermatology

Maryam Afshar, MD

General dermatology

Sophia Akhiyat, MD

General dermatology

Rawaa Almukhtar, MD

General dermatology

Catherine Chen, MD

General dermatology

Alvin Coda, MD

General dermatology

Eric Gerstenfeld, MD

General dermatology

Erik Gilbertson, MD

General dermatology
Psoriasis

Aleksandr Itkin, MD

General dermatology
Photodynamic therapy

Reza Jacob, MD

General dermatology

Stacy Ostrow, MD

General dermatology

Caroline Piggott, MD

Pediatric Dermatology
General dermatology

Somharn Saekow, MD

General dermatology

Ann Siefert, MD

General dermatology

Curt Vogel, MD

General dermatology

Lawrence Wang, MD

General dermatology

Daniel Zelac, MD

Hair loss
Laser and Cosmetic dermatology
Mohs surgery

Advanced Practice Clinicians:

Ali-Akbar Shahine, NP
Briana Wischnack, NP
Berna Moore, PA
Miriam Gulkar, PA
Marjan Hafizi, PA
Sarah Miller, PA
Brett Moore, PA

Our General Dermatology practice locations:

Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines – Shiley Pavilion

Maryam Afshar, MD
Berna Moore, PA
Aleksandr Itkin, MD
Somharn Saekow, MD

Scripps Clinic Carmel Valley

Rawaa Almukhtar, MD
Arash Izadpanah, MD
Stacy Ostrow, MD

Scripps Clinic Coronado

Ann Siefert, MD

Scripps Clinic Encinitas

Curt Vogel, MD

Scripps Clinic La Jolla – Anderson Medical Pavilion

Sophia Akhiyat, MD
Rawaa Almukhtar, MD

Scripps Clinic Liberty Station

Sophia Akhiyat, MD
Reza Jacob, MD

Scripps Clinic Mission Valley

Aleksandr Itkin, MD
Miriam Gulkar, PA

Scripps Clinic Rancho Bernardo

Alvin Coda, MD
Eric Gerstenfeld, MD
Caroline Piggott, MD
Lawrence Wang, MD
Ali-Akbar Shahine, NP

Scripps Clinic Rancho San Diego

Erik Gilbertson, MD
Caroline Piggott, MD
Daniel Zelac, MD
Sarah Miller, PA

MOHS DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY SECTION

With areas of particular interest and expertise:

Hubert Greenway, MD (Section Head)

Mohs surgery

Benjamin Kelley, MD (Associate Section Head)

Mohs surgery
Dermatopathology

Daniel Zelac, MD

Mohs surgery

Advanced Practice Clinicians:

Rachael Mudd, PA
Allison Smith, PA

Our Mohs Dermatologic Surgery practice locations:

Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines – Shiley Pavilion

Hubert Greenway, MD
Benjamin Kelley, MD
Daniel Zelac, MD

Scripps Clinic Carmel Valley

Daniel Zelac, MD

Scripps Clinic Encinitas

Benjamin Kelley, MD

Scripps Clinic Rancho Bernardo

Hubert Greenway, MD
Daniel Zelac, MD

Scripps Clinic Rancho San Diego

Daniel Zelac, MD

LASER & COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY SECTION

With areas of particular interest and expertise:

E. Victor Ross, MD (Section Head)

Laser and cosmetic dermatology

Advanced Practice Clinician:

Briana Wischnack, NP

Our Laser & Cosmetic Dermatology practice location:

Scripps Clinic Carmel Valley

E. Victor Ross, MD
Briana Wischnack, NP

Featured Services

General Dermatology:

  • Medical dermatology- Treatment of medical skin conditions, including acne, eczema, warts, psoriasis, autoimmune skin disorders, skin cancers, and other medical skin conditions.
  • Surgical dermatology- Treatment of benign and malignant tumors through out-patient surgical procedures.

Mohs Micrographic Surgery

  • Mohs Micrographic surgery is used to treat basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and other applicable skin cancers.

Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology

  • Laser skin resurfacing, fractional laser applications, photodynamic therapy, non-ablative skin remodeling, laser treatment of leg veins, laser treatment of acne, and laser hair reduction in dark skinned patients. Fillers and neuromodulators (Botox) are also available.

Venous Surgery

  • The vein clinic offers comprehensive services in diagnosing the full range of venous disease and providing customized treatments including liquid and foam sclerotherapy, phlebectomy, endovenous ablation.

Pediatric Dermatology

  • Offering comprehensive care of all skin conditions for children and adolescents.

Dermatopathology

  • Offering specialized evaluation of skin biopsies in coordination with the Scripps Pathology department.

Recognitions & Awards

Our members have won numerous awards and have served as leaders in the Dermatology community for years at both the state and national levels. 

  • Arash Izadpanah, MD is the Past President California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic surgery as well as Past President of the San Diego Dermatological Society

  • Hubert Greenway, MD has received multiple “Top Doctor” recognitions. He received the Frederic E. Mohs Award recipient from the American College of Mohs Surgery (2017) and holds honorary Membership to the American Academy of Dermatology in 2017 for his contributions to Dermatology

  • Alvin Coda, MD is the Past President of the San Diego Dermatological society (2019)

  • Sheila Friedlander, MD has authored over 100 scholarly texts and has received numerous academic teaching awards. She is past President of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology and has been listed in Best Doctors, Who’s Who in America, Top Doctors, 2000 Notable American Women, among others

  • Erik Gilbertson, MD was named National Psoriasis Foundation Professional of the year (2018) and has received The Scripps Thornburg Volunteer Award (2018) as well as numerous “Top Docs” awards

  • Benjamin Kelley, MD received the Physician in Training Award recipient (2019) by the American Society of Dermatopathology (ASDP) and received Silver Certification by the Mayo Clinic Quality Academy (2018)

  • Caroline Piggott, MD graduated Magna Cum Laude in Biology at Harvard 2003, winner Arnold Gurevitch Award 2010 at Pacific Dermatology Association, author of scholarly articles in both dermatology and virology.

  • Stacy Ostrow, MD has received numerous “Top Docs” awards.

  • E. Victor Ross, MD is the Associate Editor of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine and Past President of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (2008). He has co-edited two textbooks and authored over 95 journal articles and 15 book chapters.

  • Maryam Afshar, MD has authored over 20 journal articles and book chapters.

  • Daniel Zelac, MD 2020 Top Docs recipient, Past President San Diego Dermatological Society.

Mohs Micrographic Surgery fellowship:

The Division offers one of the most sought-after fellowships in the world: a one year Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology Fellowship, offered since 1984 producing some of the country’s top Mohs surgeons. The program is overseen by Dr. Hugh Greenway, who was trained by the originator of Mohs surgery Fred Mohs, MD at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI. To date, we have trained over 50 Mohs Surgeons who practice in the United States and overseas.

Elective Medical Dermatology rotation:

The Division also supports rotating students and residents by contributing dermatology experience to their core educational curriculum. As part of the Navy General Surgery / Head and Neck Surgery rotation, Residents spend time in our Shiley Clinic. We also have residents and fellows who train with us from the Divisions of Internal Medicine, Podiatry, Allergy/Immunology, and Family Medicine.

For more information, please visit the Graduate Medical Education page.

  • Division members have been involved in multiple clinical trials involving medical, laser, and surgical dermatology advances.
  • Dr. Greenway was the first physician in the world to use interferon as an intralesional non-surgical treatment for Basal Cell Carcinoma.  
  • Dr. Ross has served as the principal investigator in over 35 trials, including groundbreaking research for treatment of warts, acne and acne scars.
  • Dr. Greenway and Dr. Kelley are currently involved in a retrospective study review of high risk Squamous Cell Carcinomas.  
  • Our experience with Dermatofibrosarcomas is being studied by Dr. Greenway, Dr. Kelley, and Dr. Mishra.
  • Dr. Zelac participated in reviewing skin cancer risk factors in organ transplant patients and in a topical Imiquimod trial.  
  • Dr. Izadpanah is a former Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellow. 
  • Dr. Cruz-Inigo was a Recipient of the Cornell Medical School 2010 Gustavo Cudkowicz Memorial Prize in Immunobiology. 
  • EVR 133 publications, 4 book chapters, 300+ presentations
  • HTG 51 publications, 26 book chapters, 4 books, 300+ presentations
  • EG 4 publications 
  • DB 14 publications
  • MB 14 publications
  • RJ 6 publications
  • AC 17 publications
  • SFF 155 publications, 35 book chapters, 361+ presentations 
  • CK 3 publications 
  • MA 28 publications, 4 book chapters, 25 presentations
  • AI 5 publications, 40+presentations
  • AIt 5 publications, 1 book chapter 
  • LW 5 publications
  • CC 11 publications
  • CP 10 publications
  • VM 19 publications, 17 book chapters, 51+ presentations 
  • MS 3 publications, 11+ presentations 
  • RG 35 publications, 15+ presentations
  • BK 7 publications, 1 book chapter, 19+ presentations
  • DZ 9 publications
  • Acr 7 publications, 10+ presentations
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