Robyn Gmyrek

The Skin and Laser Center in September opened a new, state-of-the-art facility at Columbia Eastside on East 60th Street. The center is equipped with the latest skin-care technology, including a Fraxel laser to improve wrinkles, sun-damaged skin and acne scars, and ultraviolet light boxes for phototherapy to treat psoriasis, severe dermatitis and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Five exam rooms – three more than in the previous space in the same building – enable many more patients to receive care.
   The Department of Dermatology originally created the Skin and Laser Center in 2000, when Robyn Gmyrek, MD, assistant clinical professor and head of the department’s faculty practice, joined the full-time faculty. Dr. Gmyrek and Julide Tok Celebi, MD, associate professor of clinical dermatology, began performing cosmetic procedures to treat patients for a variety of cosmetic skin conditions, such as unwanted hair, brown spots, unsightly blood vessels, sun-damaged skin, wrinkles and leg veins.
   The practice has grown steadily and, in recent years, it became difficult in a tight space to keep up with the growing patient demand and new developments in dermatological technology. “We were unable to add new lasers and expand due to space limitations,” says Dr. Gmyrek. Now, an array of cosmetic procedures are available, such as Botox and cosmetic filler injections, sclerotherapy to treat leg veins, microdermabrasion, and laser treatments for hair and tattoo removal, acne, leg veins, and other conditions.
   Upgrades at the center also benefit general dermatology patients. In addition to performing cosmetic procedures, both Drs. Gmyrek and Celebi screen for skin cancers and treat a wide array of dermatologic diseases. Dr. Celebi also offers “mole mapping,” a photographic approach in which patients at high risk for melanoma have their moles examined by the use of digitized images on computers installed in each exam room. “This technology is state-of-the-art for monitoring patients with many moles or dysplastic moles,” says Dr. Celebi, who, under the auspices of the Herbert Irving Cancer Center, is studying genes related to melanoma metastasis.
   “The Department of Dermatology has been good enough to support our center’s growth,” says Dr. Gmyrek. “Now we are much better able to offer the service and treatments dermatology patients expect from a first-class medical center.”
The Skin and Laser Center can be reached at 212-326-8889

—Matthew Harrison