Most people don't think of the skin as a bodily organ, but it is actually the largest human organ of all. If laid out flat, the skin of an average adult would cover some 20 square feet and weigh about nine pounds! Like our other organs, the skin is essential to life. It protects the internal organs, serves as a buffer against infections invaders, produces vitamin D, and helps prevent dehydration, regulate body temperature and sense pain. Our skin is the house we live in. And like a house, it withstands all manner of abuse. It is exposed to blazing sun and freezing cold. We cut it and bruise it, shave it and scrub it. Yet, almost always, the skin bounces back. Because of its resilience, the skin is often taken for granted. But in fact, because it is subject to hundreds of diseases and conditions, it requires careful attention. At Johns Hopkins, physicians and staff provide general medical and surgical care as well as consultation services for a wide spectrum of skin conditions ranging from allergic and autoimmune skin diseases, to HIV-related skin diseases, to lupus and scleroderma. Laboratory services provide rapid, reliable diagnosis. Our clinical care is buttressed by an extensive research program. The Johns Hopkins Department of Dermatology Referral Coordinator
Johns Hopkins Medicine Department of Dermatology
601 North Caroline Street
Suite 6040
Baltimore, MD 21287-0900
Office: 410-955-3345 / Fax: 410-955-0123 |
