Department of Dermatology and Allergology - University Hospital Oldenburg

About the Department of Dermatology and Allergology at University Hospital Oldenburg

The Department of Dermatology and Allergology at the University Hospital Oldenburg offers a full range of medical services for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of skin diseases and allergic reactions on the skin. The medical facility was founded in 1996 and over the years of successful clinical practice has managed to gain high authority among dermatology centers in Germany. The department provides medical care for patients with eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, acne, herpes, rosacea, vitiligo, skin cancer, venereal diseases, and other skin pathologies. An integral part of the work of the department's doctors is also the treatment of allergic reactions on the skin. Of particular clinical interest to specialists is the treatment of skin cancer: squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Oncological skin diseases are treated in a specialized center that is part of the department. The department is certified in accordance with the standards of the German Cancer Society (DKG), which indicates outstanding success in the field of skin cancer treatment. The department has 33 inpatient and 15 semi-inpatient beds. Outpatient treatment is also available when clinically indicated. The Head Physician of the department is Prof. Dr. med. Ulrike Raap.

The main focus of the daily work of the dermatologists of the department is the diagnosis and treatment of tumors of the skin and its appendages. The department performs many modern diagnostic procedures to detect skin tumors, such as microscopy with a magnifying glass or high-resolution ultrasound to examine the skin and lymph nodes. For the treatment of oncological skin diseases, radical tumor removal surgery is performed followed by a histological examination, while precancerous diseases can be treated with cryotherapy, laser technologies, and/or photodynamic therapy. Patients with an increased risk of cancer recurrence are usually prescribed immunomodulatory drugs. Advanced stages of skin cancer are treated in cooperation with specialists from the Department of Oncology and Hematology: patients receive chemotherapy or targeted therapy. The department also has expertise in the treatment of cutaneous lymphomas. Phototherapy and photochemotherapy are successfully used in the course of the therapeutic process; the department also offers photopheresis, which is indicated in complex clinical cases.

The department also regularly treats patients with benign skin diseases, the most common of which are psoriasis, eczema, atopic dermatitis, and vitiligo. One of the highly effective methods of combating the above-mentioned pathologies is phototherapy, for which the department has the necessary equipment and qualified specialists. Phototherapy is a type of hardware dermatological treatment, the principle of which is to expose the affected area of ​​the skin to light of a certain wavelength. The parameters of light irradiation, the duration of the therapeutic procedure, and the number of sessions are determined individually by the attending dermatologist. The advantages of phototherapy, in addition to its high efficiency, are good tolerability, no side effects, and painlessness. The department performs the following types of phototherapy: UV-B, UV-A, UV-A1, balneophototherapy, photochemotherapy (PUVA), and extracorporeal photopheresis.

The department also specializes in the treatment of chronic wounds, venous diseases, and hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). Treatment options for these problems include both conservative and surgical procedures.

It is worth noting that the department's doctors care about the psychological health of the patients. Stressful situations can negatively affect the course of the disease and treatment, leading to a significant decrease in the quality of life. In addition, serious and chronic diseases, such as cancer, can lead to drastic changes in the lives of patients, so the department employs specially trained psychologists who help patients and their families reduce emotional stress.

In the field of allergology, the department deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all forms of allergic manifestations on the skin. A great advantage of the department is its own allergology and immunology laboratory, which performs a full range of skin and mucosal tests, as well as provocation tests with various allergens. The most common method of treatment is allergen-specific immunotherapy or drug therapy with oral medications, ointments, and gels.

The department diagnoses and treats the following dermatological diseases:

• Genetic skin diseases
• Infectious skin diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites
• Skin diseases caused by physical factors and chemicals
• Chronic inflammatory skin diseases
• Allergic skin lesions
• Autoimmune skin diseases
• Occupational dermatoses
• Skin manifestations of systemic connective tissue diseases
• Diseases of skin appendages
• Benign and malignant skin tumors
• Skin pigmentation disorders
• Pathological skin changes caused by vascular diseases
• Other dermatological diseases

The department's therapeutic options include the following:

• Dermatology
  • Superficial skin cleansing in cases of skin lesions (for example, curettage)
  • Electrosurgery and freezing with liquid nitrogen
  • Dermabrasion
  • Laser therapy
  • Surgical resection of benign and malignant tumors
  • Surgical scar revision
  • Reconstructive plastic surgery with skin flaps
  • Skin transplantation (free skin grafts)
  • Phototherapy: UV-B, UV-A, UV-A1, balneophototherapy, photochemotherapy (PUVA), and extracorporeal photopheresis
  • Drug therapy
• Allergology
  • Allergen-specific immunotherapy
  • Drug therapy
• Other treatment methods