Dermatology Program

Who we are

The Dermatology Program at Boston Children's Hospital diagnoses and treats children and adolescents with congenital and acquired disorders of the skin, nails, hair and mucous membranes, including impetigo, diaper dermatitis, acne, frostbite and skin cancer, among other conditions.

The Dermatology Program at Children’s is one of the most experienced programs of its kind, caring for more than 6,000 children from communities throughout New England.
Children’s researchers remain at the forefront of building knowledge about the diagnosis, treatment and long-term care of both rare—and common—skin conditions. Our experts never stop learning.
We are equally skilled in treating children with both acute and chronic skin disorders, as well as abnormalities of the skin that might point to internal diseases.

Children are typically referred to our program by their pediatrician or primary care physician for consultation, treatment and long-term care. In addition to routine emergency consultations and second opinions, we also provide coordinated long-term management of chronic conditions. When it comes to healing children with dermatologic conditions, Children’s fully understands the unique challenges kids face, and we’re here to help.

Eczema is a common ailment

Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, is the most common condition seen in our dermatology clinic, occurring in nearly one in five children. Chlorinated pools can irritate the skin of children with eczema, but if children apply fragrance-free, hypoallergenic sunscreen before swimming, quickly rinse off and apply moisturizer after getting out of the pool, their eczema should be fine.

A center raises awareness of arthritis

To raise awareness about the importance of early diagnosis of arthritis and multidisciplinary care, Children's Dermatology and Rheumatology departments teamed up to form the Dermatology-Rheumatology Center. Children's is also home to one of the largest rheumatology programs in the United States.