UK welcomes new dermatologist Alan Fleischer, Jr.

After well over two decades into practice, it’s sometimes difficult for physicians to recall what led them to their particular specialty. Dr. Alan Fleischer, Jr., however, can recall the exact moment when he decided to specialize in Dermatology.

It was during a rotation in the field while a medical student at the University of Missouri-Columbia.  His professor and another visiting dermatologist examined a patient suffering from a condition that no one had yet correctly diagnosed.

“These two men examined his skin and within two minutes, they confirmed that the patient had lupus. That was the moment I decided to specialize in Dermatology,” Fleischer said.

He found the idea that one could diagnose diseases from clues revealed in the skin to be fascinating. And since that moment, he has dedicated himself professionally to the study of skin disease in practice, teaching, and research.

Last December, Dr. Fleischer joined Dr. Stuart Tobin and Kate I. White, APRN, as the third member of UK HealthCare’s Dermatology Clinic.  As a clinical practitioner and researcher, Dr. Fleischer brings to Kentucky over two decades worth of experience in the study and treatment of skin disease.

Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Fleischer is the middle child of three siblings and the only member of his family to pursue a career in medicine. His father trained as an aeronautical engineer, but at present is working as an engineer in marine pollution control.  His mother is a retired real estate agent. His older sister is a retired teacher and his brother is in business in Georgia.

After medical school in Missouri, Fleicher completed his residency in Dermatology at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Afterward, he accepted an offer to join the medical faculty at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem. He was made a full professor in 2001 and served as chair of the Dermatology Department from 2003 through 2011.

During his tenure at Wake Forest, Fleischer received numerous sponsored research grants and published extensively on a wide range of topics, including updates on various clinical procedures, assessment of skin disease medications, cautionary articles on the prevention of skin disease, and observations of business trends in Dermatology practices.

He is a founding member and officer of the International Forum for the Study of the Itch (IFSI). In 2000, Fleischer authored a book on the subject, The Clinical Management of Itching, published by Parthenon Publishers in New York.

 “There have been numerous studies on management of chronic pain. In contrast, there is relatively little research into chronic itch, though it can be as much a problem for patients,” Dr. Fleischer commented. Cases of severe itching can affect a person’s sleep and have a profoundly detrimental impact on quality of life, he continued. Sometimes these cases of chronic itch are related to increased stresses in a person’s everyday life. Anxiety can trigger a heightened awareness of itch, but there is always a possibility too that the sensation could be related to a more serious illness.

“Itch can be a symptom of a common skin infection or indicative of a more serious internal problem, such as liver or kidney impairments,” he said. “If patients are scratching bad enough to create a rash or draw blood, a more direct intervention with a dermatologist is in order.”

Fleischer considers the opportunity to continue his practice and academic endeavors at the University of Kentucky a fortunate circumstance. The reason he and his wife, Anne, an occupational therapist, relocated to the bluegrass is because she accepted an offer to teach at Eastern Kentucky University. Knowing they would be relocating, Fleischer contacted Dr. Tobin and Dr. Jay Zwischenberger and was pleased to discover that UK was searching for new Dermatologists to expand its service. Finding someone of Fleischer’s skill and experience was a huge bonus.

“The next thing I know, I’m on faculty at UK. It worked out very smoothly,” Fleischer said.

UK HealthCare Dermatology provides treatments for various skin conditions such as psoriasis, skin cancer, parasitic and bacterial infections, and rashes. Drs. Tobin and Fleischer also provide surgical dermatology services including treatments for benign, precancerous, and malignant skin lesions; surgical removal of moles and skin growths; and examination of surgically removed growths to aid in diagnoses.