Laura Winn, P.A., who joined Columbia Skin Clinic as a physician assistant in 2017, loves making a difference in patients’ lives. Whether she’s helping patients deal with acne or rashes, spot checking suspicious lesions or moles or even completing simple incisions, she’s educating patients in a straightforward way about their condition and how they can treat it or prevent it in the future.
For example, many patients – especially elderly patients – develop dry skin that can turn into a rash. Laura recommends using the right soap and moisturizer for your skin type, recognizing that your skin changes as you age. She finds that patients are more committed to their skincare regime if they first understand how their skin functions.
Laura’s communication style and dedication to her patients have made her an asset to the Columbia Skin Clinic team. In fact, building long-term relationships with patients is what drew her to dermatology. When she asks the right questions to identify the cause of a rash or skin issue, it often prompts the patients to share information they would not have thought about otherwise. This enables Laura to find the best solution for each patient’s needs. There is no greater reward than when a patient lights up with a renewed sense of self-esteem because Laura was able to prescribe the proper treatment regimen that eased a rash or minimized acne scarring.
Another valuable skillset that Laura brings to patients is her emphasis on surgical skills. A graduate of the Physician Assistant Studies program at the University of Alabama, Laura focused her studies on nine surgical disciplines instead of the typical one or two at other P.A. programs. She can perform simple incisions to remove cysts, benign lesions and some moles, so patients won’t have to wait as long for an appointment.
In her personal time, Laura loves the outdoors! Whether at the beach or the mountains, she makes time to practice what she preaches – proper skin safety under the sun. Laura recommends applying sunscreen with zinc every two hours when outside and finds shade while the sun is up in peak hours.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with Laura, contact our office and request her by name. She is accepting new patients in both the Columbia and Irmo offices.
