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UPMC Children's Community Pediatrics is an affiliate of UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
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We offer care in 17 counties across Pennsylvania. Exceptional pediatric care is always close-to-home.
UPMC Children’s Express Care provides walk-in, after-hours care by board-certified pediatricians on evening and weekends.
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Dr. Friedlander did not discredit our concerns and we are incredibly thankful to have a pediatrician who listens.
New to having a child with disabilities, Lori became educated and confident in caring for her daughter by listening to Dr. Gotkiewicz’s explanations and expertise.
Julie is always thrilled to have a knowledgeable, sweet nurse answering her questions and concerns.
UPMC Children's Community Pediatrics is asking our patients and their families to share their best stories of care with us.
UPMC Children's Community Pediatrics received The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for ambulatory health care and primary care medical home.
UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics is part of UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, ranked 8th in the nation overall by U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 Honor Roll for Best Children’s Hospitals.
Have you noticed the recent increase in advertising for over-the-counter or mail-in acne remedies? Acne has in fact become one of the most universal medical problems in school-aged children, teens and young adults. Despite how prevalent acne may be, many patients still feel hesitant or embarrassed about seeking medical care or discussing their acne with their physician or provider and instead seek to treat it themselves with one of the many over-the-counter products.
While this may initially be a reasonable approach to try an over-the-counter acne wash or spot treatment, some unfortunately end up spending hundreds of unnecessary dollars on multi-step skin care regimens with inadequate results. Others attempt to modify lifestyle factors such as diet, which have never been proven in large studies to improve acne.
Several recent eye-opening medical studies have shown that children, teens and young adults with acne perceive themselves and are often incorrectly perceived by others to be less clean, less attractive, less successful or even less intelligent. While some parents may regard acne as a “right of passage” these studies have made us realize that acne is not always just a problem that is “skin deep”. It can have serious social and emotional repercussions that may affect a developing child’s self-esteem and self- confidence and can persist into adult years, especially in cases where scarring results. The great news is that there are many prescription options which can treat and then prevent future acne outbreaks.
Acne is caused by the pores, or hair follicle openings, of the skin becoming occluded, at first on a microscopic level and next on a visible level, with a natural skin secretion known as sebum. Sebum creates a sticky plug in the previously open pores; it naturally increases around the time of puberty but can less commonly occur in infancy or well into adulthood and cannot be controlled by diet. While washing one or two times per day with a gentle cleanser may help to rinse some of these secretions from the skin, more frequent washing usually does not completely prevent the start or progression of acne. The ideal time to begin medical treatment for acne is at this stage. Topical medicines which chemically open the clogged pores can be prescribed and typically take 4-6 weeks to become effective. Once the pore becomes clogged it can then develop secondary bacterial overgrowth and inflammation, which appears as redness of the bumps or “pus” bumps. This represents a more serious level of acne which necessitates immediate medical attention so that permanent scarring does not result.
Since each patient has a unique skin type it can take years of medical training and clinical experience to learn which product combinations are best tolerated and most effective for each patient. For a child or young adult, the medical professionals most highly trained to diagnose and treat acne are pediatric dermatologists, who have formal training and board certification first in adult dermatology and then specialized fellowship training and board certification in pediatric dermatology. Some pediatric dermatologists even have a background and board certification in general pediatrics so that they can better understand a child’s skin problems in the context of any other medical problems that he or she may be experiencing. A trained, board-certified pediatric dermatologist will consider your child’s skin type, activities and schedule as well as the safety of the medications. This pediatric dermatologist will also provide you with reasonable treatment options that are affordable, or covered by your child’s insurance so that you don’t spend a fortune treating their acne.
If you are concerned about your child’s acne and desire treatment, waiting to make an appointment is a mistake, since many of the treatment options begin working maximally after 4-6 weeks and then show continued improvement thereafter. Starting a new treatment program a few days before an important social event like homecoming, the prom or an interview may not allow enough time for that program to be successful. The best results require a minimum of several weeks to become effective and give you the results you envision. Luckily, there are many safe and effective treatment options available to children with acne so that they can present their “best face” to the world and develop that strong self-esteem we all desire.
With our Patient Portals, you can easily manage your child’s health online with 24/7 access to their medical record.
Learn more about UPMC Patient Portals.
By visiting UPMC Children’s Express Care, our after-hours clinic, your child will receive the same specialized pediatric care you’ve come to expect from your UPMC Children's Community Pediatrics pediatrician. Open conveniently on evenings and weekends, your child can receive care for minor injuries and illnesses when your pediatrician’s office is closed for the day.
Learn more about our services or find a location near you.
In the case of a serious emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency room.
Paying your bill has never been easier. UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics offers you an easy and secure method for paying bills online for well and sick appointments as well as behavioral health visits.
Pay Your Bill Online
For questions regarding your billing statement, please call the UPMC CCP Billing Office at 1-888-857-7646 or email CCPBilling@chp.edu.
Are you passionate about caring for children? UPMC Children's Community Pediatrics offers the opportunity for you to apply your unique skills in pediatric medicine and to make an impact on children’s lives.
We are seeking candidates for full-time, part-time, casual, and temporary positions at our locations throughout 12 counties in western Pennsylvania.
To apply, visit the UPMC Careers website.
UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics Stonewood Commons II 103 Bradford Road, Suite 200 Wexford, PA 15090
For administrative inquiries, please call 724-933-1100 or 1-888-857-7646.
Should a concern about your experience at UPMC CCP arise, please discuss it with your child’s pediatrician. If the concern remains unresolved, please email your concern to our patient relations specialist at ccpconfidential@chp.edu. We will investigate your concern and provide you with a response. Contacting our patient relations specialist will not negatively affect your care.