By Celeste McLaughlin
Wesley Chapel and New Tampa residents in need of a general or cosmetic dermatologist have access to a unique option in the Seven Oaks area. 360 Dermatology and Ambay Plastic Surgery, both located in the Summergate Professional Center (behind Sam’s Club, off S.R. 56) are two medical practices that operate under one roof.
The businesses combine the talents of the husband-and-wife physician team of Aparna Ambay, MD (Doctor of Medicine), a Board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon, and Raj Ambay, MD, a double-Board-certified plastic surgeon. (Note-We’ll refer to them as “Dr. Aparna” and “Dr. Raj,” respectively, throughout this article to avoid confusion.)
“We’re unique in Tampa,” explains Dr. Raj, “because we’re the only combination dermatology and plastic surgery office in the (New Tampa/Wesley Chapel) area.”
This special arrangement allows general dermatology patients to have in-house access to a plastic surgeon for any reconstructive procedures, such as after a skin cancer is removed. It also allows patients who are looking for cosmetic dermatology services access to a wider variety of procedures to enhance their individual looks (more on Dr. Raj and his services below).
“We’re all about building relationships, not transactions,” adds Dr. Aparna. “This is our core focus, and allows us to spend plenty of time with people so no patient is ever rushed.”
360 Dermatology
The beautiful office of 360 Dermatology provides a relaxing setting for patients in need of diagnosis and treatment of conditions of skin, hair or nails, or complete skin and skin cancer screenings/exams, mole checks and skin surgeries, as well as chemical peels, Botox and other dermal fillers and other non-surgical options for your skin.
Dr. Aparna earned her M.D. degree from Drexel University in Philadelphia in 2002, then served an internship at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and dermatology residency programs at the Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield, WI, and at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
She also holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree from the University of Georgia in Athens (awarded in 1990), and both MBA (Master of Business Administration) and MPH (Master of Public Health) degrees from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, awarded in 1995. She was named one of America’s top dermatologists by the Consumers’ Research Council of America in both 2012 and 2013.
Patients are sometimes referred to Dr. Aparna by their primary care physicians, or may come in because they are concerned about their skin, whether it’s a spot, lesion, or just the tone or texture of their skin.
“Dr. [Aparna] Ambay has an awesome eye,” says practice manager Patti Lovell. “She knows before she (performs) biopsies which spots are going to be problematic.”
Dr. Aparna is an expert in Mohs surgery, a specialized technique in skin cancer surgery that helps to minimize the removal of healthy tissue around the site of skin cancer. According to the practice website at 360DermatologyTampa.com, Mohs is still, “the gold standard treatment for specific skin cancers. In this technique, progressive layers of cancer tissue are removed, processed in an on-site laboratory and read by the Mohs surgeon, all at one appointment.”
While at the Univ. of WI, Dr. Aparna was taught at the school where the Mohs technique was created in the 1930s and has been perfected over the past several decades. Mohs surgery is performed in the office of 360 Dermatology, where Dr. Aparna maintains a laboratory that is CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments)-, State- and Federally-certified for the procedure.
Patti says the practice treats patients of all ages, including children, and tells of a success story where a child had been to several dermatologists to treat a rash on her face. After seeing four other doctors, the child’s parents brought her to Dr. Aparna, who diagnosed the problem and gave her treatment that helped right away.
In addition to general dermatology, cosmetic dermatology is also offered at 360 Dermatology. “Dr. [Aparna] specializes in giving clients a natural, younger look,” says Patti. She explains that if you want to improve the look of your skin, come in for a consultation, where you will be presented with many options, including Botox and other dermal fillers, plus chemical peels, and laser rejuvenation. A $50 consultation fee is charged, which is applied to the cost of any treatments a client chooses. Dr. Aparna looks at each person’s goals and unique situation and recommends the best procedures for their individual situations.
“Our patients are our priority,” says Patti. “Our staff is friendly, and we always have smiles on our faces.”
“We’re happy to be here,” agrees medical assistant Kareena Phillips, who works for both the dermatology and plastic surgery practices and currently is attending medical school at the University of South Florida, “and we want our patients to be, too.”
Marsha Patrick, who lives in Meadow Pointe, says she first went to see Dr. Aparna two years ago, when she was frustrated with the wait times at another dermatologist. “I’d have a 10 o’clock appointment and might still be in the waiting room at 11. So, I was ready to try someplace new, and I’m so glad I did.”
Marsha found 360 Dermatology through her insurance company, and chose it based on its great location in close proximity to her home. She says, “From the first time I walked in and noticed the ambiance, I thought, ‘This is really nice.’ The staff is super, super friendly, and Dr. [Aparna] is the best dermatologist I’ve ever been to.”
She explains that Dr. Aparna found a tiny, freckle-sized spot on her foot that Marsha had never even noticed. It was removed and biopsied, and found to be precancerous.
“Dr. [Aparna] is such a gifted doctor, and the whole staff at 360 Dermatology takes the utmost care to make sure you’re comfortable, that you know what to do once you leave the office, and then they call you to follow up,” says Marsha, who says she also sees Dr. Aparna for cosmetic dermatology. “She doesn’t try to sell you anything, but if she suggests something, you should listen. Everything she’s suggested has been wonderful.” She adds that she now uses the Obagi skin care system, and has received Botox and filler treatments at the office.
Ambay Plastic Surgery
When a 360 Dermatology patient is concerned about what he or she will look like after a dermatological procedure, such as after removing a lesion on the face, the plastic surgeon (Dr. Raj) and dermatologist (Dr. Aparna) will consult with the patient together in one office – literally in the same room at the same time. “We don’t have to send people out for consultations,” he says.
Dr. Raj earned his D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) degree from the Northwestern University Dental School in Evanston, IL, in 1993, and his M.D. degree from the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA, in 2002. He then completed a General Surgery residency at the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education (in Rochester, MN) in 2005 and was a research fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 2005-07, where he studied drug development for cancer treatments. Two years later, he completed a residency in Plastic Surgery, also at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, and then studied microvascular reconstructive surgery at the Univ. of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston in 2010.
Dr. Raj also studied Executive Education for Board Development at both Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. He also is Board-certified and licensed to practice dentistry, and uses his medical skills as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. He has been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan as a dental officer and also as a medical officer, providing general and trauma surgery in a combat support hospital.
Both doctors also believe in giving back to the local community, so Dr. Aparna volunteers her time for local health fairs, such as at the Shops at Wiregrass mall and at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, and occasionally offers free skin cancer screening events at her office.
The office currently offers 25-percent-off all Obagi skin care products, whether purchased as a system or individually. Patti says Obagi is just one of the many carefully selected products sold at the practice, and it makes skin healthy, bright, and even toned, while treating fine lines and wrinkles.
360 Dermatology & Ambay Plastic Surgery are located at 27716 Cashford Cir., Ste. 101. It is open Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. For more info, visit 360DermatologyTampa.com, call 406-4835 or see the ad on pg. 33.
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