Submitted PhotoDr. Christopher Wolfe has joined the staff of Thacker Dermatology. 

VALDOSTA – Dr. Christopher Wolfe has joined the team of Thacker Dermatology, bringing his expertise in Mohs surgery to the practice.

Wolfe has the same dermatological credentials as Dr. Betsy Backe of Thacker Dermatology, with the addition of a Mohs surgery fellowship.

Named for Frederic Mohs, the originator of the surgery, the surgery is a technically challenging operation that allows for the removal of all cancerous cells for the highest cure rate while leaving healthy tissue and resulting in minimal scarring, according to Thacker Dermatology. Lab work for the surgery is done on-site.

Wolfe comes from Tallahassee, Fla., and is working Fridays until he starts full-time in August.

Barbara Pearce has brought her 10 years of experience with neuromodulators and fillers to the practice.

The Thacker staff has 28 employees, a substantial difference from the five employees Backe started with in 2011.

Staff members aren’t the only new arrivals at the office; Backe has brought in a number of state-of-the-art devices to continue putting the practice ahead of the curve. 

MiraDry is a new machine that eliminates sweat and odor glands in the underarm, making it ideal for patients who deal with excessive sweating or suffer from hyperhidrosis. The treatment is clinically proven to have an average of 82% sweat reduction and 89% odor reduction.

An advanced type of microneedling also made its way into the practice. Profound is the first and only FDA-cleared radio frequency microneedling and Backe said it’s in “a class of its own.” 

It heats to 67 degrees Celsius, which is more than 150 degree Fahrenheit, for three to four seconds. It is a non-surgical, one-treatment way to deal with facial wrinkles and cellulite, she said.

The HydraFacial is another new procedure that cleans, extracts and hydrates with serums made with nourishing ingredients .

Holly DuPree, certified medical aesthetician, said the HydraFacial is great for people looking to kick off their skin-care routine by removing dead skin cells and said it’s perfect for getting the perfect glow.

Backe said she is passionate about injectables and travels the country to do hands-on training with some of the world’s best cosmetic injectors and train other physicians on how to safely and effectively inject filler as part of being a GAIN trainer.

Now, she offers Bellafill, a semi-permanent filler that should only be injected by the most skilled of hands, she said. Unlike other fillers, Bellafill lasts for five years, which makes it important to ensure the injector truly knows what they are doing.

The practice has had EmSculpt, the only procedure to help both women and men build muscle and sculpt their body, but recently added smaller contour applicators, allowing for treatment of smaller areas such as biceps and triceps.

Aesthetics and skin care know no gender. Backe said many men are getting into it, from EmSculpt to strength muscles to facials and even injectables.

Thacker Dermatology is located at 4233 Camelot Crossing and can be found online on Facebook and Instagram or via phone at (229) 469-4383. The office is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-noon Friday. 

Desiree Carver is a reporter at the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be reached at (229) 244-3400 ext. 1215.