► WHERE: 32 Church St. and 391 Rele St. in Lane Parke
Even as a young child, Dr. Holly Gunn longed to help people. Gunn’s interest in healthcare started in high school when she worked in an emergency room and helped save lives. “I really felt like I was a big part of the team,” Gunn said. “Helping people made me feel better about myself and gave me purpose.”
Her high school dreams transformed into her lifelong calling. As a board-certified dermatologist, Gunn has more than 13 years of experience diagnosing and treating skin conditions. She is the founder and CEO of Gunn Dermatology, a full-service dermatology office treating all skin ailments and growths and offering many dynamic services including pediatric, medical, surgical, cosmetic and aesthetic services.
Gunn Dermatology has a location in Crestline Village and recently celebrated the opening of its second location in Lane Park with a ribbon cutting Nov. 8.
Gunn worked in a level one trauma center in Washington D.C. around the time that she was accepted into medical school and was working toward her goal of becoming a pediatric trauma surgeon so she could save little kids’ lives. Gunn spoke with a plastic surgeon at the trauma center about her plans for the future, but the plastic surgeon said she looked and acted like a dermatologist and advised her to look into that field. “I was intrigued,” Gunn said. “I went to John Hopkins Department of Dermatology after that and knew that this surgeon was absolutely right.”
Gunn attended medical school at University of South Alabama and completed most of her dermatology training in Pennsylvania. She completed an internal medicine internship, skin care prevention research fellowship and dermatology residency at Pennsylvania State University Hershey Medical Center, and because of her time there Hershey kisses always make their way to the office at Gunn Dermatology. She worked in private practice for several years and most recently served as the assistant professor of Dermatology and the director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Dermatology Cosmetic and Laser Clinic.
Gunn and her team at Gunn Dermatology are expanding services to be less traditional and more innovative. Included in their services are skin radiation treatment, cryotherapy, cosmetic and surgical procedures, skin cancer removals, head-to-toe skin exams, acne treatments and much more. Whether it’s a rash, infection, skin cancer or irritation, they can treat any skin care need. They are also a cosmetic and laser center and perform treatments to make the skin healthier and stronger while removing signs of aging and discoloration.
Cassie Patton didn’t know her scars could be fixed until she came to Gunn Dermatology. The moment Patton walked through the doors of Gunn Dermatology, Gunn knew she was the perfect candidate for the Aegle Fund. Gunn and her team created the Aegle Fund to alleviate the financial burden for patients who need scar or disfigurement treatment. They provide free scar treatment using the abilities they have learned throughout the years to decrease scarring, improve appearance and instill more confidence in patients throughout their daily lives. Patients who have any kind of scarring, ranging from acne, skin cancers, trauma or genetic diseases are eligible for this fund.
“My family and I have always wanted to give back to our community,” Gunn said. “I feel like this fund was a really good way to do that.”
Patton originally came to Gunn Dermatology for acne problems, but Gunn examined her face and noticed a trachea scar on her neck. In 2011, a deadly tornado flattened Patton and her family’s house, killing her parents and leaving her and her sisters with serious injuries. Patton broke 26 bones and was airlifted to UAB Hospital. She was under sedation for a month as she underwent surgeries.
The tragedy not only left behind emotional scars, but also physical reminders of the turmoil that her and family had experienced. Patton’s halo scars from breaking her neck were the most noticeable along with her trachea scar, but she never thought improving the appearance of the scars was a possibility.
“I am truly thankful,” Patton said. “No one has offered to do something like that for me.”
“You technically can’t take away scars and can’t make them forget where the scars are from, but you can take away the constant reminder of where they came from just by improving the appearance of them,” Gunn said. “I have seen that build confidence in so many people, and that’s why it’s my passion.”
Gunn is glad Patton walked through those doors, that they were able to support her through the Aegle Fund.
The team at Gunn Dermatology strives to empower and instill confidence in every patient they treat. They believe in enhancing and affirming natural beauty. Gunn and her team’s goal is to make patients confident and comfortable in the natural beauty they already possess, and equip them with continual education and support to look and feel their best. The patient-focused and family-oriented approach fostered at Gunn Dermatology provides for a welcoming and comfortable experience when patients walk through the doors.
Gunn also fosters a family-centric environment among staff members. “Dr. Gunn is like our mom and our coworkers are like our sisters,” an employee said. “We all truly love and care about each other.” Gunn equips her team to provide quality care prioritizing transparency, respect, compassion, professionalism and excellence with each encounter.
Gunn Dermatology is committed to supporting patients every step of the way in their skin journey. They are inspired by their patients’ stories, and are proud to give back to their community through the Aegle Fund. Gunn said opening Gunn Dermatology has been the best adventure she could have imagined. They are doing their work in a way that they feel is the right way — treating every patient with the most cutting-edge technologies and individualized approach.
“Gunn Dermatology has truly been my pursuit of happiness,” Gunn said.
