The Division of Dermatology of the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) provides services to cater for patients suffering from various skin disorders. This includes skin consultations and procedures given to ward inpatients and outpatients. The Division is also active in the area of Dermatology research and dedicates itself to impart Dermatology knowledge to the undergraduate and postgraduate students in the faculty.
Type of services offered:
i. Inpatient Care
The Division of Dermatology provides inpatient care in Ward 11U, Menara Utama, UMMC for patients with conditions such as toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, drug hypersensitivity syndrome, erythroderma, autoimmune bullous diseases and severe inflammatory dermatoses including eczema and psoriasis. We also accept referrals from both inter- and intra-departmental referrals for skin conditions.
ii. General Dermatology Clinic
Clinic/ Patient Consultation:
We provide outpatient services for patients who are referred from government clinics, private general practitioners and other departments within the hospital. Patients are required to bring a referral letter to the clinic and will be given an outpatient appointment date based on the urgency of their condition.
The General Dermatology Clinic is located at Medical Clinic 1 (Klinik Perubatan 1), Level 1, Menara Utama. Our clinic hours at Medical Clinic 1 are on every Tuesday and Friday 8.30 am till 12.30 pm (by appointment basis).
Our nursing staff also provide comprehensive counselling for patients with psoriasis and eczema.
iii. Procedure Clinic
The Procedure Clinic is located at Medical Clinic 2 (Klinik Perubatan 2), Ground Floor, Menara Utama. Patients are required to bring a referral letter to the clinic and will be given an outpatient appointment date based on the urgency of their condition. Our services during this clinic session include:
Our procedure clinic runs on every Thursday 2 pm - 4.30 pm (by appointment basis).
iv. Patch Test Clinic
Patch test services using the European Standard series are available for patients with possible allergic contact dermatitis. Patients require assessment in the General Dermatology Clinic by our clinicians prior to listing for this service.
Dermatology Room
Medical Clinic 1 (Klinik Perubatan 1), Level 1, Menara Utama, UMMC
Monday, Wednesday and Friday (appointments are made after consultation with Division of Dermatology doctors)
v. Phototherapy Clinic
Phototherapy clinic sessions are tailored to patient's specific needs depending on the severity of their skin condition. Examples (non-exhaustive list) of skin conditions that can be treated with phototherapy include eczema, psoriasis, vitiligo and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Patients will need to be assessed in the General Dermatology Clinic by our clinicians prior to listing for this service.
vi. Dermatological Surgery and Mohs micrographic surgery
We assess and manage a variety of skin lesions requiring surgical intervention including lumps and bumps, discolourations and skin cancers. Patients listed for surgery should be evaluated in the General Dermatology Clinic prior to booking of an appointment for the procedure by the clinicians. Services available on an appointment basis include:
Our procedures are performed at Bilik Prosedur Khas, Level 1, Menara Utama, UMMC
Thursday 9.30 am - 12.30 pm.
vii. Laser clinic
We assess and manage patients with pigmentary disorders (e.g. melasma, solar lentigines, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), various benign skin lesions and acne scars in our laser clinic. Patients need to be assessed at the General Dermatology Clinic prior to booking an appointment for laser treatment. Services available include:
Our Laser Clinic is located at Medical Daycare, Level 2, Menara Timur. Procedures are performed every Friday 2 pm till 4.30 pm.
The Division of Dermatology is active in research in the field of Dermatology and we are open to participation in national and international trials. We also supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students who are interested in pursuing projects related to our field. Our researchers have presented award-winning papers at national and international conferences, produced publications in various dermatological journals and are acting as current peer reviewers within the field.
Selected publications:
• Han WH, Yong SS, Tan LL, Toh YF, Chew MF, Pailoor J, Kwan Z. Characteristics of skin cancers among adult patients in an urban Malaysian population. Australas J Dermatol 2019; 60(4):e327-9. doi: 10.1111/ajd.13106.
• Kwan Z, Yong SS, Robinson S. Analysis of Internet searches using Google Trends to measure interest in sun protection and skin cancer in selected South-East Asian populations. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed 2020; 36(2):83-9. doi:10.1111/phpp.12510.
• Kwan Z, Khairu Najhan NN, Yau YH, Luximon Y, Nor FM. Anticipating Local Flaps Closed-Form Solution on 3D Face Models Using Finite Element Method [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jul 31]. Int J Numer Method Biomed Eng 2020;e3390. doi:10.1002/cnm.3390.
• Yong SS, Han WH, Faheem NAA, Puvan N, Tan LL, Wong SM, Kwan Z. Predictive factors of sun protective behaviour among global airline pilots. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed 2022 Mar 24. doi:10.1111/phpp.12787. Epub ahead of print.
• Kwan Z, Anand RL, Mallipeddi R, Ali FR. The utility of negative histopathological analysis of debulk specimens during Mohs micrographic surgery for basal cell carcinoma. Br J Dermatol 2022 Apr 20. doi:10.1111/bjd.21613. Epub ahead of print.
• Kwan Z, Balachandran P, Daruish M, Stefanato CM, Kiely C. Dermal Cystine Crystals: An Incidental Finding During Mohs Surgery. Am J Dermatopathol 2022 July 6. doi: 10.1097/DAD.0000000000002244. Epub ahead of print.
• Kwan Z, Che Ismail RB, Wong SM, Tan LL, Robinson S, Lim KS. Sodium valproate-aggravated psoriasisform eruption. Int J Dermatol 2014; 53(10):e477-9. doi: 10.1111/ijd.12579. Epub 2014 Sep 10.
• Kwan Z, Bong YB, Tan LL, et al. Socioeconomic and sociocultural determinants of psychological distress and quality of life among patients with psoriasis in a selected multi-ethnic Malaysian population. Psychol Health Med 2017;22(2):184-195.
• Kwan Z, Bong YB, Tan LL, et al. Determinants of quality of life and psychological status in adults with psoriasis. Arch Dermatol Res 2018; 310(5):443-51.
• Yong SS, Tan LL, Ch’ng CC, Yahya F, Pok SL, Ch’ng PY, Ong WM, Siew KSW, Aminuddin I, Ong LS, Lee AYS, Iskandar Zulkarnain LY, Mohd Hanafiah NH, Mustafa Rawther DS, Chong JJ, Saw LS, Tan MP, Kwan Z. Personal experience and knowledge about psoriasis reduce misconceptions and discriminatory behavior toward people living with psoriasis in Malaysia. Dermatol Sinica 2020; 38(1): 35-38.
• Kwan Z, Baharum N, Yong SS, Mohd Affandi A, Johar A. Sexual difficulties and associated factors among patients with psoriasis in Malaysia: data from the Malaysian Psoriasis registry. Psychol Health Med [journal on the Internet]. 2020 Oct 12 [cited 2020 Oct 14]. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2020.1831557 [Epub ahead of print]
• Goh Y, Kwan Z, Han WH, Iqbal T, Yahya F, Khang TF, Singh S. Ocular surface disease in psoriatic patients in a developing country. Int Ophthalmol 2021; 41(6):2139-2147. doi: 10.1007/s10792-021-01771-8.
• Yap WH, Cheah TY, Yong LC, Chowdhury SR, Ng MH, Kwan Z, Kong CK, Goh BH. Fibroblast-derived matrices-based human skin equivalent as an in vitro psoriatic model for drug testing. J Biosci 2021; 46:86.
• Khor AHP, Lim KS, Tan CT, Kwan Z, Ng CC. Cross-reactivity in AED-induced severe cutaneous adverse reaction: A case report. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2016;26(5):329-31. doi:10.18176/jiaci.0085.
• Khor AH, Lim KS, Tan CT, Kwan Z, Tan WC, Wu DBC, Ng CC. HLA-A*31: 01 and HLA-B*15:02 association with Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis to carbamazepine in a multiethnic Malaysian population. Pharmacogenet Genomics 2017;27(7):275-8.
• Kwan Z, Pailoor J, Tan LL, Robinson S, Wong SM, Ismail R. Leprosy – An imported disease. Lepr Rev 2014;85:170-6.
• Kuan CS, Ismail R, Kwan Z, et al. Isolation and Characterization of an atypical Metschnikowia sp. Strain from the Skin Scraping of a Dermatitis Patient. PLoS One 2016;11(6):e0156119.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0156119. eCollection 2016.
• Han WH, Yong JY, Yong SS, Faheem NAA, Toh YF, Chew MF, Z Kwan, Azwa I. Cutaneous manifestations of patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection: a retrospective review of a tertiary referral centre with clinicopathological correlation. Australas J Dermatol 2021; 62(3):286-291. doi:10.1111/ajd.13580.
• Er YX, Lee SC, Than LTL, Muslim A, Leong KF, Kwan Z, Mohd Sayed I, Lim YAL. Tinea Imbricata among the Indigenous Communities: Current Global Epidemiology and Research Gaps Associated with Host Genetics and Skin Microbiota. J Fungi (Basel) 2022;8(2):202. doi:10.3390/jof8020202.
• Kwan Z, Wong SM, Robinson S, Tan LL, Looi LM, Ismail R. Blue legs in a 60-year-old gentleman. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2015;44(12):577-9.
• Kwan Z, Wong SM, Robinson S, Tan LL, Ismail R. Pattern of skin diseases among patients attending an outpatient Dermatology clinic in a tertiary hospital in urban Malaysia. Australas J Dermatol 2017;54(4):e267-e268. doi:10.1111/ajd.12541
• Faheem NAA, Kwan Z, Yong ASW, et al. Syringocystadenoma papilliferum arising in a naevus sebaceous. Malays J Pathol 2019; 41(1):47-9.
• Robinson S, Kwan Z, Tang MM. Metformin as an adjunct therapy for the treatment of moderate to severe acne vulgaris: a randomized open-labelled study. Dermatol Ther 2019 May 1:e12953. doi: 10.1111/dth.12953
• Yong SS, Kwan Z, Ch’ng CC, et al. Self-reported generalized pruritus among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia. BMC Geriatr 2020; 20(1): 223.
• Yong SS, Robinson S, Kwan Z, et al. Psychological well-being, quality of life and patient satisfaction among adults with chronic spontaneous urticaria in a multi-ethnic Asian population. Psychol Health Med 2022 Jan 20;1-12. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2022.2029914.