Focus on Susan Bayliss, MD

Dr. Bayliss (right) celebrates graduation with daughters Elizabeth and Meridith

FOR A PEDIATRIC APPOINTMENT, PLEASE PHONE (314)454-4232 OR FOR ADULTS, CALL (314)362-2643.

What happened in the course of schooling to make you choose your specialty?

I went into pediatrics first and I knew I wanted to sub-specialize in pediatrics. I was not sure until my third year of residency when I did a rotation in dermatology and it just clicked. I knew this is what I wanted to do. It is very visual specialty that appeals to me.

What brought you to Washington University?

A job change brought me to Washington University. I have been here for fifteen years.

Which aspect of your practice is most interesting?

I love the kids! I have one of the best jobs in the world. I get to help families but I love to talk to the kids -- especially the elementary age kids but I like the teenagers too. I try to help them in what ever way I can with their skin. Most of the teens I deal with have problems with the skin such as acne and hair loss.

With the smaller children, they mostly have eczema. A lot of kids have eczema but some children have it so bad, they have to be put into the hospital. I do a lot of education with my patients who have eczema because it is a chronic disease. It often gets better on its own over time, but it takes a lot of work for eczema to heal. Diseases that run in families are atopic diseases which includes eczema so if there is a genetic predisposition, it can be hereditary.

What new developments in your field are you most excited about?

The most interesting things in my field are the genetic skin diseases. Finding the genes for those particular diseases is very interesting and the potential to treat them in the future is very exciting. With these genes, we can find the protein that is abnormal and possibly replace it. That is the hope for several genetic skin diseases.

I have an interest in Vascular Lesions: hemangiomas, vascular malformations. We actually have a vascular birthmark clinic that meets once a month. Dr. Alex Kane, a plastic surgeon, Dr. David Hovsepian, an interventional radiologist and I, where we treat complicated vascular malformations.

Where are you from originally?

I’m originally from Texas but grew up in the army, so we moved around a lot. When I was a little girl, I lived in Japan and San Francisco, but I mostly lived in Texas.

I went to college at the University of Texas in Austin for my undergraduate degree, and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston for my medical degree. My dad was an army physician and he had a huge influence on my decision of becoming a doctor. I went to medical school when there weren’t that many women in medicine and if it hadn’t had been for him, I probably would have gone into another field of medicine, but not have become a doctor. He was very encouraging.

Which particular award or achievement is the most gratifying to you?

In the last five years I have written two books. One was a second edition to a previous book I had written and the other one was a small textbook on pediatric dermatology. They are An Illustrated Dictionary of Dermatologic Syndromes, Second Edition and An Illustrated Manual of Pediatric Dermatology Diagnosis & Management.

What do you do when you are not working?

I have a lot of interests. Right now, I am learning ballroom dancing. I like to travel and do garden work. When I’m sitting down, I like to do needlepoint and crochet.

Where is your favorite place to visit?

My favorite place to visit is where my kids live. One of my daughters lives in Santa Barbara, California and my other daughter lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado. My favorite place to travel is some place I have never been. I like to travel. My daughter and I went to Vietnam last November and it is probably the best trip I ever had.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

I have two pieces of advice. The first was from my dad and it is that there is no perfect job. You have to put up with the bad parts because you love the good parts. Secondly, is to never stop learning. Always be curious.

What lifestyle change could most benefit our health?

I have two changes to benefit our lives. The first is to exercise. It is good for you. Two, is to get rid of the unnecessary food. We have too much food and too much waste in this country. There are too many people that are overweight. Having less fatty food and exercising more often, are two lifestyle changes with which we could benefit.