Dr. Joseph Eastern
Dermatology
Belleville , NJ
46 years experience male
Locations
The Belleville Dermatology Center, PA
Belleville , NJ
My office hours
Thursday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Show morePhone
Insurances accepted
Aetna
Blue cross blue shield
Cigna
Healthnet
Humana
United healthcare
About
Bio
Dr. Joseph Eastern is Clinical Professor at Seton Hall University and former Clinical Asst. Professor at UMDNJ – New Jersey Medical School. He has practiced dermatology in Belleville, NJ for 33 years.
He completed his MD at UC San Francisco School of Medicine, internship at Memorial Hospital Medical Center in Long Beach, CA, and a residency in Dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, where he was Chief Resident in his final year and was certified by the American Board of Dermatology the following year.
Dr. Eastern originated the Office Efficiency course at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, and directed it for many years. He writes monthly columns for Cutis magazine and Skin & Allergy News, and is a 2-time president of the Dermatological Society of NJ.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Dermatology
Licenses
United States: California, New Jersey
Doctor Q&A
1.9K Answers
83 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
No evidence.: If you are asking whether it can be transmitted through dry skin, there is no evidence that it can. Hepatitis c is spread when blood from a person inf... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Skin tone, eyesight: Vitamin a is essential for healthy eyes and skin. It exists naturally in liver, butter, lean meat, and eggs; and its precursor, beta-carotene, is in c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Don't know.: Impossible to tell without looking at it. If it has been there for a year, you need to see a dermatologist and find out what it is.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Canker sores: No one knows exactly why canker sores occur, but they are often secondary to an infection somewhere else in your body, or to stress, or to eating too ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Uvula?: This isn't my area of expertise, but sometimes you (or at least i) can feel the uvula, which is that small piece of skin that you can see hanging betw... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 23-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Canker sores: Canker sores are often secondary to an infection somewhere else in your body, or to stress, or to eating too much spicy or acidic food. It is not herp... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Depends...: ...On what they are. If it's acne, a dermatologist can do a treatment to remove them and prescribe medications to prevent new ones. But it could also... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Wear sunscreen daily: Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen (spf 30 or higher) every day, rain or shine; wear wide-brimmed hats; avoid peak sun hours (10am to 4pm); and stay in ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Contact/irritant: Zoonoses, for those who don't know, are animal diseases that can be transmitted to humans. This doesn't sound like a zoonosis. It sounds like you're c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 20-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Infection.: This is most likely a bacterial infection. I'm guessing that you squeezed a pimple, which we discourage for exactly this reason. It could also have sp... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Yes, probably.: The most common allergen is red ink, but you can be allergic to any color of ink. Hydrocortisone cream and tincture of time may solve the problem; if ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Canker sores: No one knows exactly why canker sores occur, but they are often secondary to an infection somewhere else in your body, or to stress, or to eating too ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Need to be examined: First of all, you have to make sure that it is in fact a yeast infection. It could also be an allergy to lubricants or sexual devices or whatever. Th... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Many possibilities.: Shbg levels are decreased by testosterone, anabolic steroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, low thyroid levels, diabetes, obesity, cushing's syndrome, an... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Avoidance.: The way to avoid allergic reactions is to avoid eating chicken and eggs. An antihistamine such as Allegra or Claritin (loratadine) might blunt the rea... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 17-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
No.: Saw palmetto is billed as an alternative to Finasteride for hair loss, but there is no credible evidence to support this, and no logical reason why it... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 19-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Probably not.: Most often this is a friction issue. But if it persists for more than a day or two, or gets worse, see your doctor.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Not cold sores.: Cold sores are typically groups of painful blisters, so doubt that it's that. May be having an allergic reaction to something. Try 1% Hydrocortisone c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 16-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Probably nothing.: Testicles are a sensitive area (duh!) so touching them can cause "slight pain". As the old joke goes, if it hurts when you touch them, don't touch the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 27-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Trauma.: White spots on nails are normally due to everyday sorts of trauma, such as knocking your nail against a hard surface. They disappear over time. In the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
1 comment
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Ignore: Don't pick them off! They will get infected. A dermatologist will remove or freeze them for you.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Ignore: Most forms of generalized hair loss are temporary. Baldness can be treated too; see a dermatologist.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Treat & Prevent: My basic approach to eczema treatment is to find the cause, which is usually there if you look for it. If eliminating the cause is impossible, medium-... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 30-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Is it still present?: If the pus and blood are still present, you should return to your doctor and get additional treatment. If it is gone, there is no way to predict if i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 25-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
STD?: Something may have been garbled in communication from doctor to patient to you. "can't have sex" suggests a sexually transmitted disease, such as syp... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 16-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Single blade: Razor bumps are due to ingrown hairs, caused by shaving too closely. Use a single-blade or electric razor, which will not give you as close a shave - ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 17-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Find the cause.: Others may tell you that this is something called alopecia areata, but that usually does not last 6 years. If it has happened slowly over time, it is ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 36-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Hormones.: Adult acne is often a sign of hormonal changes within the body. Medications can do it too. In general, it is more difficult to treat than simple teena... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Nonspecific.: Bites from most spiders and insects look pretty much the same - a red bump, sometimes swollen and/or itchy. If there is a black dot in the middle, it ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Neither.: Just keep the cut clean. You can apply an antibiotic ointment or cream if you wish, but it's not necessary. And keep the area covered lightly with a b... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Not advised.: Ketacomb cream is a combination of Nystatin (an antifungal), neomycin and gramicidin (both antibacterials) and triamcinolone (a steroid). Triamcinolon... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Please don't.: I'm not sure what you mean by "thin skin", exactly, but please don't try any surgical procedures on yourself. Talk to your doctor about any options, s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Maybe.: Keflex might lessen your acne, but that's not what it is for. The best current antibiotics for acne are Doxycycline and minocycline, with a few others... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Maybe normal.: If the skin under your nails is only slightly lighter than elsewhere it is probably normal. If it is significantly lighter you might have an anemia or... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 58-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Leave it alone.: And cover it with a bandaid. Blisters heal faster when they are covered.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
No.: No, vitamin e has no effect on ringworm. But first, make sure that it really is ringworm; many circular rashes are assumed to be ringworm by inexperie... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Doubt it.: I doubt very much that either the black spots or the hair loss are due to rogaine (minoxidil) -- but i'm not sure what you mean by "black spots". Are ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 49-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Depends on cause.: If they are due to applying strong topical steroid creams, you need to stop the steroids. If they are due to an underlying hormonal problem, you need ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Possible allergy: It could have been an allergic reaction to something coming in contact with both your hands and feet. It could have been a type of eczema called dyshi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Yeast.: This is probably a yeast infection, called candidiasis. Keep the area clean and dry, and apply an anti-yeast cream (several are available over the cou... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
More info.: Dark uneven splotches are typically "age spots", and you're too young for those, so we are going to need more information, or possibly even a photo, i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old female asked:
Can i use rite aid's first aid antiseptic to clean new ear piercings? it says 91% isopropyl alcohol.
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Yes.: Sure, you can use it - but plain isopropyl alcohol will work just as well, and it's cheaper.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Find cause: If you have always sweated profusely, it's a normal condition for you. If it just started, you should see a physician and find out why. There are many... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Condoms, abstinence.: You should abstain from sexual activity with partners when sores or other symptoms of herpes are present. It is important to know that even if a perso... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 43-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
No.: I assume you meant "dovonex". Dovonex is a vitamin d-derived cream or ointment used to treat psoriasis, and tazorac (tazarotene) is a retinoid cream ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Very little: Self-treatment of skin tags is not a particularly good idea. Cutting them off with a non-sterile scissors hurts, and risks infection. An old folk rem... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 23-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Not really.: I discourage my patients from using oils of any sort for moisturizing; most of the time it just plugs up oil glands and causes acne. Ditto for masks;... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 19-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Many options.: Begin with benzoyl peroxide. It's effective and well tolerated for most people. Start with a low strength and increase if needed. With stubborn acne, ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 17-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
Angioma: Sounds like a "spider angioma", which is just a collection of small blood vessels. But pain is unusual, so you should probably let your doctor or a de... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joseph Easternanswered
Dermatology 46 years experience
No.: If you mean mometasone, that's a topical corticosteroid. At best it will not help; at worst it will make your acne worse. Try benzoyl peroxide or sal... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
18
Recommendations
2.1K
Thank you notes
Aug 16, 2013
I recommend you as a well know expert in your field.
Dr Jakavick would recommend this Dr To all who seek their expertise.
Jun 30, 2014
Very knowledgeable. I recommend Dr. Eastern highly.
Jan 3, 2014
Great answers! Keep up the great job!
HealthTap member
Thank you, both of you! I think I may have to push a bit with the doctor because she may not be realizing how tired I am. Cortisol and TSH were normal. I was trying to disregard it because "normal" pe...Read More
HealthTap member
thank you for yhe reply. yes, i've been to the doctor and have been asked to get plenty of rest, fluids, and eat a balanced diet. this is my 3rd week and nausea has gone and my urine is much more clea...Read More
HealthTap member
I have been using Burows solution, and its helped somewhat and putting Tubigrip, compression cotton hose thats cut to size..it helps at night is dipping my leg in salt water good, im hoping to go to t...Read More
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
UC San Francisco School of Medicine, CA
Graduated 1977MD
Awards
Top Doctor, New Jersey Monthly Magazine
Most Influential, Second Place, Newark, NJ - Winter
2013
Top Dermatologist , Third Place, New Jersey - Winter
2013
Affiliations
American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of dermtological Surgery, International Society of Dermatology
Dermatological Society of New Jersey
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