Genetic Predisposition

Brian Zelickson had always been interested in science, but was determined to avoid dermatology, the specialty of his father, renowned dermatologist Alvin Zelickson, who has been practicing for close to fifty years and has been a Mpls.St.Paul Top Doctor himself.

Brian graduated from the University of Colorado– Boulder with a degree in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. But after completing medical training at the Mayo Clinic and Hennepin County Medical Center, he decided to specialize in dermatology. “It was a genetic predisposition,” he jokes. “Dermatology is very visual and you can do internal medicine, research, and surgery.”

Zelickson, forty-seven, has worked with lasers throughout his nearly twenty-year career. He “fell into” laser studies after working on a leg vein study at the Mayo Clinic. “I really liked working with the technology,” he says. When he finished his training, he became involved in the newly developed multispecialty laser center at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

Laser treatments were developed to target pigment and port wine stains, but today they are used for everything from acne to skin cancer. According to Zelickson, the goal is to completely replace surgery. “With lasers, you can significantly diminish [problem areas] with virtually no scarring,” he says. Zelickson is involved in research at the University of Minnesota, where he directs the Electron Microscopy Laboratory and works with dermatology residents. He also has three clinics, where he enjoys seeing patients.

“It is all about interacting with people,” he says. “Dermatology can be very personal.” At Skin Specialists Ltd., in Minneapolis and Wayzata, he practices with his father and Jennifer Biglow, MD, treating everything from melanoma to leg veins. At Zel Skin and Laser in Edina his work is more cosmetic. He admits he hesitated to do cosmetic treatments, but, he says, “these treatments do make a huge difference in the overall quality of life.”