With a resolute commitment to achieving remission of severe and chronic psoriasis through comprehensive treatment, Dr. Leone brings a unique combination of expertise and accomplishment to the practice of dermatology. As the founder of the Leone Dermatology Center and Psoriasis Treatment Center, both colleagues and patients regard Dr. Leone as one of the foremost authorities on psoriasis as well as other photo-responsive disorders of the skin.

While a pre-med student at the University of Illinois, Giulio Leone was chosen to participate in an accelerated program and was granted early admission to UIC’s medical school, receiving his MD in 1964 at the age of 22. Serving his internship at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Dr. Leone developed an intense interest in the treatment of psoriasis. After serving in the US Air Force for two years as a General Medical Officer, he began his dermatology residency at Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital in Los Angeles, and then completed his residency at Cook County Hospital.

Establishing his private practice in 1970, he subsequently opened one of the largest private psoriasis treatment facilities in the country in 1977. Dr. Leone assigns top priority to continuing medical education so that the center’s patients may be offered the latest and most effective treatments available. Dr. Leone and his associates are in constant pursuit of the most effective treatments for every form of psoriasis as well as other dermatologic disorders.

Acknowledged by his peers for his expertise, Dr. Leone has presented lectures on psoriasis, has been quoted in national dermatologic literature, and has served as Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at Loyola University in Chicago. He is a Fellow of the American Board of Dermatology. His other professional affiliations include membership in the American Academy of Dermatology as well as being Board Certified in Dermatology.

After his graduation from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, Richard Giacobetti attended Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago where he served his internship and residency in internal medicine and his subsequent residency in the specialty of dermatology.

Associated with Dr. Leone since 1980, Dr. Giacobetti is board certified in dermatology and is a diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Establishing his expertise among physicians in both the dermatologic and internal medicine specialties, Dr. Giacobetti has had original research published in the following professional journals: American Academy of Dermatology, Archives of Dermatology, International Journal Of Dermatology, Nephron, Contact Dermatitis, American Journal of Diseases of Children and the Textbook of Office Dermatology. Areas of research have included the influence of chemical mediators during early cell division, the teratogenetic effects of DDT and related insecticides and the electron microscopy of the basement membrane zone in the epidermis of human diabetics.

Dr. Giacobetti limits his practice to general dermatology with an emphasis on medical dermatology and a special interest in skin cancer treatment, connective tissue diseases, leg ulcers and geriatric skin problems.

SHERYL HOYER, M.D.

Dr. Sheryl Hoyer received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she earned national attention as Glamour magazine’s "Top Ten College Women" and was interviewed on the NBC Today Show and CBS Morning Show. She then went on to receive her M.D. from the University of Chicago, where she did some of the research which laid the groundwork for products like Propecia, which is used to treat male pattern hair loss. (Her work was on androgen receptors in the skin and was published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.)

She then trained in internal medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and completed her dermatology residency at Cook County Hospital in Chicago where she was chosen to serve as chief resident.

Associated with Dr. Leone since 1995, Dr. Hoyer is board certified in dermatology, has been on staff at Northwest Community Hospital, and is an active member of the Chicago Dermatological Society. Her other professional affiliations include the American Academy of Dermatology, Illinois State Medical Society, and the Chicago Medical Society.

Dr. Hoyer practices general dermatology, including skin, hair and nail problems, with a special interest in dermatologic and cosmetic surgery. She performs mole and skin cancer surgery, as well as sclerotherapy for leg veins, chemical peels, collagen treatments, Radiesse, Restylane and Botox injections.

Dr. Hoyer has three children, and has been a leader of all three of their scouting troops/dens. She enjoys photography and was the grand prize winner  of two national photography contests.

NICOLE CONRAD, M.D.

Dr. Nicole Conrad has spent the majority of her life in Texas, completing medical school and an internship in Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas followed by her Dermatology residency in Dallas at the University of Texas Southwestern. She served as chief resident during her final year of training, both at the Dallas Veteran's Hospital and at Parkland Memorial Hospital. Dr. Conrad is Board Certified in Dermatology and a member of  the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Medical Association.

Dermatology has given Dr. Conrad the opportunity to combine her passions of science, art, creativity and technology. She is attracted to all aspects of dermatology, including general dermatology, connective tissue disease, surgical dermatology and cosmetic dermatology. She is published extensively in dermatology literature, including prominent journals such as the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Dermatologic Surgery, and the British Journal of Medicine. Dr. Conrad supports the advancement of the field of dermatology with the newest technology and prioritizes her commitment to her patients.

Growing up in Texas, Dr. Conrad pursued many athletic endeavors. As a teenager, her primary focus was tennis and she traveled extensively playing the national junior circuit. More recently she has taken up yoga as well as running, and has completed several marathons and triathlons. In addition to sports, Dr. Conrad enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

STEPHEN CARTER, M.D.

After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee, Dr. Stephen Carter completed medical school, an internship in Internal Medicine and his Dermatology residency at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. During his final year of residency, Dr. Carter was chosen to serve as chief resident. He is Board Certified and a member of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Medical Association.

Dr. Carter has been associated with Leone Dermatology Center since completing his Dermatology residency in 2005. While Dr. Carter's primary interest is medical dermatology and dermatologic surgery,  he is also experienced in cosmetic procedures such as Botox and laser treatments. Dr. Carter is committed to providing the latest, safest and most effective treatments to each of his patients.

Outside of the office, Dr. Carter enjoys traveling, working out, watching movies and spending  time with friends and family.

HEATHER DOWNES, M.D.

Dr. Heather Downes is a Chicagoland native who received an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she also competed as a member of a top-3 nationally ranked collegiate crew team. After putting her oars away, she returned to Chicago to attend Loyola University's Stritch School of Medicine and graduated with cum laude and alpha omega alpha honors. Dr. Downes then completed an internship in Internal Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and a dermatology residency at L.A. County / USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. During her residency, Dr. Downes presented at many regional and national dermatology conferences, worked on several original publications, and also participated in summer camps for children with severe skin diseases.

Joining Leone Dermatology Center in 2008, Dr. Downes' emphasis is on general dermatology and dermatologic surgery. As a member of the American Society for Mohs Surgery, she is also trained in performing Mohs micrographic surgery for skin cancers. In addition, Dr. Downes performs laser surgery, sclerotherapy for leg veins, chemical peels, Botox, and collagen injections. Her other professional memberships include the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Medical Association, and the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery.

In her free time, Dr. Downes loves spending time with her family and her adorable chocolate labrador retriever, playing tennis, and watching Chicago Bears football. She has also enjoyed traveling to diverse places. Her favorite experiences to date have been living in Mexico, studying in Ireland, and working as a healthcare volunteer in Guatemala.

OUR GENERAL DERMATOLOGY UNIT SUPPORT STAFF