Meet Dr. Thomas Knackstedt

Hello, my name is Dr. Thomas Knackstedt, and I’m a board-certified dermatologist and board-certified, fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon at Peak Skin Center in Fuquay-Varina. I’ve been a dermatologist for over 10 years.

I initially became interested in the specialty of dermatology thanks to a family friend we had during my middle school and high school years. From an early age in high school, I began shadowing him in his practice during school vacations and continued this process into college. It was actually that shadowing experience with an excellent dermatologist that prompted me to apply to medical school, then dermatology residency, and ultimately Mohs surgery fellowship.

One of the things I enjoy most about dermatology is the visual nature of the specialty. I can meet with a patient and, in many instances, relatively quickly determine the most likely diagnosis. That allows me to spend the remainder of the visit learning more about how the patient views their condition and how we can best treat it together. The variety of diagnoses and patients makes dermatology a really interesting and fulfilling specialty for me.

As a Mohs surgeon, I’m particularly passionate about the management of skin cancer. Skin cancer is a national epidemic—we see thousands of cases in our office every year. Being able to work with a patient, educate them and their family about the nature of their skin cancer, and develop a treatment plan brings me a great deal of joy and professional gratification.