Medical / Surgical Treatments

Surgical
Many people have problems which cause concern, for example skin tags, cysts and moles.

These can catch on clothing, cause irritation or even bleed. Many patients request removal of such lesions for non-cosmetic reasons. These can be removed under local anaesthetic with minor discomfort, usually with good cosmetic results and minimal scarring being visible. Mole removal can also be carried out if there is any doubt about their innocence.

Surgical treatments that can be carried out at LasaDerm include:

• Scar Revision
• Moles
• Benign Skin Lesions
• Skin Tags
• Ingrowing Toe Nails
• Sebaceous Cysts
• Verrucae and Warts
• Fatty Lumps and Lipomas

Our surgical suite has been purpose built and has the latest in equipment and facilities to ensure that we provide you with the safest and best possible treatments. Additionally our doctors have all taken additional training in providing skin surgery treatments.

The lesion to be removed will be marked out and the area is cleaned with an antiseptic wash. The procedure will be carried out by an approved doctor, who will inject a local anaesthetic around the area and anaesthetise the area. The injection may sting for a few seconds, but this eases within a few seconds and you should then not feel any more pain.

The area around the lesion may be covered with a sterile paper cloth to keep bugs away from the area with the aim of reducing any chance of infection.

The doctor will then use a scalpel to remove the lesion. The specimen which has been cut out is then usually sent to the histology laboratory to be looked at under the microscope. The results of these will be passed to you and ensure that anything serious such as possible skin cancer is followed as soon as required. Most lesions are of course benign and our aim is always to refer patients to hospital (as per National Surgical guidance set by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence) if we have serious concerns about any moles prior to removal.

The skin is then stitched back together using an appropriate sterile suture (surgical thread). The wound will then be reviewed by the doctor in 5-10 days, when the stitches are removed

Medical
Rosacea/Acne Rosacea/Sebhorreic Dermatitis

Rosacea is a skin condition of the face that gives the cheeks and nose a flushed appearance. As the condition progresses, small blood vessels and tiny pimples begin to appear on, and around, the reddened area. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can halt the progress of the condition

Patients seeking treatment are advised to attend a clinic for a consultation because Q&As on Rosacea Forums whilst potentially useful in the context of general background information are intended as general information only and in order to best serve you as a patient, the clinician would almost certainly need the opportunity to meet a patient, examine them and take a history before providing an opinion and /or prescribing a course of treatment(s).

Usually, we aim to significantly lessen the appearance of redness with 2-3 treatments over a 4-6 month period. The main areas of treatment concern the following issues:-

• Facial Redness
• Papules and Pustules
• Flushing

When you first attend for a consultation, the Doctor will go through with you what your main treatment goals are and recommend a particular series of treatments using one or more of the treatment protocols we use. This will primarily be guided by what bothers you most about your condition.

Generally IPL is best suited to treat facial redness and papules and pustules. NdYAG is generally best suited to treat flushing symptoms. Most patients are troubled by a mixture of symptoms and for these patients, an alternating course of IPL/NdYAG may be the best option to try and make steady progress on more than one front.

Hyperhydrosis or excessive sweating is a condition that affects the amount of perspiration produced by the body. It is a common problem for men and women and is estimated to affect 1-2% of the population.

The cause of excessive sweating is not really known however it is thought to be hereditary and other factors can play a role; certain foods and drinks, nicotine, caffeine, and smells can trigger a response. The condition can leave the affected areas constantly damp making everyday activities difficult to carry out and inevitably causing embarrassment to the sufferer.

There is a quick and simple treatment available using a product known as Botox®. This product is normally used for treating facial frown lines and wrinkles but Botox® is FDA approved for severe underarm sweating that is inadequately managed with topical agents. It is effective in preventing the sweat glands from producing excess levels of sweat.

The treatment is quick and simple to perform and can reduce and almost eliminate sweating for around 6 months

Port-wine stains are reddish birthmarks that appear in about 0.3% of children. These birthmarks are caused by an over-abundance of blood vessels in the skin. The colouring of port-wine stains can range from pale pink to dark purple and are most commonly located on the neck, the face, the chest or the shoulders, though they can be located anywhere on the body. Port-wine stains vary in size and may become darker and larger as the person grows older. Port-wine stains never go away on their own.

Removing Port-Wine Stains with Laser Cosmetic Surgery
Laser cosmetic surgery can bring relief to those feeling self-conscious because of their port-wine stains. Today, a NdYAG laser, is commonly used to treat these birthmarks. The laser can penetrate the skin very deeply, which makes it possible for it to target the red pigment and blood vessels causing the appearance of the port-wine stains.

When the NdYAG laser penetrates the skin, it is able to vaporize the tissue causing the discoloured appearance without causing damage to the surrounding skin. It can take several treatments to achieve the desired results. In addition, it may be necessary to have treatments referred to as “maintenance treatments” because port-wine stains have the tendency to reappear.