Skin Growths And Excisions
Many people are born with moles or develop skin growths as they age, most of which are harmless, such as skin tags or lipomas (soft, moveable nodules beneath the skin). If you are bothered by these types of lesions, they can easily be removed by Dr. Boswell, usually in the office. Some patients have skin growths removed because they are unsightly, but they also may cause discomfort, especially if clothing rubs against them. Biopsy of any excised skin growth is routine to provide a definitive diagnosis and make sure it is not cancerous.
A skin condition called actinic keratoses, which is precancerous, is relatively common and easily treated in our office. Unfortunately, the frequency of skin cancer caused by sun exposure is growing. The most serious form, melanoma, requires more than simple removal, and additional treatment by a cancer specialist (oncologist) is needed. The more common forms of skin cancer are squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma, which our surgeon sees frequently. Any type of new skin growth or a change in a mole or other type of skin lesion should be checked by a physician, who can help you decide whether it should be excised.
Because skin cancers tend to form on the face or other visible parts of the body (those exposed to the sun), you can be assured that its removal will leave the least visible scar if done by an experienced plastic surgeon. The biopsy will determine if all the malignant growth has been removed. If not, additional excision will be necessary. The longer you wait to get a skin lesion removed, the larger it may become. A larger excision is more likely to leave a larger scar.
Scar Revision
Our surgeon is experienced in revising scars to make them less noticeable, regardless of whether the scar resulted from injury or surgical procedure. Not all scars can be improved by revision, but most can, with either minor surgery or another type of treatment.
Hand Rejuvenation
Your hands can reveal your age even more easily than your face can. Some patients choose to undergo hand rejuvenation when they have a facelift or other facial procedure so their hands better match the age of the face. Several treatment options are available at BodyAesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Products in our Skincare Center can improve dark spots, or hyperpigmentation, on the back of the hands caused by sun damage. More severe sun damage may require a TCA chemical peel, a laser peel, or laser pulsed light phototherapy treatment. Injections of a tissue filler such as Sculptra or fat transferred from another area of the body effectively restores lost volume and helps conceal veins and tendons that become more prominent on the backs of the hands as we age.
