Skin cancer screening involves a thorough examination of the patient’s body. The Doctor would take a look at any abnormal moles that you may have including other parts of the body that receive the most sun exposure for example the face, hands, arms etc. You would be asked different questions regarding your clinical family history with skin cancer and the amount of exposure you receive. You will also be educated on certain preventive measures as well as how to identify signs and symptoms of skin cancer.
Skin Cancer Treatment and Surgery
There are different types of surgeries that are commonly used to treat skin cancer and each one is used for specific needs. For example there is preventative surgery, diagnostic surgery, staging surgery, curative surgery, supportive surgery and reconstructive surgery. The standard and most common treatment used today to treat skin cancer is an excision, which consists of surgically removing the affected area (for example a mole) as well as some normal tissue around it.
Botox
Botox is a prescription medication that is injected to the muscle and used to treat different conditions. For example, it is used to treat chronic migraines. Botox is also used to treat underarm sweating when topical solutions are no longer working. It is also a cosmetic medicine to improve the look of mild-moderate wrinkles in the face.
Restylane and other fillers
There are different types of fillers and each one is made for one or many purposes, your doctor will recommend the best filler according to your personal needs. Facial fillers are also known as injectables and are used as a short term to long term solution to treat wrinkles and folds, like smile lines and your lipstick lines as well as the corners of the mouth, marionette lines(above the jaw line) and lip augmentation. The process involves giving tiny injections to the desired areas of your face in order to add volume and fullness to the skin.
Laser treatment for facial redness and facial spider veins
High intensity pulses of a laser like Vbeam Perfecta do not damage the surface of the skin. This intense light is given to deeper areas of the skin (dermis); by doing thism the surface of the skin is left protected. Since the surface of the skin is protected, the patient can continue a normal routine right after the procedure. One can apply makeup and go back to work or continue with your day. The process takes 10-40 minutes and there is no to minimal pain. There are different types of settings, each one treating a specific problem for example vascular lesions, spider veins, vascular birthmarks, melasma, age spots, warts, and scars.
Micro-Dermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is also known as the “instant facelift”, is the best alternative to invasive procedures like plastic surgery. The process involves an application of small rough grains to break up the stratum corneum by buffing the outside layer of the skin. This is taken by your body as a small injury which then stimulates the production of new and healthy skin cells. With these new and healthy cells your skin will look smoother and younger, it will also fade some of your skin’s imperfections for example blemishes, sun damage, fine lines and it will also increase the effectiveness of medicinal creams allowing the active ingredients to act faster. After the procedure you may experience swelling and redness, depending on your skin it may last anything from an hour to two days.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels use different types of acids to remove the outside layer of the skin. The acids that are currently being used are alphahydroxy acids, each one used for a different purpose. The formula for your specific need is to be determined by your doctor depending on your needs and skin. Alphahydroxy acids like fruit acids are the ones used for light peels. This would be helpful for facial blemishes, uneven skin color, and fine wrinkles. This type of peel will give you smother brighter skin without the recovery time needed for heavier chemical peels. These chemical peels may cause redness and irritation. As your skin adjust to the regimen, you will see marked results. After the chemical peel you will be advised by your doctor to avoid exposure to sun for several weeks to a month. A home regimen will be given to you as well to protect the layers of your skin.
Acne Treatment for adults
There are a variety of treatments for acne ranging from topical and oral medications to drainage and injections to cosmetic procedures like peels and Blu-U therapy. Surgical extractions are also known as “acne surgeries”, in which the infected area is drained or extracted. This is only to be done by a professional dermatologist under sterile conditions. Intralesional Corticosteroid Injection is another treatment use for severely inflamed cysts. With this treatment ,the dermatologist will inject the cysts with a much-diluted corticosteroid. This would lessen the inflammation and you will see faster healing within 2 to 3 days. Isotretinoin is one of the most effective treatment use today to treat acne patients. This is a retinoid (a form of vitamin A) that is in oral form and is administered once or twice a day for 5 – 6 months. An innovative approach we use is Blu-u for Acne. Chemical peels are also recommended for certain patients to treat acne; you should consult Alta Dermatology to see which treatment is right for you.
Alta Dermatology is near to and serves the communities of Aliso Viejo, San Joaquin Hills, Galivan, Rancho Santa Margarita, Irvine CA, San Juan Capistrano, Costa Mesa, Laguna Hills, Dana Point, Corona Del Mar,Las Flores, San Clemente, Lake Forest, Laguna Woods, Mission Viejo, Foothill Ranch, Laguna Beach , Ladera Ranch
