Skin conditions that cannot be addressed with topical treatments occasionally need to be treated with surgery. At deRMA Skin Institute in Guelph, Dr. Richard Backstein specializes in performing minor surgery procedures to remove unsightly lumps, bumps, and blemishes to help you look and feel your best.
Age Spots
Age spots, also known as “liver spots,” are benign concentrations of pigmentation that can appear on the hands, arms, and chest. They occur most commonly on fair skin and are associated with sun exposure.
Dr. Backstein can remove stubborn age spots surgically via excision or surgical shaving under local anesthesia at our Guelph dermatology practice.
Cysts
If you are bothered by the appearance of sebaceous skin cysts or pilar cysts, deRMA Skin Institute can help. Cysts are solid lumps that form under the skin that tend to grow slowly over time. Dr. Backstein focuses on minimizing the appearance of scars while effectively removing cysts from the skin. Cysts are treated using local anesthetic and the procedure is performed in the office. Dr. Backstein focuses on using the smallest possible incision needed to perform the treatment to ensure any scarring is as minimal as possible.
Dermatofibromas
Dermatofibromas are firm, harmless lumps that form in the skin, most commonly on the arms and legs. They range from pink to dark brown and are usually removed for cosmetic purposes.
Dermatofibromas are removed surgically under local anesthesia via an incision in the skin then the growth is removed, and the opening is stitched closed.
Eyelid Xanthelasmas
Eyelid xanthelasmas form around the upper and lower eyelids. They are pockets of cholesterol that form in the skin, resulting in white or yellow spots or lumps. They can be removed surgically with minimal scarring using local anesthesia.
Keloids
Keloids are a type of scar tissue that grows larger, is raised, and is darker in color than other types of scars. They are often caused by genetic conditions, so they are difficult to treat. There is a high risk of recurrence of keloids when removing keloids since they are a form of scar tissue. However, Dr. Backstein uses a combination of surgery under local anesthesia to remove the keloids then follows up the surgery with cortisone injections to help reduce the chance of recurrence after surgery.
Lipomas
Lipomas, also known as “fatty tumors,” are typically benign but can be embarrassing. Lipomas can form anywhere on the body, and usually cause no symptoms. Dr. Backstein performs lipoma removal as an outpatient procedure under local anesthetic in the office.
To remove the lipoma, Dr. Backstein makes a small incision in the skin then removes the fatty tissue. He then stitches the incision closed. In order to keep scarring to a minimum, Dr. Backstein focuses on making the smallest incision possible to treat and remove the lipoma.
Moles
While moles are commonly harmless, they can cause self-consciousness and discomfort depending on their location, size, and color. If you experience changes in color, size, or shape of a mole, it is important to have it checked by a physician to ensure there are no signs of skin cancer.
If you have a harmless, benign mole that you would like to just have removed, it is a simple, quick process. Depending on the size and shape of the mole, Dr. Backstein will either surgically shave down or excise the mole then stitch the incision closed using local anesthetic. He focuses on minimizing scarring during these procedures.
Pyogenic Granulomas
Also known as “blood blisters,” are small blood-filled growths that can grow rapidly and have the tendency to bleed. They can develop after a minor injury, infections, hormonal changes, and even be caused by certain medications.
Pyogenic granulomas can be treated surgically under local anesthetic. The growth is quickly removed, and the wound is stitched shut.
Seborrheic Keratoses
Seborrheic keratoses are raised, textured, dark skin lesions that appear on the skin’s surface. They are benign but are often mistaken for skin cancer due to their uneven pigmentation and irregular shapes. Seborrheic keratoses are removed surgically under local anesthetic using a gentle shaving technique. The scarring is minimal and tends to quickly fade.
Skin Tags
Skin tags are growths of skin that occur due to friction caused by skin-to-skin contact or clothing-to-skin contact. Once they form, they do not go away on their own, so it is recommended to have them surgically removed to ensure your safety and avoid potential pain and infection.
Skin tags are removed surgically under local anesthesia. It is rarely necessary to have stitches. Since there is no incision required, scarring is minimal, starting with a scab then resulting in a small white or pink mark that fades over time.
Split Earlobes
Split earlobes are caused by wearing heavy earrings or by stretching the earlobe out using gauges in the ears. In order to repair a split earlobe, surgery is required. They will not heal on their own.
The surgery is performed under local anesthesia, and the skin in the earlobe is surgically removed then stitched back together to create a surface that will heal over time.
If you have a skin condition that requires surgery to remove or address it, please request your consultation online, or call Dr. Backstein at deRMA Skin Institute at (888) 803-3762 to schedule your appointment.