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Essential Health can help patients with mole removal, skin-tag removal, and we do biopsies for lesions concerning for skin cancer.
The field of dermatology is a specialization that focuses on the study and diagnosis of various health conditions that affect the skin.
Did you know: The skin is the body’s biggest organ!
The skin is responsible for protecting the internal organs from infections. Besides being able to diagnose and treat skin conditions, dermatology also plays an important role in the body’s overall health.
Hair, skin, and nail conditions are common, and almost everyone will encounter the symptoms of at least one dermatological disorder at some point in their lives. Concerns about the appearance of one’s skin are the reason for approximately one in every six visits to a primary care physician.
What are the common types of dermatological conditions?
There are rather mild skin conditions. Some of these bring on severe symptoms that need help from dermatologists. The following are the common types of skin diseases:
• Eczema
• Hives
• Acne
• Skin Tag
• Skin Cancer
• Vitiligo
• Rosacea
On the other hand, there are uncommon skin conditions, most of which are inherited through genetics. The rare skin conditions are:
• Argyria – Bluish-gray skin tone
• Elastoderma – Increasing the elasticity of the skin, particularly in some parts of the body
• Pemphigus vegetans – A rare type of pemphigus vulgaris
• Dowling-Degos disease – Darkened underarm, groin, and joint areas
• Morgellons disease – Small threads and particles that develop from skin lesions
What is a Skin Tag?
Skin Tags are noncancerous growths typically seen in the skin folds in areas such as the neck, armpits, breasts, groin, and eyelids. Skin tags look like warts but are naturally soft and usually hang from the skin. These growths comprise loose collagen fibers trapped inside the skin’s thicker sections.
Tags on the skin are also highly common in older people, overweight people, and those with diabetes. Quad Cities residents who need skin tag removal can visit our offices.
Why do skin tags appear on some people?
Tags on the skin are collagen fibers loosely bound together and blood vessels surrounded by skin. One of the types of proteins that may be found all over the body is called collagen.
Skin tags are a common condition that can affect either gender. They are more common in people of advanced age and those who are overweight or have type 2 diabetes.
Women may be more likely to acquire skin tags due to the changes in their hormone levels during pregnancy. Others appear to be developing for no apparent reason.
Skin tags commonly appear in the body where the skin folds and scrapes against itself, such as in the groin, armpits, and neck. As a result, overweight persons with excessive folds of skin and skin chafing are more likely to be impacted.
When exactly do skin tags become a cause for concern?
Tags on the skin are, usually, completely innocuous and rarely result in discomfort or suffering.
However, you should consider removing skin tags if they damage your self-esteem or if they bleed when it gets stuck on your clothes or other items. Another reason to get them removed is if they cause discomfort. If you want something done privately, you should generally expect to have to pay for a skin tag removal session.
Skin tags can sometimes fall off on their own when the surrounding tissue has become twisted and dead due to a lack of blood supply.
Skin Tag Removal
Do not attempt to remove a skin tag on your own before consulting a primary care provider. If a skin tag is irritating and bothering you, you might consider making an appointment with a professional to have it removed.
Removing skin tags can be accomplished relatively easily by burning or freezing the lesion. They can also be removed surgically, which frequently involves the use of a topical anesthetic.
When skin tags are frozen or burned, it can cause irritation as well as a temporary discoloration of the skin. Additionally, the skin tag may not fall out, requiring additional treatment.
You can remove the skin tag entirely with surgical excision; however, this method carries with it the risk of causing some mild bleeding. If the skin tag is small and has a thin base, your primary care physician may recommend that you try removing it on your own.
For instance, they might recommend that you tie a piece of cotton or dental floss around the skin tag’s base to cut off its blood supply and cause it to fall on its own.
Never attempt to remove huge skin tags on your own because doing so will result in heavy bleeding.
What are moles?
A mole is a natural skin growth that forms when pigment-producing cells proliferate in groups. They show little dark spots on your skin or small lumps. Moles can appear in a range of different colorations, forms, and sizes.
Moles can be bothersome to have on your skin, and they can prevent you from having a flawless and spotless complexion in some cases. If moles are left unremoved, the worst-case situation is that they will become malignant and pose major threats to the patient’s health.
How can I determine if my mole is cancerous or not?
Going to a dermatologist once a year for a skin cancer screening is the most reliable technique to determine whether or not a mole has malignant cells. It’s possible that your dermatologist would advise you to get checked more frequently if you have a family history of skin cancer.
If you find that your moles are asymmetrical, have irregular borders, have an inconsistent hue, and are growing or altering in size or color, you should see a dermatologist.
If your primary care provider believes that your mole is abnormal, one of two things will happen: either they will obtain a tissue sample or remove it entirely. They may suggest you see a dermatologist, often known as a skin specialist, to have it done.
Your physician will have the sample sent to a laboratory so they can examine it thoroughly. Suppose the results are positive, indicating that the mole contains malignant cells. In that case, the entire mole and surrounding area will need to be removed in order to eliminate all potentially hazardous cells.
How Does Mole Removal Work?
• Surgical Excision
Excision or cutting involves using a scalpel or special surgical blades and scissors to remove the mole and a tiny margin of skin. Before cutting the mole, your doctor will inject anesthesia into it to make the removal process as painless as possible. If your mole has grown deeply into the skin, your doctor may need to use stitches to heal the wound after removing the mole.
• Surgical Shave
A mole shave is similar to an excision. Your doctor will shave off sections of the mole with a knife until it is gone. Before shaving, your doctor will provide a local anesthetic to numb the area, so you don’t feel any discomfort.
At Essential Health, we assist patients in treating their skin conditions, including removing skin tags and moles and biopsies for suspicious lesions that may be cancerous.
A membership in Essential Health gives you unlimited access to our practice, allowing you to come in whenever you want for regular and routine check-ups, screenings, and other treatments. We offer several types of memberships, including corporate, individual, and family memberships.