Surgical Dermatologist
We pride ourselves in providing exceptional care and treatment to every patient requiring skin surgery, whether it is for the removal of skin cancers, or harmless lumps or bumps on the face, body, scalp or nail. We are able to offer same-day removal service for most lesions at our on-site surgical theatre. Most procedures can be performed with minimal discomfort using local anaesthesia and you can be assured of expert aftercare for wound management and scar minimisation.
Throughout her dermatology career, Dr Ho has developed a particular interest and expertise in performing biopsies, excising suspicious lesions and removing troublesome skin lumps and bumps. Having a deep understanding of the skin, she is dedicated to minimising and hiding scars and maximising the aesthetic appearance of any surgery she undertakes.
During your consultation, we will discuss your diagnosis and treatment options and if possible, offer alternatives to surgery such as laser or other less invasive treatments. With visual aids of similar procedures that have been done, we can give you a clear idea of what to expect and what can be achieved. Our ethos is always to deliver the highest standards of clinical care to all our patients. We take great care to minimise our infection rates and to reduce the risk of any surgical complication.
Pre-operative consultation:
You will have ample opportunity to discuss your surgery and its potential benefits and risks with your dermatologist.
During the surgery:
Your care and well being is of utmost concern to us during the surgery. We will ensure adequate numbing to make sure you are comfortable at all times. Your specialist dermatologist will perform all operations in our day surgery equipped to the highest standards.
Post-operative care:
After your surgery, we will counsel you on how to look after your wound to minimise the risk of bleeding and infection. Patients with complex or large wounds will be monitored closely. Your dermatologist will follow you up after an appropriate period of time to ensure optimal healing. We can also discuss laser treatment of post surgical scars to further minimise and improve the scar’s appearance.
LIST OF CONDITIONS
Age Spot Removal
Age spots or seborrheic keratoses are very common harmless skin growths that appear during adulthood. These are usually raised, brown or black and have a stuck on appearance. They can often be mistaken for a skin cancer. Do seek an early opinion from your trained dermatologist who will be able to advise you on whether a biopsy is required.
A lot of people choose to have their age spots removed for cosmetic reasons or when they cause discomfort or itch. Your dermatologist has performed many age spot removal for patients, whether on the face, trunk, or even sensitive areas near the eye or genitalia.
Treatment Options for Age Spot Removal
- Cryotherapy - freezing treatment using liquid nitrogen can be used for thin lesions
- Electrocautery – Following the application of numbing cream or injection, simple electrocautery to each age spot can be performed. There will be some scabbing for 7-10 days, and occasional post treatment pigmentation that is transient. The majority of patients heal with no scarring, leaving even and smooth skin.
We are able to perform same-day age spot removal effectively, quickly and painlessly with our on-site facilities.
Cyst Removal
Sebaceous cysts are smooth, dome shaped bumps that occur beneath the skin. They are often seen on the face, scalp or trunk. A strong smelling cheesy material can sometimes be expressed. These are harmless but will not disappear without treatment. They may grow in size over time, and occasionally become inflamed or infected. It is best to remove these cysts early before symptoms occur or worsen. Sebaceous cyst removal is a practical and safe choice for anyone experiencing pain or discomfort.
Treatment Options for Cyst Removal
Your skin will be carefully assessed and the options discussed with you before we embark on any treatment. Your trained dermatological surgeon will be able to perform your choice of treatment to the highest standard.
Minimal excision technique – We perform this excellent technique routinely aiming for complete cyst removal. Instead of simply squeezing out or draining the contents of the cyst, this excision method results in a very low rate of recurrence. This is because the entire cyst wall and cyst contents are removed, minimising any risk of the cyst coming back. Following numbing injection to the treatment area, a small cut is made on the surface of the skin to remove the much larger cyst below. The resulting scar is usually small and cosmetically pleasing.
Infected, painful and swollen cysts are usually first treated with antibiotics, steroid injections or drainage. This treats the inflamed cyst but as the cyst wall is left behind, it will usually refill over time. Once the inflammation resolves, your dermatological surgeon can carry out complete cyst removal to prevent it from becoming symptomatic again.
Do contact us if you have a problematic sebaceous cyst requiring fast and effective treatment. We are able to offer same-day removal service for uninfected cysts in our on-site day surgery facility. This can remove the bump from your skin and leave you blemish free in hours. The resulting wound is usually small and and will fade over time to leave a faint scar.
Mole Removal
Moles can be removed for medical or cosmetic reasons.
Any suspicious moles with changes in shape, size, colour or bleeding should be examined by a trained dermatologist. After careful examination using specialized magnifying devices, your dermatologist will be able to advise you on whether a biopsy is required.
Harmless moles can be removed for cosmetic reasons. The different treatment options will be discussed in detail with you and a decision can be made based on the location, type of mole and patient preference.
Treatment Options for Mole Removal
Surgery or laser can be used to remove moles for cosmetic reasons.
1. Suspicious moles
Suspicious moles can be removed by surgery for further analysis to rule out an underlying skin cancer. Surgery involves “cutting out” the mole and leaving a small scar. This is usually a quick procedure done under local anaesthetic.
2. Harmless flat moles
Flat brown moles that are small and harmless can be removed very successfully with our pigment laser. This can be performed without scarring in the large majority of patients. Most flat moles will require 1-2 treatments. This can be done under local anaesthesia in a simple, quick procedure.
3. Harmless raised moles
For raised moles, surgical or laser removal can be performed. The advantage of a surgical approach is that recurrence is very rare. However there will be a small scar that will usually fade over time on the face. A combination of two lasers can also be used to remove raised moles safely and effectively. A slight depressed scar can sometimes remain. This is especially recommended for raised moles in certain locations eg around the nose or lips.
With our on-site day surgery facilities, our highly experienced dermatologist is able to perform mole removal on the same day effectively, quickly, and with minimal pain.
Nail Removal
Abnormal nails such as ingrown or pincer nails can be painful, unsightly and cause discomfort when wearing closed shoes.
Treatment Options for Abnormal Nails
Nail avulsion with CO2 laser ablation - The entire abnormal nail or sides of the nail can be removed under local anaesthetic. The nail matrix can then be ablated with CO2 laser to minimise recurrence of the abnormality.
Skin Biopsy
A skin biopsy is the removal of a small piece of skin for further analysis in the laboratory.
This may be carried out if a skin growth is suspected to be a skin cancer, or to aid in the diagnosis of unusual skin rashes.
This surgical procedure can be performed under local anaesthetic to enable a small skin sample to be taken with minimal discomfort in our clinic's procedure room.
The resulting wound is then repaired using a few fine stitches.
A small permanent scar will remain after the wound heals.
Skin Excision
A skin excision is the removal of entire skin growths, eg: skin cancers by cutting them out under local anaesthesia. This is done to prevent the spread of skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma. Other reasons for removing entire lesions may be for diagnosis, cosmetic reasons, or if a lesion is symptomatic eg an inflamed cyst. The resulting wound will be repaired using fine stitches and a scar will remain after the wound heals. Some wounds may undergo abnormal skin healing and result in larger or raised scars known as hypertrophic or keloid scars. This can be further treated by your dermatologist if necessary.
Skin lumps and bumps Removal
Many people suffer from lumps or bumps on the surface of their skin or deeper in the skin layers. Do not ignore these skin bumps hoping they may go away on their own. When it comes to your skin, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
All skin lumps should be examined by your trained dermatologist, who can advise on the most suitable management for health and cosmetic reasons.
Common Procedures
Some of the procedures we commonly use to remove lumps and bumps include:
- Cryotherapy - refers to a freezing treatment using liquid nitrogen at -196 degree Celsius. Commonly used to treat warts or age spots.
- Electrocautery - refers to the use of an electrical device to burn off lumps and bumps on the surface of the skin.
- Lasers - special machines that use laser beams of specific wavelengths to treat different targets in the skin. Can be used to remove unwanted hair, pigment, vessels, and to improve skin texture and pore size. Warts, syringomas, trichoepitheliomas are skin lesions that can be treated with the CO2 laser.
- Surgery - refers to the cutting out of tissue for diagnosis or removal purposes. Skin lesions protruding from the surface of the skin can be shaved with a sharp blade. Skin lesions deeper in the skin may need to have a sample taken using the punch biopsy technique. Alternatively entire lesions may be cut out using the excision technique.
Skin Tag Removal
Skin tags are harmless skin growths commonly occurring on the neck, underarms, groin folds or around the eyelids. These are harmless but people often choose to have them removed as they can be unsightly, rub against clothing or cause discomfort and itch. As a dermatologist, Dr Ho has performed many skin tags removal throughout her career.
Treatment Options for Skin Tag Removal
Some people choose to remove their skin tags at home by themselves. We strongly advise against this as it can lead to problems such as bleeding, infection or even scarring. Even for small skin tags, we recommend seeing a medical professional who can remove the skin tag safely, leaving little evidence behind. Expert treatment is especially important for removing skin tags on the eyelids or genitalia.
Snip excision and electrocautery is a simple procedure involving numbing the treatment area with either anaesthetic cream or injection, followed by snipping and electrocautery of the skin tags. There will be some scabbing for 7-10 days, and occasional post treatment pigmentation that is transient. High quality post-operative care will be provided to ensure the wounds heal well. The majority of patients heal with no scarring.
With our on-site day surgery facilities, we are able to perform skin tag removal on the same day effectively, quickly, and with minimal pain.
Wart Removal
Viral warts are very common and can be effectively treated. Your highly experienced dermatologist will first assess your skin carefully to determine the type of wart you have. Depending on the location, size, and type of wart, different treatments may be recommended. Corns and calluses may also be mistaken for warts and different treatment strategies are adopted in these cases.
Most people will first try applications of special acid solutions and creams to remove the wart. When that fails, more effective treatments can be recommended.
Treatment Options for Wart Removal
- Cryotherapy - freezing therapy that uses liquid nitrogen to destroy the warts.
- Shave and electrocautery - warts that protrude from the surface of the skin can be shaved with a sharp blade, and the base burned with an electrical device.
- CO2 laser - Stubborn warts, especially those on the soles of feet or around fingers, toes and nails, can be lasered off using a CO2 laser.
When a speedy one off treatment is preferred, surgical methods such as shave excision or CO2 laser are recommended. For children not keen on surgical methods, we can also try a special cream that encourages the immune system to recognize the virally infected cells and eradicate them.
All treatments can be carried out on the same day with our on site facilities.
