MILIA (MILK SPOTS, WHITEHEADS)

Lying very superficially under the epidermis, milia present themselves as small white lipid-epithelium plugs which contain lamellated keratin deposits and often show as hard, solid lumps lying in the superficial papillary dermis. They are a retention of keratin and sebaceous material within the pilosebaceous duct, eccrine sweat duct, or the sebaceous collar surrounding vellus hair. Their exact cause is unknown although they are often related to diet with a high cholesterol count, excessive Vitamin C, too rich moisturising cream and are also associated with dry skin which can be acidic. They can all be treated easily with advanced electrolysis which gently dries them up so that the hard keratinised centre is broken down and this will then be absorbed by the skin following treatment. This is a much gentler way to treat them, as opposed to removing them with a micro lance, which can damage the skin. Milia can appear between the eyelashes, on the eyelid itself, the cheek area or anywhere on the face or neck where dry skin is present. They tend to grow in size, become harder (as the contents keratinize) and then become noticeable to the eye and cosmetically unattractive. Some people may only suffer one and others exhibit a proliferation of up to 40 – 60 of them at any one time.

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CAMPBELL DE MORGAN (BLOOD) SPOTS

Named after Campbell Grieg De Morgan (1811-1876) a British surgeon who was the first to note them, in medical literature these vascular blemishes are also known as Cherry Angioma or Blood Spots. They present themselves as slightly raised or dome shaped and are of unknown origin. They are mostly seen on the trunk in middle aged and elderly clients and are even more common in men than women. Most disappear at time of treatment.

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SKIN TAGS (FIBROEPITHELIAL POLYP/PAPILLOMA)

Skin Tags are a common fibrous skin condition commonly found in areas of friction such as the armpits, under the breasts, groin or around the neck where necklaces or collars may irritate. Derived from epithelial cells and consisting of loose fibrous tissue they form single or multiple distributions and are often hyper-pigmented making them more obvious. They often present with a neck like a mushroom and vary in size from a tiny speck, smaller than a grain of uncooked rice, to the size of a large pea. They are viral in nature (Human Papilloma Virus HPV) and whilst not infectious they can proliferate on individuals with some people suffering from hundreds of them. Advanced electrolysis is probably the quickest, easiest way of removing the problem in a safe and effective manner. There are different methods of skin tag removal depending on size, type and location of tags.

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TELANGIECTASIS (THREAD VEINS)

A Greek word meaning ‘end vessel dilation’. These are not ‘broken capillaries’ as so often named,  but permanently dilated capillaries. The thin, singular cell wall structure of the fine facial capillaries dilate and constrict constantly in order to control the body temperature and their elasticity weakens and they can become permanently dilated. Their visibility is often exacerbated by the breakdown of the skin’s supporting network of collagen and elastin and ageing, thinning skin. There are numerous causes for Telangiectasia including: ageing, hereditary and genetic causes, pregnancy, hormones, general skin fragility, smoking, extreme sports, temperature extremes and harsh weather exposure. They are very commonly seen in a maturing ‘English rose’ complexion. A course of advanced electrolysis is often advised for telangiectasia so that treatments can be spaced out to prevent skin damage or hyper-pigmentation. This involves a very accurate positioning of the probe over the blood vessel and a gentle tap that applies current to the skin’s surface. This causes that tiny section of vessel to immediately disappear.

Although not considered a cause of telangiectasia, rosacea (and the medication for it) may be a related factor, with the two conditions often presenting simultaneously. Reducing the appearance of the blood vessels using electrolysis may initially trigger a rosacea attack. However this is relatively rare and only a temporary consequence of the long-term positive results.

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SPIDER NAEVUS (ANGIOMA)

A central dilated blood vessel, with smaller capillaries radiating from it like the legs of a spider. It can be an individual, isolated blemish or there can be multiple in areas such as the cheeks or chest area. They can, if apparent in isolation, be a result of a trauma to the skin, Certain conditions can make them worse including extreme heat and cold, obesity, pregnancy, stress or pressure on the area. Several spider naevi appearing spontaneously is a cause for concern as it might indicate liver disease. They can be quite resilient and more than one treatment may be necessary.

 

AGE (SUN) SPOTS  

Age Spots are caused by an accumulation of a yellow pigment called lipofuscin from ageing of the collagen producing cells. They are very common on the hands and face of middle aged and elderly patients and are usually despised by them as they are so recognisably a sign of increasing age. Chemical peels and skin whitening products are commonly used for treatment but electrolysis is also very effective. Using a very fine electrolysis needle and diathermy (AC) current a tiny section of the age spot is lifted from the underlying tissue and the colour underneath is observed. If the tiny area exposed is lighter in colour removal can go ahead with varying degrees of success. If the pigment underneath the tiny section lifted is the same colour as the age spot itself the pigment goes deep into the dermis and treatment will not be successful.

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SYRINGOMA 

Syringomas are benign eccrine gland tumours presenting as flattish papules or plates found around the eye socket area in particular under the eye and are non-contagious flesh colour elevations of the skin. They range from 1–3 mm in diameter and are firm to the touch. They are easily treated and reduced with advanced electrolysis techniques.

 

XANTHOMAS

Xanthomas are deposits of fatty material under the skin and range in size from 6mm to more than 7cm in diameter. They can be associated with metabolic disorders such as diabetes or high cholesterol. Xanthelasma Palpebra is the common type which appears on the eyelids and presents itself as flat yellowish growths on the eyelid close to the nose. Resembling a butter bean and causing no pain they can be reduced in size and appearance although the milky yellowy colour remains and more than one treatment is often required over a period of time.

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SECACEOUS HYPERPLASIA

Sebaceous hyperplasia is a skin condition that becomes more common with age. It’s caused when your sebaceous glands produce too much oil, which can be trapped under your skin and cause bumps. These bumps are harmless and often appear on the forehead and cheeks. However, sebaceous glands exist all over the body, so bumps can form almost anywhere. They are more common in adults, but they can show up at any age. A small amount of current causes the blemish to scab and come away over a couple of weeks. There is minimal down time with this treatment and you can usually carry on your usual daily activities straight afterwards.

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DERMATOSIS PAPULOSA NIGRA

Peculiar to black skin, this is a common papular disorder which develops in adolescence. The lesions are histologically identical to seborrhoeic keratosis and present as smooth, dome shaped, brown to black papules seen mainly on the cheeks, neck and upper chest. These are generally a very common disorder and the famous actor Morgan Freeman has many of these on his face. They are very easily and successfully treated using advanced electrolysis techniques. We will usually carry out a small patch test area to check how the skin heals and if this is successful we will then book you in for the rest of the blemishes to be treated.

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SEBORRHOEIC KERATOSIS

A common noncancerous skin growth which are more likely to develop as you get older or if you have a family history of the condition. They can vary in colour and size but are usually brown, black or light tan. The growths can look waxy, scaly and slightly raised. They usually appear on the head, neck, chest or back. They are harmless and not contagious but you may decide to have them removed if they become irritated by clothing or you don’t like how they look or feel. After removal by electrolysis the skin then has to go through a healing process which can take anything from a couple of weeks to 3 months and there may be a small amount of pigment left once the skin has completely healed. 

 

SMALL SEBACEOUS CYSTS (STEATOMA)

These are a retention of keratin trapped under the surface of the skin within a sebaceous sac which is created from skin cells. They are painless, slow-growing, small bumps or lumps that move freely under the skin and to the trained eye, are usually easily diagnosed by their appearance. They are often formed due to swollen hair follicles, blocked glands, skin trauma and higher levels of testosterone in the body. Keratin is an extremely strong protein found naturally within the body and is a major component in skin, hair, nails and teeth. It is predominantly made up of dead cells and amino acids which combine to form keratin and these contain unique properties rendering it hard or soft. If the dead cells are kept in good condition, they will serve as an insulating layer to protect the delicate new keratin below them.

The size of the cyst can vary from a pea to an egg, and the areas most affected are those where there are more sebaceous glands, i.e. face, chest, scalp and back, although sometimes they also appear in the underarm and can be found on the trunk and the vaginal area or other parts of the genitalia. They may have an open or closed top and treatment is dependent upon the size and location. 

If small, the most gentle and least invasive method is electrolysis which is proving very successful. If electrolysis is performed it may be necessary to treat the nodule more than once depending on its size and location and successful treatment cannot always be guaranteed as every cyst is very individual in nature.  An electrolysis needle is inserted into the sebaceous cyst a number of times and the current applied. The heat softens the contents of the cyst and immediately following the application of the current the contents (or some of the contents) may be able to be excised from the nodule. This, however, is not always the case and apart from generalised erythema (redness) the nodule may not look any different initially following treatment. Over the next week or so the nodule should reduce in size, irrespective of whether contents are expelled. Further treatment will almost certainly be required and no guarantees offered, however positive feedback is forthcoming from those treated by the use of electrolysis.

 

WARTS

There are various types of warts, including flat (plane) raised (common), filiform and verrucas (plantar). They are benign epidermal tumours which are contagious (human papilloma virus) and all can be treated. Warts can develop individually or in clusters and can spontaneously disappear.  Plane or flat warts occur mostly on the face, backs of hands and wrists. Hygiene must be of the highest importance to avoid cross infection and if not treated they may spread.

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VERRUCAS

A verruca is a wart on the foot caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). They commonly occur on the soles of the feet and toes. Verruca can be contagious and transmitted through direct person-to-person contact  or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces. The verruca virus thrives in warm moist environments such as swimming pools, changing rooms and bathrooms. When the skin gets very wet it loses its suppleness and flexibility which can cause tiny cracks and splits to occur. These breaks in the skin make it easier for the verruca virus to penetrate the skin. After an initial treatment we review again after 3-4 months as it can take this long for the bodies immuno response to kick in and start to fight the virus, we would then assess the area and decide whether a second or third treatment may be required

 

MOLES 

Hairs from moles are easily treated by those trained in advanced electrolysis techniques. Once treatment is started it is normal for the mole to reduce in size and colour. Hairs in moles are generally deep terminal hairs with a very rich blood and nerve supply to them. Repeat treatments, as with hair removal electrolysis are required and blend or diathermy can be used. 

A mole itself is easily treated but rather than ‘removing’ we ‘visibly reduce the appearance’ of the mole. A number of techniques are used all using diathermy (AC). The first treatment will visibly reduce the mole and then a follow up treatments can smooth it so that it is usually flat to the skin. The colour can never be guaranteed to exactly match the surrounding skin but if the mole is much darker the remaining skin, following treatment, will almost certainly be lighter. You will need written confirmation from a doctor that there are no concerns regarding your mole before we can begin treatment.