Types of Skin Cancer

 Basal Cell Carcinoma

The most common type of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), can take many forms and grows very slowly, rarely metastasizing. However, it will cause extensive damage to skin tissue over time if left untreated, so early detection and prompt treatment are recommended. BCC tumors usually appear in places that receive frequent sun exposure, such as the face, arms, and hands.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Far less common than BCC, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is usually found in very fair-skinned patients who have had a good deal of sun exposure over a long period of time. It is also most commonly found in areas that are regularly exposed to the sun, although they can potentially appear anywhere on the body.

Melanoma

The rarest but most dangerous form of skin cancer is melanoma. Because it grows and spreads quickly, early detection is crucial to successful skin cancer removal. Melanoma usually develops in an existing mole or appears as a new mole.

Skin Cancer Removal

The removal of skin cancer is generally achieved through surgical excision. A specialized technique, known as Mohs micrographic surgery, allows for total skin cancer removal in 97 to 99 percent of cases, with minimal damage to surrounding tissue. Torrey Pines Dermatology is one of the few San Diego-area practices to offer this technique. We are dedicated to providing the most advanced and effective treatments available for conditions and diseases of the skin. That is why Dr. Kristen Richards, one of our highly experienced dermatologists, is Fellowship-trained in a specialized skin cancer removal technique known as Mohs micrographic surgery.

View video testimonial of our skin cancer patient.

What Is Mohs Surgery?

Mohs is a specialized micrographic surgical technique used to remove cancerous lesions in the skin. Allowing physicians to remove skin cancer more effectively, while causing less damage to surrounding healthy tissue than any other method, Mohs is particularly ideal for the removal of large tumors, such as those with irregular edges, and skin cancer that appears on the face or near delicate parts of the body.

How Is Mohs Performed?

The first step in the Mohs micrographic surgery process is the removal of the visible portion of the tumor. This is accomplished through surgical excision or curettage (scraping). Once this step is complete, a thin sample of tissue is taken from the area of which the tumor was removed then carefully examined with a powerful microscope to screen for the presence of any additional cancerous tissue. If such tissue is found, its precise location is determined and another small section of tissue is removed from this area. This sample is examined under the microscope as well, and the process is continued until it is determined that no additional cancerous tissue remains. By using this systematic method to seek out the roots of a tumor, Mohs surgeons have a 97 to 99 percent chance of successfully removing the entire cancer, leaving the surrounding tissue largely unharmed. Mohs surgery has been especially helpful for removing cancerous tumors when other forms of treatment have been unsuccessful.

The final stage of the Mohs surgical procedure is the closing of the wound left by the excision. The specific method used to complete this step will depend on the size, shape, and location of the incision. Small, shallow openings may be dressed and left to heal naturally, while larger wounds may need to be closed with stitches or repaired with a skin graft. The decision as to which of these methods will be most effective is generally made once the cancer has been removed and the extent of the excision is known.

View video about how is mohs performed.

View video testimonial of our Mohs surgery patient.

Contact Our Office

Kristen Richards, M.D. is one of very few Board-Certified, Fellowship-trained Mohs surgeons in the San Diego area. Skin cancer surgery and reconstruction is her specialty.

Contact us to book an appointment at our La Jolla, CA office.

People of all ages should make skin care an essential part of their daily routine, especially here in San Diego where we soak up the sun daily. Taking good care of your skin at an early age can help prevent the unwanted effects of aging later in life. But even taking preventative skin care measures when you’re young, however, doesn’t preclude you from the inevitable effects of aging. As you age, your skin may droop or thin due to the slowing remodeling of skin tightening proteins. Years of sun exposure can also lead to brown spots and pronounced blood vessels.

What is Fraxel? What does it treat?

There are many medical and cosmetic treatment options available for those looking to minimize the visible effects of sun damage and aging. Fraxel is a laser treatment for skin that produces significant results without injections or surgery. This skin rejuvenation procedure helps remove years from your appearance so you regain a more youthful look. Whether you wish to target sun damage, wrinkles, or other signs of age, laser treatments deliver remarkable results, often with fast recovery so you can quickly return to your daily life with renewed skin—and renewed confidence.

Similarities between Fraxel and Active FX

Active FX is a new laser skin treatment technology which offers improvements in skin texture, tone, and firmness in just one treatment. Active FX and Fraxel both employ “fractional” methods, meaning  a fraction of the skin’s surface is treated rather than the entire surface. This allows for faster healing, while reducing collateral skin damage, swelling, and redness.

Differences between Fraxel and Active FX

Fractional lasers differ from other ablative lasers in that they remove the tissue only in small areas, leaving the surrounding areas uninjured. Fractional lasers are typically used to address cosmetic skin problems such as pigmentation problems and scarring.

Active FX covers about 80% of the skin’s surface at a time (compared to the 20% of skin surface Fraxel treats), offering a good balance of desired results with length of down-time. Because Fraxel treats only 20% of the skin’s surface at a time, you will need to go in for multiple treatments to get the same effects as 80% coverage. So by treating 80% of the skin’s surface, Active FX actually creates more results in less time. Active FX usually results in less pain as well; most people can drive themselves home after having it. With Fraxel, pain is higher and patients may not be able to drive themselves home.

“I love Active FX because I can get the same result in one treatment than I could with five or six using Fraxel.” – Kristen Richards, M.D.

How long is downtime with Fraxel and Active? How long do results last with Fraxel and Active?

The range of Fraxel treatments vary in aggressiveness, downtime, and number of procedures needed and results. Fraxel Re:fine, can produce significant results for mild to moderately damaged skin over the course of 3 to 6 treatments.

The treatment process for Active FX is brief and patients should expect three to five days of “downtime”, after which they should be able to return to normal daily activities. Most patients will endure minor side effects such as redness, swelling and peeling, typically lasting a week.

Get Active FX Treatment in La Jolla

Dr. Kristen Richards of Torrey Pines Dermatology in San Diego utilizes the Active FX laser skin   resurfacing system to stimulate collagen production in the inner layers of the skin, promoting smoothing and tightening throughout the affected area. Because it is more powerful than the Fraxel laser, the skin requires only a single treatment session of about 45 minutes to achieve optimal results. Contact us to book an appointment at our La Jolla, CA office.

Active FX is a high energy fractional laser that interacts with the skin’s surface causing the upper layer to peel off and regenerate a layer of new, healthy skin. The laser beam uses a fractional pattern technique making the healing process much faster, enabling you to get back to normal activities sooner. This laser targets fine lines, sun damage and improves tone and texture.

Deep FX uses fractional CO2 laser microbeams to precisely target the deep dermal layers of the skin. The deep laser pulses lead to tissue regeneration and new collagen formation throughout the entire treatment area, ultimately resulting in long-term collagen remodeling. Deep FX targets deeper wrinkles and scarring and provides remarkable results with minimal downtime.

The Total FX laser treatment is a combination of Deep FX and Active FX. When used together they are capable of offering the full range of fractional resurfacing: Deep FX offers a deeper micro-ablative treatment to target deeper wrinkles and scarring, while Active FX offers a large superficial spot treatment targeting sun damage as well as, tone and texture. With Total FX we are able to achieve maximum results in collagen production and skin resurfacing in one single treatment.

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IPL (PhotoFacial)

An IPL®, or intense pulsed light, Photofacial is a milder alternative to other skin renewal options, such as the Fraxel® system. Utilizing intense pulses of light, the IPL® photofacial treats areas of red, blotchy skin, can help patients achieve a smoother, more attractive complexion. IPL® Photofacials can even treat wrinkles and fine lines caused by sun damage or aging.

Click here to view video about IPL® Photofacials.

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Laser Hair Removal

We perform laser hair removal treatments to reduce the appearance of excessive or unwanted hair on most areas of the face and body. Laser hair removal offers our patients the chance to achieve dramatically reduced hair growth that lasts, often eliminating the need for shaving, waxing, and other temporary hair removal techniques.

Laser hair removal is a relatively quick and non-invasive procedure. For the best results, it is important to shave the area being treated a few days before the visit. Your skin care expert at our La Jolla clinic near Del Mar will apply an anesthetic cream before beginning the laser hair removal treatment to ensure that there is no discomfort.

During the laser hair removal procedure, your skin care professional will use a handheld device to focus laser energy on hair follicles in the area being treated. A series of these treatments is often required to remove the hair as thoroughly as possible, because hair grows in cycles.

Click here to view video about laser hair removal.

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]]> http://www.torreypinesderm.com/blog/dermatology/cosmetic-procedures-totalfx-ipl-laser-hair-removal/feed/ 0 http://www.torreypinesderm.com/blog/dermatology/do-vitamin-d-supplements-provide-the-same-benefits/ http://www.torreypinesderm.com/blog/dermatology/do-vitamin-d-supplements-provide-the-same-benefits/#comments Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:40:11 +0000 Tyler http://www.torreypinesderm.com/blog/?p=1781

For decades doctors have known that Vitamin D is essential for normal bone growth and maintenance. In infants and children, for example, Vit D deficiency may cause rickets, a deformity of the long bones, and, in adults, Vit D deficiency may increase risks for osteoporosis (decreased bone density) and hip fracture.  More recently, studies have documented much broader risks for Vit D deficiency.  Low levels of Vit D are associated with increases in cancer – especially colon, breast, and prostate – as well as increases in juvenile diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.  Evidence suggests Vit D supplementation reduces the incidence of these diseases, but to date, it has not been clinically proven.

Vit D is formed by the action of Ultraviolet B (UVB) on precursor molecules in the skin.  From skin, these molecules travel via the bloodstream to the liver and kidneys, where they are metabolized into active Vit D.  There are two major forms of Vit D – Vit D2, formed mostly in fungi, plants, and invertebrates, and Vit D3, formed in vertebrates.  Vit D3 is more active in humans. In addition to the synthesis of Vit D by the action of UVB on skin, there are some natural dietary sources such as oily fish – mackerel, salmon, sardines.  For vegetarians, mushrooms provide a small amount of Vit D.  Several foods are fortified with Vit D, including  milk, cereal, and bread.