2 posts tagged “radiofrequency”

Moles are pigmented spots on the skin containing the skin pigment melanin, they can be beneath the skin (sub dermal) or raised. There are many types of moles ranging from benign, to suspicious, to malignant lesions.

People mistakenly refer to many other lesions on the skin as to moles. These can be small cysts, fibromas, angiomas, age spots, cholesterol deposits and largeish warts. They can vary in colour from flesh coloured, yellow, red, blue or dark brown.

National campaigns are frequently run to make the public aware of skin cancer. Simple precautions are advised such as: to avoid prolonged sun exposure by using sun block regularly and to wear appropriate clothing.

You are advised to seek a medical opinion if your mole/skin lesion develops suspicious characteristics such as: increasing in size, become darker, itches, bleeds, develops irregular edges or becomes raised.

Thankfully most lesions that people present with are benign and amenable to quick mole removal.

Where should you seek treatment for mole removal?

The first port of call should be to your General Practitioner; large numbers of doctors perform minor surgery and will skillfully remove the lesion. If they think the lesion is suspicious they will refer you to the local dermatologist or suspicious mole clinic at the local hospital.

Recently some primary care trusts in the country have made a dictat; if mole removal is requested for cosmetic reasons, then this should not be made available on the NHS, the General Practitioner then has every right to decline treatment.

The option then left for mole removal for whatever reasons is to turn to your local cosmetic clinic.

Leading cosmetic clinics use a wide variety of techniques for mole removal; the most popular are Electrocautery, Laser and Radiofrequency. These will be briefly discussed.

Electrocautery involves as the name suggests cauterization using a probe which is heated by a D.C Electric current. The temperature of the probe is high and the resulting thermal damage to the sun can leave a scar. Never Electrocautery machines have variable power settings, so scans can be mitigated.

Radiofrequency uses radiosurgery probes which vapourise the moles, the advantage using this methos is that the resulted thermal damage to the skin is less leaving negligible scarring and instant results.

Lasers are excellent for removal curtain says lesions such as angionanas, giving excellent single treatment results and negligible scarring.

In conclusion; depending on the treatment methods despite the prices between cosmetic clinics can range from £75-£300/ treatment for a single mole lesion - so it is definitely with shopping around.

Article by Dr S R Bassi

There is now an extension to the cosmetic treatments available with Thermage, the leading radiofrequency treatment for skin tightening. It is now possible to create a tightening effect for the eyelids and area immediately around the eyes. This area is otherwise a difficult area to treat, and no other radiofrequency treatment offers this facility.

“Eyes by Thermage is a one-off treatment with no downtime afterwards,” says Dr Tanqueray. “It offers something that no other treatment can do, and can give very pleasing results. The area around the eyes is often a problem area with thin and lax skin. There are few treatment options for this, and all other effective cosmetic treatments result in several days of redness afterwards and often requires multiple treatments.”

Thermage treatment involves the transmission of radiofrequency energy into the skin via a sophisticated patented handpiece. The effect is to deliver heat to the deeper tissues while protecting the skin surface. The heat results in collagen contraction within the skin so that often some improvement is seen immediately. The main effects occur over the following 2 – 6 months, so that there is a natural and gradual improvement. Benefits from treatment are likely to last for up to 2 years.

Thermage can be useful in any age group, but is particularly beneficial for men and women between the ages of 35 and 55.

For more information on Thermage or any other non-surgical cosmetic treatments contact Mulberry House Clinic on 01604 702630 or visit www.lasertreatmentsnorthampton.co.uk