Archive for category: Aesthetics

A mole is a brown or black skin lesion caused by skin cell overgrowth. Moles can appear anywhere on the skin, alone or in groups. As time passes, moles can slowly change, becoming raised or changing color. Since some moles are cancerous, patients should inform their dermatologist of any mole changes; this way, the mole can be monitored, biopsied, and removed if necessary.

There are important reasons why patients should always see their dermatologist for mole removal. Let’s take a closer look at them.

A dermatologist can determine if a mole is cancerous.

Skin cancer affects millions each year, making it the most common type of cancer. It occurs when the DNA in skin cells is damaged, causing an out-of-control growth of abnormal skin cells. Skin cancer can appear on the skin in various ways, including a dark lesion, a changing mole, a new growth, or a scar. 

If our dermatologists think a mole is cancerous, they will biopsy it and send it away for further testing. If the biopsy shows cancer, they will utilize various treatment techniques depending on the type and severity of the skin cancer.

If a patient removes a mole at home or in a non-medical setting, they will not be able to discern if the lesion is cancerous. If it is cancerous, microscopic cancer cells will remain in the surrounding areas of the skin, even after the mole is removed. These cancer cells can multiply and spread to the tissue beneath the skin. If the cancer is melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer, the cells can spread through the bloodstream to other areas of the body and become life-threatening.  

A dermatologist can help lower the risk of infection. 

Like any surgical procedure, there is a risk of infection when having a mole removed. Knowing this, our dermatologists pay close attention to the sanitation of their tools and their patients’ preoperative and postoperative care. 

If a patient removes a mole at home or in a non-medical setting, there is a greater risk of infection, which can delay wound healing and cause a trip to the local emergency room. 

A dermatologist can help minimize scarring.

Even though our dermatologists are highly trained in mole removal and try to avoid scarring as much as possible, scarring can and does occur. Scarring largely depends on the patient’s age, type of procedure, and the mole’s location. 

If a patient removes a mole at home or in a non-medical setting, they significantly increase their risk of scar development, including bumpy, chicken pox-like, or indented scars. 

A dermatologist can help prevent loss of movement caused by scarring. 

If the mole is located on a joint, like the knuckles, our dermatologists take extra care to avoid scarring in the area so as not to impact joint movement. 

If a patient removes a mole located on a joint at home or in a non-medical setting, they risk developing a scar that could limit motion in their joints. 

A dermatologist can control blood loss during the procedure. 

Before removing a mole, our dermatologists ask patients about their medical history and any medications they take, as some conditions and medications increase the likelihood of blood loss. Furthermore, our dermatologists are highly trained in mole removal and try to cause the least amount of injury to the site as possible. 

If a patient removes a mole at home or in a non-medical setting, they increase their risk for uncontrollable blood loss; this could occur from a current medication, condition, or an accidental injury to the site, like nicking a blood vessel or a vein.

Before attempting a DIY mole removal or trying out the latest mole removal fad, we encourage you to make an appointment with one of our dermatologists at Shinagawa Aesthetics.

Our expert team of dermatologists can determine if you are a candidate for mole removal and walk you through safe mole removal options here at our clinic. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 for inquiries, questions, and appointments or talk to our consultants via LiveChat at https://shinagawa.ph so we can address and answer them for you.

Your skin is your body’s largest organ, but how much do you know about the role it plays in your health?

It actually does a big job for you. In fact, each inch of skin is made up of 19 million skin cells, 650 sweat glands, 20 blood vessels, and 1,000 nerve endings.

The skin is the body’s largest organ. It’s our first line of defense against the outside world, including irritants and allergens.

More than a protective organ, your skin functions as an immune organ. Specialized immune cells live in the skin and recognize intruding organisms and substances. They send out messages to stimulate a fighter response or allergic response by recruiting specialized white blood cells from blood vessels in the skin.

All that is to say, respecting this important organ with smart skin-care habits can help keep you healthy — and, yes, even smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and lessen discoloration. Knowing these cool facts will help you care for your skin as best you can:

• Skin Plays an Important Role in Regulating Your Body Temperature

Not only does your skin play a role in your immune function but it also acts as a personal thermostat through a process known as thermoregulation.

Sweating is a bodily function that helps regulate your body temperature. ormal sweating can be as much as a quart of fluid per day. In fact, your skin likely has anywhere between two and four million sweat glands.

Sweating isn’t your body’s only way of keeping you cool, though. When you’re especially warm, your skin helps cool you down via vasodilation. Per research, vasodilation occurs when blood vessels just below the surface of the skin dilate, allowing for increased blood flow and heat dissipation.

• Your Skin Renews Itself Every 28 Days

The epidermis is the thin outer layer of your skin, which contains dead skin cells. It’s this epidermis that turns over every 28 days.

Another way to put it is that as skin cells generate at the bottom of the epidermis, it takes them about a month to reach the surface as dead cells naturally slough off. Even when you sleep, Mother Nature is doing her job by making sure your skin exfoliates itself.

You can also help clear these dead cells away and keep your skin looking bright by exfoliating your skin regularly. Opt for either a physical exfoliator, which physically clears dead skin cells and other impurities from your skin, or a chemical exfoliator, which uses a mild acid to dissolve these dead cells.

• Your Skin Can Respond Negatively to Stress, Just Like Your Mind

While it’s unlikely you can blame a newly developed zit on the traffic jam you were caught in this morning, your skin feels your emotions, too.

Stress triggers a high level of cortisol and inflammatory molecules called cytokines that spread throughout the body.

This can lead to a rise in inflammatory markers that trigger matrix metalloproteinases, enzymes that break down collagen molecules in skin, he explains. Collagen is a protein that gives skin its youthful, bouncy elasticity.

Major illnesses or events have the power to trigger the chronic stress that would affect skin.

• Changes in Your Skin Can Reflect Underlying Health Issues

Stress isn’t the only thing that can trigger a response from your skin. Many conditions and infections can cause changes in your skin, whether they take the form of a rash, hives, itching, redness, or swelling.

Adult acne can occur due to fluctuating hormone levels, which could indicate pregnancy, perimenopause, or menopause, but acne can also indicate a hormonal disorder such as polycystic ovary syndrome.

Skin disorders can be caused by a number of conditions as you age, including heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, obesity, and nutritional deficiencies, to name just a few.

While a change in your skin is not always indicative of a larger problem, it’s best to discuss any sudden or unexpected changes in your skin with a doctor to determine whether you may have an underlying health issue to be addressed.

• Thick Skin Sometimes Serves a Purpose

Trouble spots on your skin may seem like an inconvenience, but they may have a reason for being. The bottoms of your feet and heels may be made up of thicker skin (that you desperately try to get rid of via a pedicure), but that’s evolution at work, protecting you while you walk.

Areas like the elbows are a different story. Elbows tend to get thicker over the years because we lean on them — it’s a reactive response from the constant friction.

For these areas, use a moisturizer that has a chemical peel ingredient, like lactic acid, to break down this thick skin.

Don’t experiment on your skincare, make sure you’re doing it the right way. Consult our dermatologists at Shinagawa Aesthetics!

Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 for inquiries, questions, and appointments or talk to our consultants via LiveChat at https://shinagawa.ph so we can address and answer them for you.