How Can a Dermatologist Treat My Skin?
If you're like most people, you probably think of your dermatologist only in terms of dealing with common skin-related issues, such as acne and scarring. However, the healthcare industry is becoming more individualized - in particular, with regard to procedures for dermatology patients. In recent years, more cosmetic procedures have been developed and introduced to the market. One of these, however, is dermabrasion. This procedure, which uses a mechanical abrasion tool, can help improve the look of your skin by eliminating minute pores and scarring. Because it usually requires several sessions, you may want to make an appointment for a consultation to find out how to do this procedure.
During your consultation, your dermatologist may perform an initial biopsy to assess whether or not you have a potential problem. The biopsy is simply a way to find out if there is a problem, rather than trying to diagnose you. To do a biopsy, the dermatologist will initially remove only the uppermost layer of tissue. The tissue that's removed will then be sent to a laboratory where it will undergo analysis under a microscope in order to determine the type of tissue that's in your skin. There are various types of biopsies:
A nasal biopsy is performed when the dermatologist suspects that a sinus infection might be causing your symptoms. The sample is taken from between the base of the nose and the tip of the nose. There are various factors that can affect the efficiency of nasal biopsy. For instance, if the biopsy reveals signs of nasal polyps, a histology expert will need to perform a nasal examination in order to determine whether or not these are in fact cancerous. If the biopsy indicates that a cancerous cell is present, then your dermatologist might decide to perform a surgery known as a sentinel event. This will involve removing a small amount of tissue from the area, in order to see whether or not the cancer has spread to other areas of your body.
A blood-thinning biopsy is performed in order to determine whether or not you have anemia. A dermatologist can take a sample of your blood to make a panel to look for the levels of hemoglobin, which is a substance that allows your blood to carry oxygen. High levels of hemoglobin mean that you have low red blood cell count. A blood-thinning biopsy is performed in order to make sure that you do not have anemia.
A drug-induced lymphohystatin biopsy is performed when your dermatologist suspects that you have a drug-induced autoimmune disease (AIDS). You will be asked to come into the hospital room, and after being given some pain medication, the dermatologist will use a syringe to inject you with a large dose of lysine hydrochloride, or L-lysine hydrochloride. The drug kills off the lymphocytes, or white blood cells that normally protect your body from infection. The syringe is removed, and you will need to stay in the hospital overnight for recovery. A treatment like this will usually last three to four weeks.
Some of the treatments that a Dermatologist might offer you include skin grafts, or autologous fat transfers. These procedures involve taking fat from somewhere else on your body, and putting it into your skin. You may feel an uncomfortable feeling as the fat is being placed on your skin, but this will usually pass within a week. Afterward, you will need to visit your dermatologist again to have the fat removed from your skin, and the edges of the grafts smoothened.