Skin Growths
Clean skin and a clean bill of health.
Suffering From Skin Growths?
From unsightly warts to harmful melanomas, there are a number of irregularities that can occur on our bodies. Elite Skin has the experience, precision and dedication to help you remove these blemishes and bring your skin back to its natural and healthy smoothness.
The Types Of Skin Growths
Here are some of the most common types of skin growths, how to identify them and what to do about them.
Moles
Moles are small, brown-colored bumps that can appear anywhere on the body. They are very common, with the average adult having somewhere between 10 and 40 moles. Moles come in two versions: Congenital Nevi and Atypical Nevi.
These are moles you’ve had since birth or early childhood, also known as birthmarks. They are made up of melanocytes, which help give your skin its pigment. But sometimes these cells can cluster, creating moles. While these can be aesthetically unpleasing, they are not harmful.
As the name implies, these moles are made up of atypical cells. All atypical nevi are considered precancerous and without monitoring and treatment, have the potential to turn into melanoma. Depending on the severity of the mole (determined by a doctor), they may need to be removed entirely.
As you perform monthly self-checks of your skin, be on the lookout for new or changing moles. These changes include growth, color changes, pain, itchiness, scaling and bleeding
Cysts
Cysts are a sac or pocket of skin cells, bacteria and pus that can form on the skin. Cysts vary greatly in size and can appear on any part of the body. Here are some common cysts.
These cysts appear on your head, specifically the scalp, feeling like a little bump or knot under your hair. When untreated, they may cause hair loss in that spot, but if they rupture, they can be both very painful and pretty messy.
These common cysts often return, even if you attempt to pop them. They form when dead skin cells that would normally slough off get trapped and bundle up instead.
You’ll find these cysts on your fingers, typically at the base of your fingernail. They’ll look like a hard firm bubble. Inside these bubbles is trapped fluid that is normally meant to lubricate your joints.
It’s best to have a cyst removed by a dermatologist like the ones at Elite Skin before it bursts. This is a quick and painless outpatient procedure that eliminates the problem for good. We simply remove the pocket of cells, and stitch up the area, fully healing into a smooth, almost imperceptible scar in a couple of months.
Please note that at-home cyst removal is not possible. Popping the cyst yourself is not a solution – It’ll be painful for you and the cyst will just come back. Only a professional can remove a cyst for good.
Warts
Warts are common skin infections caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). They most often occur in children and young adults. There are three major types of warts: common warts, plantar warts and flat warts. Warts, in general, are benign, but they can be bothersome or inconvenient.
These typically appear on your hands and feel like rough bumps. Common warts can often have black dots on them that look like seeds from the size of a pinhead to a pea.
Planter warts most often form on your feet, especially the soles. They’re often flat or grow inward and can have black dots. While they aren’t medically dangerous, they can cause pain when you stand or walk if they grow big enough, which can justify removal.
These warts can develop anywhere on the body. They’re smaller and smoother than other warts and often grow in large numbers (20-100) at a time.
While being mostly harmless, some people do not like the look or feel of warts and want them removed. There are some over-the-counter treatments for warts, but these are often very slow, taking several months. Elite Skin offers medical treatments and procedures that can remove warts within a week.
Lipoma
Lipomas are small lumps of fatty tissue that grow just underneath your skin. These lumps have a rubber-like feel to them, and they move easily when you touch them. These are very common skin growths that most often occur between the ages of 40 and 60, though they have the potential to appear at any age. Lipomas do not cause pain or health issues, so they rarely require treatment. However, if a lipoma is bothersome to you, the experts at Elite Skin can easily remove it.
We Know Skin Growths
When it comes to skin growths, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Our expert dermatologists can examine, diagnose and treat your skin growths, from nagging cysts to severe melanomas.
Book an appointment with Elite Skin today!
