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Plastic Surgery/scar/hyperpigmentation ?
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Question
Dear Dr. Engler:
About two years ago, my dermatologist removed (froze off by, I think, liquid nitrogen?) some skin cancer from my cheek. It produced the (usual, I guess) white spot, about a half inch in diameter. I find it extremely unsightly and had some laser treatment (the laser they use for brown spots) at one place with little or no effect. I went to another 'Dermo' and they used an Eximer laser that was expensive and seemed to cause it to fade a little. Not sure. Regardless, it's as white as ever. I was also prescribed "Vitises." That ointment too has done no good.
Is there anything I can do to eliminate or greatly reduce this ugly thing on my face.
Thanks very much for your time.
Dear Ed,
As you've probably figured out, I don't really think there's very much you can do to improve the appearance of this scar, which is basically what it is. Destructive methods, such as liquid nitrogen, electro or thermocautery, etc., are often used to remove questionable, or not so questionable, growths, but they can leave unsightly reminders of what was done.
Depending on how old you are, and what type of skin you have, it may be reasonable to consider having the SCAR cut out, just as if the original growth were still there. It may, of course, result in a scar that is similar to what would have been done if it had been excised in the first place (if you can follow that!). That scar, ironically, may be better than the white patch you have right now.
At any rate, it's probably worth checking it out a bit. If you go to the About This Website page of my website, www.bodysculpture.com, you can find links to several national plastic surgery sites that can help you find a surgeon near you. Then, go visit a few of them, and see if what they say makes sense.
I hope this helps - good luck!
Dr. E
www.bodysculpture.com
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Answers by Expert:
Alan M. Engler, MD, FACS
Expertise
Dr. Engler has answered over 3100 questions as a volunteer expert for AllExperts. His expertise includes breast surgery (breast enlargement with implants, breast reduction, breast lifts), liposuction, eyelid surgery, tummy tucks, facelifts, skin cancers, cysts, etc. Dr. Engler has been listed as one New York`s Top Doctors, and as "One of the World's Most Famous Aesthetic Surgeons" (Aesthetic Surgery, TASCHEN Books, Angelika Taschen, Editor). He is the author of 4 books, including "BodySculpture" (a best-selling plastic surgery book on breast surgery, liposuction and tummy tucks), "EyeScapes" (Plastic Surgery of the Eyelids), "Restylane," and "The Slim Book of Liposuction." Dr. Engler has two US Patents for surgical instruments that he's designed, and has appeared on numerous television shows, including The Tyra Banks Show, The Ricki Lake Show (four times), and the Dr. Keith Ablow Show. Videos of his appearances are available on YouTube (search for "DR. ENGLER"), and his discussion of breast implants, also on YouTube is "How to Choose a Breast Implant." His website is www.bodysculpture.com. Thanks for "Likiing" Dr. Engler on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-NY/Alan-M-Engler-MD-New-York-Plastic-Surgery-and-Aesthetics/107206405967267?ref=ts&__a=8
Experience
Dr. Alan Engler is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York and the author of BodySculpture - Plastic Surgery of the Body for Men and Women (ISBN 0966382749) one of the top-selling plastic surgery books on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, etc.
Education/Credentials
Dr. Engler graduated from Yale University (BA, Russian Studies) and the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (MD). He did his residency training in General Surgery and, after that, Plastic Surgery, at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York. He is on the faculty of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and is a Special Lecturer in the Department of Dermatology at Columbia University in New York. He has admitting privileges at Beth Israel Medical Center and Montefiore Medical Center, both in New York.
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