Benign Lesions
Dr vanVliet has a strong interest in all things skin and is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.
Earlobe Repair
Earlobes can become elongated and thin with attenuated pierce sites as a normal process of aging. We can accelerate this process if we wear heavy earrings or have deliberately stretched our earlobes with plugs. Occasional pierce sites tear and the torn earlobe develops a cleft deformity. These are all amenable to surgical repair, under local anesthesia, with minimal scar and with excellent restoration of earlobe shape. Surgery does mean you temporarily lose your pierce site but you will be able to re-pierce the ear within 3 to 6 months of your surgery. Recovery time is minimal and sutures are usually in for 10-14 days. Dr vanVliet also manages ear keloidal scars with a combination of treatments.
Moles
Moles, also referred to as nevi are generally harmless and can be raised, flat and a variety of colours ranging from brown, pink, tan and even blue. Moles rarely degenerate into cancer but they do change over our lifetime. Hormonal fluctuations, like during pregnancy or puberty, can incite growth of moles. Often as we age our moles become paler but more prominent – so that mole that was our ‘beauty mark’ in our 20s may become the prominent mole we get removed in our 50s. Dr vanVliet is adept at keeping incisions minimal and well aligned to minimize the appearance of scarring after mole removal. Commonly, stitches will be required. Occasionally, shave removal with a radio-frequency instrument will be utilized.
Sebaceous cysts
A sebaceous cyst is a benign growth that occurs when a sebaceous (oil) gland, in the deep skin layer, becomes plugged. Oil accumulates in the small gland or sac and as it does so it grows and becomes more prominent. Although they rarely cause symptoms or cause problems they can occasionally get tender. They can occur on any skin surface but most commonly on the face, scalp and upper back. Surgical excision removes the entire cyst and sutures will be required. Dr vanVliet keeps her surgical scar as small as possible so that you will have minimal scar. Recurrence rates after surgical excision are less than 1%.
Lipomas
Often referred to as the ‘carbuncles of Life’ these raised, waxy and warty lesions are common. They are benign and not contagious. There seems to be some familial predilection for developing them as we age, so likely there is some genetic basis for them. They often are numerous and may become irritated given their superficial ‘pasted on the skin’ appearance. They most commonly arise on the face, neck and trunk. These are amenable to local excision with sutures or with a shave removal of them – Dr vanVliet will determine the best approach for you based on their location and size.
Seborrheic Keratoses (SK)
Often referred to as the ‘carbuncles of Life’ these raised, waxy and warty lesions are common. They are benign and not contagious. There seems to be some familial predilection for developing them as we age, so likely there is some genetic basis for them. They often are numerous and may become irritated given their superficial ‘pasted on the skin’ appearance. They most commonly arise on the face, neck and trunk. These are amenable to local excision with sutures or with a shave removal of them – Dr vanVliet will determine the best approach for you based on their location and size.
Scar Revision: Scar Wars
Prominent scars commonly arise following trauma, burns, surgery or even from small inciting events such as acne flares or ear piercings. How a scar heals after an initial inciting injury has a lot to do with:
• Mechanism of injury: Surgical incisions are made with the least amount of trauma and their orientation can be carefully planned to reduce the risk of thick scar formation. Traumatic injuries such as dog bites, or burns tend to create thicker scars.
• Orientation of the injury
• Anatomical location: The central chest, earlobes, and joint lines (knees, shoulders) are more predisposed to prominent, thick scars.
• Gene stock: Certain ethnicities are more predisposed to thick scars and potentially keloidal scarring. In general, the darker the skin – the higher the risk of thick scar formation.
• Wound care: How you care for your injury in the acute setting really is incredibly impactful on how well you heal. Friction, desiccation and lack of appropriate protection following an injury or surgery can complicate early wound healing and contribute to poor scar formation.
As a Board Certified Plastic surgeon, Dr vanVliet is an expert in creating minimal scars during elective surgical procedures. She understands wound healing and how to create optimal conditions for uneventful healing with minimal scars – both intra- operatively and in the post-operative period.
Often Dr vanVliet is asked to manage patients with established problem scars. The management of these scars is multifaceted and will require full assessment by her in order to design an optimal treatment plan. Treatment options may include topical silicone, compression garments, steroid injections, light and laser therapy, or surgical revision. If you have scars of concern; whether they be acne scars, earlobe keloids or surgical scars – Dr vanVliet can help!
