Skin Concerns / Dermatology

We address certain skin concerns by providing the following dermatology services: skin tag removal, mole removal and dermatology exams & treatment.

Which skin concerns can be treated at North Coast Family Medical Group?

At North Coast Family Medical Group in Encinitas, we address certain skin concerns by providing the following dermatology services:

  • Dermatology exams and treatment
  • Mole removal
  • Skin tag removal
  • Laceration repair

Dermatology exams

At our office in Encinitas, we do provide dermatology exams to our patients. Our physicians are specially trained to check your skin for any issues. Your medical history will also be taken into account. If you have any spots on your body that you are worried about, we encourage you to discuss this with our staff. Any notable changes to your moles should be inspected and discussed. If we do suspect that a spot may be cancerous, we will order a biopsy.

Moles

Moles are noncancerous skin growths that appear as small, dark brown spots. They are caused by clusters of pigmented cells and usually develop during childhood. While they are mostly harmless and do not produce any symptoms, monitoring your moles and other pigmented skin patches is important for detecting malignant melanoma–the most serious form of skin cancer. If you notice that your mole has changed color or size, contact your doctor immediately.

Mole removal

If you’d like to remove moles on your body for cosmetic reasons, they can be surgically removed. The surgeon will use a scalpel to shave the mole off and an electrical instrument will be used to cauterize the area to stop the bleeding. The wound is then bandaged up. Moles can also be removed by excision with stitches. This will help to limit scaring compared to the first method. The stitches will either be absorbed by the body or will be removed later.

Skin tags

Skin tags (or acrochordons) are small, benign growths that stick out of the skin. They look like stalks of “hanging” skin and typically appear where skin-to-skin friction occurs, such as the eyelids, neck, upper chest, underarms and groin. While skin tags can appear on children, they are typically more common among middle-aged and elderly individuals.

Skin tags are not cancerous and they are not associated with very many symptoms. A skin tag may grow irritated or start bleeding, but this should not be accompanied with much pain. Despite the lack of concerns and symptoms, many people wish to remove their skin tags because they are frustrated with or are embarrassed by them.

Skin tag removal

If you are concerned about this cosmetic issue and would like to have these tags removed from your body, the physicians at North Coast Family Medical Group can help. Smaller skin tags can be removed with cold liquid nitrogen, which is a non-toxic substance. By spraying the skin tag a few times with -320° temperatures, it will fall off within a few days. The treated area may sting for a few days and you may see redness and inflammation, but those side effects will subside.

If the skin tag is large and thick, the treated area may be injected with lidocaine to numb the skin and the tag will be snipped off with sharp, sterile scissors. The base of the skin tag may be cauterized since they have their own blood vessel supply. Burning the base will create a scab but the skin tag will be less likely to grow back.

Laceration repair

Lacerations are deep cuts or tears in the skin. There are many outpatient repair options that we provide at North Coast Family Medical Group. Our physicians can treat you or your child with sutures, staples, tissue adhesives or skin-closure tape to repair the wound. Our staff has the knowledge and expertise to choose the correct closure method, and the experience and skill to perform the closure for optimal results.

If you have any questions or concerns about your skin, give us a call at (760) 942-0118. We are happy to assist in any way that we can.

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We're happy to answer any questions you may have, feel free to call us at
(760) 942-0118