Electrocautery is a bedside procedure where your doctor will use an ‘electric pen’ to deliver high frequency electric current onto the skin to generate heat in order to stop bleeding or remove abnormal skin cells
After the procedure, the abnormal skin lesions are left with a small pink superficial wound. Over the course of days, the wound will heal with a tiny scab. Once the new healthy skin regrows, the scab will eventually fall off.
Usually 1 session should suffice. Your doctor may advise you to return to clinic in 1-2 weeks time for follow up of the procedural site
If you have cardiac devices such as pacemaker or implantable defibrillator, you are advised to inform your doctor before procedure
Electrocautery is usually performed under local anaesthesia- either through numbing cream or injection to the concerning area. Hence, the procedure should be well-tolerated with minimal discomfort or pain. If you have reduced pain threshold, you are encouraged to let your doctor know
After electrocautery procedure, the treated area will appear slightly red, occasionally a little oozy. If it is oozy, your doctor may advise you to apply pressure bandage to the affected region. Over time, the treated area will slowly heal with scabs, and the scab will fall off spontaneously within 1-2 weeks, leaving behind healthy new pink new skin tissues. After the skin heals, the skin tone can be slightly lighter or darker for months before evens out eventually.
You can return to your daily routine immediately after treatment, though you should keep the electrocauterized skin area dry for at least 1 day. In certain location of the body or limbs, your doctor may advise for protective bandage to cover the region, preventing the wound from rubbing or friction. The wound area can be cleaned with normal saline once to twice a day, and topical medicated cream/ emollients may be encouraged by your doctor to promote healing. Over time, the wound will be covered with a small scab. Avoid picking on the scab, the scab will fall off itself 4-6 weeks later.
The same medication may not cause any reaction to a person, yet may cause unforeseen allergic reactions to another person.
Allergy Immunotherapy modifies a person’s body immune response towards allergens, hence easing allergy symptoms.
Common insect stings in Singapore come from yellow jackets, hornets, wasps, and honey bees.
Checking the skin or nail lesion with wood lamp involves shining a hand-held wood lamp device on the area of concern by your physician.
Cryotherapy or colloquially known as ‘cold therapy’ is a procedure that uses liquid nitrogen to deliver freezing cold temperature locally to destroy and remove abnormal skin lesion.
A steroid injection is simple bedside procedure where your doctor will inject minute amount of steroid onto the skin.
Skin cancer screening is usually performed by your physician using a dermatoscope. Dermatoscope is a medical magnifying glass that allows your physician to visualize the size and shape of the mole that you are concerned of.
Fungal scrape and bacterial culture tests allow physician to confirm or debunk fungal/bacterial diagnosis of skin condition
Skin tags are benign. They are also known as acrochordons medically. They are small, soft overgrowth of the skin commonly located among the face, eyelids neck, armpit, groin, breasts and buttock folds.
An excision biopsy is a bedside procedure where your doctor uses a surgical blade to remove the entire skin lesion under the use of local anaesthesia.
A shave biopsy a bedside procedure where your doctor uses a surgical superficial shaving blade to remove the skin lesion under the use of local anaesthesia.
A skin biopsy, or punch biopsy, is a bedside surgical procedure where your physician will use a small knife ‘puncher’ to obtain a small skin sample under local anaesthesia.
Herpes zoster, commonly referred to as shingles, is a painful blistering rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus— the same virus that causes chickenpox.
Seborrheic Dermatitis is a common chronic inflammatory condition of the skin. It is categorized as a type of chronic eczema, affecting the body area that has more sebaceous glands. characterized by red, greasy scaly patches.
Living in a hot humid climate of Singapore, fungal infection of the skin is common. The fungus thrives and favors body areas that are moist and warm such as the armpit, breast folds, groin, buttocks, feet, toes or even nails.
Eczema is a common inflammation condition of the skin. Although eczema can occur any time in one’s life, it typically starts presenting when one is a child.
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. It is a common skin disease that can affect 1 in 50 people.
Nearly 20% of people will get hives at some point in their lifetime. While they may not be life-threatening, hives can potentially cause both physical and emotional issues, particularly if they occur frequently.
Your body’s natural reaction to pokes, cuts, and trauma to your skin is to heal. On most occasions, skin injuries heal up without any problems.
