Solar Keratoses/seborrhoic Warts

ceridwen

I am prone to solar keratoses/seborrhoic warts. As some have now come up on my face I wont be resorting to liquid nitrogen at the doctors to blast them off - I am planning instead to head off to a beautician to get shot of them.

The salon is talking about laser or thermology. Having googled re this - thermology is confusing me (as entries re this describe it as a diagnostic tool for medical disorders - not a treatment for cosmetic disorders).

Anyone had cosmetic treatment - lasers or whatever for this type of blemish? I'd appreciate hearing other peoples experience of what it was like/what it cost/etc.

aurora_borealis_2

I hear topical vitamin D3 is a good intervention.

see here

laurajayne

I would think long and hard about going to a salon - it may be a 'blemish' however remember they're not medical professionals...I've just read about someone gettin burnt when having their eyebrows waxed...I'm not entirely sure they'd be the right people to deal with these growths. With the risk of these possibly being/turning malignant, I'm not sure I'd personally take the risk.

When I was younger, I suffered terribly with warts (admittedly, not the same type). I had a huge one on my thumb, which was actually pushing my thumbnail off (they froze that one off). I had a few elsewhere, which my mum painted stuff onto, and they came off eventually, but I did suffer from them on my face. It was mostly my chin really. Our Dr told my mum to basically tie them off with some thread (needs to be really tight, no way could you do it yourself, cos it hurts lol). After a couple of days they'd die and drop off due to no blood. I have no scarring, looking at me, you'd never know...Maybe this is more of an option for you....

ceridwen

Hi LauraJane

See what you're saying - but there is a risk if I dont get them treated - as in a risk of infection, as I keep scraping and pulling at them trying to remove them myself - which is what is happening at present.

Gather its a laser they plan to treat them with - so will wait and see how it goes.

Softstuff

I understand your fear of just getting them frozen off, since having lumps and bumps removed due to sun damage is a little rarer in the UK, they tend to have a pretty gung ho approach to it, and can overlook the cosmetic effect (I speak from experience having had moles removed when I still lived in the UK).

It's a pretty common procedure to have them lasered off over here in Australia (even for guys!), so if you were having it done here it would tend to be with a dermatologist, and it's pretty much risk free.

Not really sure about a beautician doing it though, I'd really be seeking out a dermatologist.

It'll leave you looking a bit odd for a while, sort of blotchy red. They should be able to give you a cover up cream that will help it heal too though.

ceridwen

Thanks softstuff

The thought should have struck me that Australians would know more about this topic in the circumstances (ie more sun than we get). Know what you mean by "cosmetic effect" - part of the reason I am now thinking lasering off is precisely that - as I have noticed white patches where some of them were frozen off with liquid nitrogen - hence an improved situation (but not back to normal - as normal was an even skin tone, as well as no blemish).

Never ceases to surprise (well - shock - me) that British medical profession doesnt even stop to consider the effect on peoples looks of their medical procedures - even if one is a young attractive woman (not the case for me - I am a middle-aged woman, who used to be attractive before age took hold - but still concerned to look the best I can manage).

cannylass_2

the "white patches" which remain are scar tissue and will be there whatever method is used in their removal.

Softstuff

ceridwen wrote: »

Never ceases to surprise (well - shock - me) that British medical profession doesnt even stop to consider the effect on peoples looks of their medical procedures - even if one is a young attractive woman (not the case for me - I am a middle-aged woman, who used to be attractive before age took hold - but still concerned to look the best I can manage).

Heh, take this one step further....

I have an appendix scar from about 7 years ago. It's pretty large, though it was an uncomplicated surgery in the UK. My hubby has recently had a scwannoma (nerve tumour) excised from his chest. The first time they did it, it wasn't until all the stitches were out that the pathology came back and they had to redo it all again - so cut again, larger area, stitched again. Fast forward to now which is just over a week since the last stitches were out, and his scar already looks better than mine!!! All down to better stitching technique with the precise aim of a better cosmetic effect (he had an aussie surgeon, but a nurse from sheffield who explained the lot!)

I remember having moles removed in the UK, I went to the dermatologist to have them looked at, the next I knew it was like Texas Chainsaw Massacre!
Over here they check them out thoroughly before even considering the next step, and if that is surgical removal they take care to have a cosmetically appealing effect.

I know what you mean about the whitish scarring, but that isn't an effect you get with the lasering... that's more the effect you would get from a very invasive removal of something cancerous here.

Having said all that, we pay for our healthcare. But it's no where near as much as private healthcare is in the UK.

I'd see if you could find a good dermatologist. Best of luck whatever you decide.

Softstuff

cannylass wrote: »

the "white patches" which remain are scar tissue and will be there whatever method is used in their removal.

If they are lasered off, there is no white scar tissue. It's much like the lasering used to remove tattoos or other scarring. It takes off the outer layer of skin, leaving you reddened much like with a chemical skin peel, and following that you most likely get a bit flaky!

ceridwen

thanks again SoftStuff for your helpful reply - good to know I definitely wont have any more white marks. I wish this sort of treatment had been available all along. I personally would prefer that we had to pay in Britain for health care - as it would be a much lower cost if we all had to pay - and there'd be a better standard of care. I have now given up totally on the NHS (apart from my doctor) - as the standard has declined so much, as well as the waiting list syndrome.

I am still a bit puzzled as to how I actually got all these blemishes - caused by excessive sun the Internet says - but I havent HAD excessive sun exposure (apart from my face obviously) - as I very rarely have done any sunbathing - and then only the careful 20 minutes per side bit (waste of time me sunbathing - I have 2 colours for my skin, ie pale and even paler). The only thing I can think of is that I would have had a lot of sun exposure literally decades ago as a child (because my father was sent overseas by his employer - and me along with him). I can see childhood photos of me in swimsuits and only a pair of shorts or a skirt (no top). Surely that exposure as a child couldnt be the cause of these darn blemishes that have kept popping up like a rash since my 40s (ie 35+ years later) could they?

(as for doctors not caring about cosmetic appearances - one can only be grateful not to have lost a leg and need an artificial replacement - I have been horrified by seeing people with those awful mechanical=looking things the NHS uses instead of natural-looking artificial legs - the only good thing one can say for Heather Mills McCartney is she has raised public awareness that there ARE natural-looking artificial legs).

Softstuff

ceridwen wrote: »

Surely that exposure as a child couldnt be the cause of these darn blemishes that have kept popping up like a rash since my 40s (ie 35+ years later) could they?

Oooh yes. Sun exposure as a child and young adult can cause the majority of skin problems as we get older. Of course, what we do as an adult has its own effect too!

This is why I shriek with horror seeing babies and toddlers turning lobster red - at a time they can't decide for themselves about sun protection their parents are sentencing them to a whole heap of trouble.

I'd remain thankful they're blemishes, so much of what we see here in Australia is to varying degrees cancerous. My father in law has had so many Basal Cell Carcinomas and Squamos Cell Carcinomas removed he looks a bit like a swiss cheese! My grandmother in law is dealing with a recurrent BCC on her face and my husband has photos of the moles on his back taken regularly for comparison. Here it isn't a case of saying "I know so and so who has had skin cancer", as saying "I know so and so who hasn't"!

Even now though you can still protect yourself from further damage, sunbathing is definately out! You'd be surprised to meet all of my friends and relatives, we're paler that the average brit!