Mole/Lesion Removal New Orleans
Unsightly, disfiguring skin lesions can be disconcerting and often devastating to one’s self-image.  Dr. Velargo is sensitive to this and is highly skilled in skin lesion removal surgery of the face and neck.
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What Happens During A Skin Lesion Removal?
Skin lesion removal surgery is typically performed under local anesthesia in Dr. Velargo’s clinic procedure room. However, this surgery can be performed under a spectrum of anesthesia based on the patient’s health and comfort level.
Dr. Velargo will spend time with you in consultation to ensure that every effort is made to reach your goals in a realistic manner. Dr. Velargo will analyze your lesion and develop a unique plan for excision. Dr. Velargo may recommend a shave excision of the lesion in certain circumstances. In this technique, Dr. Velargo utilizes loupe magnification to precisely remove the lesion. Aesthetic results with this technique are excellent, as no cuts are made into deeper skin structures.
Some lesions, such as seborrheic keratoses or cholesterol granulomas, respond very well to chemical peels. Thus, a peeling solution may be applied in some cases as part of the excision process. When surgically removing a skin lesion or blemish by simple excision, Dr. Velargo makes every effort to place the line of incision as nearly as possible in or parallel to one of the normal crease lines of the face. All incisions are closed in a meticulous manner with tiny sutures.
Excision of large unsightly skin lesions, birthmarks, or blemishes may require multiple operations over a period of time (e.g., serial excisions). Occasionally, it is necessary to shift surrounding tissue to fill a defect with local flaps, or, rarely, even resort to skin grafting. After the excisional scars mature, skin resurfacing procedures such as dermabrasion or laser therapy may be indicated to smooth out scars that result from the excision itself.
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Contact the New Orleans Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery today to find out more about expert skin lesion removal surgery.
Skin Lesion Removal FAQs in New Orleans
What can skin lesion removal accomplish?
Rhinoplasty is either performed using general anesthesia or a local anesthetic with IV sedation in a community-based outpatient surgery center. Dr. Velargo uses either a closed rhinoplasty or open rhinoplasty technique, depending on your case.
Most of the work is done through the nostrils from the inside of the nose (closed rhinoplasty). A closed rhinoplasty may need to be converted to an open rhinoplasty with a small incision made on the collumela below the nasal tip. With time, this incision becomes inconspicuous. Usually, a severely deformed nose or cases of revision rhinoplasty dictate an open approach to rhinoplasty. Dr. Velargo will counsel you on the approach necessary during your consultation.
A question often asked by patients contemplating rhinoplasty is: “Do you have to break my nose?” In Dr. Velargo’s surgical technique, he makes an incision into the nasal bones when they need to be repositioned, thereby eliminating the more antiquated technique of “breaking” the bones and resetting them. He feels this technique allows for better control of the operation and reduces the patient’s anxiety about having surgery. Incisions into the bone are necessary to narrow the nose or reconfigure the nasal structure after “hump” removal.
Excess bone and cartilage are removed from the bridge of the nose to remove “humps”. Dr. Velargo takes care not to remove too much, which could damage the nasal structure or create an unnatural scooped-out appearance. When the size of the nose is too large, excess bone and cartilage are removed as necessary.
What is recovery like from skin lesion removal surgery?
As mentioned earlier, septoplasty is often performed in conjunction with rhinoplasty. This procedure involves removing the mucous membrane lining from the cartilaginous and bony septum. The deviated or “crooked” portions are identified and removed with care to preserve an adequate amount for nasal support and structure. The excised cartilage is saved for later use as cartilage grafts.
The mucous membranes are then reapproximated and sutured together, eliminating the need for deep nasal packing. This technique has been one of the greatest advances in nasal surgery, reducing much of the undesirable post-operative discomfort that packing has caused patients.
If the nose needs to be enhanced or strengthened, cartilage grafting will probably be used to build up that area. The cartilage can be taken from the septum, other parts inside of the nose, or from the ear. If Dr. Velargo thinks that ear cartilage will be necessary, he will discuss this with you in greater detail during your consultation. Rest assured that your ear will not look different after the operation, and the resulting scar will be inconspicuous. This technique is often used to support the tip, open the airway, strengthen the nostrils, or build up the bridge of the nose, among other things.
If it is necessary to make flaring or wide nostrils smaller, an incision can be made in the crease where the side of the nostril adjoins the upper lip and cheek. Because this is located in a natural body fold, the scar is practically invisible within a few weeks.
If simultaneous Endoscopic Balloon Sinuplasty to open the sinus passages is indicated, a small camera is inserted into the nose, and a balloon catheter is introduced into the main sinus openings. The sinus openings are dilated with the balloon, and the sinus cavities are cleaned and washed out.
Does insurance cover skin lesion surgery?
If you are receiving septoplasty, functional rhinoplasty, or endoscopic balloon sinuplasty, some insurance plans cover that aspect of the procedure. Contact your insurance carrier for information. Note that cosmetic rhinoplasty is never covered by insurance plans, and even if your insurance covers a simultaneous septoplasty, functional rhinoplasty, or endoscopic balloon sinuplasty, a separate charge will be generated for the cosmetic component of your surgical plan.
Contact the New Orleans Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery today to find out more about expert rhinoplasty.