Skin Cancer Detection in Brisbane
Dr Wong has over 20 years experience in skin cancer medicine, having been an early adopter of dermatoscopy since early 2000s, he has many years of dermatoscopy experience in skin cancer diagnosis and provides both surgical and non surgical management of skin cancers and sun damaged skin.
Many skin cancer surgery can be performed using local anaesthestics as an office procedure using advanced plastic surgical techniques such as skin flaps and grafts.
Solar damage (sun damaged skin) can be improved using chemical peels or Photodynamic therapy, or other treatments such as prescription topical chemotherapeutic agents.
Moles or benign lumps can be removed cosmetically using electrosurgical or radiofrequency techniques, leaving a superior cosmetic result. Many of these procedures are performed under local anaesthetics with little downtime. Our clinic is dedicated to excellence in the diagnosis and management of skin cancer and solar damage.
It is highly recommended that skin checks (for skin cancers) be performed on a regularly basis usually annually. However for the high risk individuals this may be every 6 monthly. If you notice any changes in size, shape, pattern, pigment changes to a pre-existing mole, or if you notice a newly developing pigmented lesion on the skin, please arrange to get a doctor’s advice.
We highly recommended sunscreens be used regularly to protect the skin from harmful UV rays.
Fees: Skin Checks – Private Consultation Fees apply. For fees and medicare rebates, refer to Prices page.
Surgical treatments: Out of pocket fees will be discussed on individual basis (depending on the lesion, size, site).
Photodynamic Therapy Brisbane
Non melanoma skin cancers and certain types of pre-cancerous lesions can be treated using photodynamic therapy (PDT) in our practice.
PDT involves the application of ALA cream, which is a photosensitizing agent to the areas that require treatment for at least 3 hours. When the photosensitizing agent is exposed to a specific wavelength of light, it produces a form of oxygen that destroys the surrounding cells. It is this chemical reaction caused by the exposure to light that destroys the cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions but leaving the surrounding healthy skin relatively unharmed.
Benefits of PDT: 1. Treat sun damaged skin effectively 2. Improve skin tone, texture, colour, clarity at the same time.
If you have a skin cancer, it may still require surgical excision, however PDT may be a very effective treatment option for most non melanotic precancerous lesions.
Facts about Melanoma Detection
Melanomas can appear anywhere on the body.
Melanoma may be of different colours.
It is possible for melanoma to grow rapidly, even within 2-3 months so you can get melanoma before your next appointment.
Common changes can be: size/colour/shape/itchiness or bleeding, or no noticeable change at all. A mole becoming lighter in colour, is still considered a notable change.
Notify the doctor if you notice any changes in an existing mole.
Injectable collagen stimulation injections have been available since early 2000s.
The information on this page for Bio-Stimulators will assist your understanding during your consultation with our doctor. Due to TGA regulations, we cannot put before and after photos on our website.
Overtime we see too many patients' faces over-filled using temporary gel products.
Temporary gels are water binding materials that occupy space in the tissues until the materials breakdown over 6-12 months.
Traditional wrinkles treatments, including temporary volumising gels do not improve the quality of the skin. In fact after mid 20s, we lose about 1% of collagen per year from our face, causing our skin to be thinner as we age. After menopause we lose even more collagen, up to 30% in the first 5 years of menopause, both in our skin and our bones.
Collagen stimulators and bio-regenerative type products, on the other hand, has a bio-stimulatory effect, and most patients who use collagen bio-stimulators will notice an improvement in the quality of their skin initially, followed by a gradual increase in volume over a couple of months. Results from collagen bio-stimulation injections may vary between individuals, but in general, results last longer than traditional temporary gel fillers.
There are a few types of collagen bio-stimulator in the Australian market and each have their unique benefits and disadvantages. Our doctors will discuss the possible benefits of some of these bio-stimulators as well risks of these products during and post injections.
It is also important to know how to incorporate bio-stimulators as part of your rejuvenation journey, when combined with other treatments such as Lasers, traditional cosmetic treatments and other energy based devices.
You will need a thorough consultation, treatment planning and informed consent prior to collagen Biostimulator treatments.
You may also need to have a few months interval between your previous treatments and collagen biostimulator treatments.
Injectable Bio-stimulators are prescription only medicines in Australia and a doctor's consultation is essential.
Main benefits:
Improvements in volume occur gradually over a few months and provides natural looking result. For some types of collagen stimulators, a few treatments may be required.
Once your skin forms its own collagen, it takes longer for this collagen to breakdown.
Hence, results may last 12-24 months, longer than the average temporary gel products.
For patients who have lost a lot of volume in their face and likely to require lots of temporary gel products, or patients who "burn" through their temporary gel quickly, biostimulators may be an alternvative option in the long run. This happens in women who have high metabolism or peri- and post-menopausal women.
The aesthestic management of menopausal women is different to treating a women who is younger. Women start to lose collagen with declining oestrogen levels, a whole decade before the onset of menopause, so replacing this collagen is sometimes more important than just filling the face.
As collagen remodelling and collagen contraction occur overtime, most patients will also notice "firmness" in the skin that is rarely achievable using traditional temporary gel products.
Collagen Biostimulators are useful for reducing temporal hollowness, firming lateral high cheek, lateral jawline including pre-auricular region, jowls, neck and decolletage as well as hands.
Disadvantages:
Higher upfront cost (when compared to traditional cosmetic injections) and for some biostimulators, a few treatments are required.
Results are not immediate, as collagen production takes time, the improvements occur over a few months.
Collagen Biostimulators are not suitable for lips and the thin skin around the eye (periorbital) region as there is a small risk of nodules. Hence non biostimulatory treatments are required in these areas.
Some patients with active autoimmune disorders may not be suitable for bio-stimulator injections. A full medical history is essential to exclude contra-indications.
Other treatment risks are similar to traditional cosmetic injections includes pain, bruising, swelling, foreign body reaction, lumpiness, vascular occlusion and blindness.