Cosmetic Dermatology
Acne Scars
Acne scarring is the result of the continued reoccurrence of acne on the same area of your skin. With each additional acne lesion, the inflammation changes the skin’s color and texture, and the collagen degradation causes a permanent scar that looks like a dent or divet. The resulting scar can differ in depth and size—for example, ice-pick scarring resembles a sharp crevice, while rolling scars cover more surfaces with a bumpy, almost wavy texture.
How are acne scars treated?
Depending on the type of acne scar you have, the goal is to create collagen and improve the skin color and texture. We can recommend treatments that range from peels, dermal fillers and subcision to break up scar tissue causing a dent, to skin resurfacing with lasers. In the case of deeper scarring, a combination approach is used for maximal results.
Brown Spots & Sun Damage
While brown spots are typically associated with aging and sun damage, they can also appear as the result of hormones, acne and even genetic history. Brown spots usually appear in areas exposed to sunlight, especially on the face and cheeks. Older patients are likely to find them on their hands, chest, and shoulders.
Are brown spots the same as hyperpigmentation or liver spots?
Sometimes you’ll hear them referred to that way. Brown spots occur when your skin loses its ability to regulate melanin, a natural pigment the body produces to provide skin and hair with color and to offer protection against the sun’s damaging UV rays. With overexposure to the sun, your body works overtime to produce extra melanin. Changes in hormone levels can cause similar overproduction. These changes can ultimately lead to the formation of deposits that permanently color your skin with melanin’s darker pigmentation.
How are they treated?
Treatment options include fading creams, Chemical Peels and laser treatments. It is possible to decrease or prevent the appearance of future age spots by reducing sun exposure through the use of a high SPF sunscreen, protective clothing and sun avoidance. Intense Pulse Light (IPL) treatment is a great way to quickly remove unsightly brown spots. Barba Dermatology has all the tools necessary to treat and prevent brown spots.
Ear Lobe Repair
Piercing your ears puts the earlobes at risk for stretching, tearing and even a benign growth on scar tissue called keloid scarring. Additionally, because of their exposed location, earlobe tears are often split and are very visible. Earlobe repair surgery fixes the split and enables you to wear earrings again. It is recommended for people who have torn earlobes or elongated piercing tracts.
What is the procedure like?
Earlobe repair is a relatively simple procedure done in the office with local anesthesia. To allow the lobe of the ear to heal back together, the surgeon cuts away the healed skin on the inside of the long hole or torn earlobe. The fresh edges are then sutured back together. Sutures are removed after 5 days. Should you want to re-pierce your ears, we do that 6 weeks later, to the right or left of the scar, with special attention paid not to pierce the ear at the scar to prevent re-tearing.
Is the procedure covered by insurance?
Earlobe repair surgery is not covered by insurance as it is considered a cosmetic procedure.
Ear Lobe Injections
Fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm can be injected to rejuvenate the loose skin of the earlobes and make them firm. Make an appointment today.
Eye Treatments in Miami, FL
Our dermatologists will work closely with you to determine the best treatment plan for your needs. We're interested in helping you look better, and we want to help you feel better. Everyone deserves to feel comfortable and beautiful in their skin. We offer cutting-edge eye treatments designed to address various concerns, from drooping eyelids to fine lines and wrinkles. At Barba Dermatology, we offer a selection of eye treatments tailored to your unique needs and goals. These treatments include:
Brow Lift & Eye Wrinkles
This treatment is designed to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles around your eyes and lift your eyebrows for a youthful look. This treatment can be done alone or in combination with other treatments for a more comprehensive facial rejuvenation.
UPNEEQ Eye Lifting Treatments
This non-surgical procedure effectively lifts droopy eyelids, giving you a more alert and youthful appearance. The treatment involves applying an FDA-approved eye drop that works within minutes. It's quick and easy with minimal downtime, making it convenient for those with busy schedules.
Latisse
This prescription treatment involves applying a topical solution to the base of your upper eyelashes every night. Results can be seen in as little as four weeks, with full results usually visible by 16 weeks. Latisse is an FDA-approved treatment, and it's easy to incorporate into your nightly routine at home.
Fractional Skin Resurfacing
Fractional skin resurfacing is a laser treatment that stimulates your skin’s renewal process to reduce the appearance of fine lines and improve skin marred by acne scarring, aging or sun damage. Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing for the face is good for treating the following skin concerns:
- Hyperpigmentation
- Acne Scars
- Surgical Scars
- Textural Irregularities
- Fine Lines
- Wrinkles
- Stretch Marks
- Eye Wrinkles
How does it work?
The procedure involves a heated laser applied to a problem area in order to deliver heat through the outer layer of skin in fractionated quantities (like pixels), which in turn triggers your body’s natural response to produce new collagen to heal that same area. The result is firmer, tighter skin, that comes to appear healthy and smooth with minimal recovery time, since some of the skin is left untreated to help the treated skin to heal faster. Fractional skin resurfacing can be applied to the face, neck, lower eyelids, back of the hands and scars to improve skin texture and elasticity.
Are the results the same for every skin type?
Depending on the condition of your skin, the treatment is administered in a series of up to 6 sessions, with usually 4 weeks recommended between every session, in order to maximize the safe and natural growth of new skin tissue. The treatment is effective for most skin types, though patients may experience some peeling or very mild scabbing within 3-5 days after each procedure. Depending on your skin’s condition, fractional skin resurfacing can prove a more effective treatment than Microdermabrasion, Clinical Peels or Photorejuvenation procedures. Often, they can be used in combination. We will advise the care that best suits your health and the results you’re looking for.
IPL Photofacial
An IPL Photofacial is a non-abrasive, non-invasive procedure that works to rejuvenate your skin using the latest technology of a StarLux® Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) system. Customized to suit your skin type and condition, an IPL Photofacial can improve the signs of sun damage, rosacea and brown spots on the face, hands and body. The device delivers intense pulses of light directed at the skin's surface to improve texture and tone while removing age spots, brown and red spots, freckles, rosacea and broken blood vessels.
Mole Removal
Moles can be present in areas where they can become injured, or in areas where they simply don’t look good. Most moles are easily removed by shaving them off or by cutting them out and stitching the area closed, a procedure that is performed in the office with a bit of local anesthesia. Please keep in mind that moles cannot be lasered off.
Who should have their moles removed?
Some patients like to get rid of moles that are in a hairy area of the skin out of concern about shaving over it. Shaving can irritate a mole but does not make it turn cancerous. However, if the constant irritation is annoying, you might want the mole removed. Most of our patients have their moles removed simply for cosmetic reasons. The best reason to have a mole removed is if you think it has changed. Whatever the reason for removal, all moles are sent to a dermatopathologist for confirmation that they are benign, and not cancerous.
Is there a risk in having a mole removed?
There is always a risk of a scar, of a dark brown spot forming where the mole was shaved off. However, we are meticulous with our mole removals, and the scars left after mole removals are usually minimal.
Skin Tag Removal
Skin tags are common, though completely harmless, skin growths that usually occur on the eyelids and neck, as well as in less visible places, such as in the armpits, groin folds, and under the breasts. They are as likely to be found on men as they are women, though middle-aged adults, particularly those suffering from obesity, are the most likely to get them. For many patients, particularly those living in a climate like Miami’s where lighter clothing means more exposure, skin tags are an unsightly nuisance. While some smaller tags may spontaneously rub or fall off, most remain on the body once they are formed. Skin tags often occur during pregnancy. Those that are bothersome may be easily removed during or after pregnancy.
Can skin tags be removed without scarring?
Yes. We use a technique where the tags are snipped at the base and cauterized to prevent re-growth. We find that the removal of these unsightly growths is well worth the cost as they only get worse with age. It is easier to treat them when they are tiny.