Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about appointments, procedures, referrals, and billing at The Mole Clinic.
Appointments & Referrals
The Mole Clinic receives a high volume of referrals and each one is assessed by our team and triaged according to urgency. Medical referrals are booking 6-8 weeks or longer but sometimes are able to accommodate patients sooner. Non-Medical (Cosmetic) referrals with straight forward issues can sometimes be seen sooner by our medical staff. Please call us to explain your situation so we can assess how to book.
If your concern is purely cosmetic, then a referral is not needed. We do not charge OHIP for non-medical concerns. There is, however, a $100 plus HST non refundable consultation fee we charge.
If your concern is medical (e.g., a concern for skin cancer, skin cancer screening assessments, etc.) then your assessment is OHIP insured. We will need a doctor referral faxed to us at 519-720-0282. While it is advisable to have your family doctor send this referral in, if you are having difficulty you can obtain a referral from a local walk-in clinic. Be aware that attending a clinic other than your family doctor can create problems with your usual health care provider if they are a Family Health Organization (FHO).
Yes – just request this specifically at the time you book your appointment.
Our practice is led by a physician who has GP Focus Practice designation in Dermatology by the Ontario Medical Association. Your family doctor will not be negated for billings at our clinic. As such, your doctor will not be upset if you come to our clinic.
Yes – currently the charge for consultations is $100 plus HST. If the concern if medical, the consultation is covered by OHIP but a doctor referral must be obtained.
Procedures & Healing
We treat nearly all areas of the body including scalp, face, eyelids, nose, lips, ears, neck, arms, chest, abdomen, back, genital areas, buttocks, legs and feet. If a lesion is in a very delicate location or very large, the physician may at their discretion decline removal and refer you to a different specialist.
As a general rule stitches will be removed in 5-7 days (face), and 10-14 days (body). The stitches are made of nylon and after 2-3 days it is common to experience mild itching. Your physician will advise you at the time of procedure when the stitches should be removed. You will receive a detailed wound care instruction sheet after the procedure so no need to worry.
The vast majority of our patients experience problem free procedures. We provide a detailed wound care sheet for our patients so they know how to take care of their surgical wound. The wound care sheet includes our after-hours email address. Inquiries or concerns can be emailed at any time of the day or week and these concerns are received directly by our care team.
The vast majority of our patients experience problem free procedures. We provide a detailed wound care sheet for our patients so they know how to take care of their surgical wound. This includes what to watch for in terms of symptoms and signs of infection. These include: 1) redness, 2) swelling, 3) tenderness, 4) discharge of pus. You should contact our clinic if you notice any of these signs.
Billing & Insurance
Yes. If a lesion is not suspicious for skin cancer and is a lesion known to be benign (non-cancerous), then removal is not covered by OHIP. It is best to be assessed in person by our health care professionals to assess this.
Where a lesion is deemed to be suspicious for skin cancer, the health care professional will bill OHIP accordingly for the assessment fee, and the procedure fee codes. If the lesion is benign (non-cancerous), no OHIP bill is submitted, and a private bill for the procedure is issued to the patient directly.
Where a procedure is deemed cosmetic (non-OHIP insured), there are no further charges for follow up (e.g., for suture removal).
We accept payment for procedures in cash, debit, Visa, Mastercard. We also offer prepaid Mole Clinic Gift cards.
Clinic Qualifications & Safety
Dr Raza Khan has been in practice for over 28 years and has a GP Focus Practice designation in Dermatology with the Ontario Medical Association since 2022. He has been performing surgical dermatology procedures since 1997.
Yes.
The Mole Clinic has performed over 46,000 procedures as of December 2025 – 35,000 OHIP procedures, and over 11,000 cosmetic procedures.
Our physicians are committed to a high standard of ethics and morals and value patient safety and privacy to the utmost priority. Our physicians only perform procedures where they have the necessary skills and experience to perform. If there is a procedure that is too complex or beyond the scope of the skills of the physician, patients are referred to another specialist.
Many patients present to us with unusual skin lesions in embarrassing or awkward locations and our physicians are committed to performing a comfortable, relaxing professional assessment to ensure our patients feel reassured.
Our clinic utilizes disposable paper examination gowns and drape sheets so patient privacy is respected at all times.
Expert Mole Removal
You will be assessed by one of our health care professionals to determine if your skin lesion is suspicious for skin cancer, or if the diagnosis is unclear. If the diagnosis is unclear or suspicious for cancer, then the mole will be biopsied and sent for testing. In this case the procedure is covered by OHIP. If, on the other hand, the lesion is not suspicious for skin cancer and is a lesion known to be benign (non-cancerous), then removal is not covered by OHIP. It is best to be assessed in person by our health care professionals to assess this.
There are multiple methods we use to remove moles. An in-person consultation is recommended to assess your skin lesion. We use cryotherapy, excision with electrocautery (electric current to stop the bleeding), curettage (scraping) of the lesion with a sharp tool followed by electrocautery, shave excision with a scalpel blade, surgical excision with stitches. Almost all procedures are done under local anesthetic for your comfort. We do not perform procedures which require general anesthetic. Upon request, we do offer application of topical numbing cream for your comfort.
Mole removal is virtually painless. The only part of the procedure that is sensitive is injection of the local anesthetic. Upon request, we can apply a topical numbing cream for 5-10 minutes to help pre-numb the skin before injection of local anesthetic. This helps to take the prick out of the needle. Injection of local anesthetic results in about 5 seconds of a stinging sensation. Once the skin is anesthetized, you will not feel the procedure being done. Within 5 minutes or so, depending on the size of the lesion, the lesion is removed and most patients are pleasantly surprised how quick and virtually painless the removal is. In summary, while there is mild discomfort from injection of the local anesthesia, mole removal at The Mole Clinic is quick, comfortable and virtually painless.
No clinician/surgeon can ever say there will be no scarring. However, The Mole Clinic has completed over 45,000 procedures since its inception in 2008 and has developed significant expertise and techniques to minimize the appearance of scars and get the best surgical outcomes. Generally speaking, moles removed on the face heal much better than moles on the body. Healing on the body is generally difficult to predict. Rest assured, our physicians will employ the best approach to ensure the best cosmetic outcome whether we are removing a skin cancer or a non-cancerous skin lesion.
Many private insurance companies have what’s called “Health spending” or “Flex Spending” accounts. As it is a physician doing your procedure, and it is being performed at a medical clinic, it is possible for your private insurance to cover part or all of the cost of your procedure. The Mole Clinic does not deal directly with insurance companies but we are happy to print a hard copy or PDF copy of a detailed quotation so you can submit it to your insurance company beforehand to see if the procedure will be covered. The Mole Clinic also offers medical procedure financing through www.medicard.com which offers flexible and affordable repayment options and rates through a quick 5-minute application.
Wart Removal
Treatment of some warts can be covered by OHIP. For example, warts that are located in the genital area or on the feet are generally covered by OHIP. Warts on any other part of the body such as the hands face or other parts are not covered by OHIP and a fee will need to be paid. Sometimes private insurance can cover part or all of the cost for non-OHIP insured wart treatments.
There are a few methods to treat warts that are employed at the Mole Clinic. They are:
1. Liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy)
2. Paring of the wart with a curette followed by liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy)
3. Scraping of the wart aggressively under local anesthetic followed by electrocautery
4. Surgical excision of the wart under local anesthetic with stitches.
Treatments of warts with liquid nitrogen does result in some mild discomfort. It is usually a stinging burning sensation which lasts about 3 to 5 seconds during the application of the liquid nitrogen treatment. A liquid nitrogen treatment on a wart can result in mild discomfort for one to two days after the treatment. Over the counter pain medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be used to manage the pain.
When surgical options are employed to treat warts the site must be injected with local anesthetic which results in a temporary 3 to 5 second sensation of a stinging sensation but once the wart has been anesthetized the procedure is virtually painless. After a surgical procedure for the wart there can be discomfort in the area for two to three days. Over the counter pain medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be used to manage this pain easily.
With liquid nitrogen treatments it is difficult to predict how many treatments a patient will require to eradicate warts. On the hands it can take 3, 4 or more treatments done every two weeks to cause the wart to disappear. For plantar warts (warts on the soles of the feet) we treat with liquid nitrogen weekly and it can take several weeks or even months for the wart to resolve. This is because the skin on the sole of the foot is thicker and the warts tend to be deeper. Each patient is different in how they respond. For surgical treatments of warts generally it is a one-time treatment which is very convenient and virtually pain free.
Treatment of common warts on the hand or on the body are generally not covered by OHIP. However, many private insurance plans which offer health spending accounts or flexible spending accounts me cover part or all of the treatments. We encourage patients to keep their receipts and submit them to their insurance company or to submit a quotation to your insurance company prior to starting these treatments to see if your insurance company covers the treatment. We do not bill insurance companies directly. Warts that are in the genital area or on the feet are generally covered by OHIP.
Lipoma & Cyst Removal
Lipomas and cysts are in general easy to remove under local anesthesia. Local anesthesia lasts about 1-1.5 hours or longer and we thoroughly inject the area around the skin lesion to ensure the skin is sufficiently numb so that the removal will be comfortable for you. When the local anesthetic wears off there is usually some discomfort but this is easily treated with acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) or ibuprofen (e.g., Advil).
We have excised hundreds – if not thousands – of these lesions. In our experience recurrence of lipomas and cysts is thankfully rare. However, despite taking the appropriate precautions and utilizing advanced techniques, there is always a theoretical risk that these lesions can return. The risk is thankfully rare at our clinic.
Lipomas and cysts are deep in the skin and we do need to cut into the skin to remove them properly. As a result, we do need to close the skin afterwards with nylon sutures. Due to the depth these lesions go, we commonly will use absorbable suture to close the deeper layers in the skin so as to prevent causing an indented scar.
Lipomas and cysts are usually painless and symptomless. Patients usually want to remove them for cosmetic reasons. As such, removal of these lesions is not generally covered by OHIP. If a cyst is infected and is hot, red, swollen and painful, OHIP does cover incision and drainage of the cyst followed by packing with gauze for healing. Unfortunately, however, this does not remove the sac of the cyst which remains in the skin –resulting in possible risk of recurrence of the cyst.
If you have private insurance, you may have a “Health Spending” or “Flex Spending” account which may cover the cost to remove the cyst – part or in whole. The Mole Clinic can provide you with a written quotation which you can submit to insurance for pre-approval. This requires in-person assessment so we can assess the skin lesion and determine the best method of removal.
When a cyst or lipoma is removed at our clinic, we usually recommend leaving the stitches in for 14 days – it depends on the location of the cyst or lipoma. On the face we may remove the stitches as soon as 7-10 days. Our physicians will tell you when they recommend the stitches to be removed. Once the stitches are removed, healing occurs over 2-4 weeks.
Botox & Dermal Fillers
Botox is a purified protein which is injected into muscles of facial expression (cosmetic use). This causes the muscle to relax resulting in softening/elimination of dynamic wrinkles. Duration of therapeutic effect with correct dosing is usually 2.5 months or longer.
Dermal fillers (hyaluronic acid based) can last 6 to 18 months depending on the area they are injected. Duration of therapeutic effect for fillers is impacted by muscle contraction – the more muscle contraction there is, the faster the product will break down. For example, in the nasolabial folds beside your mouth, fillers will last up to 6 months – depending on how much the patient smiles. Similarly in the lips. In the upper cheeks, some patients still can have therapeutic effect for up to 18 months as there is not as much muscle contraction in the upper cheeks.
Botox injections are done at our clinic using 31-gauge insulin syringes. This is one of the finest needles available in primary care. Injection with these needles is virtually painless. However, it does depend on the site of injection – some injection sites in the face can be a little more sensitive than others. It is very unusual for patients to request topical numbing cream – although we do keep it on site if requested. We also use several needles to help keep the injections comfortable as repeated injection with the same syringe can dull the needle making the injection more sensitive.
Dermal filler injections involve a few pinpricks at strategic locations to inject the filler to correct wrinkles. We use mainly Juvederm and other hyaluronic acid based dermal fillers and these are typically mixed with lidocaine (an anesthetic) to help improve injection comfort.
For Botox injections, results are typically seen from 3-5 days. However, full effect can take up to 2 weeks to realize.
For hyaluronic acid fillers, you will see therapeutic results nearly immediately.
Botox cosmetic as a general rule is used to treat wrinkles from the upper lip to the upper forehead. However, it is also used to treat neck lines.
Dermal fillers can be injected nearly anywhere in the face. However, the danger zones include the glabella (the area between your eyebrows), the “tear troughs” – inner cheeks by the nasal bridge leading to the tear ducts. Our clinic has been injecting since 2004 and have developed considerable experience and expertise in injecting hyaluronic acid based dermal fillers safely.
Both Botox and Dermal Fillers can result in minor bruising. With injection by an experienced injector, and with good procedural lighting, and application of pressure, bruising can be minimized. In general, bruising is a little more likely with injection of dermal fillers which are injected in the skin deeper than Botox.
Botox has been on the market since the 1990s and received regulatory approval for cosmetic use in 2002. It is widely used around the world.
Dermal fillers (hyaluronic acid based) are natural sugars which exist normally in the skin. Your body’s immune system recognizes it and moves on. In general, allergic reactions are rare with hyaluronic acid. If dermal fillers happen to be injected into a blood vessel, this can cause loss of blood flow to the skin. Thankfully this complication is easily recognizable by a qualified and experienced injector, and easily treated with the administration of Hyaluronidase – an enzyme that dissolves the hyaluronic acid thereby restoring normal blood flow. For your comfort and safety, this underscores the importance of having your treatments done by a professional experienced licensed and insured injector.
Skin Cancer Screening
Skin cancer screening is a medical service and does require a referral from a doctor.
If you do not have someone with you, you will be provided with the opportunity to have a chaperone present during the examination. Patients are asked to undressed to their underwear and will be provided with a gown and a cover sheet for privacy. The healthcare professional will in a systematic manner inspect all parts of your body including your scalp, head, neck, arms, trunk, buttocks, legs, hands and feet. The genital areas will not be examined. If there is a concerning lesion, the healthcare professional will examine it using a dermatoscope and may take a photograph of the lesion for the purpose of documentation on your chart. You will have the opportunity to inquire about skin lesions that you are particularly concerned about. You will be counseled on the identification of suspicious moles as well as sun avoidance precautions and measures to prevent skin cancer. Depending on our concern and level of your skin cancer risk, we will reschedule you for a follow up examination at six months or one year. A report will be faxed to your referring physician.
In general a skin cancer screening takes about 10 to 15 minutes. If there are a large number of moles to examine it may take up to 30 minutes.
In general, we only have enough time during the appointment to perform the skin cancer screening. However, if we see a skin lesion suspicious for Melanoma skin cancer we may elect to remove the lesion immediately for your safety. If we find a skin lesion suspicious for other non aggressive types of skin cancer, we will likely rebook you for procedure at a later date.
Biopsy of any skin lesion that is suspicious or concerning for skin cancer is covered by OHIP.
If you have had a recent diagnosis of Melanoma we recommend a screening interval of six months. If you have a number of suspicious looking moles, we will also recommend a screening interval of six months. If you have a relatively benign skin cancer screening assessment you can be screened once annually. If you have had previous skin cancer or a very strong family history of skin cancer you can be assessed once a year. The healthcare professional who assesses you will determine the optimal frequency of screening for you.
Botox for Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating)
For the underarms, therapeutic effect occurs usually with 3-5 days and can last up to 6 months or longer. Treatment is “life changing” and most patients experience “bone dry” underarms for the first month, followed by normal baseline physiological sweating pattern for subsequent months. For the hands, feet and other areas, treatment can last up to 3 months or longer.
For patient comfort, we use the ultrafine 31G insulin syringes. Treatment involves injecting at 1cm intervals in the areas affected. Generally speaking, each patient tolerates the treatment differently and some patients have a lower pain tolerance than others. Upon request, we pretreat the areas with topical anesthetic cream or rub an ice pack over the area prior to injection. These techniques help to reduce the discomfort. Generally speaking, the underarms are reasonably tolerated, but hands and feet can be a little more uncomfortable.
At the Mole Clinic, we treat hyperhidrosis of the scalp, face, underarms, hands and feet. Treatment effects can last up to 3 months or longer.
Unfortunately, OHIP does not cover this treatment. Many private insurance plans do cover this treatment, but supplementary information is commonly required. When you take your prescription for Botox to the pharmacy, the pharmacy will provide you with the necessary insurance forms for approval. Bring these forms to our staff, along with a list of medications and treatments you previously tried for the condition (dates, efficacy, reason for discontinuation, etc.), and we will assist you with completing them and getting your approval.
After a Botox hyperhidrosis treatment, you should expect to see results within 3-5 days, with maximal effect by 2 weeks. In the underarms, effects can last up to 6 months or longer. For face, hands, feet and other areas, effects usually last up to 3 months or longer. Results can be “life changing”.
Botox® for Migraines
Botox injections for migraines is done at a frequency of every three months. Ultrafine 31-gauge insulin syringes are used for the injections at the sites. Generally speaking, the injections are virtually painless however some areas might be a little more sensitive than others, and everybody has their own pain tolerance when it comes to needles. In general, topical numbing agents are not required or utilized for Botox migraine injections.
Botox injections for migraines can result in relief for migraines for up to three months or longer. Results can vary for each patient. What patients experience who received Botox injections for migraines is a reduced frequency of migraines, reduced intensity of migraines and if they do get headaches they are more amenable to over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
The pain management effects of Botox migraine treatments last for up to three months or longer and these will need to be continued on an ongoing basis every three months or so to continue to receive relief from migraines. You can stop treatments anytime you wish.
Botox does not cure migraines but reduces the frequency, intensity of migraines for up to three months or longer.
Many private insurance companies do cover Botox for migraine treatments with a valid prescription. However, they might require some forms to be completed for authorization to be granted. Your pharmacy will usually print these forms for you. The Mole Clinic does a medical assessment for the migraines and helps our patients complete these forms so that you can be assessed to qualify for these treatments medically. In general, OHIP does not cover Botox for migraine treatments. The insurance company covers the cost of the Botox itself but may or may not cover the injection fee. It is recommended that you consult with your insurance company to see what is exactly covered under your plan.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)
Platelet rich plasma has many uses in medicine. It can be used for hair restoration, facial skin rejuvenation, and even joint injections for pain relief. For people who are trying to avoid drugs, steroids or other chemical treatments platelet rich plasma offers a natural time tested natural treatment for dermatological conditions.
At the Mole Clinic for hair restoration we recommend one PRP session monthly for three treatments, followed by a PRP hair restoration treatment every six months for maintenance. We generally follow the same protocol for skin rejuvenation.
The process of PRP involves drawing a vial of blood and centrifuging it for about 5 minutes. The clear yellow plasma is extracted and it is injected in small aliquots at regular intervals in the area of the scalp for hair restoration treatment or for skin rejuvenation. We are able to use topical numbing creams to minimize the discomfort but generally there is a degree of mild discomfort during the perp treatment. Most patients are able to tolerate the discomfort.
PRP is generally not covered by OHIP. It is increasingly being covered by some insurance companies but very slowly. It is advisable that patients who are interested in this treatment inquire from their insurance companies as to whether this treatment would be covered or not.
Varicose Veins
Sclerotherapy is a medical procedure used to treat varicose and spider veins. A medicated solution is gently injected into the affected veins, causing irritation inside the vessel walls. Over the following weeks, the treated veins collapse, fade, and are naturally absorbed by the body. This technique is effective for blue reticular veins and small superficial varicose veins.
For vehicles vein treatment for legs generally two or three treatments done at four to six week intervals are needed to treat the veins satisfactorily. Each treatment lasts about 30 to 45 minutes but touch up treatments may only require a 15 to 30 minute treatment session.
In general sclerotherapy treatments do involve some minor discomfort from injection of veins with needles. The smallest gauge needle is employed to minimize the discomfort. Generally speaking, the vast majority of patients do not require topical numbing creams and are able to tolerate the injections easily. Our clinic employs a vein light that illuminates varicose veins that makes vein injection easy, fast, efficient and virtually painless.
While the results of this treatment vary for each patient. Expect to see improvement in the appearance of the veins by two to three weeks on average.
Injection sclerotherapy of veins results in permanent destruction of the vehicles vein or spider vein. These veins will never return. However, you may still develop new spider vessels or vehicles veins over subsequent months or years. This treatment usually requires maintenance sessions about every two to three years.
Many insurance companies do cover injections clear with therapy for vehicles and spider veins. Please check with your insurance company to see if this treatment is covered. Our medical clinic employs physicians, nurse practitioners another licensed staff to perform this treatment.
Fungal Nail Removal
For certain conditions such as an ingrown toenail this treatment is covered by OHIP. Please ask your family doctor to send a referral to our clinic for a medical assessment of the nail condition. Upon assessment our clinic will advise you whether or not the treatment will be covered by OHIP. It’s a good idea to check with your insurance company as well to see if they will cover the procedure.
This procedure involves injecting local anesthetic to numb the toe. This is followed by lifting and extracting the nail plate off the nail bed using surgical instruments. Injection of the local anesthetic does involve some minor discomfort lasting a few seconds. Under local anesthetic there is virtually no pain during the procedure however you may feel some pulling and pressure. Following the successful completion of the procedure. You may experience some discomfort over the subsequent two to three days. The discomfort is easily managed with over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
This procedure successfully removes the nail plate that is infected with fungus. Successful eradication of the fungus depends on the hygiene of the patient to ensure long term results and for the new nail that grows in to be normal. For example patients who work in wet conditions or must wear occlusive shoes all day at work sweat and moisture and dampness can cause chronic fungal infections which can result in recurrence of the condition. It is advisable to wash your feet regularly with soap and water, change your socks once (or twice) daily – preferably cotton socks – and to wear comfortable fitting shoes.
Once the nail is removed, it will take about 9 to 12 months for the nail to regrow. After several weeks you will start to see new nail growth and the nail should look normal.
In general nail removal is a one time procedure and repeat procedure to remove the nail should not be necessary provided you employ good hygiene and foot care practices.
Seborrheic Keratosis Removal & Sunspot Removal
Seborrheic keratosis and Sun Spots are benign conditions and treatment/removal is not covered by OHIP. Some insurance plans which offer health spending or flexible spending accounts may cover the procedure in part or fully. It is advisable to check with your insurance company to see if they will cover this procedure for you.
There are two general methods the Mole Clinic employs to treat these conditions. Firstly, we use liquid nitrogen treatment to gently spray the lesions which causes them to fall off or to fade. This does result in a minor stinging sensation followed by a “sunburn” sensation that lasts for about 30 to 45 minutes. In the event the lesion requires surgical removal (i.e., seborrheic keratosis), there is some mild stinging discomfort from injection of the local anesthetic but it is generally mild and tolerable. While the lesion is being removed you may feel some mild pressure but the removal is generally painless under local anesthetic. Following the procedure, you our normal wound care protocol which is outlined in writing by our clinic for you to take home and there will be minor post procedure discomfort in the next one to two days after procedure which is generally mild and easily managed with over the counter pain medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
Seborrheic keratosis is a non-cancerous skin condition caused by superficial accumulation of keratin protein on the skin surface. This appears as a light brown to brown rough scaly waxy slightly raised growth on the skin and it is essentially painless. These lesions have no cancerous potential and are mainly cosmetic in nature. They form because of sun exposure, aging with a genetic predisposition.
Seborrheic keratosis are not dangerous. They do not have any cancerous potential. They are a benign non-cancerous condition.
Alopecia Treatment
Alopecia is a medical condition and treatment is covered by OHIP.
This condition is treated by topical creams or ointments but sometimes steroid injections into the affected areas is also used. In the case of steroid injection there is some minor pinprick discomfort but generally speaking the vast majority of patients tolerate the injections.
We treat the condition called Alopecia areata where there is a well defined hairless patch. We treat this on the scalp and in the beard area.
With topical steroid creams and ointments results can be seen within weeks two months. Injection of steroid into the hairless patches is generally quicker and results can be seen within four to six weeks.
You may need one to two treatments or more for steroid injections. These are done at six-to-eight-week intervals. You can continue the steroid injections until you are satisfied. Most patients only need 1-2 treatments.
Yes you can combine alopecia treatment with other therapies. For example, you can use PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatment for hair restoration combined with steroid injections. However PRP treatment can only be done at least a month after the last steroid injection.
Keloid Scar Treatment
As a general rule keloid scar injections is not covered by OHIP. It is considered a cosmetic condition.
Keloid scars are very dense and injection of steroid into them is known to be uncomfortable. For this reason, we mix the steroid solution with 2% xylocaine anesthetic which helps to reduce the amount of discomfort. The vast majority of patients who undergo the steroid injections are able to tolerate them.
Keloid scars are caused by a genetic predisposition to forming them. There are areas of the body which are more susceptible to forming keloid scars such as the shoulder areas, and the mid chest. Some people who are genetically susceptible to keloid scars can form these cars anywhere on the body. The initial condition which causes the keloid scar is minor injury or trauma or even acne in the area of the skin that is acceptable.
In our practice we usually inject steroid into keloid scars every six to eight weeks. With each treatment the patient generally sees improvement and shrinkage and flattening and improved colouring of the scar. Patients can continue treatments at six-to-eight-week intervals until they are satisfied with the results.
In general patients can expect to see improvement in the colour, texture and thickness of the keloids scar within four to six weeks. Response to treatment varies.
Xanthelasma Removal
Xanthelasma removal is not covered by OHIP. It is considered a cosmetic condition. Patients who have private insurance that have health/flexible spending accounts can check with them to determine if removal is covered.
Before surgical removal of xanthelasma, we will inject local anesthetic around the lesions. This does involve some minor discomfort in the form of a stinging sensation for a few seconds. Once the skin involved is numb the actual removal of the lesions is virtually painless. You may feel some tugging and pulling but the vast majority of patients tolerate the procedure without difficulty. The procedure takes about 20 to 30 minutes to perform. In the case a patient is a little anxious we can prescribe some medication which can be taken an hour before the procedure to relieve anxiety before and during the procedure.
Xanthelasma is caused by the deposition of lipid/fat under the skin in small pockets around the skin of the eyes. It is a painless condition which generally is harmless. There can be a genetic predisposition. This condition is sometimes associated with elevated cholesterol levels, so it is a good idea to have your family doctor check your cholesterol if you have this condition. It is a benign condition.
After the surgery there will be some stitches which will be left in for about 5 to 7 days. There will be some minor bruising, and full healing generally takes about two to three weeks.
Spider Vein & Hemangioma Removal
Treatment of spider veins and hemangiomas are not covered by OHIP. Please check with your insurance company to see if you have coverage under a health spending or flexible spending account to cover the cost of removal.
Treatment of spider veins at our clinic involve treating them with electrocautery. This method uses low power electric current to cauterize the small spider vessels. For hemangiomas we can sometimes use electrocautery to treat these but if they are big they may have to be surgically removed under local anesthetic with stitches. In general healing is excellent and our patients are very satisfied with the results.
Spider veins are tiny 1-2mm purple red superficial veins that can be seen on the skin surface almost anywhere on the body including the face. They contain blood and other tiny blood vessels. If they are nicked, they can bleed and it can take a while for the bleeding to stop. Hemangiomas are small collections of blood vessels clustered together into a purple red spot on your skin. These can also appear almost anywhere on the body and they are painless. If they are nicked, they can also bleed quite profusely. It is not medically necessary to remove these lesions and as such removal is generally not covered by OHIP and the condition is considered cosmetic.
Treatment of spider vessels with electrocautery results in immediate improvement in the appearance. You will see some small little scabs which you will moisturize with petroleum Jelly and these will heal quite nicely over one to two weeks. Surgical removal of hemangiomas results in immediate results and stitches are generally removed after 7 to 14 days. Healing is generally excellent.
Still Have Questions?
If you don’t see your question here, our team is happy to help.