Wart

Dear Dr. Jen,

I have a black spot on the sole of my foot.  How do I know if it is a mole or a wart?  My moles do not grow that fast but I am worried if this is something more worrisome.  What are the danger signs for cancerous moles?

Bella

Dear Bella,

It is difficult to give a diagnosis with a mere description of a black spot, but I will try my best to help.  Dark spots may be a number of things ranging from bruises/hematomas, warts, allergy, burns, scars, and skin cancer.  Biopsies are nearly always needed to rule out any suspicious lesions.

The most worrisome is skin cancer.  It may start from an existing mole or come out of nowhere from a normal skin. Skin cancer of the melanoma type is quite rare among Filipinos. However, the acral lentiginous melanoma type may be seen among dark-skinned individuals.  These melanomas are seen in the hands or feet or on the nails.

Dangerous signs to watch out for are those spots that are asymmetrical in shape with uneven borders. Varying degrees of brownness or blackness are also considered not good.  Any sudden changes like bleeding and itching are also other danger signs.  Complete removal is advised.

Dear Dr. Jen,

How long will it take for varicose veins to be treated? What is the best method for treating them? And how many sessions will it take for it to completely go away?

Joy

Dear Joy,

Varicose veins are a sore sight for eyes!  But worse than the appearance, is the presence of vascular insufficiency that often accompanies it. Symptoms are pain and tiredness on the legs after standing or walking around.  This is due to the ineffective valves that are not able to completely return the blood back to the heart.  This causes pooling of blood on the legs, hence increasing pressure and giving way to the formation of unwanted varicose veins.

Sclerotherapy is often the gold standard of treatment. This involves injecting a substance into the vein and forcing the blood to reroute to healthier veins.  Not all veins will be good candidates for this procedure though.  Some may be too small, and laser treatment will be necessary. While some veins are too large and surgery may be a better option.  In either case, compression stockings will be beneficial to halt progression of the varicosities.

Dr. Tan is a diplomate of Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) and is affiliated with the Perpetual Succour Hospital (PSH). Information on PDS is at www.pds.org.ph. Questions or concerns regarding the skin may be sent by text to 0932 857 7070 or emailed to [email protected]; or coursed thru The Freeman – (032) 2531276, or thru PSH – (032) 2338620 and 2325929. Inquiries will be forwarded to Dr. Tan.