Questions and answers

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QUESTION: I’ve been getting spots around my mouth for three months. How can I clear them up?

ANSWER
Spots around the mouth are a common complaint. They are more frequently seen in women but may also occur in men and children. They may develop for a variety of reasons (contact hypersensitivity, an overpopulation of Demodex mites, the use of certain medicines, etc.). How theses changes should be treated depends on the cause and type of inflammation around the mouth, so I would advise you to visit our dermatological clinic where I can clinically examine and have a structured interview with you to reach a diagnosis and prescribe a treatment.
QUESTION: With age, hanging growths have started to appear around my neck and in my armpits. How can they be removed?

ANSWER
The changes you describe are soft fibromas or skin tags. These are stalky, skin-coloured benign tumours the size of a pea or small walnut and consist of loose connective tissue. They appear as you grow older, usually in large numbers on the neck, in the armpits, around the groin or various joints. Though aesthetically unpleasing they are harmless. However, they may get damaged by wearing jewellery or clothes (collars, straps, etc.) to the point of bleeding or inflammation. I would advise you to make an appointment at our clinic for a detailed assessment of the changes and their removal.
QUESTION: My child has had a mole on her skin since her birth and it is getting bigger. Is it skin cancer?

ANSWER
Moles are brown-coloured skin marks. They can be congenital or acquired. Congenital moles or melanocytic skin marks are there since birth or develop in the first few months of life. Their diameters can range from a few millimetres to several decimetres. Moles can be flat or raised, smooth or wrinkled, and their colour can vary from light in some individuals to a dark brown to blackish in others. They usually have hairs growing from them. Congenital naevi will grow larger as your child grows. They may present a greater risk of developing melanoma (black skin cancer), so I would advise you to visit a dermatological clinic where a dermatoscope will be used to see if the mole is harmless and you can learn about techniques of mole self-observation at home and other precautions.

Answer by dermatologist and venereologist Janja Šmid, MD:

If you have any skin problems and questions for our dermatologist, make an appointment at our:
Dermatological Clinic at the Afrodita Beauty Centre in Rogaška Slatina
Tel. +386 (0)3 812 13 88
(from Mon. to Fri. between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.)