Dr. Silberblatt
offers a complete range of reconstruction procedures and services.
To learn more about a particular procedure, click on a topic
below:
Scars can be present for a variety of reasons. Most
commonly, scars result from cuts after a fall, or from acne.
Scars can also be from surgery for hemangiomas, cleft lips
or other birth defects. There is a variety of procedures
available to help make these scars less evident.
If the scar is wide or deep, it can be removed
and the new wound carefully closed to make the scar thinner
and flatter. The direction of the scar can be altered to make
it fall in line with normally occurring creases. Afterwards,
the new scar can be sanded to help it blend in with the surrounding
skin. This can be done with the CO2 laser or a
dermabrader.
Acne scars, in particular, respond best to laser
treatment. Indentations can sometimes be temporarily
improved by collagen or dermalogen injections. Fat injections
or dermal grafts can sometimes achieve more permanent correction.
Cosmetic tattooing can further refine results when scars cross
boundaries such as lip lines or eyebrows. Larger areas of
scarring may require more complex procedures such as skin
expansion and/or grafting.
Each person who is concerned about a particular scar
on his or her face will have individual needs. The
procedures described above are the most common of the wide
variety available to draw from in planning the care for the
unique demands of each situation.
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There have been many medical advancements in the
treatment of children with oral clefting. Reconstructive
surgery can repair cleft lips and palates. Additionally, plastic
surgery can address specific appearance-related concerns for
you and your child.
Dr. Sliberblatt has performed a very large number
of surgical corrections on children born with a cleft lip
(ages 3 months to 18 years).
(click images for detailed
enlargements)
Surgery is usually performed during the first year of life
to repair both a cleft lip and cleft palate. Both types of
surgery are performed in the hospital under general anesthesia.
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Congenital
Moles
Although there is evidence to suggest that large
(more than 8 square inches) moles have a 1 in 8 chance of
becoming malignant, the chances of a relatively small mole,
becoming malignant are very small. These moles rarely
need to be removed on the basis of cancer prevention. If such
moles can be removed from the face and leave scar in the normal
facial wrinkle lines, then that is the best alternative.
Larger moles, in more difficult areas (on the nose, in the
eyelids or around the mouth) can sometimes be treated with
chemicals that superficially burn the skin but will usually
heal with little if any scarring. Such treatment, however,
can sometimes cause whitening or an absence of any pigment
in the treated areas. The use of skin expanders to stretch
normal skin can help to remove moles that cover major portions
of the face. Such operations, however, will result in scarring
that can be as noticeable as the mole that was removed.
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