Hyfrecation

Hyfrecation in downtown St. Petersburg

Seventy-five dollars to remove sebaceous hyperplasia, actinic keratosis or cherry angiomas by cauterisation. Numbing is included in the price.

This is the treatment for the small raised bumps, rough patches and red dots that creams do nothing for. Most people have spent years trying to exfoliate them away before finding out they needed something else entirely.

Desiree has been a licensed esthetician since 1995.

What it treats

Sebaceous hyperplasia — the small soft bumps with a slight dip in the middle, usually on the forehead, nose and cheeks. They are enlarged oil glands, not blocked pores, which is why extractions and exfoliants never shift them.

Actinic keratosis — rough, dry patches left by years of sun.

Cherry angiomas — the small bright red dots that appear on the face and body from your thirties onward.

How it works

A fine probe delivers a controlled current to the spot, which collapses it. Nothing is cut and nothing is injected.

The numbing is included rather than an extra, because it makes the appointment comfortable and there is no reason to sell it separately.

What to expect afterwards

Be realistic about this part, because it is the thing people most often aren't told.

Plan for scabbing for five to seven days. The treated spots will darken, crust over, and then flake away on their own. Do not pick them.

Protect the area from the sun as much as possible for fourteen days. Skin that is healing pigments easily, and sun exposure during that window is what causes a mark to linger.

Timing your appointment

Don't book this in the week before an event. Book it two weeks before, or a fortnight after.

Autumn and winter are the easiest times for it, simply because it is easier to stay out of the sun in Florida in November than in July.

Questions people ask

How much does hyfrecation cost?

$75 at Aesthetics by Desiree, with numbing included.

Does it hurt?

Barely, because the area is numbed first. Most people describe a brief warmth or a tiny pinch as each spot is treated.

How long is the recovery?

Five to seven days of scabbing, then fourteen days of keeping the area out of the sun. There is no swelling and nothing that stops you working.

Will the bumps come back?

The treated ones don't return. New ones can appear elsewhere over time, particularly with sebaceous hyperplasia, which is genetic and ongoing. Most people come back occasionally rather than once.

Can I have it done if I tan easily or have deeper skin?

Tell Desiree when you book. Skin that pigments readily needs more care with sun protection afterwards, and she will talk you through whether it's suitable.

Is this the same as removing a mole?

No. Hyfrecation here treats sebaceous hyperplasia, actinic keratosis and cherry angiomas. Anything that looks like a mole, or anything changing in size, shape or colour, goes to a dermatologist first — not to an esthetician.

How many can be treated in one appointment?

Ask at consultation. It depends how many you have and where they are.

Book it with something else

Nano infusion — for overall texture and tone once the spots are dealt with
Isdin Eryfotona Actinica Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ — what to use during the fourteen-day window, and afterwards
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