THERAPEUTIC PROCEDURES IN ABU DHABI

Therapeutic procedures in Abu Dhabi at House of Skincare cover the clinical, physician-performed interventions used to treat skin lesions, inflammatory skin conditions, infections, and growths directly in the dermatology clinic. These procedures are distinct from aesthetic treatments: their purpose is medical, the indication is clinical, and each one requires a confirmed diagnosis before any tissue is treated or removed. Dr. Khadija Al Zaabi, our DOH-licensed Consultant Dermatologist with over 21 years of clinical experience, performs all therapeutic procedures at House of Skincare on Yas Island. No procedure at our clinic is performed by nursing staff without physician oversight.

Why House of Skincare?

House of Skincare is Yas Island’s specialist dermatology and aesthetic clinic, rated 4.9 stars by over 490 patients. Therapeutic procedures require clinical judgement at every stage: confirming the diagnosis before treatment, selecting the appropriate technique, adjusting parameters for each patient’s skin type, and recognising when a lesion needs histological assessment rather than immediate destruction. Cryotherapy and electrosurgery both carry a risk of permanent hypopigmentation in darker skin types because melanocytes are highly cold- and heat-sensitive. In Abu Dhabi’s patient population, this is a clinically relevant consideration that a Consultant Dermatologist accounts for in ways a GP or aesthetician cannot. Dr. Al Zaabi assesses every lesion before any procedure is performed.

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen at -196 degrees Celsius to destroy targeted tissue. Applied to the skin surface by spray gun or cotton-tipped applicator, the extreme cold forms ice crystals within and between cells, causing osmotic injury and cell membrane rupture. During thawing, vascular damage produces secondary ischemic necrosis. Rapid freezing followed by slow thawing maximises tissue destruction within the target zone.

At House of Skincare, cryotherapy is used to treat viral warts, seborrhoeic keratoses, solar lentigos, molluscum contagiosum, actinic keratoses, and selected superficial skin lesions. Freeze duration and the number of freeze-thaw cycles are calibrated to the lesion type: benign lesions typically require a single cycle of five to ten seconds; actinic keratoses require one cycle of ten to fifteen seconds with a two millimetre margin; warts require two complete freeze-thaw cycles per session. Most warts require three to five treatment sessions spaced two to four weeks apart.

Cryotherapy is not appropriate for all patients or all skin tones. Melanocytes are highly sensitive to cold injury. In darker Fitzpatrick skin types, cryotherapy carries a significant risk of permanent hypopigmentation at the treated site. Dr. Al Zaabi discusses this risk before any cryotherapy session and identifies alternative approaches when the risk outweighs the benefit.

Intralesional Injections

Intralesional injection delivers a pharmacological agent directly into a skin lesion, concentrating the effect at the target tissue while keeping systemic absorption negligible. The most commonly performed intralesional procedure at House of Skincare is intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (also called intralesional corticosteroid or ILK), which is the primary treatment for keloid scars, hypertrophic scars, and nodulocystic acne.

Keloid and hypertrophic scars: Triamcinolone directly suppresses fibroblast activity and collagen synthesis within the scar tissue, reducing bulk, softening the lesion, and relieving pruritus and tenderness. Keloid formation has a higher prevalence in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African skin types, making this a frequent clinical need for our patient population. Sessions are spaced four to six weeks apart. Resistant keloids may be treated with a combination of triamcinolone and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), which targets rapidly dividing fibroblasts within the scar.

Nodulocystic acne: A single intralesional injection of dilute triamcinolone into a large acne cyst reduces inflammation within 24 to 48 hours, collapsing the nodule without surgical drainage and minimising the risk of post-inflammatory scarring.

Alopecia areata: Intralesional triamcinolone injected into the affected scalp patches suppresses the localised autoimmune response driving follicle attack, stimulating regrowth in patches that have been active for less than twelve months. Sessions are typically performed every four to six weeks.

Electrosurgery and Curettage

Electrosurgery uses high-frequency alternating electrical current to generate controlled heat within tissue, causing immediate cell death through protein denaturation and vaporisation. The technique is adapted based on the clinical goal: electrodesiccation destroys superficial epidermal cells; electrocoagulation achieves haemostasis in small blood vessels; electrosection cuts through tissue while simultaneously cauterising the wound edge.

Curettage uses a sharp, spoon-shaped instrument to physically scrape away lesion tissue. It exploits the difference in consistency between tumour or lesion tissue (soft and friable) and the surrounding normal dermis (firm and resistant). The two techniques are frequently combined: curettage removes the bulk of the lesion, and electrodesiccation then destroys residual cells at the wound base and achieves haemostasis. Electrodesiccation and curettage (ED&C) is used at House of Skincare for superficial basal cell carcinomas, actinic keratoses, pyogenic granulomas, and selected wart-resistant presentations. A scab forms within 24 hours and sheds over two to four weeks.

Incision and Drainage

Incision and drainage (I&D) is the clinical procedure for cutaneous abscesses, infected sebaceous cysts, and other fluctuant pus-containing lesions. The skin is prepared with antiseptic solution, local anaesthetic is infiltrated into the surrounding tissue, and a scalpel incision is made parallel to the skin tension lines to minimise scar formation. The cavity is drained, irrigated with saline, and a bacterial culture swab is collected. Aftercare involves wound care and follow-up until complete closure. Antibiotics are prescribed when indicated by clinical signs of spreading infection.

Skin Biopsies and Minor Excision

Skin biopsy is required whenever a lesion cannot be confidently diagnosed clinically, when a destructive procedure is planned for a lesion that could be malignant, or when a diagnosis is uncertain on dermoscopy. At House of Skincare, Dr. Al Zaabi performs punch biopsies, shave biopsies, and full-thickness excision biopsies under local anaesthetic. Specimens are sent to a registered dermatopathology laboratory. Results are reviewed by Dr. Al Zaabi in the clinical context of your examination findings, and a follow-up appointment is scheduled to discuss the histology report and any further treatment required.

Patch Testing and Wood’s Lamp Examination

Patch testing identifies the specific contact allergen responsible for allergic contact dermatitis. Small amounts of standardised allergen panels are applied to the back under adhesive patches, worn for 48 to 72 hours, then read at 48 and 96 hours to capture both immediate and delayed hypersensitivity reactions. Common allergen panels include metals, preservatives, fragrances, cosmetic ingredients, and rubber compounds. Once the offending allergen is identified, avoidance resolves the dermatitis. Patients must avoid topical corticosteroids on the back for at least seven days before testing and keep the back completely dry throughout the test period.

Wood’s lamp examination uses long-wave ultraviolet light at 365 nanometres to reveal fluorescence patterns invisible under ordinary light. It is used at House of Skincare to differentiate erythrasma from other rashes, assess vitiligo extent and response, distinguish epidermal from dermal melasma (which guides treatment selection), identify fungal scalp infections, and screen for porphyria. The examination is non-invasive, takes under five minutes, and requires no preparation beyond avoiding washing the affected area immediately before the appointment.