9 Questions answered

How is syphilis diagnosed and treated?

Hi there Syphilis is commonly detected during routine health checkups and pre-employment tests in people who have latent syphilis ( a late stage of syphilis in which patients have no symptoms) based on a combination of at least 2 positive syphilis blood tests. This is usually the most common method in which it is diagnosed in people with latent syphilis. In earlier more infectious stages of syphilis, patients may present with painless ulcers at the genitals from which swabs may be taken to help confirm the diagnosis , or have a generalised body rash affecting the palms and soles.

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Answered By

Dr Wei Sheng Tan

Dermatologist

Is PEP given for low risk exposure?

Hi there Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), as you have mentioned, is a course of anti-HIV medication which is taken for 1 month after a high risk sexual exposure to HIV. This aims to prevent the HIV virus from infecting you after you have been exposed to it. PEP is normally given when the HIV exposure risk is assessed to be high ( e. g. there is a more than 1 in 10,000 chance that you might HIV from that single sexual encounter).

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Answered By

Dr Wei Sheng Tan

Dermatologist

How to smoothen acne scars? (photo)

Hi Ruzaini From your photo, it appears that you do have some shallow box car (crater type) and ice pick scars on your cheek. For treatment of the box car scars, the fractional CO2 laser is a good choice. This creates micro-columns of heat injury in the skin to stimulate new collagen. As a result, the scars will gradually become shallower and less prominent. At least 3-5 sessions spaced 6 weeks apart are needed to see improvement, and there is downtime to be expected of at least 4-6 days with post treatment redness.

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Answered By

Dr Wei Sheng Tan

Dermatologist

Why does my skin thicken and turn brown after scratching?

Hi Kai Sen What you've described is an extremely common process called lichenification, which occurs after repeated scratching of the same area of skin. The part that has been scratched tends to thicken up and can become almost leathery in texture, and will often become more pigmented and brown. It is very important that you get treatment for the cause of the underlying itchy process and try not to scratch the same area repeatedly. This is because if the scratching does not stop, the skin will continue to thicken up further, resulting in a condition called Lichen Simplex Chronicus (LSC) .

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Answered By

Dr Wei Sheng Tan

Dermatologist

How is Mycoplasma genitalium transmitted?

Hi Maddy Thanks for bringing up Mycoplasma Genitalium, which is a common Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) in young adults that not many people are aware about. Mycoplasma Genitalium is a bacteria which is transmitted through sexual contact, most commonly through vaginal and anal sex. It may possibly be transmitted through oral sex, although the bacteria has very rarely been found in patient's throats.

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Answered By

Dr Wei Sheng Tan

Dermatologist

What are the vaccines available in Singapore that can help prevent STIs?

Hi Tsing That is a great question and I always counsel my patients who come for a sexual health check on the importance of considering vaccinations if they need them. Vaccines are available for the following infections, which can be sexually transmitted: 1. Hepatitis A - If you practice rimming (oral-anal sex), there is a chance of contracting Hepatitis A which causes liver inflammation. Most health screening packages will let you know through a blood test if you are already immune to Hepatitis A or require vaccination. 2.

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Answered By

Dr Wei Sheng Tan

Dermatologist

How to treat huge cystic bumps on chest? (photo)

Hi Darren The large red bumps on the centre of your chest do appear suggestive of cystic acne. I also see there are smaller spots of acne on the upper chest. For such large cystic acne, topically applied medications are usually insufficient and patients would normally require an oral medication. The most effective medication is oral isotretinoin, a Vitamin A derived medication, which will rapidly dry out the acne and acne cysts within weeks.

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Answered By

Dr Wei Sheng Tan

Dermatologist

Can persistent yeast infection harm my chances of conceiving?

Thank you for your question. Candidal yeast infections are extremely common in women, and are easily treated with antifungal medications. However they can reoccur, as in your case. The good news is that this infection is superficial and does not cause any long term damage to your reproductive tract. There has been new data from lab tests showing that there can be some interaction with Candida and your partner's sperm, which can result in a reduction in sperm quality. However more conclusive data is needed to show whether this affects your chance of conceiving.

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Answered By

Dr Wei Sheng Tan

Dermatologist

How to moisturise if I have dry but oily skin?

Hi there That is a great question that is commonly asked by my patients. Patients with combinaiton skin usually have an oily T zone ( foehead and nose ) and drier skin on the cheeks. In our warm humid weather, regular moisturisers can often feel very heavy and sticky on the skin for patients with combination skin like yourself, so it important to choose wisely. The most important step when you select a skincare product if you have oily/combination skin is to ensure that it is non-comedogenic in nature, meaning that it should not clog your pores. This will often be labelled on the product.

Photo of Dr Wei Sheng Tan

Answered By

Dr Wei Sheng Tan

Dermatologist

Practice

6 Napier Road Gleneagles Medical Centre Singapore 258499

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* This profile has been last updated on July 13, 2020.