Surgical removal of benign growths such as cysts, lipomas, skin tags, and cosmetically undesired moles can be performed in the office as an out- patient procedure. Local anaesthesia will be administered.
In general, small, localized skin cancers can be surgically removed in the office. Certain types of superficial skin cancers may be treated with cryosurgery, electrodessication and curettage (a procedure that involves burning and scraping off skin cancer cells) or topical chemotherapy / immunomodulating medications instead of excision.
Large skin cancers, invasive or aggressive types of skin cancers require specialized surgical technique known as Moh’s micrographic surgery. If you have such a skin cancer, you will be referred to a dermatologic surgeon who specializes in Moh’s surgery.
Please eat a meal before the appointment and wear comfortable clothing. Do not plan to engage in physical activities immediately after surgery or go on vacation. It is important to be able to take care of the wound properly for optimal healing and to minimize chances for infection and bleeding.