Skin removal surgery is an umbrella term for several surgical procedures to treat specific skin problems, such as skin growths, such as moles, skin cancers, cysts, and fatty tumors. A skin dermatologist can perform some types of skin surgery in outpatient settings, using local anesthesia.
Skin is the largest organ of the body, and it performs many functions. It protects the body from external factors, such as temperature extremes, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, bacteria, and chemicals. Your skin is also a window to your overall health – radiant, youthful-looking skin often suggests good health.
Because it does so much and is exposed to the environment, skin is vulnerable to trauma and disease, which can lead to skin abnormalities and even skin cancer that need professional care from a dermatologist. In some cases, skin surgery is necessary.
Types of Skin Surgery
Skin laser resurfacing
Skin laser resurfacing procedures use the power of light energy to remove skin, layer by layer. Dermatologists often recommend skin laser surgery to treat rosacea, acne, and scars. Skin laser resurfacing can also treat signs of aging, including wrinkles, sagging skin, brown spots, enlarged pores and more.
Skin cancer removal
Skin cancer is a condition in which abnormal skin cells multiply and grow quickly; in time, the abnormal skin cells can spread to other tissues within the body. Dermatologists perform skin cancer removal to stop the spread of skin cancer.
Basal cell cancer is the most common type of skin cancer. Basal cells produce new skin cells as old skin cells die; limiting sun exposure can prevent basal cells from turning cancerous. Dermatologists perform a procedure, known as basal cell cancer Mohs surgery to remove these cells. Mohs surgery is a precise surgical technique that surgeons perform in stages, including laboratory work, while the patient waits. This allows the skin surgeon to remove all cancer cells while sparing as much healthy tissue and leaving as small a scar as possible.
Skin growth removal
Skin cells and other tissue cells can accumulate and cause growths. These growths can be present at birth or develop later, appear raised or flat, and range in color from dark brown to red to black. There are a number of different types of skin growths, and each requires a different skin surgery approach.
Skin tag removal
Skin tags are small pieces of skin that appear on the surface of skin, usually in the creases or folds of skin. They commonly develop on the eyelids, under the arms, and on the upper chest. Skin tags are usually harmless, but they may pose a cosmetic issue or become irritated from rubbing against clothing. A dermatologist may perform skin tag removal by freezing the tag off with liquid nitrogen, burning the tag using cauterization, or by cutting the tag off using a special pair of scissors.
Moles removal
Moles appear as small skin marks; they are the result of pigment-producing cells accumulating in the skin. Dermatologist mole removal safely remove moles with minimal risk of infection or scarring. Mole removal sometimes involves using a scalpel blade to shave off the mole or surgical skin mole removal, also known as excision. A dermatologist may recommend laser mole removal, a procedure that uses light energy to break down the skin cells. Mole removal surgery through excision usually requires stitches, whereas laser mole removal does not.
Dermatologist cyst removal
A cyst is an abnormal pocket containing air, fluid, or a semi-solid substance. Cysts can develop nearly anywhere on the body or under the skin. There are many types of cysts, and each requires a different type of treatment. Sebaceous cysts most commonly appear on the face, neck, and trunk; they develop mostly commonly as the result of trauma or blocked glands in the skin. Sebaceous cyst removal usually entails removing the entire cyst surgically. Dermatologists perform facial cyst removal carefully to avoid scarring.
Center for Dermatology and Laser Surgery Performs Outpatient Skin Surgery
Our team of providers at Center for Dermatology and Laser Surgery has advanced training and experience in performing skin surgery, and our surgical center is a calm, compassionate environment where our surgeons can perform procedures comfortably, safely, and with optimal cosmetic outcomes.
In some cases in which an outpatient procedure is not appropriate due to the particular diagnosis, location or cosmetic consideration, the dermatologists at the Center for Dermatology and Laser Surgery will refer patients to a plastic surgeon, surgical oncologist, ear/nose/throat specialist or Mohs surgeon for their surgical procedure. The doctors at the Center for Dermatology and Laser Surgery do not perform cosmetic surgery, but they do offer several non-invasive alternatives to surgery. Please schedule with a cosmetic provider to discuss these options further.
For more information on skin surgery, treatment for problem cysts, and skin tag and mole removal, consult with the skincare professionals at the Center for Dermatology and Laser Surgery.
