Skin lesion excision

What are skin lesions?

Skin lesions are disfigurements found on your skin.

Types of skin lesions include:

• Moles
• Skin tags
• Epidermoid cysts – bumps beneath the skin

Skin tags can either be benign (non-cancerous) or cancerous, skin tags that are cancerous may require other treatment along with removal.

Why have your skin lesions removed?

It is of course important to get any cancerous skin lesions removed immediately. Benign skin lesions can be left, however, there are cases where getting them removed can benefit you and improve your wellbeing.

• If your skin lesion causes you physical irritation. For example, Seborrheic keratoses – oval cyst-like spots which are commonly very itchy.
• Skin lesions can often get caught in clothing causing pain and bleeding. For example, Pyogenic granuloma – miniature growths filled with blood vessels that when caught on clothes can cause bleeding.
• Your skin lesion may affect your appearance in a way you don’t like.
• Your skin lesion has a risk of one day becoming cancerous. – for example, actinic keratoses – dry scaly patches of skin damaged by the sun – that have a small potential to become cancerous.

What does the procedure involve?

The two main ways of removing skin lesions are Excision Biopsy and Shave Biopsy.

Excision Biopsy

Also known as complete excision surgery, this type of procedure takes place for larger skin lesions and those at risk of being cancerous.

• The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic
• The surgeon will begin by sterilizing the area of and around the skin lesion
• The surgeon will remove the whole skin lesion using a scalpel and then proceed to stitch up the wound and apply appropriate dressings.
• Shave Biopsy

Also known as Partial excision surgery, this procedure takes place for skin tags and smaller moles.

During this procedure, the surgeon cuts along the bottom of the lesion to remove it, then again stitches up the wound and dresses it appropriately.

What is the recovery process of this procedure?

Skin lesion removal is a day-case procedure meaning the patient can be discharged the same day. There may be some pain around the effect area for a couple of days after the procedure, but this can be controlled by over-the-counter painkillers.

You should be able to return to work immediately unless your occupation directly affects the wounded area.

Recovery time depends on the size of the skin lesion removed and the area it was removed from. However, the procedure should have little impact on day-to-day life.

What are the risks of getting your skin lesion removed?

The risks associated with getting a skin lesion removed are very low however complications can occur:

• Infection of the wound – avoid by keeping the wound area covered and leaving the dressing on for the recommended amount of time.
• Scarring is possible – Risk depends on the size of the skin tag as well as the position of the body.
• There is a chance of the skin lesion reappearing.