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At Westford Dermatology & Cosmetic Center, we provide safe and efficient excision of benign and malignant skin lesions in Westford, MA. This can be performed as a preventive measure for potential skin cancer and for aesthetic purposes.
What Is Excision of Benign and Malignant Skin Lesions?
Warts, moles, and other growths are examples of lesions that develop on the skin. Excision is the precise surgical removal of these skin lesions. There are several excision techniques used depending on the skin lesion and its extent—certain lesions are superficial, while others extend down to deeper skin layers.
Is Lesion Excision Right for Me?
Patients with either benign or malignant skin lesions are candidates for the excision procedure. Patients with cancerous growths should get an excision procedure as soon as possible to prevent the spread of cancer cells. Patients who are unhappy with their benign skin growths, including warts and moles, are also good candidates for an excision procedure.
Candidates should be generally healthy with no post-surgery healing problems. Patients who are pregnant or have certain medical conditions will need a consultation to determine if they are candidates for an excision procedure for their skin lesion.
What Happens During a Consultation?
During a consultation at Westford Dermatology & Cosmetic Center, we will examine your skin lesions. A physical examination will be performed, which may include diagnostic tests such as a biopsy to determine if you have a benign or malignant skin lesion. We will also look over your medical records.
Next, we will present a customized plan to remove your skin lesion. We will explain all the details of the plan with you and answer any questions you may have. Pre-operative instructions will be given to prepare you for your procedure.
Excision Options
The excision procedure will be performed by Dr. Steven Franks. Some excision procedures may last 30 minutes or less. However, others may last for several hours, especially for malignant lesions, due to the tests involved. The specific procedure chosen will depend on factors like the size and type of skin lesion.
The procedure will start by cleaning and sanitizing the treatment area. A local anesthetic will be injected to numb the treatment area and prevent pain or discomfort during the procedure.
Shave excision is performed to remove the growth using a small blade, while scissor excision involves the use of curved scissors.
The full-thickness excision technique will involve the fatty tissue layer beneath the skin. It will remove a portion of the healthy tissue to make sure that no cancer cells are left.
Mohs surgery is a very popular excision technique for cancerous lesions, since it removes the least amount of healthy tissue while completely removing all cancer cells.
Removal of insignificant growths will not require stitches. As for larger wounds, a skin graft may be needed to repair the skin after excision.
Recovery Period
For excision of small growths, the patient can get back to normal activities right after the procedure. However, for large skin lesions involving skin graft procedures, the patient may need some recovery time afterwards. Dr. Franks will provide the patient with recovery instructions and may include prescriptions to help deal with pain during recovery.
How Much Does Excision of Benign and Malignant Skin Lesions Cost?
The cost of excision of benign and malignant skin lesions will depend on the size of the skin growth removed. The type of excision technique used and the number of lesions removed will also be considered when determining the overall price of the procedure.
Contact Us to Learn More
If you need excision of benign and malignant skin lesions in Westford, visit us at Westford Dermatology & Cosmetic Center. Contact us to set up your consultation.
Your procedure will be performed by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Steven Franks in Boston, MS.
