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Excisions are small surgeries to remove lesions from the body. They are done to remove a problematic lesion – like skin cancer – or to get a biopsy for laboratory diagnosis.
What is it?
Excisions serve as a method to remove lesions from your skin by completely cutting them out. Often, excisions are used to eradicate an undesirable or hazardous lesion. Threatening lesions can include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma. For some conditions, an excision fully addesses your issue without need for additional procedures. Excisions can also be used to remove a benign (non-cancerous) lesion for aesthetic reasons or to relieve irritation.
An excision is often referred to as a biopsy when it's utilized to obtain a sample for lab analysis. A biopsy is a process that involves the removal of a tissue sample from your body for microscopic examination. This diagnostic test, conducted by a dermatolpathologist, helps diagnose things like moles, lesions, rashes, or growths that might signal skin disorders, allergies, infections or cancer. A biopsy can also help our team monitor progress of treatment for certain conditions. Montain State Dermatology reaches out to patients swiftly once the lab diagnosis is completed, reducing the time you have to wait.
Types of growths that may necessitate a biopsy for diagnosis include:
What to expect
Prior to your excision, we'll will apply a local anesthetic directly to the area to reduce any discomfort. Since excisions can be used for multiple purposes, excisions vary in size. For surgeries removing larger lesions, stitches may be necessary to close the wound for healing. Other smaller excisions, and many biopsies, just require a topical treatment and bandage before you head home.
Home care following an excision is typically easy and uncomplicated. Your provider at Mountain State Dermatology will provide you specific instructions on changing your dressing, sanitizing the impacted area and applying a local treatment to expedite healing and prevent infection.