Skin surgery

All skin surgery carries the following risks:

• bleeding from the wound post operatively
• wound infection
• wound breakdown

All surgery results in some degree of scarring, but this can be minimised by keeping the wound clean and dry. You may be required to rest or limit your activity e.g. exercise/work.

Scars can stretch and sometimes become raised (keloid), depending on which part of the body surgery has taken place. Surgery on certain areas of the face carries with it a small risk of permanent nerve damage. Please discuss this further with the doctor performing the surgery.

A biopsy is the removal of tissue for study and diagnosis, usually under a microscope. It is also sometimes used  to completely remove lesions.

There are several ways of carrying out a biopsy. These are:

Punch biopsy

A round piece of skin is removed for testing in the laboratory using a specially designed instrument. Stitches are usually required.

Shave biopsy

Some skin lesions can be cut off the skin leaving a small wound, which is then sealed by cauterisation.

Excisional biopsy

Some skin lesions need cutting out of the skin, and these wounds will require stitches. The wounds from these may be larger than the lesion was originally.

Curettage and cautery

Some skin lesions can be scooped out with a surgical cutting spoon, and the wound is then sealed with cauterisation.

Hyfracation

This involves passing an electrical current onto the lesion, which cauterises the lesion being treated.

Skin flaps

Large lesions, or lesions in awkward positions, may require a plastic surgery technique, to enable the wound to be stitched. This may take between 45 minutes to 1 hour, and can be a larger wound than you expected.

Skin grafts

In some instances a skin graft is necessary when a large lesion has been removed. A piece of skin is taken from another area of the body and used to repair the wound. Stronger pain relief may be prescribed, if needed. There may be more bruising initially. 

Following your skin surgery procedure, if a sample has been sent for examination, it can take 4-5 weeks for the results to come through. You will be contacted when the results are available. This may be in the form of a letter from your clinician, or you may be offered a clinic appointment to discuss the results in person. If you receive an appointment to discuss your results we would encourage you to bring a friend or relative with you. 

Please bring along a list of medications you are taking at the time you come for surgery, and let the Doctor or Nurse know if you have any allergies.

If you are taking Warfarin, Aspirin, or any other anticoagulant (blood thinning medication), and this was not discussed at your clinic appointment, please inform the Dermatology Department as soon as possible. You may have to stop taking these medications prior to your surgery.

If you have a pacemaker, and this was not discussed at your clinic appointment, please inform the Dermatology Department as soon as possible. Some of the equipment used during surgery may interfere with your pacemaker and input may be required from the Cardiology team.

Dermatology Secretary 

01709 424161 

Dermatology Clinic 

01709 424514