Excisions

An excision is a surgical procedure in which either a benign or malignant (cancerous) skin growth is removed under local anesthesia. After the growth is excised, the dermatologic surgeon sutures the wound closed for optimal healing. The excised tissue is then sent to the laboratory to be analyzed by a dermatopathologist. Atypical moles and skin cancers are frequently excised with margins of normal skin to ensure complete removal and cure. Benign growths, such as moles, cysts, and lipomas (“fatty growths”) can also be removed as elective cosmetic procedures. Additionally, cherry angiomas (“red spots”), Seborrheic keratoses, and solar lentigines (“sun spots” or “liver spots”) are other common benign growths that can be removed with simple procedures that usually require no downtime.