Dermatologists are trained to do several surgical procedures to help diagnose, treat, and cure many skin conditions. From doing simple shave biopsies to wide local excisions, or even Mohs surgery, there are an array of options that encompass how we manage and treat our patients. Even the art of performing a biopsy is based on the skill of knowing how to diagnose, manage and treat the different skin lesions or rashes.
Different types of biopsies may include a shave biopsy, punch biopsy, or incisional biopsy. Many of the skin cancers we treat on the trunk or extremities can be treated with a simple procedure called electrodesiccation and curettage (ED&C). This is commonly called a “scrape and burn” and is a quick procedure that can treat very shallow skin cancers that are detected early. An elliptical excision is used to remove deeper benign or malignant growths and is designed as a football shape with a margin of normal skin to remove the lesion with clear margins. While a non-infected cyst can be treated with an excision, an infected one would often need an incision and drainage (I&D) to be done first to release the infection prior to scheduling surgery. Cryosurgery is not a true surgical procedure; however it does use liquid nitrogen to freeze and remove benign lesions, premalignant spots as well as some superficial cancers. These are just a few examples of the variety of medical reasons dermatologists perform procedures.
