Small Lesion Removal

Skin lesion removal is a procedure to remove growths on your skin. You may have a skin lesion removed because it is too big, bothersome, or uncomfortable. Or you may have a lesion removed because it could be cancerous or precancerous.

Often the doctor can remove simple skin lesions during a routine visit. In some cases, the doctor may remove the lesion in an operating room. This depends on the size and type of lesion. The doctor can remove a skin lesion in many ways. These include:

Biopsy
The doctor cuts out or shaves a small part of the lesion. A doctor looks at the sample to see if there are any cancer cells.

Excision
The doctor cuts out the entire lesion and, often, some of the area around it.

Cryosurgery
The doctor uses a very cold liquid or special tool to freeze and destroy skin cells.

Curettage
The doctor uses a special tool to scrape away parts of your lesion.

Electrocautery
The doctor uses a device that gives off an electrical current to destroy, burn, or cut out skin cells.

Laser surgery
The doctor uses a device that gives off laser light to destroy skin lesions.

Mohs micrographic surgery.
The doctor removes tissue one layer at a time and checks for cancer cells.