At A Glance

Price:

From £1050 (excluding histology)

Expected Results:

Removal of Skin Lesion

Length of Surgery:

Between 30 and 60 Minutes

Anaesthesia:

Local anaesthetic

Recovery:

Usual Activities by 1 Week

What is Surgical Excision?

Surgical excision is a common medical procedure used to remove abnormal or diseased tissue from the body.

It involves the complete removal of the targeted tissue, including any surrounding margins of unhealthy tissue. Surgical excision is used to treat various skin conditions, including moles, cysts, skin tags and lipomas. It is commonly performed by dermatologists and plastic surgeons and other specialised surgeons depending on the specific area of the body being treated.

Surgical excision is considered a safe and effective treatment option for various conditions, but it may have some risks and potential complications, such as infection, bleeding, scarring, or changes in sensation. If surgical excision is the appropriate treatment for you, the procedure and possible risks and side effects will be thoroughly discussed with you by our experts at The Day Clinic.

The Consultation

Consultation

At the consultation, the skin lesion will be examined by a consultant dermatologist and/or plastic surgeon to determine the nature of the lesion. Your consultant will take a medical history from you, find out more about your concerns and the outcome you would like to achieve. Once this has been established, your consultant will discuss the options for achieving your desired outcome. If surgical excision is the preferred treatment, they will explain what the procedure involves including benefits, risks and potential outcomes.

Depending on the nature of your skin lesion, if for example it’s a mole that looks suspicious, your consultant may want to send a sample off for testing or ‘histology’ prior to the excision. If, however, the case is straightforward it may be possible to combine the consultation and surgery in one visit as a ‘see and treat’ appointment. This can be a more convenient and cost-effective way of managing treatment where appropriate.

The Procedure

Procedure

Surgical excision is undertaken in one of our two state-of-the-art operating theatres.

First of all the area is numbed with an injection of local anesthetic to minimise discomfort during the procedure.

The surgeon then makes an incision around the area of concern and carefully removes the tissue. The incision is usually made in a way that allows for easy closure after the tissue is removed in order to optimise the cosmetic outcome and minimise scarring.

After the excision, the wound is typically closed using sutures or stitches. In some cases, additional reconstructive techniques may be required to restore the appearance and function of the area. The removed tissue may be sent to a laboratory for further examination to determine the nature of the abnormality or to ensure complete removal of any abnormal or cancerous cells.

Aftercare & Results

Aftercare

After your procedure, you will be given personalised aftercare guidance from your consultant. This will vary depending upon the procedure you’ve had. It is very important that you follow the aftercare advice to achieve the optimum results.

If a dressing has been applied after the procedure you will be given instructions on how to look after the area and change the dressing.

If you’ve had a skin lesion removed by a surgical procedure, you may have stitches. Your consultant will advise you if your stitches are absorbable or not. If not, they will usually require removal about one week after your treatment. It’s important to keep the wound clean and dry and to follow any specific instructions you’ve been given regarding wound care.

You may wish to manage any pain or discomfort you feel with painkillers such as paracetamol. If your pain is not manageable or you have any concerns, we can advise you how best to proceed.

Your consultant may want you to attend a follow-up appointment to monitor the healing process and see how your recovery is going or to discuss the results from your treatment.

If you have had skin surgery this will result in a scar, but there are steps you can take to minimise its visibility. Massaging the area regularly for a few minutes at a time can help the scar tissue to soften, producing a nicely faded scar. Your consultant will advise you when to start this and how to go about it. We also advise using a high SPF sunscreen on the area for around 12 months after your procedure.

What our clients think

Potential Risks

While surgical excision is generally considered a safe procedure, there are some potential risks and complications you should be aware of. These may include:

Infection

Any surgical procedure carries a risk of infection. Warning signs may include increased pain, redness, swelling, warmth or discharge from the wound. Most infections will present themselves around 9 days after a procedure and the treatment is usually a one week course of oral antibiotics. Should you have any concerns about the presence of infection we will be available to see and advise you accordingly.

Bleeding

Bleeding may occur during or after the removal procedure. In rare cases, excessive bleeding may require medical attention.

Scarring

Following any form of surgery there will be a scar. The extent of scarring can vary, and is dependent on your particular case and how you heal. We will do all we can to minimise the appearance of any unavoidable scarring.

Nerve Damage

In rare cases, if the lesion is particularly large or deep, surgical removal procedures may damage nearby nerves. This could lead to temporary or permanent numbness or altered sensation in the area.

Recurrence

With certain types of skin lesion there is a small risk of it coming back, also known as recurrence. If your surgery involved removal of a skin cancer we will advise an annual skin check with a skin expert to look for early signs of recurrence or other skin cancers.

Related FAQs

How long does surgical excision take?

Surgical excision normally takes approximately 30 minutes, depending on the size, type, number and location of lesion(s).

Does surgical excision hurt?

Surgical excision procedures are done under local anaesthetic in one of our purpose-built operating theatres at The Day Clinic. This means the procedure itself will be painless. After the anaesthetic wears off you may experience some discomfort at the treatment site for XXX this can be Patients should expect some pain and soreness around the excision site for a week or so after the procedure. This can usually be managed with over the counter pain medication such as Paracetamol.

Could the lesion recur after surgical excision?

We can never 100% guarantee that a lesion won’t recur after surgical excision, however depending on the type of lesion you have had removed surgical excision is often the best treatment available to avoid future recurrence. Your consultant can advise you about the reliability of the treatment and risk of recurrence during your consultation.

How long does it take to recover after surgical excision?

Most excision wounds heal in one to three weeks following the procedure. In cases where a skin graft or flap was used to close the wound the treated area may take up to two months to fully heal.

Will surgical excision leave a scar?

Surgical excision may leave a scar once the wound has healed. The visibility of scarring depends on your age, where the lesion is on your body and to individual skin responses to the procedure. Most scars will be pale but occasionally they can become pigmented or darkened. Scars will usually fade over time and can be minimised by proper wound aftercare and scar massage. Your consultant can advise about this during your treatment.

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