Mole & Lesion Removal in Palm Beach County
Unsightly, disfiguring skin lesions can be disconcerting and often devastating to one’s self-image. Dr. Rosenstein is an expert and highly skilled in skin lesion removal surgery of the face and neck.
WHAT CAN A SKIN LESION REMOVAL ACCOMPLISH?
A skin lesion removal can treat:
- Moles
- Skin cancer(s)
- Skin tumor(s)
- Cysts
- Scars
- Birthmarks
- Blemishes
- Seborrheic keratosis and other benign skin lesions
WHY SHOULD I CONTACT DR. ROSENSTEIN TODAY?
As a plastic surgeon, I am often asked if I perform lesion and mole removal. The answer is yes, but with a caveat or two. I can assure you that any highly trained plastic surgeon is capable of precisely treating moles and lesions. The typical “mole patient” that I see in my office is someone who has had a previous treatment with an unsatisfactory outcome, and is concerned that it will happen again. They are consulting with me because they feel that they are in better hands with a qualified plastic surgeon, rather than doctors from other specialties who are not as well-known for their surgical finesse. Treatment of a mole on the leg or arm is one thing; but on the face, it is an entirely different situation.
Definitions
First, a mole is typically a small spot, mark, or raised area on your skin. This could be a freckle, skin tag, or any small pigmented patch. A lesion is larger (more than a centimeter) and is often related to something that has grown progressively over time, or is a birth related issue that has persisted or changed suddenly. A lesion may also be a skin cancer. The bottom line is that a lesion, as defined here, is typically more complex to manage than a mole, and that is why it is associated with greater scarring potential and is more costly.
Treatment
Both moles and lesions are treated under local injection anesthesia. A mole is generally treated with a shave and cautery technique. This means that a small knife blade is used to remove the mole at the skin level, and then a cautery device is used to stop any bleeding. They often heal imperceptibly, with little evidence of scarring (not always, but surely 99% of the time). A lesion, as defined here, is more likely to be excised, which means it is cut out with a scalpel and closed with suture material. This will result in a linear scar. The scar length is always longer than the length of the lesion itself, in order to close it without “dog ears” or skin bunches at the ends of the closure.