Dermatologic Surgery
We routinely perform in-office surgical procedures using local skin anesthesia to remove benign growths (such as cysts and moles) or cancerous growths (such as basal cell carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, and malignant melanomas).
During a routine skin exam, your doctor may find a suspicious lesion that will require a skin biopsy. A skin biopsy is the removal of a small sample of a growth on the skin.
Whether you have a complete excision or a biopsy done, the sample will be sent to a skin pathologist who will look at it under the microscope to determine what types of cells are in the sample. This information will help your dermatologist determine the best course of treatment or management.
Taking good care of your excision or biopsy site is essential for efficient healing. Written wound care instructions will be given to you at the time of your visit.
Daily Care of Your Biopsy Site
- Leave the initial bandage on for 12-24 hours. Keep the area dry.
- Clean the site gently with mild soap and water each day. Pat dry.
- Apply a thin layer of Polysporin, Aquaphor healing ointment or Vaseline petroleum jelly each day with a new bandage. These are over-the-counter products. We generally do not recommend using Neosporin as there is a higher incidence of skin allergy to this ointment.
- Continue this care daily for 4-7 days.
- After the wound is healed (approximately 2 weeks) you may opt to apply Mederma Skin Care 3-4 times daily until the scar appearance is satisfactory.
Post-Surgical Wound Instructions for Excisions - 
