Why Surgical Dermatology is the Most Effective Treatment for Skin Growths
Skin growths are annoying enough without having to worry about treatment. Allow us to ease your stress a bit and talk about why surgical dermatology is your best option.
What is a Skin Growth?
A skin growth can be classified as any type of growth that appears on the skin. This includes skin tags, cysts, moles, bumps, or even freckles. The question is, should you get them removed? The most common growths are benign and do not pose a major threat to the individual. Yet, many patients aren’t pleased with the appearance of their skin growths so they may choose to explore surgical dermatology. Regardless of your reason to seek removal, surgery is precise and effective and may offer the best alternative to any other option.
Understanding Surgical Dermatology
According to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, surgical dermatology is the field of medicine that handles the “diagnosis and treatment of medically necessary and cosmetic conditions of the skin, hair, nails, veins, mucous membranes and adjacent tissues by various surgical, reconstructive, cosmetic and non-surgical methods.” They go on to state that “the purpose of dermatology surgery is to repair and/or improve the function and cosmetic appearance of skin tissue.”
Types of Surgery to Remove Skin Growths
1) Cryotherapy
This is a treatment used to treat mainly skin tags and early-stage skin cancer like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. In cryotherapy, liquid nitrogen (or something similar) is applied to the growth, freezing it. The cold destroys the cells within the tissue by creating ice crystals inside. When the cells die, the white blood cells kick into gear to remove the dead tissue. This is an effective form of surgical dermatology as it is minimally invasive, requires no downtime, but kills the growth completely from the inside out.
2) Electrosurgery
Electrosurgery is a very precise method of removal. Typically used to remove growths and tumors, electrosurgery is the use of radiofrequency to send electrical currents to the infected tissue to be removed. This method allows for precise incisions and zero blood loss making it an extremely effective technique for growth removal.
3) Excision
Excision is the removal of a growth (or any organ or tissue for that matter) via surgical cutting using a scalpel and similar instruments. This is the type of surgery that people are most familiar with. While patients do have to be concerned with scarring, it is a highly effective procedure as the unwanted or infected tissue is completely removed, leaving little to no chance of regrowth.
4) Mohs Surgery
Developed by Wisconsin-born general surgeon Frederic E. Mohs, Mohs surgery is the micrographic procedure used to treat skin cancer. During the procedure, layers of cancer tissue are removed and examined microscopically. Surgeons will continue to examine layer after layer until cancer cells are no longer present in the removed tissue. With an incredibly high cure rate of 97 – 99.8% for basal cell carcinoma, the most common skin cancer, Mohs surgery may be the best way to treat skin cancer.
All of these procedures have high success rates and prove to be highly effective. Any other alternative like creams, ointments, home remedies or medications is temporary. They only treat symptoms but do nothing for the underlying issues. Surgical dermatology is a safe, permanent, and effective option for the removal of skin growths.
If you’re ready to explore surgical dermatology options and are in the greater Ohio area, consult our experts at The Dermatology Group for advice, resources, and treatment. Contact us today!