Dermatologic Surgery

Dermatologic surgery is the branch of dermatology that deals with surgically treating skin problems, both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The surgeon evaluates together with the patient the most appropriate solution for the diagnosis and treatment of the pathology to be treated.

The procedures are performed in dedicated operating rooms in simple or complex outpatient surgery (including under general anesthesia, if necessary). Dermatologic surgery can treat many cutaneous or subcutaneous neoplasms, including: moles, cysts, lipomas, fibromas, papillomas, HPV lesions (warts, condylomas), seborrheic or actinic keratoses, melanomas, and epitheliomas – carcinomas. Treatment can be carried out for both curative and diagnostic purposes. Dermatologic surgery is often performed with laser technology. Dermatologic surgery may be accompanied by biopsy examination with diagnostic histology: the excised mass is examined in the laboratory to determine whether it is benign or malignant. In addition to traditional surgical techniques, dermatologic surgery also includes laser therapy and cryotherapy, practices that leave less noticeable scars but are implemented where they provide the same efficacy.

Dermatologic surgical procedures are generally of short duration and do not require any particular preparation on the part of the patient. Surgical excision often comes as a last resort solution when less invasive therapies have failed to resolve the problem. During surgical operations, both the removal of the neoplasm and any necessary reconstruction are performed, with the collaboration of the plastic surgeon if needed.