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Surgical excision dates back to 3,000 BC when Egyptian doctors utilized the procedure to remove tumors and growths, then sutured the resulting wound after. It’s now one of the most common and safe surgical procedures worldwide, used by board-certified dermatologists and highly trained physician assistants to remove a wide variety of skin growths and lesions, including skin cancer, moles, and cysts. The goal of surgical excision at New Jersey’s Skin & Laser Center of NJ is the complete removal of the growth with minimal scarring. A surgical excision can be followed by a biopsy to determine whether the growth in question is, in fact, cancerous.
While surgical excision can be used to remove different types of growths, it is commonly utilized as part of a treatment plan for skin cancer. We frequently choose this surgical method to remove basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma when it appears on the body. For growths on the face, head, neck, or other highly visible areas, a specific surgical technique known as Mohs surgery is the more popular option due to the preservation of as much unaffected skin as possible.
In late 2016 she founded the Skin & Laser Center of NJ, LLC in Mahwah, NJ where she continues to treat her medical and cosmetic patients, and further pursues her interest in laser medicine. Dr. Lieb’s mission is to provide high quality dermatologic care using up-to-date medical information and cutting edge technology in an efficiently run practice. Dr. Lieb is board certified in dermatology, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, a member of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the New Jersey Dermatologic Society. Dr. Lieb is a Staff Dermatologist at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood.
If your dermatologist has determined that surgical excision is the best method for removing an unwanted skin growth, the procedure will begin with the injection of a local anesthetic to minimize discomfort. Your surgeon will then use a scalpel to cut out the growth, along with roughly 4mm of the surrounding skin. The provider will usually then close the wound with stitches.
Depending on the size and location of the lesion, the entire process should take between 30 and 40 minutes. Patients can return home right after their surgical excision procedure.
Typically, the skin takes one to three weeks to heal if the wound was closed with stitches. Your provider will give you aftercare instructions, and following them will help your skin heal quickly and reduce the risk of infection.
You’ll want to follow instructions about how long to keep the wound bandaged, how and when to properly clean the wound, and whether to apply an ointment to the skin. Keeping the wound clean is very important during the healing process.
Your provider will also help you schedule an appointment to have your stitches removed and will provide you with information about which medications to take to manage any pain you experience after the procedure.
Skin & Laser Center of NJ in Ramsey provides a wide range of medical, surgical, and cosmetic services for patients in and around New Jersey. Patients can get diagnosis and treatment for acne, skin cancer (with Mohs surgery), chronic conditions (like psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema), moles, melasma, vitiligo, athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, scabies, contact dermatitis, and more. Cosmetic options include wrinkle-relaxing BOTOX® and Dysport®, dermal fillers like Juvederm® and Restylane®, Kybella® for reducing a double chin, chemical peels, Hydrafacial MD, microneedling, laser hair removal, laser acne treatments, laser scar treatments, laser tattoo removal, CoolSculpting®, laser vein treatments, sclerotherapy, and more.
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