What are skin lesions?
Skin lesions come in many shapes and sizes. They also come with a range of interesting names such as benign lentigines or seborrheic keratoses. Essentially a skin lesion is a non-cancerous lump or bump on the skin, usually a mole, freckle or skin tag.
It is always important to have skin lesions checked to make sure they don’t become a more serious problem. If the skin lesion is annoying, painful or embarrassing in its appearance, you may wish to have it removed.
Steps to take if you have a skin lesion
The first step is to make an appointment to see Dr McMillan in his private rooms at Fernbrae House, Dunedin or in Invercargill to review the skin lesion.
Dr McMillan will use a small magnifying device called a dermatoscope. The dermatoscope enables a close-up view of the area, allowing Dr McMillan to clearly see the area of concern.
Dr McMillan will discuss treatment options with you and together you will decide on the next steps.
What treatment is there for skin lesions?
Surgical excision is the primary treatment for skin lesions if you wish to have them removed.
Surgery
Surgical excision of a skin lesion can be done under local or general anaesthetic and is a day surgery procedure. This can be performed either at Fernbrae House or Mercy Hospital, Dunedin.
A small cut is made around the skin lesion and carefully removed, leaving as much skin as possible to be sutured back together. The idea is to leave only a small wound, which will mean a small scar.
Once the skin lesion is removed, sutures will be placed and a dressing applied.
Recovery
Surgical removal may lead to minor pain at the surgical site. Depending on the site and size of the wound you may have some restrictions to your movements for a short period of time.
Risks and complications
As with all surgical procedures there are risks and potential complications with any skin lesion removal. Dr McMillan will discuss all of these with you during your consultation and answer your questions.
Cost for skin lesion removal
There is a cost for skin lesion removal done privately. The exact figure will depend on a range of factors but generally the cost is between $1200 and $2300.
Contact us
If you have a skin lesion you wish removed, get in contact to make an initial consultation with Dr McMillan about skin lesion removal.
