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Surgical Dermatology

There are a variety of reasons patients may see a dermatologist for a skin surgery. You may have a skin cancer that requires excision, or perhaps you have a benign growth such as a cyst or a lipoma (growth under the skin comprised of fatty tissue) that has become symptomatic or bothersome. Regardless of the reason, you will feel comfortable with the training and experience the Alamo Heights Dermatology team offers to perform your surgical dermatology needs.

What you may expect when having a Surgical Dermatology Procedure:

The day of your procedure, you can expect to fill out a consent form explaining the reason for the procedure, the site of the procedure, and any risks that may be involved. After cleaning off the area to sterilize the site, the area will be numbed with Lidocaine with or without epinephrine. This means the anesthesia is local, so you are awake during the process. This is important because having a procedure under local anesthesia greatly reduces the risk of surgery. Your comfort is very important to us, and we will make the procedure as comfortable as possible. The area will then be covered with a protective sterile surgical drape, and once prepared, the procedure will begin. Stitches may be placed if required, and then a bandage will be applied to the area. Patients are then asked to return to the office between 7-14 days for suture removal and for an examination of the surgical site.

Incision care:

After a procedure, a dressing will be applied to the area. We ask that this dressing stay in place for 24 hours. You should not get the bandage or wound wet until the original bandage has been removed. After removal of the bandage, wash the area gently twice a day with soap and water. After cleaning the affected site, apply a layer of Vaseline (you will be provided with a tube of sterile Vaseline at the office visit) and cover with a bandage. This process will need to be repeated twice a day until the sutures are removed. Topical antibiotics such as Neosporin or Bacitracin are typically unnecessary for routine wound care and contribute to contact dermatitis. If the area appears to be infected, please contact our office.

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