Removal and peace of mind

Lesions or ‘lumps and bumps’ as they are sometimes referred to, can come in all different shapes and sizes on the face and body. Some cause disfigurement and/or discomfort and others are simply aesthetically displeasing to their owners, either way, our Nurse Practitioner and/or our team of Surgeons (depending on the lesion) are on hand to remove them. Patients are encouraged to send a picture of the lesion/s to our surgical team in order to determine whether or not it can be removed by our Clinical Nurse or if it requires surgical removal by one of our Consultant Plastic Surgeons.  Once the assessment is complete, if the skin lesion is of a complex nature, then you will be referred to the surgical department. Non-suspicious skin lesions such as skin tags can be removed by the Nurse Practitioner. Skin tags are a popular type of lesion to be removed for aesthetic purposes, see more information on skin tags below.

What are skin tags?

Skin tags (Acrochordons or Cutaneous Papilloma) are small, benign (non-cancerous) flaps of skin or protruding growths, that can appear anywhere on your body. They are usually flesh coloured and attached to the skin by a small peduncle or skin stalk.

Often found under your armpits, in your groin area, on your face, neck, chest or eyelids, they are harmless enough but can cause irritation. If your skin tag chaffs or rubs against your clothes or other parts of your body causing discomfort, you may want to consider removal. 

Lesion Removal: The procedure

Skin lesion removal is a simple in-clinic procedure. Carried out under a local anaesthetic, you are awake during the procedure, but the area the lesion will be removed from will be completely numb. Using a scalpel, surgical scissors or cauterisation the skin lesion is quickly and easily removed.

The procedure is quick to complete and usually free from complications. In most cases you will be left with a minimal scar which will fade significantly over time. Some lesions will be sent to a laboratory by the operating surgeon for histological diagnosis, this will determine the nature of the lesion and whether or not this presents any harm to you, in particular skin cancer. Not all lesions require histological diagnosis and it will be decided between the patient and the surgeon whether or not this is required. 

A follow up appointment is usually booked for one to two weeks post surgical removal. This appointment will take place in clinic with a nurse or with the surgeons themselves. In some cases sutures require removal at this appointment however in most cases the sutures are dissolvable and may only require a small snip with a scissors to cut down any annoying excess. You will be required to wear a dressing over the wound for the first couple of days, following that steri-strips may be required depending on the lesion and where it is. You will need to avoid swimming for a minimum of two weeks – again this will be discussed and the length of time decided by your surgeon depending on the lesion size and location. Of course you will be required to avoid sun exposure.