What are Skin Lesions?
Skin lesions are found on or just below the skin - examples
include:
- Epidermoid cysts - lumps in the skin where a cyst fills with a
waxy white substance usually with a central pore which open into
the skin
- Lipomata - a lipoma is simply a lump of fatty tissue in a layer
of fat under the skin. The skin over it is completely normal
and is not attached to the lipoma. A lipoma can vary in size
and some may grow to over ten centimetres.
- Skin tags - A skin tag is a small lump handing from the
skin
- Moles - coloured lesions which may be present at birth or
develop later in life. Moles that change suddenly may be
turning malignant and may need to be removed.
Skin lesions are not usually life threatening but can be removed
in a simple operation.
What does this involve?
Removing a skin lesion is usually performed under local
anaesthetic and usually takes 15-25 minutes.
When removing an epidermoid cyst, your surgeon will try to
remove t whole as this makes sure that none of the cyst wall is
left behinds and prevents the cyst from returning. Your
surgeon will make an elliptical cut over the cyst and will the cut
it out. The cut will be closed with stitches and usually heals to
make a small straight scar.
To remove a lipoma, your surgeon will make a straight cut
directly over it. The lipoma is freed up from the surrounding
tissue and removed. The cut is then closed with stitches.
A skin tag can simply be numbed with local anaesthetic and then
removed. You will often not need a stitch.
To remove a mole, a cut will be made around it and then the mole
is removed. The cut will be closed with stitches which will
heal to make a small straight scar.
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When will I recover?
As you are admitted as a day case, you would normally be able to
go home on the same day return to work the day after. If you
have stitches then these may need to be removed five to seven days
after the procedure.
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