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Common Dermatologic Procedures

Many common dermatologic procedures are done as office procedures to test for a wide variety of diseases or to treat often minor dermatologic diseases or conditions in a quick and noninvasive manner.

Some common dermatologic techniques used to test for diseases are biopsies, including punch, shave, and excision biopsy; microbiological culture (often called a skin culture); skin allergy patch testing, and Wood's lamp examination. The results from these tests can be used to either confirm or rule out a diagnosis, such as skin cancer or a fungal skin infection. Mohs surgery is a relatively new dermatologic procedure that is used to both test and treat cancerous skin.

Other dermatologic procedures are used to remove or treat benign or cancerous skin lesions. Cryotherapy, curettage, cyst excision, electrodesiccation, phototherapy, and skin tag removal are examples of the types of methods physicians use to destruct, remove, or treat skin for a wide variety of diseases and conditions.

There are also procedures, such as general local anesthesia and suturing, that are routinely used in conjunction with other common dermatological procedures like skin biopsy, curettage, cyst excision, and so forth.

The content in the topics below includes an overview of each procedure; a description of why the procedure is likely necessary; what happens before and during a procedure; what to expect after a procedure, including post-procedure care; what risks / side effects each procedure carries; and what potential alternatives there are to each procedure.

Click an individual dermatologic procedure for relevant clinical images and content.

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Anesthesia For Dermatologic Surgery, Local Injection of anesthesia is a commonly used method to numb a small area of skin undergoing a surgical procedure. Patients can undergo a surgical procedure with no pain while remaining fully conscious with the use of…
Biopsy, Skin A skin biopsy is a rapid and convenient office procedure that aids in the diagnosis of a patient's skin condition or lesion. Although usually done by a dermatologist, any physician who is skilled and knowledgeable…
Culture, Microbiological A microbiological culture is a method of obtaining tissue or fluid from a suspected site of infection. Taking into account the clinical scenario, the results can confirm the presence or absence of an infection.…
Curettage Curettage, in dermatology, is a surgical procedure that uses a curette (a small scooped-shaped instrument) to scrape off noncancerous skin growths and certain skin cancers such as basal cell carcinomas, viral…
Electrodesiccation Electrodesiccation is a fast and simple office-based procedure that uses electric current delivered via a needle-shaped electrode to superheat the skin in pinpoint precise areas.
Mohs Micrographic Surgery Mohs surgery is a technique used in the treatment of several skin cancers that allows for complete removal of the lesion while minimizing removal of otherwise normal adjacent skin.
Patch Test, Skin Allergies Patch testing is a common outpatient procedure used by dermatologists and allergists to assess if a rash is caused by a suspected substance, known as an allergen, when it comes in contact with the patient's skin.
Phototherapy Phototherapy uses ultraviolet (UV) light under medical supervision to treat certain skin diseases. Depending on the skin disorder being treated, phototherapy is delivered for several seconds to minutes per…
Stitches (Surgical Sutures) Sutures, also known as stitches, are synthetic or animal gut-derived threads used to close a wound after a surgical procedure or injury. A variety of sutures exist that vary in size, strength, and durability.…
Wood's Lamp Examination A Wood's lamp is a device that emits ultraviolet (UV) light in the 365 nanometer range and is commonly used by dermatologists to assist in the diagnosis of various pigment and infectious disorders. The examination…