Skin Lesion Removal in Novi and Southfield, MI

The entire body has the ability to develop various lumps and bumps either under the skin or on the skin. They form for various reasons and at various times of our lives.

What Are the Most Common Lumps and Bumps?

The most common lumps and bumps are:

• Moles –  Moles are growths on the skin that are usually brown or black. Moles can appear anywhere on the skin, alone or in groups. It is important to assess the size, color and borders of a mole. If it itches, bleeds, or has fluid coming from it, make an appointment for a consultation and discuss it with Dr. Kolachalam.
• Cysts – a cyst is a cluster of cells that have grouped together to form a sac. It may contain air, fluids, or semi-solid material. If there is a collection of pus it is called an abscess, not a cyst. There are many many types in various locations of the body.
• Hernias
• Skin Tags
• Skin Tumors
• Lipomas – Any lump that appears on your body should be checked. The most common lump you will notice are lipomas which are harmless lumps that usually don’t need any treatment. Lipomas are noncancerous (benign) tumors composed of fat cells and are soft and slow growing. They are usually found under the skin (subcutaneous.) Common areas for lipomas are the back, shoulders, buttocks, and thighs.
• Abscesses
• Hemangioma’s

How to Figure out Which Lump or Bump You Have?

Diagnosis usually is based on the appearance of the lesion and the your clinical history, although biopsy is sometimes required.

Treatments for Lump & Bump Removal

Most lumps and bumps are best removed surgically. The advantage of complete removal include:

• Complete removal to obtain biopsy
• Prevent recurrence of the lump
• Correction of the cosmetic issue

Treatment is based on the type of tumor and its location. This can include:

• Excision
• Cryotherapy
• Curettage with or without electrodesiccation
• Pharmacotherapy

Most lumps and bumps are often best removed in the operating room with good lighting, complete sterility, and comfort for the patients. In addition, the suture material available in modern operating rooms results in the best scarring. Most offices are not set up to remove the majority of the lumps and bumps providing comfort to the patient and also giving the best possible scar. Moreover, removal of these lumps in the operating room means also having optimal help to remove them and address all the goals of the surgery.

The disadvantage of removing the lumps and bumps in the operating room is the cost of the procedure, but your surgeon may be able to minimize the cost by doing these only under local anesthesia in suitable patients. In my experience, the removal of these lumps in the operating room leads to the best results.

In addition, rarely, local anesthesia can lead to severe complications that are best handled in the Operating room. Safety is of paramount importance in the removal of most lumps and bumps, even if appears to be a minor procedure. In Surgical wisdom, there are no “minor” procedures, as any complication in-office procedure can have catastrophic issues.

The other methods such as cryotherapy and curettage with or without electrodesiccation rarely applicable for most lumps and bumps. There are no shortcuts to good, safe surgery, preferably in well-equipped Operating rooms with the capability to handle any untoward issues.