What Is Dermatology?

Medical Procedures Dermatologists Perform

Operations to remove precancerous and cancerous skin lesions are among the most common medical procedures dermatologists perform. After examining the lesion, the dermatologist may decide to perform a biopsy. This procedure uses a local anesthetic, and it involves removing a small area of the lesion. If cancer is detected, the dermatologist will remove the entire lesion and some of the surrounding skin. For advanced or large cancerous lesions, dermatologists may need to perform Mohs surgery. This procedure was developed in 1938, and it is performed under local anesthesia. The surgeon removes a small area of the lesion, and it is examined under a microscope. Depending on the results, the surgeon may continue removing deeper areas of the lesion until they reach a layer of skin where there are no cancerous cells. This procedure can take several hours, and recovery may take weeks or months. In addition to procedures for skin cancer, dermatologists perform cryotherapy for the removal of warts.

Learn about where dermatology works with other specialties next.