If you have a mole, skin tag, or cyst that affects your quality of life, minor surgery can provide same-day care. At M. Chávez MD, SC, board-certified physician Milton Chávez, MD, offers minor surgery for common skin issues. There’s no wait or referrals required, and most procedures take less than an hour.
Minor Surgery Q & A
What is minor surgery?
Minor surgery provides same-day treatment for non-cancerous skin growths, like moles, cysts, and skin tags. If you have one or more skin blemishes, minor surgery can provide immediate and long-lasting relief.
Dr. Chávez has years of surgical training and expertise. His knowledge of advanced techniques and local anesthesia ensures pain-free treatment, as well as safety and excellent outcomes.
What conditions can minor surgery treat?
Dr. Chávez uses minor surgery to treat several types of pre- cancerous, cancerous and non-cancerous skin growths.
Moles
A mole is a brown, black, or pink skin growth. Some moles exist at birth, but most develop as you get older. Most moles are benign but many can be confused with more serious skin cancers. Any mole that looks suspicious or appears like it does not belong should be evaluated.
Cysts
A cyst is a growth filled with air, fluid, or bacteria. Cysts develop beneath the skin and often cause pressure or pain. Cysts have a tendency to grow and become infected. Though they usually aren’t serious, cysts can negatively affect your quality of life.
Skin tag
A skin tag is a small piece of skin connected to a short, narrow stalk. Skin Tag can occur anywhere on your body, but they’re especially common on the neck, upper arms, and armpits.
Lipoma
A lipoma is a growth made of fatty tissue that develops under your skin. Lipomas tend to grow and appear unsightly. They tend to occur on the neck, shoulders, back, or thighs.
What happens during minor surgery?
Dr. Chávez performs minor surgery on-site in his comfortable and welcoming office.
Before recommending surgery, Dr. Chávez asks about your symptoms and examines your skin growth. After determining the size, type, and location of the growth, he develops a custom surgical treatment plan.
Dr. Chávez cleans and sterilizes the treatment site and administers a local anesthetic. Once the anesthesia sets in, he uses special surgical tools to carefully remove the mole, cyst, skin tag, or lipoma.
After removing the growth, Chávez stitches the incision, cleans the area, and explains how to care for the wound at home. Most minor surgeries take less than an hour and require little downtime. Once you leave, you can return to work and other activities right away.
What is recovery like after minor surgery?
After minor surgery, it’s normal to experience some mild pain and inflammation. Take your medication as prescribed and make sure to clean your wound, and regularly change the dressings.
About a week after the procedure, you visit Dr. Chávez for a checkup. He examines the surgical site to make sure there aren’t any signs of infection and to ensure it’s healing correctly.
To see if you’re a candidate for minor surgery, make an appointment at the practice of M. Chávez MD, SC, by calling the office or clicking the online booking feature today.