Board-certified specialists treating thyroid nodules, neck masses, and more.
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Diagnosis and treatment for thyroid, neck, and head conditions requiring specialized care.
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Excision is a procedure that removes a lesion or area of concerning skin, along with a small margin of healthy tissue around it. This can be done to treat a confirmed skin cancer, or to remove and examine a lesion that looks suspicious. The removed tissue is sent to a lab so it can be examined more closely.
You may need this if you have a mole or skin lesion that's changed in size, shape, or color, or a lesion your provider has flagged as suspicious during an exam. This is also common if you've already been diagnosed with a skin cancer that needs to be removed. Very large or complex lesions, especially in certain locations on the face, sometimes need a different approach, like Mohs surgery, instead of a standard excision. Your provider will help determine the right method for your specific lesion.
Smaller excisions are often done in the office with local numbing, and you stay awake the whole time. Your provider numbs the area first, then removes the lesion along with a margin of tissue and closes the area with stitches. You may feel some pressure or tugging, but not sharp pain.
Most people return to normal activities within a day or two, though your provider may ask you to avoid strenuous activity for a bit longer while the area heals. Stitches are typically removed at a follow-up visit. Some swelling, bruising, or a visible scar is common at first, and the scar continues to fade over the following months. Your provider will follow up with you once lab results are available.
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After a skin cancer is removed, often through a procedure called Mohs surgery, the area left behind sometimes needs more than a simple closure. Reconstruction repairs that area using techniques like local skin flaps, skin grafts, or careful stitching, depending on the size, depth, and location of the defect, especially on areas like the nose, ears, eyelids, or scalp.
You may need this if you've had skin cancer removed from your face, ears, scalp, or neck, and the wound left behind is too large or complex for a simple closure. Your dermatologist or surgeon will typically recommend this as the next step after your skin cancer has been removed.
The setting and type of anesthesia depend on the size and location of the area being repaired. Smaller reconstructions may be done in the office with local numbing, while larger or more complex repairs may be done at a surgery center, sometimes with sedation or general anesthesia. Your surgeon rebuilds the area using nearby skin or tissue, matching the color and texture as closely as possible to the surrounding skin. The length of the procedure varies widely depending on what's needed.
Recovery depends on the size and location of the repair, but most people need some time for the area to heal, with follow-up visits to check on healing and remove stitches if needed. Some swelling, bruising, or scabbing at the site is common in the days after. Scars typically fade and soften over the following months as the area continues to heal.
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If an exam or an imaging scan found a lump or nodule on your thyroid, this test looks directly at the cells inside it. Ultrasound alone can show the size and shape of a nodule, but it cannot tell you what the cells actually are. A needle biopsy is the most direct way to answer that question, and it often helps decide whether a nodule needs regular monitoring or a closer look.
The procedure is usually done right in the office and takes about thirty minutes total, though the actual sampling only takes a few minutes. Your neck is cleaned first, then a thin needle is guided into the nodule, often with ultrasound to help with placement. You may feel a quick pinch or some pressure, and it's common for your provider to take more than one sample to make sure there's enough tissue to test. Most people describe mild soreness afterward, similar to a blood draw.
Your sample is sent to a lab where it's reviewed cell by cell. Turnaround time varies, so ask your provider when to expect your results. If the cells look normal, your provider may recommend periodic monitoring with ultrasound. If the results are unclear or show something that needs a closer look, you may be recommended for additional testing. Either way, your provider will walk you through what the findings mean for you.
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