Introduction
Skin surgery is a medical procedure that is aimed at improving the skin appearance or function through treatment. This is normally done by dermatologist or even plastic surgeons. The procedure usually involves the use of local anaesthesia that is a way of a patient loosing feeling on the particular part of the skin area to be operated on. The use of anesthesia is generally to reduce pain and make the patient more comfortable during the whole procedure. There are different types of skin surgery that include skin biopsy, electrosurgery, excision, curettage and cauter, skin grafting, flaps, mohs microscopically controlled excision and crytherapy. All these types are dependent on the purpose of the surgery procedure.
Skin biopsy
This type of surgery procedure is done to patients so as to improve their skin condition. The procedure involve s a keen removal of a piece of a patient’s skin by a dermatologist who then lets a histopathologist to exam by looking at the specific skin structure and find out ailment. The procedure is done to determine the different skin rashes or lesions condition or even to find out if a patient may be having skin cancer. This type of skin surgery is very important in that we can easily detect early stages of skin cancer and decide on the best treatment for it. The procedure involves a patient being given an injection containing local anasthetic to lessen the pain during the surgery and then there is stitching of the skin and finally the dressing of the area f operation. There are various type of biopsy such as punch, shave and incision.
Electrosurgery
Just like the name suggests, this type of skin surgery involves the use of electric current to generate heat that is used to stop bleeding or to destroy an abnormal skin growth. There are various procedures that can be done through electrosurgery such as dehydration of superficial tissue clotting blood vessels and cutting through tissues. There are three types of electrosurgery namely monoterminal ,monopolar and bipolar electrosurgery. Electrosurgery can help a patient in destroying lesions on the skin that may cause lots of bleeding for instance viral warts. Just like any other surgery procedure there are risks involves for example a patient may suffer from electric shock, thermal burns and transmission of infection to the person body system.
Skin grafting
This is another popular type of skin surgery that is done worldwide. This type of skin surgery involves the removal of part of a skin from an infected area of the body and transplanting it to the affected area in replacement. This type of procedure is done often to burnt patients or patients involved in an accident that might have caused damage to the skin and needs to be replaced. There are two types of skin grafting; one that involves the removal of a thin layer of the skin and also the full thickness type that involves deep cutting of the skin. The thick grafting is more dangerous and more precaution is taken during the operation.
