Surgical dermatology uses medical procedures to treat the underlying layers of skin, muscle, or fat depending on the condition being treated.

Surgical treatments can involve shaving or snipping the problem area with a surgical scalpel or scissor, destroying it with a cold spray of liquid nitrogen, or by harnessing power of laser light beams to remove layers of the skin. Common skin conditions that require surgical excision include acne scars, mole removal, age spots, skin tags, cysts, benign lesions, and some cancerous conditions that affect the upper layers of skin.

The surgical excision in which a growth is cut out and then closed with sutures is sometimes required for conditions that reach the deepest layers of the skin.

When dermatologic surgical procedures require sedation, we administer a local anesthetic. In this setting, you can expect not only a quicker recovery time, but also a lower rate of infection.

Mohs surgery is a specialized form of excisional surgery, which is used for certain types of skin cancers. Over 3,500 skin cancers are removed using this technique each year at Retief Skin Center.

Reconstructive plastic surgery is another form of dermatologic surgery. Thousands of clients undergo this type of surgery every year in our office following removal of their skin cancers with Mohs surgery. Such surgery is also needed for many melanomas.

In addition to medical dermatology procedures, Retief Skin Center also specializes in cosmetic surgery operations including neck and face liposuction, and upper blepharoplasty (eyelid lift). Botox injections and cosmetic dermal fillers are routine procedures we can perform in our office.

While all of our physicians are certified to perform dermatologic surgery, several have received advanced training in specialty areas such as Mohs surgery, reconstructive, and laser surgery.