How Does Electrosurgery Work?

An electrosurgical unit sends energy through a handpiece or electrode selected for the task. The clinician may use it to cut tissue, seal small blood vessels, or desiccate and remove a superficial lesion. The effect is local and controlled, but the treated area still needs to heal like a wound. A sample may need separate examination when the diagnosis is uncertain; destroying a lesion does not itself identify its cause.

Tenderness, redness, crusting, pigment change, scarring or infection are possible. The risk depends on the lesion, body site, energy setting, skin type and aftercare.

Tell the clinician about pacemakers or implanted electrical devices, medicines that affect bleeding, allergies, poor wound healing and any active skin infection. Keep the area clean, avoid picking the crust, and use only the dressings or ointments advised. Electrosurgery may be considered for lesions such as warts, cherry angiomas, venous lakes, syringomas or dermatosis papulosa nigra after diagnosis and examination.

Contact the clinic for bleeding that does not settle with firm pressure, spreading redness, increasing warmth, pus, fever, worsening pain or wound separation. Seek urgent help for breathing difficulty or rapidly developing facial swelling after treatment.

What is the lesion and why is electrosurgery suitable? Will tissue be sent for examination, what wound care is required, and which changes would mean the area needs review?