Electrosurgical Unit: Uses in Dermatology

An electrosurgical unit is a device that supplies controlled electrical energy through a handpiece. Tissue resistance changes that energy into heat, allowing a clinician to cut, coagulate bleeding, or destroy a carefully selected superficial area. A hyfrecator or diathermy unit may be used for particular settings. The device is not a diagnosis: the clinician decides what tissue is appropriate to treat.

After examining and cleaning the area, the clinician may numb the skin with local anaesthetic. The electrode is applied briefly or moved across the planned site, while smoke or vapour may be removed. You may hear a buzzing sound and notice warmth or a sharp smell. Electrosurgical techniques are used in procedures such as electrosurgery and curettage and cautery, depending on the tissue and treatment aim.

Electrical heat is suited to selected superficial targets, not every lump, rash, or changing pigmented mark. It cannot replace examination or laboratory analysis when a diagnosis is uncertain. Depth and spread of heat must be controlled, and healing varies by site, skin type, wound care, and health conditions. A clinician may choose another method when tissue preservation or a specimen is a priority.

Depending on the problem, alternatives include a scalpel procedure, curettage, cryotherapy, laser treatment, topical medicine, or observation. The choice depends on whether tissue must be removed, sampled, or only reduced, as well as the site and expected wound care. Ask what will happen to removed tissue if testing is needed.

Before treatment, tell the clinician about implanted electrical devices, medicines that affect bleeding, poor wound healing, or a tendency to form raised scars. Clarify whether you will leave with a scab or an open wound, how to clean it, and when normal activity can resume. Do not pick a crust while the surface is repairing.

Expected effects can include local redness, tenderness, swelling, a small scab, or temporary pigment change. Infection, prolonged bleeding, delayed healing, and scarring are possible. The treatment room should use appropriate grounding and fire precautions, especially around oxygen or flammable products. Seek clinical advice for worsening pain, pus, fever, or bleeding that does not stop with firm pressure.