Cryosurgery

Procedure in which liquid nitrogen is sprayed or painted onto a wart,
mole, or other benign lesion or onto a small malignant lesion. The liquid
nitrogen freezes and destroys the lesion
• cry/o- = cold
• surg/o- = operative procedure
• -ery = process

Curettage

Procedure that uses a curet to scrape off a superficial skin lesion. A
curet is a metal instrument that ends in a small ring with a sharp edge.
Curettage is often combined with electrodesiccation for complete
removal of a lesion

Debridement

Procedure in which necrotic tissue is removed (debrided) from a burn,
wound, or ulcer. This is done to prevent infection from developing, to
determine the depth of the wound, or to create a clean, raw surface that
is ready to heal or receive a skin graft.
• Mechanical
• Topical

Electrosurgery

Procedure that uses an electrical current to remove a nevus, wart,
skin tag, or small malignant lesion. The electrical current passes
through an electrode and evaporates the lesion
• Fulguration
• Electrodesiccation
• Electrosection
• electr/o- = electricity
• surg/o- = operative procedure
• -ery = process

Incision and drainage (I&D)

Procedure to remove fluid or pus from a cyst or an abscess. A scalpel
is used to make an incision. Most of the fluid or pus is manually
expressed (pushed out with gloved hands), and the remainder is
allowed to drain out
• in- = in; not; within
• cis/o- = cut
• -ion = action; condition

Laser surgery

Procedure that uses pulses of laser light to remove birthmarks, tattoos,
enlarged superficial blood vessels (rosacea), wrinkles, scars, or
unwanted hair. A tunable laser has a specific wavelength of light to
break up that color and the tissue around it. Surrounding tissue of a
different color is unharmed

Skin examination

Procedure to examine the patient’s skin or just one skin lesion, rash, or
tumor

Skin resurfacing

Procedure that removes the epidermis. It is used to treat acne scars
and skin tone irregularities, remove tattoos, and promote the regrowth
of smoother skin
• Chemical peel
• Dermabrasion
• Laser resurfacing
• Microdermabrasion

Skin turgor assessment

A fold of the patient’s skin, pinched between the thumb and fingertips of
a healthcare professional, should flatten out immediately when released

Suturing

Procedure that uses sutures to bring the edges of the skin together and
close a wound after a laceration or injury or at the end of a surgical
procedure

Ultherapy®

Procedure that uses ultrasound waves directed at the dermis and
subcutaneous tissues. It stimulates the production of new collagen to lift
and tighten the skin of the face and neck