In-Office Excision: What to Expect and How to Prepare
For patients with two or more sites needing surgery, our office policy is to treat one lesion per visit. Often, we can coordinate a second surgery with suture removal to minimize office visits for treatment. The treatment plan will be discussed and finalized at your office visit.
Prior to your surgery:
Purchase white vinegar, Vaseline, bandage, non-stick pads/non-adherent pads, and ice packs for the face (if this applies to your surgical site).
Consider purchasing Tylenol and ibuprofen, unless a physician has told you not to take either or both medications.
If your surgical site is near the eye, bring someone to drive you home as your bandage may obstruct your vision.
The day of your surgery:
Although not a requirement, you can bring one family member or friend
Take all medications you would normally take. If you take Warfarin (Coumadin/Jantoven) please provide us with a copy of your most recent INR blood test result, which must be dated within 7 days of your surgery. We can provide a lab order upon request. If the INR is supratherapeutic (too high), please contact your prescribing physician for instructions on how to manage the dose prior to your surgery. In some cases, surgery may need to be rescheduled until INR reaches a safe level.
Post surgery:
You are likely to bleed the most in the first 48 hours, we ask that you avoid increasing your heart rate and blood pressure during this time.
After 24-48 hours, you will need to change your bandage and clean your wound. This will need to be completed once daily.
You will likely be asked to avoid strenuous physical activity that places strain on the stitches for roughly 2 weeks.
*** Please do not wear any cosmetic products or makeup around the surgical site on the day of your surgery***