Electrosurgery (radiofrequency)

Electrosurgery uses high-frequency radio waves delivered through a very fine electrode. The energy generates heat within the tissue itself, which vaporises the target cells and simultaneously seals the small blood vessels around them.

In practice that means a raised lesion can be removed without a scalpel incision and without stitches, with very little bleeding.

Performed under local anaesthetic, usually in a single short appointment at our Malvern East clinic.

What it suits

• Skin tags
• Raised benign moles - see mole removal
• Seborrhoeic warts
• Small benign vascular lesions such as cherry angiomas
• Milia and other small raised lesions
• Viral warts

It is particularly suited to lesions that protrude above the skin surface, because the raised portion can be removed flush without cutting into the skin beneath.

Why it is chosen - and the trade-off

In its favour: no incision, no sutures, minimal bleeding, quick, and often a better cosmetic outcome than an excision line on a small raised lesion.

The trade-off: the tissue is destroyed. Nothing is left to send to pathology.

For a lesion a practitioner has examined and is confident is benign, that is an acceptable exchange. For anything uncertain it is not: a destroyed lesion that turns out to have been an early skin cancer leaves no diagnosis, no margin assessment and no record.

Anything with features of concern is excised whole and tested instead. See skin cancers and surgical excision.

What to expect

Local anaesthetic is injected - a brief sting, then numbness. The lesion is removed with the electrode, which takes seconds to a couple of minutes depending on size. Several lesions can be treated in one appointment.

You may notice a faint smell during treatment, which is normal for this technique.

Afterwards the site is a small shallow raw area that may feel hot or sunburnt for a day or two. It scabs within a few days and heals over one to two weeks, leaving a flat pink patch that fades over months.

Most people return to normal activity immediately.

Aftercare

• Keep the site clean and dry; follow the dressing instructions
• Do not pick the scab - let it separate on its own
• Avoid swimming and soaking until healed
• Protect from sun while healing, then use sunscreen on the site
• Avoid active skincare on the area until healed
• Contact us for increasing pain, spreading redness, swelling or discharge

What results are realistic

The raised lesion is removed and the area sits flush with the surrounding skin. For skin tags and raised benign moles this generally gives a good cosmetic result.

A flat mark usually remains, which may be slightly lighter or pinker than the surrounding skin and typically fades over months - though some pigment difference can persist. Removal does not prevent new lesions forming elsewhere.

A lesion that extended below the surface may partially regrow, since only the raised portion is removed. Individual results vary.

Safety note

Tell your practitioner if you have a pacemaker or implanted cardiac device. Electrosurgical equipment can interfere with such devices, and the technique or settings need to be adjusted or a different method used.

Risks

• A flat scar or textural change at the site
• Changes in pigmentation, lighter or darker, which can persist
• Burns to surrounding skin if applied incorrectly
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Delayed healing
• Incomplete removal and regrowth
• Reaction to local anaesthetic
• Interference with implanted cardiac devices
• Missed diagnosis where a lesion is destroyed rather than examined

See risks and complications.

Cost

Cost depends on the number, size and site of the lesions. As at September 2024 and including GST, a consultation with a Cosmetic Doctor is $150, and a mole removal consultation is $150. Removal for cosmetic reasons is not covered by Medicare; medically indicated removal may attract a rebate.

Booking

Me Clinic, 4 Burke Road, Malvern East VIC 3145. Phone 1300 852 050 or (03) 9569 3511, or use the online consultation form.

Related: curettage, cryotherapy, mole removal, all skin treatments.

Individual results may vary. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.