TREATMENTS
Electrosurgery (diathermy)
Skin lesions are burnt off using a metallic probe heated by an electric current.
- Treatment of one or a small number of skin lesions
- Electric current generates heat which burns the lesion
- Useful for raised and crusted spots
Also known as diathermy, fulguration or electrocautery, electrosurgery is a simple and effective treatment for raised and vascular skin lesions.
Electrosurgery uses an electric current to generate heat, destroying unwanted tissue. Electrosurgery is also useful for cauterising blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical procedures.
It usually doesn’t require advance preparation and can often be performed at short notice during a medical consultation.
MBBS, MA (Virtual Comm), Grad Cert Hlth Info, Grad Dip Comp Inf Sci
How to prepare
Electrosurgery can usually be performed without any prior preparation. However, if you are expecting to have an electrosurgery procedure, it’s helpful to follow these steps.
If the procedure is to be performed in a hairy area, shave a few centimetres around.
Clean the area with a non-soap cleanser. Don’t apply any make-up to the area.
How it's done
The area is injected with a local anaesthetic. A doctor applies a hot electrode to treat the skin lesion. The lesion is burnt off carefully so as not to damage surrounding tissues. The treatment leaves a small burnt area, which may be black and crusted.
After your procedure
Leave any dressings in place and keep the area dry for 2-3 days. Medical follow-up is usually not required.
Learn more about electrosurgery aftercare.
Side effects and warnings
Due to the heat of electrosurgery, the main risk is unintended burns. After treatment, there is a risk of scarring and pigmentation changes in the treated area.
The electrical current can interact with electrical devices, and for this reason, electrosurgery may not be possible in people with pacemakers.
Wound infections are relatively unusual. If you think you have an infection, it's best to have your wound assessed by a doctor or nurse.
More infoIt's normal to have redness at the site of a procedure, either due to inflammation or as part of the normal wound healing response.
More infoExudate is a straw-coloured watery fluid that sometimes “weeps” from a procedure wound.
More info
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