Excision of a melanoma is a type of surgery to remove, or excise, a melanoma from your teen's skin. Melanoma is a form of skin cancer in which abnormal skin cells grow out of control. Sometimes the surgery is simple. But some melanomas need more extensive surgery.
The doctor first gives your teen medicine to numb the area. Then the doctor cuts out the melanoma along with an area of healthy skin around it. How much skin is needed depends on how deep in the skin the melanoma is. Small excisions are usually closed with stitches. Some excisions, such as on the hands or face, may be closed with a skin flap using nearby skin.
A larger excision may need a skin graft to close the wound. For a skin graft, a section of healthy skin is taken from another part of the body to replace the skin that was removed.
The surgery usually takes up to an hour. Your teen will probably go home soon afterward. There may be a scar. The scar should fade with time.
If your teen has a skin graft or more extensive surgery, the surgery may take longer. Your teen may be able to go home the same day. But your teen may need to stay in the hospital overnight or longer.
Your teen may need other tests and treatments. It depends on how large or deep the melanoma is.