Electrocautery

What is Electrocautery?

Some benign lesions can be treated with electrocautery, also known as electrodessication. An electrode, or needle-like probe, is heated when an electric current passes through it. This heated electrode can then be applied to the tissue to stop bleeding, destroy diseased or abnormal tissue, or remove an undesired growth. It also decreases the risk of infection.

​Although this procedure can be utilized alone in benign growth or precancerous lesions, it is also utilized to stop bleeding during Mohs surgery, excisions, and other dermatologic surgeries.