Electrocautery.
Careful decisions.
Personal care.

It uses heat to treat tissue or control bleeding. Ask which technique is planned: electrocautery and electrosurgery are not technically identical.^[8]

No. These are different technologies. Diagnosis, depth, location and realistic outcomes guide the choice; the device name alone does not determine the best treatment.^{[8] [6]}

Selected skin tags, seborrhoeic keratoses, warts and other superficial lesions. Examination comes before treatment; spots, moles and lumps are not interchangeable diagnoses.^{[13] [5] [7]}

Urgency depends on the lesion. Suspicious changes need prompt assessment; stable benign lesions may allow planned treatment. Persistent bleeding or infection signs need timely care.^{[2] [4]}

Irritation or bleeding may continue; warts may spread. With a suspicious lesion, delayed diagnosis is the key concern. Confirmed benign lesions can sometimes be monitored.^{[5] [7] [2]}

No. Diagnosis, symptoms, location, preferences and treatment risks all matter. A harmless lesion that causes no trouble may not need a procedure.^{[5] [6]}

Yes. Different lesions can look alike. Rapid growth, ulceration, spontaneous bleeding or colour change needs examination, rather than an attempt at home cautery.^{[7] [2]}

A mole needs its own assessment. Destroying suspicious tissue can compromise analysis. The doctor may choose a biopsy or removal that preserves a specimen.^{[1] [2]}

It depends on the lesion and technique. If analysis is needed, sampling must be planned before tissue is destroyed. Ask how and when you will receive the report.^{[13] [1]}

Curettage with cautery can suit selected low-risk tumours. It is not a universal treatment and does not replace diagnosis, staging or choosing the appropriate technique.^[11]

Local anaesthesia is commonly used and its injection may sting. Tell the clinician if you feel pain. Afterwards, some tenderness is possible.^[13]

Many small procedures use local anaesthesia. The extent, location, age and health of the patient guide planning; cases differ.^[13]

The intended effect is localised to the tissue. The technique and anaesthesia are chosen for the procedure. Tell the team immediately about any painful sensation.^{[8] [13]}

Duration depends on the number, size and location of lesions, anaesthesia and any sampling needed. Ask for an estimate during assessment.

Sometimes, after assessment and consent. Biopsy planning, preparation, medicine review or scheduling may require another date.

There is no single number. Some lesions need one session; others need review, additional treatment or a different technique. Agree on follow-up.^{[7] [6]}

Persistence or recurrence is possible, especially with warts. New lesions can also develop elsewhere. A returning lesion should be reassessed.^[7]

A pale, dark, flat or raised mark is possible. Depth, location, individual healing and aftercare matter. Scar-free skin cannot be guaranteed.^{[13] [4]}

People who are prone to them can develop raised scars. Report previous keloids or thick scars; this affects the discussion of risks and alternatives.^{[13] [4]}

Pigment changes deserve particular attention. Skin type, previous discolouration and location should be considered; another technique may sometimes be preferable.^{[6] [10]}

Tell the team about a pacemaker, defibrillator or other implanted device before scheduling. Device identification and technique planning may require cardiology input.^{[8] [14]}

Do not stop them on your own. Bring a complete medicine list; bleeding risk must be weighed against the risk of interrupting treatment.^[4]

It can affect healing and infection risk. Discuss glucose control, medicines and past wound problems, especially on the feet.^{[7] [4]}

Tell the team. The need, timing, anaesthesia and medicines require individual assessment. Cosmetic treatment may be planned for another time.

These sites require specific assessment and protection. Diagnosis and technique may differ; this guide is not a substitute for advice on genital or near-eye lesions.^{[5] [7]}

Cauterising the surface is not equivalent to removing a subcutaneous mass or a cyst capsule. These conditions need their own assessment and treatment.

Curettage and cautery commonly heal without stitches. If excision is also needed, closure may differ. Confirm which procedure is planned.^[13]

Timing varies with location, extent and depth. Some superficial wounds close within a few weeks; the appearance of the mark continues to change afterwards.^{[13] [3]}

Follow the timing and washing instructions from your team. Gentle cleaning is often part of care; do not scrub or add irritating products on your own.^[3]

Do not pick or pull at it. Protect the area as advised and report worsening rather than trying to force healing.^[3]

Use only what your clinician recommends. A topical antibiotic is not required for every wound and can cause allergy. Prescribing depends on the case.^[3]

Avoid applying them to an open wound. Ask the team when to restart makeup, retinoids, acids and other products on that area.

Protect the area from sun and ask when immersion is safe. Clearance depends on healing. Follow advice about sunscreen once the skin has closed.^[3]

It depends on the treated site, friction, sweating and exertion involved. Ask for instructions tailored to your routine before leaving.

Increasing pain, spreading redness, pus, fever or persistent bleeding requires contact with the team and assessment. Marked illness needs urgent care.^{[3] [4]}

Thermal injury is a risk. Appropriate technique, equipment and protection reduce but do not eliminate it; depth must be controlled by the clinician.^[8]

No. In addition to burns, scarring and infection, destroying an undiagnosed lesion can delay recognition of an important condition.^{[8] [1] [4]}

The estimate depends on assessment, lesion number and size, the technique and any pathology. Ask what is included and how follow-up works.

No. Studies involve specific groups, techniques and follow-up periods. Evidence informs choices but cannot predict your individual scar, recurrence or recovery.^{[9] [10]}

What is the diagnosis? Why this technique? Do I need a biopsy? What if I wait? What marks may remain? When is follow-up, and whom do I contact if there is a problem?