The Minor Procedure That Makes a Meaningful Difference.
The Right Instrument for Each Lesion. — Laser microsurgery at Ministry of Skin uses focused CO₂ or Er:YAG laser energy, or precisely calibrated electrosurgical current, to remove specific benign skin lesions with a cosmetic outcome that older mechanical methods do not achieve — performed under local anaesthetic in the clinic, typically in under 30 minutes.
- DPN Removal
- Mole Removal
- Wart Removal
- Skin Tag Removal
- Sebaceous Hyperplasia
Overview
There is a category of skin concern that is neither urgent nor serious — but that, for the person living with it, is a consistent and often longstanding source of self-consciousness. The small dark papules that have gradually spread across the face and neck over the years. The mole in a position that catches every photograph. The wart on the hand that has resisted every over-the-counter treatment. The skin tags that have accumulated in the neck folds or axillae. These are not conditions that require complex treatment programmes or significant recovery periods. They require a skilled, precise clinical hand — and the right instrument to remove them cleanly.
At Ministry of Skin, laser microsurgery for benign skin lesions is performed by qualified dermatologists using the G3 CO₂ laser, the Fotona SP Dynamis Er:YAG laser, and the Hyfrecator 2000 electrosurgical unit — each selected for its specific clinical suitability for the lesion type and the location being treated. The choice of instrument is not incidental. The precision of a CO₂ laser ablation for a DPN papule, the surface clarity of an Er:YAG resurfacing for a flat seborrhoeic keratosis, and the targeted desiccation of a Hyfrecator for a skin tag at a delicate anatomical location all represent specific technical advantages for their respective indications — and the availability of all three at Ministry of Skin allows treatment to be matched to the lesion rather than the lesion fitted to the available instrument.
Every laser microsurgery appointment at Ministry of Skin begins with a clinical assessment of the lesion — including dermoscopy for any pigmented lesion, to confirm the benign character of what is being treated before any ablative procedure is performed. A mole that appears benign clinically but has atypical features on dermoscopy is not ablated. It is excised for histopathological examination. This is a clinical principle we do not compromise on — because the difference between a benign lesion and a lesion that requires histopathological assessment is not always visible to the naked eye, and the consequence of ablating a malignant lesion without tissue examination is a missed diagnosis that cannot be retrieved.
What We Treat and How
Each lesion type requires a specific approach — and at Ministry of Skin, the instrument selected for each procedure reflects the technical demands of that lesion type rather than the availability of a single device.
Lesion Types & Treatment
Treatment By Lesion
DPN — Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra Removal addresses the multiple small, smooth, dark papules — a variant of seborrhoeic keratosis — that commonly develop on the face, neck, and upper chest, becoming more numerous and more prominent over time. They are entirely benign but frequently cause significant cosmetic concern when present in large numbers on the face. At Ministry of Skin, DPN removal is performed with CO₂ or Er:YAG laser ablation — vaporising each individual papule with a focused laser pulse that destroys the lesion precisely while leaving the surrounding skin unaffected. For patients with large numbers of papules, the Hyfrecator provides the efficiency of rapid electrodesiccation that allows multiple lesions to be treated in a single 15–30 minute session. The treated sites form small crusts that shed over 5–10 days, revealing clear skin beneath.
Mole Removal at Ministry of Skin is preceded, without exception, by dermoscopic assessment of the mole. Laser ablation of a pigmented lesion without prior dermoscopy is a clinical shortcut that Ministry of Skin does not take — because ablating a lesion that has atypical or suspicious features destroys the histopathological evidence of what the lesion was, and no subsequent assessment can recover that information. Where dermoscopy confirms a benign mole that the patient wishes to have removed for cosmetic or symptomatic reasons, ablation by CO₂ or Er:YAG laser is performed under local anaesthetic — removing the lesion cleanly without the linear scar that surgical excision produces. Where dermoscopy reveals any atypical feature, excision with histopathological examination is recommended and scheduled rather than laser ablation.
Wart Removal addresses cutaneous warts — verrucae — caused by human papillomavirus infection of the keratinocytes, most common on the hands, fingers, feet, and face. They are distinguished by their rough, papilliferous surface and their tendency to resist over-the-counter treatment, particularly in the plantar and periungual locations where they grow into dense, deep structures. At Ministry of Skin, wart removal uses CO₂ laser ablation — destroying the HPV-infected keratinocytes with thermal energy — combined where appropriate with Hyfrecator electrodesiccation of the vascular supply at the wart base. Larger and deeper plantar warts may require 2–3 sessions for complete resolution. Post-treatment wound care and hygiene are important to prevent autoinoculation during the healing period.
Skin Tag Removal addresses the soft, pedunculated lesions — acrochordons — that accumulate most commonly at the neck, axillae, groin, and eyelid margins. They are entirely benign but can cause irritation from friction, catch on jewellery and clothing, and accumulate in numbers that patients find both uncomfortable and cosmetically undesirable. At Ministry of Skin, skin tags are removed by Hyfrecator electrodesiccation — a single application of current at the stalk that desiccates the lesion immediately without bleeding, sutures, or significant recovery. Multiple lesions can be treated in a single session with topical anaesthetic applied to the area.
Sebaceous Hyperplasia — enlarged sebaceous glands appearing as yellowish, donut-shaped papules most commonly on the forehead, nose, and cheeks — is treated with focal Hyfrecator electrodesiccation or CO₂ laser ablation of the enlarged glandular lobule, destroying the hyperplastic tissue without damaging the surrounding skin. Results are visible immediately as the lesion is removed, with the site healing over 7–10 days.
Results, Realistic Expectations, and Healing
The goal of every laser microsurgery procedure at Ministry of Skin is the clean removal of the specific lesion, with the most favourable possible healing outcome for the treated site. Ablated sites heal over 5–14 days — the initial crust forming and shedding progressively to reveal the skin beneath, which initially appears pink and gradually normalises over 4–8 weeks. For most benign lesions treated by ablation, the healed site is minimally visible or effectively invisible once fully normalised — a significantly better cosmetic outcome than the lesion being treated in the vast majority of cases.
Post-treatment photoprotection is essential. Healing skin is more susceptible to UV-induced pigmentation change, and daily SPF 50+ applied to healing laser microsurgery sites from the day of re-epithelialisation is the most important determinant of how cleanly the site normalises.
Clients
Testimonials
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a mole checked before it can be removed?
Yes — at Ministry of Skin, dermoscopic assessment of every pigmented lesion before any ablative procedure is a clinical requirement, not a formality. Laser ablation without prior dermoscopy destroys the histopathological evidence of what the lesion is. A lesion that appears benign clinically but has atypical dermoscopic features must be excised for histopathological examination rather than ablated. This assessment is performed by a qualified dermatologist at every mole removal consultation.
Can multiple lesions be treated in one session?
Yes — for DPN, skin tags, and other small benign lesions, multiple lesions can be treated in a single session of 15–30 minutes with topical anaesthetic applied to the area. For patients with very large numbers of lesions, staging across 2–3 sessions allows appropriate healing between treatments.
Will laser microsurgery leave a scar?
For ablative removal of superficial benign lesions with calibrated energy and appropriate technique, the healed site is typically a minimal or effectively invisible mark once fully normalised — significantly less conspicuous than the lesion that was removed. All skin procedures leave some mark during the healing period, and the final outcome depends on the size and depth of the lesion treated, its location, and individual healing tendency — which your dermatologist will discuss honestly before proceeding.
Can warts recur after laser treatment?
Individual wart lesions that have been completely ablated typically do not recur at the same site. However, HPV infection of the surrounding skin may produce new warts at adjacent sites if the virus has spread beyond the treated area. Strict post-treatment hygiene reduces the risk of autoinoculation during healing. Patients with multiple or recurrent warts are managed within a dermatologist-led programme that addresses the full distribution of HPV infection.
Is local anaesthetic used for all these procedures?
Yes. All laser microsurgery procedures at Ministry of Skin are performed under local anaesthetic injection or, for smaller lesions and areas where topical anaesthetic provides adequate coverage, topical anaesthetic cream applied 30–45 minutes before treatment. The procedure itself is painless; the local anaesthetic injection involves a brief sting of a few seconds. Post-procedure soreness as the anaesthetic wears off is mild and managed with standard over-the-counter analgesics.
