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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,783
Registered: ‎03-06-2020

Re: dermatologist or plastic surgeon?

Depending on your insurance, they will only be covered if a Dermatologist removes them AND sends them off to be checked (that's how my insurance rolls as does other friends/family members).  In fact, my GP will NOT do ANYTHING that someone else can do (except pelvic and pap exams- go figure).

 

A plastic surgeon would be consulted if the size is going to leave a deep or jagged scar or is near the eyes (at which point an eye surgeon may be consulted). In the end, if the removal is going to cause significant scarring, that's when the plastic surgeon is usually brought into the conversation (told to me by a plastic surgeon).

"Coming to ya from Florida"
Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,304
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: dermatologist or plastic surgeon?

dermatologist---for sure

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,765
Registered: ‎05-09-2010

Re: dermatologist or plastic surgeon?

My dermatologist won't do anything on the face, which I did not know ahead of time.  It was a waste of my time and money to go there for this particular issue.  I went to a plastic surgeon and was very happy with the results.  Personally, if I were you, I would go straight to a plastic surgeon.

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,827
Registered: ‎07-10-2019

Re: dermatologist or plastic surgeon?

My girlfriend had something on her cheek and it turned out to be cancer.  She had the Moh's cancer procedure removal done in the dermatologist's office and then immediately after went to the plastic surgeon.  The result turned out great.  She was only 27 years old.

 

Many Plastic surgeon's can handle it on their own and insurance will cover it if you are under their plan.

 

For me it would depend on where it was.  PS for face, dermatologist for hidden places.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,258
Registered: ‎06-08-2011

Re: dermatologist or plastic surgeon?

I went through this in 2018.  First, you must see a dermatologist so they can check your skin and do a biopsy on anything suspicious.  Mine was melanoma on the top of my foot.  Because there is so little skin there, I needed both an oncologist and plastic surgeon during the surgery.  Thankfully, my markers were all clear.  The plastic surgeon (world renown) took a little skin from my upper leg near my groin and used that on my foot which covered about the size of a quarter.  It was messy for awhile, but now you can barely tell I had anything done.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,510
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: dermatologist or plastic surgeon?

[ Edited ]

For any work related to the eye there is a plastic surgery specialty,

oculofacial plastic surgery. 

I'm not sure if they are the correct surgeons for a mole on the eyelid, but I would check and see.