Clinic Expedites Care for Small Skin Lesions

A new “lumps and bumps” clinic hosted by Albany Medical Center’s Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is helping to fast-track care for patients with small skin growths.

The twice-monthly clinic is designed to quickly assess and, if necessary, provide treatment for small soft-tissue masses that can impact daily life, including skin tags, moles, cysts, and lipomas (benign, slow-growing fatty tumors).

“Benign moles or other skin lesions can become unpleasant when they cause irritation or if they get caught on clothing,” said Physician Assistant Briana Benson, who sees patients in the clinic under the direction of Dzifa Kpodzo, MD, chief of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. “With this dedicated clinic time, our goal is to evaluate, treat, and follow-up, usually over the course of just three short visits.”

At the initial consultation, Benson will examine the skin lesion and discuss treatment options, including excision or biopsy, before setting up an appointment for the procedure. After the procedure, she sees patients for one or two follow-up visits to check the procedure site and, if necessary, remove any stitches.

If the lesion is suspicious, a biopsy can be performed in the clinic. If it’s found to be cancerous, removal can be done in the clinic or, if it’s a larger mass, the patient will be connected with one of Albany Med’s expert plastic surgeons, who also have expertise in scar management.

Referrals are not necessary, but may be helpful. The clinic is held on the second and fourth Friday of each month; a limited number of appointments are also available outside of the specific clinic days. To schedule an appointment, call 518-262-2229.