Skin tags, warts, and other benign growths are common, harmless, and easy to remove in a single office visit. A dermatologist in West Miami can evaluate the growth, confirm it isn't anything more concerning, and remove it safely. Our clinic provides quick, professional skin tag and minor lesion removal for West Miami patients.
Call (786) 738-9515West Miami sits just minutes from our clinic on SW 8th Street, making us one of the most convenient dermatology offices for residents who want quick, professional care without the wait times common at larger health systems. Most of our skin-tag and wart removal patients are seen and treated within a single visit.
We perform these procedures regularly, which means quick, clean technique, minimal discomfort, and excellent cosmetic results. Patients tell us they appreciate that we don't oversell - if a growth is harmless and doesn't bother you, we'll tell you so and leave it alone. If removal is the right choice, we explain the options and proceed efficiently.
Our entire team is bilingual, and our front desk is happy to discuss minor procedure visits over the phone so you know what to expect before you arrive.
Skin tags - or acrochordons - are soft, flesh-colored or slightly darker growths that hang off the skin by a thin stalk. They're most common in areas of friction: the neck, underarms, eyelids, under the breasts, and in the groin. They're benign, but they can be cosmetically bothersome, snag on clothing or jewelry, and occasionally become irritated or inflamed.
Risk factors include genetics, obesity, insulin resistance, pregnancy, and aging. They tend to appear and multiply gradually over years. While skin tags themselves pose no medical risk, sudden development of multiple new tags is sometimes associated with metabolic conditions, and we may recommend a primary care evaluation in those cases.
Removal is straightforward and almost always cosmetic. The procedure takes a few minutes per tag, requires no general anesthesia, and leaves minimal to no visible mark when performed properly.
Warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) and present as rough, raised growths most often on the hands, fingers, feet, and around the nails. Plantar warts, on the soles of the feet, can be especially uncomfortable because of the pressure of walking on them. Flat warts can appear on the face or legs and are often spread by shaving.
Unlike skin tags, warts are contagious and can spread to other parts of your body or to other people through direct contact. They sometimes resolve on their own as the immune system clears the virus, but this can take months or years, and meanwhile the warts can multiply. Treatment shortens the timeline and reduces the risk of spread.
Diagnosis is usually clinical - we can identify most warts by appearance. In unusual cases, we may biopsy a growth to rule out other conditions that can mimic warts, particularly in older adults or immunocompromised patients.
Beyond skin tags and warts, we routinely evaluate and treat seborrheic keratoses (waxy, stuck-on brown lesions common after age 40), cherry angiomas (small bright red dots that increase with age), sebaceous hyperplasia (small yellow bumps on the face), milia (tiny white cysts often under the eyes), and dermatofibromas (firm, button-like nodules usually on the legs).
Most of these growths are harmless and require no treatment. We remove them when they bother the patient cosmetically, when they're in a location that irritates regularly, or - importantly - when there's any clinical uncertainty about whether the growth is truly benign. A small percentage of lesions that look like seborrheic keratoses can actually be early skin cancers, which is why an in-person evaluation with a trained eye matters.
Whenever we have any doubt about a lesion, we biopsy it. The tissue goes to a board-certified dermatopathologist, and we review results with you in person or by phone, typically within seven to ten business days.
The method we choose depends on the type, size, and location of the growth. Skin tags are usually removed by snip excision after a small injection of local anesthetic, or by electrodessication for smaller tags. Warts are commonly treated with cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen), electrodessication and curettage, prescription topicals for stubborn cases, or in select patients, intralesional immunotherapy.
Seborrheic keratoses, cherry angiomas, and similar superficial lesions respond well to cryotherapy or light electrodessication. Larger or atypical growths are excised and sent for pathology. All procedures are performed under local anesthesia when needed, with strict attention to sterile technique and cosmetic outcome.
Most patients describe the procedures as mild and brief. There may be a small sting from the anesthetic injection, then little to no discomfort. Aftercare typically involves keeping the area clean and applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly until healing is complete - usually one to two weeks.
Not every growth on the skin is benign. The growths that concern us most are those that are new, changing, bleeding, asymmetric, oddly colored, or growing rapidly. These features can indicate a skin cancer - basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma - that requires biopsy rather than cosmetic removal.
We routinely identify previously unrecognized skin cancers during what patients thought were cosmetic visits. This is one of the most important reasons to have a dermatologist - rather than a non-medical provider - evaluate any growth before treatment. A removal without pathology can miss an early cancer entirely.
If we identify a concerning lesion, we perform a biopsy and walk you through the next steps. The vast majority of biopsied lesions turn out to be benign or, when malignant, are caught early and treated successfully. Learn more about skin cancer detection and melanoma evaluation.
Most patients return to normal activity immediately after a minor removal procedure. The treated area may be slightly red, tender, or scab over for a few days. We provide written aftercare instructions and a brief verbal review at the end of your visit. Avoid picking at scabs, keep the area clean, and apply petroleum jelly as directed.
Sun protection over treated areas is essential during the healing phase to prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. We recommend a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher once the skin is fully closed. For facial procedures, light makeup is usually fine after 24 to 48 hours.
Follow-up is generally not needed for routine cosmetic removals, but we're available by phone if you have any concerns. For biopsied lesions, we'll contact you with pathology results and schedule any necessary follow-up care.
Coverage depends on whether the procedure is medically necessary or cosmetic. Removal of irritated, bleeding, or symptomatic lesions is often covered by insurance; purely cosmetic removal of small benign growths is typically self-pay. We verify benefits before your appointment and quote any self-pay portion transparently. See our insurance page.
From West Miami, our clinic is approximately five to ten minutes via SW 8th Street. Free parking is available on-site. Most minor procedure visits take 30 to 45 minutes start to finish, and we schedule them efficiently to minimize wait times.
To book, call (786) 738-9515 or visit our contact page. Same-week appointments are usually available.
When performed by a trained dermatologist, most skin-tag removals heal with minimal to no visible mark. Larger lesions may leave a faint flat scar.
Cryotherapy involves a brief stinging or burning sensation. Electrodessication is performed under local anesthetic with minimal discomfort. Most patients tolerate both well.
Home removal carries risks of infection, scarring, and - most importantly - missing an early skin cancer that mimics a benign growth. A professional evaluation takes only minutes and ensures safety.
Most warts require two to four treatments spaced two to four weeks apart. Stubborn warts may need more sessions or alternative therapies.
Yes. Because warts are caused by a virus, recurrence is possible. We discuss prevention strategies and treat recurrences promptly when they occur.
Schedule a quick evaluation and same-visit removal for benign growths.
Call (786) 738-9515